Activities of Charlie WEIMERS related to 2019/2176(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2019-2020 Reports on Turkey (debate)
Amendments (54)
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas being a candidate country presumes being a European country with a willingness to progressively approach in all aspects the values, interests, standards and policies of the EU;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas an analysis of the Commission’s reports on Turkey since 2014 and, in particular, the 2019 and 2020 reports, reveals consistently that Turkey has increasingly and rapidly distanced itself from the EU’s values and its normative framework;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, in spite of this principled stance by Parliament and all of the current circumstances, the European Council, in its conclusions of 1-2 October 2020, offered Turkey a renewed and broad positive agenda, provided that constructive efforts by Turkey to stop illegal activities vis-à-vis Greece and Cyprus are sustained, in a further attempt to restore our relations;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas in recent years, human rights and the rule of law have consistently declined in Turkey and its foreign policy towards the EU and Member States has increasingly become belligerent;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas the Turkish directorate of religious affairs (Diyanet) produces educational material for children that encourages them to "become martyrs", creating the fundaments of future terrorism;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. whereas the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs, also known as the Diyanet, has taken on a Muslim Brotherhood identity and has funded many mosques in Europe, some of which have become Turkish propaganda tools and hubs for espionage;
Amendment 95 #
Db. whereas Turkey has continuously exploited the migration crisis to leverage concessions and funding from the EU and escalated tensions on the Greek-Turkish border;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas France and Greece have called for the suspension of the EU's customs union with Turkey;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that Turkey’s continuous and growing distancing from European values and standards as well as its belligerent foreign policy towards the EU and Member States has brought EU- Turkey relations to a historical low point, having deteriorated to such an extent that it requires both parties to profoundly reassess the current framework of relationsfor the EU's relations with Turkey to be reviewed;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Strongly supports the calls by France and Greece to suspend the EU- Turkey customs union;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that Turkey’s lack of commitment to carrying out the reforms assumed in the accession process has made the latter inadequate to frame a complex relationship that has progressively become more transactional and driven by circumstances, belligerent and more adversarial;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned that, over the years, the lack of progress in Turkey’s convergence has now transformed into a full withdrawal, marked by a stark regression in three main areas: backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, adopting regressive institutional reforms and pursuing a confrontational foreign policy; is further concerned by the fact that this regression has increasingly been accompanied by an explicit anti-EU narrative; calls, in this context, on Turkey to reassess the sincerity of its commitment to the UN Charter Articles 1, 2, and 4 and the EU path, as an indispensable component of the viability of the entire accession process;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned that, over the years, the lack of progress in Turkey’s convergence has now transformed into a full withdrawal, marked by a stark regression in three main areas: backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, adopting regressive institutional reforms and pursuing a war-mongering and confrontational foreign policy; is further concerned by the fact that this regression has increasingly been accompanied by an explicit anti-EU narrative; calls, in this context, on Turkey to reassess the sincerity of its commitment to the EU path, as an indispensable component of the viability of the entire accession process;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned that, over the years, the lack of progress in Turkey’s convergence has now transformed into a full withdrawal, marked by a stark regression in three main areas: backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, adopting regressive institutional reforms and pursuing a confrontational and belligerent foreign policy; is further concerned by the fact that this regression has increasingly been accompanied by an explicit anti-EU and anti-EU Member States' narrative; calls, in this context, on Turkey to reassess the sincerity of its commitment to the EU path, as an indispensable component of the viability of the entire accession processurgently cease its adversarial and belligerent policies towards the EU;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that no incentive that the EU could offer can ever replace the much- needed political will and commitment to build a mature democracy and, in turn, become a member of the EUand thriving democracy;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that, since Parliament’s last report, the situation, far from improving, has deteriorated even further; firmly insists, therefore, on the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, to explore possible new models for future relations;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that, since Parliament’s last report, the situation, far from improving, has deteriorated even further; firmly insists, therefore, on the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, and to impose an arms embargo, until Turkey cancels all its illegal military operations ifn necessary, to explore possible new models for future relationighbouring countries;
Amendment 163 #
5. Stresses that, since Parliament’s last report, the situation, far from improving, has deteriorated even further; firmly insists, therefore, on the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary,and to explore possible new models for future relationsof cooperation, if Turkey ceases its belligerent policies against the EU;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. RegretStrongly condemns the current lack of understanding between the EU and Turkey, but reaffirmsand respect by Turkey towards the EU and its Member States, calls on Turkey to stop it's firm conviction that Turkey is a strategic neighbour and ally with which the EU wishes to have the best possible relationprovocations, violations and blackmail towards the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is appalled by the serious backsliding ontotal shutdown on Rule of Law and fundamental freedoms revealing the dire human rights situation in Turkey and the continued erosion of democracy and the rule of lawpass over from a democratic to an authoritarian regime;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt;, as, inter alia, that a plethora of legal provisions and restrictive elements of the emergency rule have been integrated into law.
