unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Geoffroy Didier
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, en matière migratoire, le véritable problème de l’Europe est clair: nos lois ne sont pas respectées et nos frontières sont quotidiennement bafouées. Selon la Commission européenne, en 2019, seul un tiers des immigrés clandestins invités à repartir dans leur pays d’origine l’ont effectivement fait. Et en France, dans mon pays, cette année, seulement, un clandestin sur huit et un débouté d’asile sur neuf sont effectivement repartis dans leur pays d’origine. Cette grande faiblesse a deux conséquences. D’abord, elle décourage tous les Européens qui respectent les lois de continuer à le faire. D’autre part, elle dessert la cause des immigrés légaux, les véritables réfugiés, des chercheurs, des médecins ou des étudiants qui méritent d’être accueillis dignement. L’immigration zéro, ça n’existe pas et ce serait se priver des richesses humaines qui, au gré de l’histoire, ont forgé l’identité et la civilisation européenne. Mais accepter de subir l’immigration incontrôlée, c’est une pure folie qui brise la légitimité du projet européen. J’appelle donc l’Union européenne à ne pas avoir la main qui tremble et à se faire respecter...
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Łukasz Kohut
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: PL

Pani Przewodnicząca! Ta historia wydarzyła się w ubiegłym tygodniu w Polsce. Po północy grupa Kurdów została zatrzymana przez Straż Graniczną. Migranci deklarowali, że chcą ubiegać się o ochronę międzynarodową, jednak zostali wywiezieni, odepchnięci w kierunku lasu po białoruskiej stronie. Temperatura przy gruncie oscylowała wokół minus pięciu stopni Celsjusza. Wśród migrantów była czwórka dzieci: Alaa, Awin, Aland i Jwanko.  To putinowskie okrucieństwo i putinowska zagrywka, którą niestety rząd PiS legalizuje. Po pierwsze, to postępowanie niehumanitarne – nikt nie powinien być pozostawiony na pastwę losu w zimnym lesie, w szczególności dzieci. Po drugie, to postępowanie nielegalne, niezgodne z konwencją genewską, europejską konwencją praw człowieka i polską Konstytucją.  Określenie „push-back” jest eufemizmem, który nie oddaje cierpienia zmarzniętego i przerażonego człowieka w ciemnym lesie. Tortury na granicy polsko-białoruskiej muszą się skończyć! Potrzebna jest pomoc międzynarodowa! I powiem to kolejny raz na tej sali – Polska to nie PiS! I zgadzam się z panią komisarz: szczelne granice Unii – tak, ale pomoc humanitarna – tym bardziej!
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Philippe Olivier
Political group: ID
Country: Italy
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, votre position sur la question du refoulement aux frontières est emblématique. Elle est emblématique de votre objectif politique, que dis-je politique, idéologique, qui est non pas de préserver nos pays, mais d’organiser leur submersion migratoire. Une submersion qui n’est pas pour vous un problème, mais un projet. Elle est emblématique de vos méthodes puisque, comme du temps de l’Union soviétique avec le communisme, vous arguez de vos échecs pour imposer toujours plus d’européisme. Elle est surtout emblématique de votre volonté de bafouer tous les principes réels de droit. Vous partez d’un droit mou, c’est-à-dire de déclarations vagues, en l’occurrence le respect des droits humains, pour permettre à des autorités illégitimes d’édicter des mesures coercitives. Elles sont ensuite amenées à muter au gré des interprétations, interprétations judiciaires ou même extrajudiciaires, puisque vous sous-traitez leur contrôle à des ONG idéologisées. Un droit qui fluctue selon des interprétations partisanes, ce n’est pas du droit. En matière de migration, votre souci n’est pas le droit, mais un projet de mondialisation démographique au mépris du respect des droits des peuples européens.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Andrius Kubilius
