During the plenary session in Strasbourg, Manon AUBRY (The Left,FR) and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left,DE), Co-Presidents hold a press conference to present their priorities.

debate

plenary session

press conference

SCHIRDEWAN, Martin (The Left, DE)

AUBRY, Manon (The Left, FR)

The Left

Press conference by Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR) and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), The Left Group Leaders - The Left press briefing

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Good morning, everyone. I'll start with something that shouldn't even have been a discussion in political terms, just an opportunity for fun and enjoyment, the World Cup in Qatar. But unfortunately, the corpse of 6500 workers at the foundation of that World Cup and a quasi slavery system has been institutionalised in Qatar. The World Cup was actually awarded in dubious circumstances.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Since this World Cup is an environmental scandal with stadiums built in the middle of the desert, with air conditioning. And also since this World Cup is scandalous in terms of freedom of the media, some journalists wishing to cover the events being banned. Since we wish to respect LGBT rights. You've recently seen the ban on wearing the armband for LGBT rights. I was proud to wear that armband. FIFA has banned it. European Parliament must uphold it.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), And so you will have seen that this is a World Cup of shame. Is not only about diplomacy. The EU has a clear responsibility with big business too. European companies are directly involved in this abuse. To be more specific, the EU also has a responsibility not only to comment on events, but to act. For more than a year now, The Left in the European Parliament has been calling systematically for a debate and for a European Parliament resolution.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), We finally achieved that with a debate which was held yesterday, and we also voted at the beginning of the plenary on the European Parliament expressing itself through a resolution. I was disappointed to see that the Socialists have not supported that, but that will take place on Thursday and that will be an opportunity for us to send out a very clear message.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Compensation for victims and their families, but also the responsibility that FIFA should bear, the companies involved should bear. And all those who were involved in organising this event and greater responsibility in the organisation of sporting events in future due diligence a European Directive with teeth on human rights. That's the first point I wanted to raise.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Secondly, tomorrow morning, migrants in the Mediterranean will be on the agenda. Once again, we've seen one of these extraordinary things that only Europe seems to manage, which is to leave, abandon 234 people at sea. The Ocean Viking vessel, 204 people, coming to an EU of hundreds of millions of people. Look at the cool show between France and Italy. Nobody wanting to take responsibility to and fro there.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), These are fundamental rights we're talking about. Rescue at sea, respect for the law of the sea, for international law is pretty basic. So once again, the EU bears responsibility for what it has done at its borders. Abandoning people rather than performing the necessary rescue.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), So once again, we call for a European sea rescue mechanism with burden sharing so that each Member State bears its own responsibility. With leadership being taken, some States, such as Italy, are led by the far right, so this is necessary as a burden.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Sharing COP 27 outcome, I would say disappointing, again to use that word again, that's what we said about COP 26 as well. The Glasgow COP, I think the UN put it very clearly that we're on the highway to climate hell and we have our foot on the accelerator. COP 27 has kept its foot on the accelerator pedal and we're moving towards climate collapse without proper commitments to reducing emissions.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), We respect for the commitments already entered into since COP21, we've got the 57% originally as commitments from the EU, but this is still not enough. It should be 65% to respect the Paris agreements. So once again, how much responsibility is the EU taking on climate change fossil fuels? 600 delegates from the oil and gas industry lobbyists present gives you some idea as to why we had such a lack of ambition on fossil fuel in the conclusions.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), The harms and damages points, this was originally in the adaptation fund in COP 21, the commitments were not respected. That leads us to some questions about the commitments being entered into now. And the vote on the resolution of the Treaty on the Energy Charter is an initiative from our group.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), I believe that there too we should be finally stopping the use of fossil fuels and taking a coordinated approach to the Energy Charter Treaty. That's what our group has been calling for for years. That would be a victory for the planet, that I very much hope will be welcome.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), Thanks, David. I'd like to talk about human rights violations perpetrated by Turks against the Kurds and Iran and Syria. As long as the aircraft are passing through the airspace and their bombs are shaking the ground as that goes on, the EU institutions remain silent, when it comes to these assaults on human rights.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), Some neither the foreign policy supremo or head of the commission have a clearly come out in condemnation. These are violations of international law when it comes to Kurds in these areas. That IS has been fought sort of successfully in Syria thanks to them, they are forgotten and just being betrayed and sold down the river. I think the attacks material possible because Russia is open Syrian airspace.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), Autocrats of course are on the same wavelength in that respect. And Turkey is a so-called NATO partner, the second strongest conventional army in NATO. So, I mean, it's absurd that an autocrat such as Erdogan joins this alliance of values. It's pure democracy, double standards.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), And we expect Borrell and the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, we expect them to come out and clearly take a stand and to clearly state that an end needs to be put to these attacks or assaults. But that goes for further reaching measures, too. I think we need to have an arms embargo vis a vis Turkey is that it's clear that this military cooperation with Erdogan is an absurd no go as far as we're concerned. That's the first thing.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), Second point very briefly on the rule of law proceedings vis a vis Hungary. As you know, the rule of law procedure has been triggered in respect of Hungary. Hungary's access to EU funds has been frozen because the rule of law is in danger. Hungary has put forward a catalogue of reforms at the request of the Commission, but I mean, it's just a declaration of intent.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), Not enough has been done when it comes to stemming this of a liberal democracy that Orban and his allies have put in place. In particular when it comes to judicial reform, the ball is in the court of the Council is a ping pong between Commission and Council. Of course, it's not helpful at all. It's not a way of safeguarding or shoring up democracy.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), I think this game of ping pong being played leads to backsliding when it comes to democracy. And I think we need to call on the Commission to defend the rule of law using all the means at its disposal. Otherwise it doesn't deserve remaining in office.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), When it comes to football. One last point, for all football fans, I think it's very difficult to to look with any degree of benevolence on what's going on in Qatar, because I think the whole as a football movement, sort of Infantino sitting alongside Saudi princes in spite of the murder of Khashoggi.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), I mean, all that's in the background as the football championship carries on. I think it's a time to release the game of football from this sort of financial media. And it's ultimately who cares whether it's Brazil or any other country that wins the championship at the end of the day.

Q&A Regarding Russia being labelled as a State sponsoring terrorism.

Q&A Regarding the consequences for a diplomatic solution, if Russia gets voted as a terrorist sponsor and that peace talks with Russia will no longer be possible.

Q&A Regarding practical consequences, also for businesses dealing with Russia.