Quote of the week by Kati Piri, S&D Group vice-president:

“The Belarusian regime has not only massively falsified the result of recent presidential elections, but also tortured and beaten up its own citizens. This violent crackdown on people peacefully protesting for their democratic right to free and fair elections makes it imperative for the EU to move away from its policy of critical engagement towards critical assessment and response. This must include the willingness to expel Belarus from the Eastern Partnership programme.”

 

Negotiations on the European Union’s next multi-annual budget, the use of own resources and the recovery instrument have begun this week. S&D MEPs are well aware of the urgency to reach an agreement and will not back down on essential issues such as the rule of law conditionality, as our president Iratxe García has joined other political group leaders in emphasizing.

As parliamentary work restarts, the S&D budget team, led by Eider Gardiazabal and Elisabetta Gualmini, will join an important vote on the European Council’s decision on European own resources. Budget members will also be debating the developments in MFF and Recovery Plan negotiations on Tuesday, and they will analyse the position of the German presidency of the Council on the issue, with Michael Roth, German Minister of State for Europe.

Our Group’s Sakharov Prize laureate and 2018 Nobel Prize laureate, Dr. Denis Mukwege will join the subcommittee on human rights next Monday, for a debate.

Our president, Iratxe García, will be in Modena on September 3rd. Alongside Brando Benifei, she will be one of the speakers at the Festa de l’unità.

Group activities will also resume next week. Stay updated on all our initiatives and reactions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact(s) presse S&D