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, when we are talking about push-backs on the borders with Belarus, we need not to forget about the illegitimate Lukashenko regime and his crimes. He is the reason for the suffering which people of Belarus and millions on the borders are living through.  Let’s push back Lukashenko out of power and there will be no more sufferings of ordinary people either from Belarus or from far-away countries. Let’s not allow Lukashenko win this hybrid war against the European Union, that he shall us to discuss only about migrants in order not to have time to discuss Lukashenko’s crimes. I would like to thank the Commission, including for the recent communication on a renewed EU action plan against migrant smuggling, which clearly shows that what we are facing in Lukashenko’s actions  is a special hybrid warfare, using state-sponsored smuggling of migrants. We need to remember that the smuggling of migrants is an international crime, which should be punished by all the force of international criminal law, including United Nations conventions. So, my question is very simple: is the Commission ready to bring Lukashenko to criminal responsibility for criminal smuggling of migrants?
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Pietro Bartolo
Political group: S-D
Country: Italy
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, signora Commissaria, onorevoli colleghi, nei primi nove mesi dell'anno più di diecimila persone sono rimaste vittime dei respingimenti, tra questi tanti minori. Respingimenti violenti, effettuati con le botte e le percosse, le abbiamo viste le foto di queste violenze, li abbiamo sentiti i racconti dei migranti. Ed è questa violenza che alcuni governi vogliono legalizzare. Stiamo parlando di serie violazioni del principio di non respingimento e dei diritti fondamentali. Stiamo parlando di esseri umani picchiati e rimandati indietro senza concedere loro il diritto di chiedere asilo. Il viceministro polacco non ha avuto vergogna di ammettere che i minori vengono respinti al confine. Cosa dobbiamo indagare ancora? Dodici ministri non hanno avuto vergogna di chiedere all'Unione di alzare muri, muri che, lo sappiamo, non serviranno a fermare le persone, ma a farci vergognare per averci pensato. Eppure basterebbe poco: solidarietà interna e il rispetto delle persone. Chiedo alla Commissione di monitorare la situazione e agire in quanto guardiana dei trattati. Serve inoltre un meccanismo di monitoraggio indipendente ai nostri confini, come il mio gruppo ha chiesto nella lettera inviata oggi alla Presidente von der Leyen. Bisogna agire immediatamente.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Bernhard Zimniok
Political group: ID
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissarin! Bei Berichten zu den  Wenn nun betroffene Staaten selbst handeln, so haben sie nicht nur das Recht dazu, nein, sie haben auch die Pflicht, ihr Volk zu schützen und Eindringlinge abzuwehren. Frau Johansson, während Sie hier im Parlament von Zäunen und schwer bewaffneten Polizisten beschützt werden, verweigern Sie genau diesen Schutz den europäischen Bürgern. Die Bürger Europas haben die Folgen zu tragen: Morde, Vergewaltigungen, Drogenhandel, Parallelgesellschaften und Abermilliarden an Kosten. Und wir debattieren hier moralische Aspekte von  Wir sollten uns lieber fragen: Warum sichert die EU nicht endlich ihre Außengrenzen? Wieso werden kriminelle Schlepper als Seenotretter bezeichnet und warum legen wir diesen Menschen nicht das Handwerk? Es wird Zeit, das endlich zu ändern. Schützen wir Europa!
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Sunčana Glavak
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: HR

Poštovana predsjedavajuća, poštovana povjerenice, kolegice i kolege, s najnovijim razvojem događaja na istočnim granicama Europske unije postaje očito da su u geopolitičkim strategijama migranti postali moćno oružje. Hrvatska je granica u posljednjih šest godina pod stalnim pritiskom migranata i hrvatska policija radi odličan posao u zaštiti hrvatskog i teritorija Europske unije.  I dalje smo, naravno, zabrinuti činjenicom da migranti ne prelaze granicu na službenim graničnim prijelazima i zagovaram jasnu razliku između osoba kojima je potrebna međunarodna zaštita i migranata koji traže bolje životne mogućnosti u Europi.  Kolegice i kolege, do sada je uhićeno preko tri tisuće krijumčara ljudi na hrvatskim granicama. Za njih je to ozbiljan biznis. U 2020. godini spriječeno je skoro 30 000 ilegalnih pokušaja prelazaka granice. Uložili smo preko 200 milijuna eura u jačanje nadzora granice, a oko sedam tisuća hrvatskih policajaca čuvat će granicu Europske unije.  Kolegice i kolege, Republika Hrvatska čuva i vašu granicu, granicu Europske unije na zakonit način.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

