Mirek Topolank at he PiS conference in Poznan: We are ready to defend real european values

“Greetings to you all, friends, allies, greetings to you brothers!

Thank you for your invitation to your congress. Both of our countries await important elections, our parliamentary and your presidential election. It is good that we have been able to make time for each other during this hectic period.
 
I am pleased that our partner is the Právo a Spravedlnost (Law and Justice). You are a reliable partner. You are a brave partner.

Now, please allow me to continue in Czech.”

Who would just a few years ago believe that we will manage to establish a new strong, reform group in the European Parliament? Nevertheless, we managed to achieve this fantastic thing last year. We are here and nobody can turn us away!

We are here and we are ready to defend our values together. We are ready to defend freedom. We are ready to defend ourselves against Euro Federalists. We are ready to defend common sense against the Euro-sense. We are ready to defend citizens against bureaucracy. We are ready to defend our conservative view of the world. We are ready, we have the will and the strength to demand changes, which will bring a fresh breeze into the European Union! 

We are the fifth strongest group in the European Parliament. Is that not enough for us? Surely it is not enough, because we want to achieve more, as we know we have what it takes for more. But it is not at all little, when we realise what tremendous friction, what a negative campaign preceded the establishment of our faction. Several Members of the European Parliament were discouraged. Many did not have the courage.  They did not have the proverbial Polish audacity. But we had it. We had the courage to openly face rigid federalisation and forced integration. We were the first to say NO out loud! We were the first, but surely not the last!

I am certain that others will follow us. And even thanks to how well and how actively our group works. Its Chairman, its driving force, its spirit, is your significant member and my personal friend. Michal Kaminski. Without him, we would not be this far today. Michal, thanks! Likewise, I cannot forget to mention the work of the Vice-Chairman of the group Adam Biealan.

We have proven our rights to existence. And that is not at all insignificant in the grinding room of European politics. It is not at all insignificant at a time, when fear of differing opinions is spreading across Europe. When the main political forces and media are paving the argument that freedom is an obstacle in progress. That freedom must step aside to the identified need. That the centre is omniscient and the peripheries have to adjust to it. Yes, once again we hear those words! Does that not remind you of something? Is it not possible to hear an echo of an unpleasant déjà vu especially for our countries?

We refuse to come to terms with that. We cannot accept that. Are we to accept that a so-called new Europe will, on the one hand, want to guarantee group and social rights of third, fourth, fifth generation, and on the other hand, deny the rights to a Christian worldview? Should we come to terms with the fact that the EU Commissioner can simply become a Communist, but cannot become a deeply religious Catholic? We will not accept that! 

Should we come to terms with the fact that Brussels dictates what we should plant and where, and that it supports farmers from old countries at the expense of new countries? Should we accept that Brussels will impose a unified tax on us? Should we accept that Brussels will interfere in the education of our children? That it will force us to give up our traditional family values? We will not accept that!

Should we come to terms with the fact that, on one hand, the European Union has mentioned the ambition to unify our lives, but on the other hand, it is not able to proceed in unity, there, where it is necessary and sensible? That we are not capable of jointly and strongly supporting common defence and Euro-Atlantic ties? That it still has not come to an agreement on joint energy policy? That it is not tough enough in promoting liberalisation of the internal market? We will not accept that! 

We are the conscious of the European Union. We will remind it of what values it was built on. We do not need tonnes of paper like European bureaucrats in order to express what we want, or rather, in order to disguise the real consequences of our steps.  All we need are three fundamental pillars, on which the European civilisation is based. Our programme is Christian morale, a free market and Parlamentarism.

Those are what we will measure with and what we measure each European directive, each vote in the European Parliament, each step of union institutions with. We refuse to impeach the Christian-Jewish fundaments of our civilisation. We refuse to adapt to multiculturalism in its aggressive, confining and restricting form. We promote a free market, the elimination of discrimination, and equal rights for citizens of big and small, old and new countries. We refuse over-inflated bureaucracy and pointless regulations. We are in favour of a significant role of national parliaments, as legitimate representatives of citizens’ will.

We are European conservatives and reformists. Some might feel conflict in those words. But we know well that there is no conflict in them. If thousands-of-year-old truths are no longer valid, change is in need. If values are withering away that our ancestors fought for and that made Europe strong and free, then it is high time for a conservative revolution! Do we have what it takes? Sure we do!

We do not see the European Union as it is, but as it could be. A European Union certain of its values. A European Union of voluntary and equal cooperation. A European Union that is freer and more democratic. That is the kind of European Union we want. We are in it together with you, our friends, allies and brothers!  

8th February 2012 - ECR Vice-Chairmen speak at Heritage Foundation