On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA participates to the "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury where she makes a statement and participates in a questions and answers session, with Rafal TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw. Roberta METSOLA, EP President talks about her commitment to a strong rule of law in Poland, the priorities of the new Parliament, the Artificial Intelligence Act, the situation in Gaza.

statement

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Poland (T)

Warsaw

TRZASKOWSKI, Rafał (EPP, PL)

president's agenda

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Olsztyn (Poland): extracts from the participation to "The Future of Poland 2024" event at the University of Warmia and Mazury

External shots. Cutaways of  the University of Warmia and Mazuryand. Arrival of Roberta METSOLA, EP President, welcome by Rafal TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw, Olsztyn, Poland, 28/08/2024, (6 shots)

Cutaways of the opening event with arrival of Roberta METSOLA, Olsztyn, Poland, 28/08/2024, (6 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We take decisions to make sure that the democracy that sometimes we see backsliding in different member states. That's why we were very vocal on what was happening before the last general election here in Poland. That's why we will continue, to to voice concerns with what is happening, freedom of media, protection of journalists, protection of minorities across all sectors in every member state. If we see that those are under threat, then we will legislate.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rafal TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw, I wanted to thank you because this is very, very important that, throughout the years when democracy in Poland was being undermined, the European Parliament and you yourself, you stood very firm, along with the European Commission, in defending the values that are so important to us and in defending the rule of law in Poland. It gave us hope.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I have always believed as having been a long time pro-European anti-corruption activist, since I was at school, is that I stand up for the rule of law everywhere, irrespective of where it is, and that is whether it is my country or anyone else. And that's why I was by your side. A throughout all those years

SOUNDBITE (English), Rafal TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw, What would you say now are the top priorities of the next mandates for you personally, for the president of the European Parliament and for the European Parliament as an institution?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We spent a lot of time in this election saying, you know, the challenges are beyond us. Something is happening in another continent. It's not the European Union's fault, no longer possibility. It's our responsibility. And therefore, if we say it's our job to do, we need to be able to do it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marcz, Student, Me personally, I'm an entrepreneur and I'm doing AI. And, given that the AI will definitely fundamentally change the economy, I have a question to you. How do you, how do you see the balance of of the regulation of AI act and, fostering of the innovation in European Union?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I don't want a Europe where you find that you have no choice but to move outside the European Union, where your product cannot be sold. In the European Union, where you are competing with a country that has a very different value set to ours will be crucial and it will depend a lot on individual governments, individual ministers as they implement. So my appeal to you would be to talk to Rafal, to all the colleagues in the government and say, when you implement, when you transpose this legislation, please make sure that it is done properly and that Polish interests are safeguarded.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nathan, Student, What is the direction that European Union, European Union is leading to? What should we do and what kind of relationship can we make and shape with Israel after this genocide? The lives are currently happening in Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, What we see in Gaza is a catastrophe. Catastrophe. It took us too long to say it. We were the first and still, I think, the only institution to call for a permanent ceasefire. We were the ones that will continue to insist on the increase in humanitarian aid. I would like to see a proper European Union plan on reconstruction having individual disjointed positions, which are necessary but not coordinated, is, to me unacceptable. And we need to be clear that the bombs must stop. Clear. We were not always so clear. We should be more and more.