It’s also important to stress that every day, every night, border guards, policemen, policewomen are protecting our external borders in compliance with EU law and fundamental rights. So when we rightly criticise pushbacks and urge each Member State to thoroughly investigate allegations and take actions, to establish the facts and trust, we should also thank all brave border guards and policemen and women in their everyday work. They show that there are no contradiction in strong protection of our external borders and strong protection of our values.  Some voices in this debate argue that we have to choose between protecting our external borders and our treaty. It’s simply not true. Our priority is to save lives, and to save lives we must stop Lukashenko and the Belarus regime. Many of you have raised the unprecedented hybrid attack from the Belarus regime and I fully agree.  As I said earlier last week, the last plenary session, I outlined our EU actions against Lukashenko. This Monday, Belarus was on the agenda for the Foreign Affairs Council. Later this week it will be on the agenda for the European Council.  We need to step up our outreach to partners where Belarus has introduced new visa-free regimes to Egypt, to Iran, to Pakistan. We must cooperate with authorities or partners so that they warn their citizens of what really awaits them. And the EU continues discussion on expanding its sanctions against Belarus.  And I must also say that the best way to avoid false reports on what’s going on at our external borders is transparency. We need transparency to build trust.  The situation for migrants on the Greek islands was also raised. As I said earlier, I expect the Greek Government to thoroughly investigate reports on violent pushbacks and set up an independent monitoring mechanism. But let me also stress the important progress that had been made in Greece when it comes to migration. When I took office almost two years ago, there were 42 000 migrants living on the Greek islands under unacceptable living conditions. And I know this was a concern for many of you and it was for me as well.  This has been one of the priorities and now we have totally changed the situation. It’s now 4000 migrants living on the Greek islands and in Greece, there are new, efficient and fair asylum processes in place, and there are improved facilities.  All Member States should follow Croatia and establish an independent monitoring mechanism, and above all, we need to get an agreement on the pact to protect our borders, to prevent pushbacks and to uphold fundamental rights and to never allow pushbacks to be normalised.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Anže Logar
Language: SL

Instrumentalizacija migracij, s katero se srečujemo in se bomo žal očitno tudi v prihodnje, nedvomno povzroča številne izzive. Zato bo tema migracij tudi ena od ključnih tem oktobrskega evropskega sveta, ki se začenja jutri.  Države članice morajo pri varovanju svojih meja in zunanjih meja EU dosledno spoštovati pravo EU in mednarodno pravo, vključno z varstvom človekovih pravic in prepovedjo nevračanja.  Skupaj moramo ukrepati na različnih nivojih, da se zoperstavimo instrumentalizaciji migracij za politične namene. Hkrati pa je treba poskrbeti, da so vsa dejanja v zvezi s tem tudi zakonita. Še enkrat hvala lepa za današnjo razpravo.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Balázs Hidvéghi
Political group: NI
Country: France
Language: HU

Hat évvel később a migráció ugyanolyan súlyos problémát jelent, mint akkoriban. Sőt, az Unió egyre több külső határszakaszán próbálnak átjutni a bevándorlók. Most már Lengyelország, Litvánia és Lettország határait is illegális bevándorlók ostromolják. A baloldali többség viszont mást sem csinál, mint mondvacsinált vádaskodásokkal és hazugságokkal akarja aláásni a külső határokat védő tagállamok erőfeszítéseit. Úgy tűnik, továbbra is sziklaszilárd az a tervük, hogy bevándorlókontinenssé akarják változtatni Európát. Továbbra sem tettek le arról, hogy kötelező elosztási kvótákat kényszerítsenek a tagállamokra. Az elfogadhatatlan, hogy baloldali képviselők azt akarják kriminalizálni, hogy a tagállamok megvédik a határaikat. Le kell szögezni: a határ arra szolgál, és a határvédők azért vannak, hogy megakadályozzák az illegális határátlépéseket, amelyek fenyegetik egy tagállam biztonságát. És azt sem kellene elfelejteni, hogy ezzel nemcsak a saját, de a teljes Unió és minden uniós polgár biztonságát szavatolják. Nem rágalmazás és kioktatás, hanem köszönet jár az erőfeszítéseikért!
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Janina Ochojska
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: PL

