During her official visit to Vienna (Austria), Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives the Grand Decoration of Honour at the National Council and makes the acceptance speech. The "Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen am Bande für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich" (Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria) is the highest honour in Austrian national hours system.It is conferred by the Republic of Austria to honour people (from Austria and abroad) who have rendered meritorious services to the country.

meeting

speech

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Austria (T)

Vienna

president's agenda

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to Vienna (Austria): extracts from the ceremony of the Grand Decoration of Honour and the acceptance speech

Establishing shots of Vienna and the Austrian Parliament, 5 shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Wolfgang SOBOTKA, President of the Austrian National Council, Europe needs individuals like you who fight for the future of our continent with passion and reason. On behalf of the Republic of Austria and all those present. I would like to express my sincere gratitude and admiration. Therefore, I am delighted to have the special honour of presenting you, dear Roberta, the Grand Declaration of Honour and Gold with sash for services to the Republic of Austria.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We have just come from a visit to the exhibition "Talking tacheles" (straight talking), which dear President Sobotka, brought home your tireless work in combating antisemitism. Thank you for standing up for tolerance and acceptance and proving once again that hate has no place in our Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Europe is as much Salzburg or Vienna as it is Brussels or Strasbourg. That is a message that Parliament must keep reinforcing every day. We saw this unity spring into action during the terrible floods that raged across Austria and many other countries, and in the face of such devastation, communities and countries came together to help those in need. Europe once again stood up in solidarity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Looking out at this beautiful and historic space, I am reminded of Austria's motto: The future is in our hands. Austria is in our hearts. And it is clear that Austria also has Europe at its heart. Your 2018 presidency of the Council championed a Europe that protects, a Europe where tradition is respected, but that always looks to the future. And it understood the importance needed for stability in our neighbourhood, a stability that has been shattered by Russias illegal invasion of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Across our continent, extremists sell false narratives and offer false, simple solutions to impossible questions. They seek to destroy and disrupt. We seek the opposite because we are a Europe of builders, of innovators or forward thinkers. We seek a sustainable return to growth, making our industries more competitive while leaving no one behind. Only Europe can offer sustainable free markets coupled with the social safety nets that bring people back from the political fringes and foster entrepreneurship. The answer is not by closing ourselves off. It is by working together

SOUNDBITE (German), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you so much for this generous vote of confidence in Europe. Thank you.

Cutaways from ceremony presenting the Grand Decoration of Honour to Roberta METSOLA, EP President, at the Austrian National Council, 17 shots