Debašu stenogramma

Trešdiena, 2023. gada 19. aprīlis - Strasbūra

24.5. ES ātrās izvietošanas spējas, ES kaujas grupas un LES 44. pants: turpmākā virzība (A9-0077/2023 - Javi López)

Oral explanations of vote

  Chris MacManus (The Left). – Madam President, successive opinion polls in Ireland have confirmed that the majority of the Irish people are opposed to any dilution of Irish neutrality. The very idea that we set up EU battlegroups is a clear violation of that neutrality. I am astonished that this House would be asked to promote qualified majority voting instead of unanimity when it comes to military matters, effectively asking Irish MEPs to vote against an Irish veto and vote against Irish neutrality. We in Ireland have a strong tradition of promoting human rights, international law and disarmament. Maintaining a policy of military neutrality is consistent with these values and promotes peace and stability around the globe. That is why I voted against this report, and I urge members from across this House to respect Irish neutrality.

  Mick Wallace (The Left). – Madam President, I voted against this terrible report.

We have EU missions where we misunderstand the local dynamics so badly, we end up exasperating the situation, while the local populations come to see the EU as the enemy. We have a habit of applying one-size-fits-all to entire regions because the aims are, above all, European ones: protecting Europe from terrorism, combating illegalised migration and facilitating or protecting European investments. The 2013 Sahel strategy, for example, made no reference to the fact that NATO had just dismantled a state that, historically, had done most to promote and maintain stability in the region: Libya. Is anyone surprised that the mission is an unmitigated disaster? Now we want to send 5 000 troops off at the drop of a hat. Commissioner Borrell has been candid that this force will possibly be used in boots-on -the-ground combat operations. Brussels should not have a foreign policy, let alone command an EU army.

  Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, I voted against this report.

In Ireland we voted down the Nice and Lisbon treaties because we didn’t want an EU army. We were promised that there were no plans for one. Those promises were lies. And if you want proof, you only have to read this so-called Rapid Deployment Capacity, which of course isn’t an EU army, it’s just a permanently available, standing, multinational, modular EU force, including land, air, maritime components funded out of an EU budget under the full command and control of a permanently active EU headquarters, synchronised and aligned in the framework of NATO. It’s going to be there for collective defence capable of rapidly deploying into future battlefields outside the Union to protect the Union’s values and interests, including non—permissive environments, which, as Josep Borrell made clear, means boots on the ground combat operations in countries where we are not welcome. Then have the procurement, the logistics and all the rest of it. Now I ask you, if that isn’t an EU army, what in God’s name is?

  President. – That concludes the item.