When a young activist speaks on a stage like this, I think you listeners expect a climate speech. How we worry about our future and the general lack of action on climate.
The climate is important. But I also don't think climate change as with many other major challenges humanity as a whole face today, is the first and foremost issue to be dealt with. Just as important is the immense democratic backsliding in Europe.
We belong to a post-1989-generation that have only known the Europe of liberal democracy. When I look back at that pre-1989-generation, I can't avoid thinking of a naïve hope for democracy in Eastern Europe. They thought democracy was the inevitable path for these countries.
But it's not easy to judge the past on modern premisses.
That pre-1989-generation was told that this was the end of history - and my generation was brought up with the selfsame belief.
What we actually saw was an unexpected development of democracy: That democracy itself could be voted out.
My generation was brought up with up the ideas of freedom. Freedom to say what I want, freedom to do what I want, freedom to be who I am.
My generation was told that all these types of freedom were forever guaranteed by strong institutions in member states and the EU.
But as we speak, democracy is being eroded in front of our eyes. A Union of values, cooperation and mutual understanding is doubted in many areas of Europe, particular in Hungary and Poland. Dismantling the free media, politicised courts and ethnic, sexual and political discrimination just to name some.
We witnessed this in Poland where a democratically elected PiS-government managed to lower the retirement age of judges. In the meantime, they made sure that only the justice minister could appoint new ones.
PAVEL (anecdote)
This might just be one example but it's really worrying nonetheless.
I don't think we could have imagined this view of democracy among the young people of eastern Europe just thirty years back. That people find it legitimate to vote the independence of the judicial branch out.
The future may seem bleak, but when I stand here, in front of this crowd, I am once again filled with hope for Poland, Hungary and all of Europe!
This is why Poland and Hungary have to stop blocking the EU's budget and recovery fund.
These huge amounts of money that could have been used to support the young, unemployed, finding a new vaccine, solving the climate issue and educating the young is taken, hostage.
Today, young people in Poland and Hungary have to move away from their home country to look for better lives elsewhere in our Union. Because their and our tax-payer money is being corrupted by their national autocratic leaders.
We can choose to roll over and let the rising tide of authoritarianism flow freely; or stand up for the current rule of law mechanism in the MFF.
We can always disagree about the extent of the EU's role but we must all fight for democracy.
I hope our cry for action here today can be heard all the way to the young people of Poland and Hungary. We will continue to stand shoulder by shoulder with you in our common struggle for democracy. We hope the EU leaders will do the same.
And I say to you, leaders of Hungary and Poland: You will be outnumbered!