A public hearing for Hadji Lahbib, the nominee for Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. Małgorzata Gosiewska, ECR coordinator on the European Parliament’s Committee on Development (DEVE), took part in the discussion.
“Although you spoke at length about the plight of civilians in the face of ongoing armed conflicts, your trip to Russian-occupied Crimea in Ukraine completely undermines the credibility of your statements,” commented Małgorzata Gosiewska. She pointed out that Hadja Lahbib entered the region from Russia on a Russian visa. “This was a flagrant violation of Ukrainian law and a de facto recognition of Russian aggression,” the MEP stated. The ECR coordinator on the DEVE Committee pointed out that Commissioner-designate Hadja Lahbib had not spoken out on behalf of the rights of Tatars who are being persecuted, intimidated, and tortured in Ukrainian prisons.
Małgorzata Gosiewska also addressed the Belgian politician’s remarks on women’s rights. In this context, she asked: “What about the right to life of tiny girls brutally killed in their mothers’ wombs? Are you not interested in their rights because a woman’s right to kill is more important than the right to life?” the Polish politician asked.
Hadja Lahbib did not address MEP Gosiewska’s question regarding her Russian visa, and evasively stated that this was “a return to the debate that took place intensely in the Belgian parliament a year and a half ago and ended with a vote of confidence in the government.” “Thanks to that important parliamentary debate, I learned the importance of maintaining close relations and clear, transparent communication, and it is in this spirit that I view my cooperation with the European Parliament,” Lahbib concluded.
