After the ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Cibeno nazi massacre in Campo Fossoli, David SASSOLI, EP President, makes a declaration to the press. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Italy

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

Holocaust remembrance (T)

World War II commemoration (T)

Commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the Cibeno nazi massacre in Campo Fossoli: doorstep by David SASSOLI, EP President

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, It is a message to say that our institutions consider memory as the foundation of the new Europe, and the memory of the highest point of pain that has developed in Europe in contemporary history, the point starting point for the reconstruction of our countries to give life to our constitutions to give life to a Europe of peace against the Europe of war.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, The field of Fossoli is a symbol of that horror. Five thousand people brought to the camps of Central Europe, prisoners shot because they are leaders of the resistance. And of course we want to remember that democracy and our institutions must also be vigilant because what is happening in Europe today is worrying.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, Discrimination, violence and attacks on the judiciary on freedom of the press. For us this is all this is intolerable and intolerable and does not reconcile with our values. We have new sanctioning tools and we want to use them. Because our institutions hold a great heritage of humanity.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, And I believe it is important today to present oneself on the global scene on the international scene with a Europe that defends its values, its rights and its treaties. That's why we are very busy making sure that the recovery plans and the debate on defending the rule of law run hand in hand.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, But there is no doubt from Schuman da Fossoli from the reside of San Sabba da Marzabotto to Sant'Anna di Stazzema our Republic is born our Constitution. But certainly the new Europe also originates. Europe that says war never again. The Europe of Peace. The Europe of Rights.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, That's why we are in a place that, among other things, connected Italy to Central Europe and Germany because it was transporting deportees, five thousand were taken to the Nazi concentration camps. At this time, our institutions are aware of keeping a great heritage of humanity.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, If we lost these values, Europe would no longer be numbers and could not tell authoritarian systems that democracy is valid for the welfare of citizens. How can we defend and protect everyone who asks for protection from Europe. The opposition of Belarus Patrizia Zaki or many others in Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East who are asking for us.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, And they're asking somehow to be protected. Because what is possible in Europe is possible. That's why we're also putting some fear on authoritarian systems. What is possible in Europe is possible everywhere. But what happens in Europe is truly unpublished. Because it doesn't happen in the rest of the world. And then I think we must be perhaps even a little bit more proud of ourselves.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, Of course we have imperfect systems we need to improve. But we also have the awareness and pride we have built seventy years of peace on this pain and I believe this also gives us the pride of our citizenship.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, (The challenge) is not to stop us. We had an important result with the recovery plans and the response of the pandemic even with vaccines because we bought them for everyone there was no European war on vaccines. And if Europe had not been there, probably the strongest European countries would have been the master. But no, it wasn't like that.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, Right now. We are following the evolution and development of national plans. And we want all this to run hand in hand with the defense and protection of our core values. These are two challenges, we must not stop, we must not stop Europe and the countries must not stop. Because it is not enough just resources, we also need to enter a new phase, which is the one in which there is more equality, less distance, more justice and in which the weak links of our chains, that is, of our social chains that is, young people and women are put to the first.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, I believe that this is necessary right now as I said hand in hand also with a sense of justice and the protection of our fundamental rights.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, The European Parliament was the first institution to fight for. At the end of the year the introduction of own resources. The web tax is the child of negotiation between Parliament and the Council, and it will come into force. They told us that everything was impossible and instead it is not possible when the rules are there and everything is possible. And the rules right now also have to take into account the global scene are not only valid for us. Because it would be too modest to think that such a tax can only be applied by a few countries. That would probably be ininfluential.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) David SASSOLI, EP President, We must ensure that these rules apply to international relations that also give the global world those rules it needs. We live in a world where we need rules.