Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), acting group Leader, briefs the press on the priorities of his group, Renew Europe, for the plenary session of October II in Strasbourg.

Strasbourg

press conference

AZMANI, Malik (Renew, NL)

Renew Europe

Press conference by Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), Acting Renew Group leader

SOUNDBITE (English), Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), Thank you very much. Thank you very much for your presence. And excuse that we are some minutes later. Yeah, let me start by expressing, of course, also my anger and disappointment. But we have seen this morning it's not up to the challenges Europe is facing. The attitude of the Polish Prime Minister was not respectful to the members of the European Parliament itself, since he did also not answer any of our questions and concerns. He continues to lie to his own people, the Polish people, and also to our people, the EU citizens. And his threats of blackmail are not acceptable, in my opinion.

SOUNDBITE (English), Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), I'm also deeply disappointed by the reaction, especially in the first round of the president of the European Commission. She mentioned her concerns, she described three scenarios, and I think it's not long enough to condemn only the violations of the rule of law. But we need also to take action as the commission needs to act. We have had enough of the goals and the ifs and buts and the downs. And what we are asking for is the reaction of the Polish recovery plan and activation of the conditionality mechanism of the rule of law. It's urgent to put the firm and ambiguous stop to actions that on a minor sort of fundamental principle of the European Union in Poland, in Hungary.

SOUNDBITE (English), Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), The Commission is also not very active and now the Prime Minister Slovenia engaged also with anti-Semitic and xenophobic attacks. For my group, Renew Europe, enough is enough. And I think, how the Polish Prime Minister did his speech? How did he act? Also in the second round, it's clear. I expect that Madam President of the Commission, Von der Leyen needs to act as soon as possible and that there will be also a discussion. I hope so, because I think it's unbelievable if it's not also during the council, what will happen on Thursday and Friday?

Question concerning the expectations of the MEPs for the situation of Poland and if, in his view, the situation can get better, approaching the Council of this week

Question concerning the support to the proposal of Mark Rutte to suspend the financing to Poland and the Brexit discussion

Question concerning the scenario of Polexit

Question concerning populism in Poland

Question concerning the EU engagement policy and Poland

Question concerning the Sakharov Prize as a collective prize, instead of an individual one