Międzynarodowe prawo humanitarne wyraźnie mówi o tym, że każdy człowiek, którego życie jest zagrożone, ma prawo opuścić kraj pochodzenia i złożyć wniosek o ochronę międzynarodową. Na zewnętrznej granicy UE to prawo jest nagminnie łamane. Nie chodzi tylko o Polskę, ale także Grecję, Włochy czy Hiszpanię. Od 2015 r. dyskutujemy o solidarności państw członkowskich w kontekście migracji. UE, która nie reaguje i nie wywiera presji na Polskę czy Grecję w sprawie zaprzestania zawróceń bez uprzedniej weryfikacji wniosku azylowego, także łamie prawo i jest współodpowiedzialna za śmierć migrantów. Rozmowa o finansowaniu lepszej ochrony granic, w tym budowy murów, jest tylko gwałceniem podstawowych praw człowieka i konwencji międzynarodowych.
Debate: Pushbacks at the EU's external border
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Sylwia Spurek
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Netherlands
Language: PL

O ilu zmarłych nie wiemy ze względu na wprowadzony stan wyjątkowy i utrudniony dostęp mediów i społeczeństwa obywatelskiego do informacji? Ile osób wypchnięto za granicę, uniemożliwiając im złożenie wniosku o status uchodźcy lub uchodźczyni? Ilu osobom nie zapewniono ochrony fundamentalnych praw – wody, pożywienia i schronienia, dostępu do prawnika lub prawniczki, niezbędnej pomocy medycznej?  To wygląda jak wojna – wojna polskich władz z grupą uchodźców i uchodźczyń potrzebujących pomocy. Czy po wojnie przeciwko kobietom, przeciwko osobom LGBTIQ rząd znalazł nowego wroga? Czy to nowy argument dla polityki strachu, podziałów i budowania murów?  W 2020 r. Polska wydała prawie 600 tysięcy pozwoleń na pobyt dla obywateli i obywatelek państw trzecich. Jednocześnie według propagandowego przekazu kilka tysięcy osób, uciekających przed wojną, prześladowaniami, głodem, próbujących przekroczyć granicę z Białorusią, to „fala”, „kryzys” i „element” wojny hybrydowej.  Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka Rady Europy już zareagował, wydając środki tymczasowe. Kiedy zareaguje Unia Europejska?
Debate: The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

The August earthquake, unfortunately not the first natural disaster to hit Haiti, has had severe impact on its people and infrastructure. Over 2000 people lost their lives. Thousands more were severely injured. At least 50 000 families were left without any form of housing, shelter or accommodation. Several hospitals and schools were damaged, water networks, roads and bridges were equally affected. According to the latest figures, over 800 000 people are now in need of urgent aid and relief in the areas most severely affected by the earthquake. In response to the disaster and showing solidarity with Haitian people, the EU and its Member States have mobilised the entire emergency toolbox in a true Team Europe spirit. An additional EUR 3 million in humanitarian funding were disbursed immediately after the earthquake to address urgent needs. The Member States offered in—kind assistance such as food, nutrition, shelter and healthcare equipment. Three EU humanitarian air bridge flights carried together 177 tonnes of essential relief items on behalf of our humanitarian partners like NGOs and UN bodies. Last but not least, Haiti activated the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism and through our Emergency Response Coordination Centre, we deployed a number of civil protection experts, including French and Spanish water purification teams, a Luxembourg telecom unit, as well as a field hospital from Norway. However, as devastating as the earthquake was, it should be seen as a crisis within a bigger, more structural and multi—layered crisis. Haiti suffers from political instability and infighting, gang violence affecting local population and humanitarian aid workers, ineffective police force and judicial system that many see as corrupt, stark inequalities and very poor economic performance. As much as 46 other populations are food insecure, and this number is growing. The situation in Haiti is in stark contrast with its neighbour, the Dominican Republic, which is emerging as a regional leader in the Caribbean. Two countries share one island but two very different fates. Haiti can count on the EU’s humanitarian aid, which going forward will prioritise disaster preparedness, resilience, food security and protection, as well as restoring access to basic services such as hospitals and schools. However, humanitarian aid will not resolve Haiti’s main problems, which are structural and deeply rooted. Our longer—term response needs to be structured around a humanitarian—developed nexus approach. Close cooperation with other development partners will also be crucial, particularly with the Dominican Republic, the United States and the United Nations. In this regard, we welcome the decision by the international community to extend the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti to 15 July next year, as well as to review its scope. I look forward very much to hearing your views and opinions.
Debate: The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Maria Arena
Political group: S-D
Country: Belgium
Language: FR

