Michaela Šojdrová (PPE). – Paní předsedající, já bych ráda vysvětlila, proč jsem tuto zprávu nemohla podpořit. Všem nám jde o dodržování lidských práv v Evropské unii.
Přestože země Evropské unie jsou demokratické, dodržují základní práva, nesmíme usnout na vavřínech a usilovat o naplňování těchto práv. Ovšem tato zpráva bohužel jde mnohem dál. Já prostě nesouhlasím s doporučením ohledně ratifikace Istanbulské úmluvy, protože to je svrchovaným právem členských států. Odmítám tvrzení, které bylo ve zprávě schváleno, že odpírání služeb týkajících se sexuálního a reprodukčního zdraví a reprodukčních práv včetně bezpečného legálního přerušení těhotenství představuje jednu z forem násilí páchaného na ženách.
Andrejs Mamikins (S&D). – Madam President, for me and for the Socialists and Democrats the high point of 2017 was certainly the establishment of the European social pillar, and EU citizens’ basic human rights is one of the most important values. This is also one of the first things that foreigners point out when they speak about EU foreign policy.
But in our home things are far from perfect. What I find really alarming in the second report of our Fundamental Rights Agency on minorities and discrimination is that discrimination is still a reality for many people in the EU. Illegal hate speech online puts the well-being of too many Europeans at risk. Inefficient integration policy brings vulnerability to migrants on our soil. I realise that in order to address such issues, the FRA need a larger mandate, but it is also true that this subject is still mainly in the hands of the Member States. But of course I voted in favour.
Alex Mayer (S&D). – Madam President, we were too slow to act on Hungary and now the Council must urgently follow up on the Article 7 procedures, because our shared European values of liberal democracy matter. So let us say it like it is: a university has been forced out and academic freedom is no more, the independence of the judiciary has been threatened, minorities mistreated.
Morally and strategically we must not tolerate the far-right populists, for if we do not act, we become complicit in moving the centre of gravity of politics. We saw it in the language used about refugees swamping Europe, which was tolerated. It moved from the extremes to normal public discourse taking opinion and policy with it. We see it in our history too and the ultimate horrors of World War II. Appeasing those whose principles that we despise never has worked and never will.