Debate during the plenary session of January in Strasbourg on the&nbsp;Programme of activities of the Latvian Presidency. Statements by&nbsp;Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group Leader,&nbsp;Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), S&amp;D Group Leader,&nbsp;Sophia IN'T VELD (ALDE, NL),&nbsp;Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS (GUE/NGL, EL),&nbsp;Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), Greens/EFA Group Leader and&nbsp;Rolandas PAKSAS (EFDD, LT).

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

PAKSAS, Rolandas (EFDD, LT)

PAPADIMOULIS, Dimitrios (The Left, EL)

EU - Latvia (T)

Latvian Presidency of the EU (T)

Programme of activities of the Latvian Presidency: MEPs debate

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14755028/I097390Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group Leader, "You talked about the security and the EPP is fully behind you in the question of PNR and taking another look at what we decide in the European Council, taking a look at measures that exist and actually implementing those measures. The investment package was mentioned as well and we link this up with the necessary reform agendas in  Member States, you also talked about the Digital Europe which is a huge theme, and I am grateful that you said you are going to focus on data protection."

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), S&amp;D Group Leader, "We need to use to use better the data that the Schengen system provides to identify foreign fighters,and on this point I want to be very clear: there is no messing with Schengen. There is no need to change it, all it needs is to be applied properly. If you mess about with Schengen you are messing about with the principle of freedom of movement in the EU, which is pillar of the Union. On PNR, let me be very clear here too: we have nothing aginst PNR in principle but we still have our principles which should be everyone's principles, the protection of fundamental values and of human rights."

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), S&amp;D Group Chair, "Prodi said that the Stability Pact was stupid and with what you've done yesterday you made it it a bit more intelligent, so we are on the right track, thank you."

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), "Don't talk about an invest plan but put your money where your mouth is quite literally, don't talk about a digital economy just adopt the Telecoms package a and the Data Protection package. No lip service to the security and law enforcement, just adopt the Europol regulation. Don't talk about democracy, just adopt the transparency regulation. Let's stop talking and deliver. The Council is a legislator, so legislate."

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS (GUE/NGL, EL), "What about the Juncker package? You said in general we support this. I've said this on behalf of my group again and again that we think it is inadequate, insufficient. And the leveraging is really completely removed from reality. But you represent the Council I want to know what the council and the Members States are going to do, are the going to put fresh money in? How is this going to be financed?

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), Greens/EFA Group Leader, "Inequalities are on the rise, poverty and social exclusion are on the rise as well, and increase of poverty of 25 procent in Europe. So when you say that we are going to focus on economic growth, I mean maybe there is something wrong with my eyes but I can't see any return of growth here.You said that that confidence has returned to the markets. I would just like to ask a question: have we been elected here to satisfy the markets? I would like to put that question to you, wouldn't it be interesting to just think about that? I Think perhaps we should be thinking rather of the confidence of our citizens,and whether the citizens have confidence in what we are doing to fulfill the promise of Europe which is a promise of shared prosperity."

SOUNDBITE (Lithuanian), Rolandas PAKSAS (EFDD, LT), "Colleagues, we have to recognise that the European security strategy which is based on stability on the eastern borders is already outdated. Therefore we need a new one, a strategy adapted to the world of co-existence, survival and escalating conflict. A strategy would be very effective involving everything, a strategy which would encourage trust and peace."