La crise politique s’est ajoutée à la crise humanitaire. Depuis des mois, Port-au-Prince est soumis au feu et à la terreur. L’insécurité est devenue la règle. Des gangs armés n’ont eu de cesse de frapper. Enlèvements, assassinats, attentats ciblés se sont multipliés. Des quartiers ont été incendiés. Des femmes, des jeunes, des enfants, des journalistes, des militants, des personnalités ont été massacrés. La crise humanitaire affiche des chiffres inquiétants. Aujourd’hui, plus de quatre millions d’Haïtiens, et principalement des femmes et des filles, ont besoin d’une aide d’urgence. Notre priorité doit être de répondre aux besoins humanitaires, bien entendu, mais aussi de participer avec les partenaires locaux, la société civile, des personnes de terrain afin d’offrir une aide efficace qui ne tient pas compte des considérations d’ordre politique et qui s’adresse aux populations. Mais ce pays ne pourra s’en sortir sans un retour à l’état de droit et sans une la lutte contre l’impunité, qui reste le fléau majeur pour les populations haïtiennes.
Debate: The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Jan-Christoph Oetjen
Political group: Renew
Country: France
Language: EN

Let’s put the crisis into perspective. Nearly 5 million people in Haiti are in need of humanitarian aid; in the capital of Port-Au-Prince alone, close to a quarter of a million people are in urgent need of emergency assistance, and 19 000 people have been displaced in their own capital from gang violence that has significantly worsened in the last year.  In addition to all this, Haiti has been hit by the worst earthquake since 2010. International actors have shown a great amount of solidarity on the ground, doing what it takes to make sure that humanitarian aid reaches its target. But Haiti has been struck by more than one crisis, and it becomes increasingly clear that aid alone is not enough. Gangs are dominating the streets of Port-Au-Prince, killing dozens by day, staging kidnappings and, not least, blocking aid and stealing critical humanitarian aid.  And now there’s no clear leadership in the country, so we all ask: who can secure the situation for aid workers, as the police is not seen as somebody who helps? We, as the European Union – and I go along with Maria Arena’s view, have to do the utmost possible in order to help the people of Haiti, to show solidarity and to do everything possible from our side in order to help to meet the needs of the people.
Debate: The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Caroline Roose
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Poland
Language: FR

Chaque jour, les Haïtiens et Haïtiennes sont assassinés par des bandits armés bénéficiant de la complaisance des autorités policières et judiciaires. Les gangs contrôlent le pays, la population est prise au piège, les parents gardent leurs enfants à la maison de peur des enlèvements. Avec une moyenne de cinq enlèvements par jour, chaque Haïtien attend son tour. Les femmes et les filles, lorsqu’elles sont enlevées, sont victimes de viols collectifs. Depuis 2018, la justice est à genoux. La communauté internationale ferme les yeux depuis tellement d’années. Selon la société civile, le bureau de l’ONU sur place fait plus partie du problème que de la solution. C’est notre devoir de soutenir la société civile et l’accord pour une solution haïtienne à la crise pour ramener un climat de sécurité et de démocratie. Ne pas agir, c’est être complice.
Debate: The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Bill Clinton forced heavy neoliberal reforms on Haiti as a condition for reversing the coup against the hugely popular President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. France and Washington orchestrated a second coup on Aristide in 2004. Under the subsequent brutal puppet  leadership, no nation-building has been allowed and the casualties, deaths and the after-effects of frequent earthquakes have been compounded by this legacy of interference that continues today.  The good news is that the people of Haiti have never stopped struggling against empire and hopefully are on the verge of taking back control of their country from US and French authoritarianism.