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Is worried that changes to the staff and theological positions of the Directorate of Religious Affairs reflect a more decidedly Sunni Islamist posture and further contributes to a rise in discrimination and hate speech inciting violence towards non-Sunnis. Deplores that such incitement is visible in a variety of sectors, including the media, education, the workplace and day-to-day administrative procedures;
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Condemns Turkey's decision of 10 July 2020 to convert Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque; fears that the decision would fuel mistrust, promote renewed divisions between religious communities and undermine efforts at dialogue and cooperation; calls on the Turkish government to reverse its decision;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Notes that the Turkish deep state continues to terrorise the diverse linguistic communities of the country from using their mother tongues, by continuing a cultural genocide that started with the genocides of the Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians upon the founding of the Turkish Republic;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges Turkey to protect the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, including women, LGBTI people and ethnic andthe ethnic minorities of Greeks, Armenians, Jews and people with such origins, women, LGBTI and Alevi, Christian and Jewish religious minorities;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Is seriously concerned about the continuing lack of respect for freedom of religion, discrimination against religious minorities, including Christians and Alevis, and violence perpetrated on religious grounds; stresses that churches continue to face problems over the establishment or continuation of the use of premises as places of worship; calls on the Turkish authorities to promote positive and effective reforms in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, to comply with the relevant judgements of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and to eliminate all forms of discrimination or barriers based on religion;,
Amendment 400 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Strongly condemns the rise of anti- Armenian sentiment in Turkey, which has ignited further by Turkey's malign interference in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict;
Amendment 409 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Strongly condemns the rise of anti- Semitism in Turkey, which according to reports, has increasingly become more virulent since the outbreak of the Covid- 19 pandemic with the spread of conspiracy theories in Turkish media, including on social media;
Amendment 413 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls on the Turkish authorities to take serious action to fight all manifestations of anti-Semitism in society;
Amendment 429 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Is alarmed by the consolidation of an authoritarian interpretation of the presidential system; is deeply concerned about the continued hyper-centralisation of power in the Presidency, which does not ensure a sound and effective separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches and the judiciary; Notes the increased number of reports on financial interests between the Turkish President and leaders of states that act inexplicably supportive towards Turkey;
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is concerned about the ever more frequent use of a hyper-nationalist narrative among the ruling elite that increasingly gives rise to antagonistic approaches towards the EU or its Member States; is concerned about the increasing clout of religious conservatism that has taken on a Muslim Brotherhood identity in political life;
Amendment 441 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is concerned about the ever more frequent use of a hyper-nationalist and war-mongering narrative among the ruling elite that increasingly gives rise to antagonistic approaches towards the EU or its Member States; is concerned about the increasing clout of religious conservatism in political life;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is concerned about the ever more frequent use of a hyper-nationalist and Neo-Ottoman narrative among the ruling elite that increasingly gives rise to antagonistic approaches towards the EU or its Member States; is concerned about the increasing clout of religious conservatispolitical Islam in political life;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Strongly condemns the removal of 47 democratically elected mayors from office on the basis of questionable evidence and, in particular, their arbitrary replacement by unelected trustees appointed by the central government; strongly believes these unlawful decisions constitute a direct attack on the most basic principles of democracy, depriving millions of voters of their democratically elected representation;
Amendment 476 #
25. Recalls the laudable role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resulting from the war in Syria; takes the view that the EU should continue to give the necessary support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment of the EU-Turkey Statement and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance with their respective commitmentsDeplores Turkey's exploitation of the migration crisis resulting from the war in Syria, its threats and blackmail against the EU;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls the laudable role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resulting from the war in Syria; notes that Turkey used its role in order to blackmail and destabilise the EU; takes the view that the EU should continue to give the necessary support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment of the EU-Turkey Statement and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance with their respective commitments;
Amendment 495 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Is alarmed by the fact that Turkey’s foreign policy increasingly collides with the priorities and goals of EU’s common foreign and security policy; notes with deep concern that the rate of Turkey’s alignment with the common foreign policy of the EU is constantly deteriorating and is at present reduced to 14%, which is a historic low.
Amendment 501 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 532 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is deeply concerned by the ongoing dispute in the Eastern Mediterranean and the related risk of a military escalation;Turkey’s unprecedented illegal and aggressive behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea, its warmongering rhetoric and the related risk of a military escalation by country that still has the status of an EU candidate country, against EU Member States; strongly condemns Turkey’s violations of Greek national airspace, including overflights of inhabited areas, and territorial sea, a conduct which not only constitutes a serious, ongoing violation of International Law, but also creates the risk of an armed incident; strongly condemns Turkey’s illegal activities in Greek and Cypriot waters, which violate bothe sovereignty, the sovereign rights of EU Member States and iInternational lLaw; expresses its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat; expresses its grave concern for the illegal Turkish fishing activities within Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea and the unregulated and unreported fishing activities of Turkish fishing fleet in international waters in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean; urges Turkey to fully respect international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat; notes that the Council’s Conclusions of 15 July 2019 in light of Turkey’s continued and new illegal drilling activities , not to hold the Association Council and further meetings of the EU- Turkey high-level dialogues for the time being, along with the Council’s Decision 2019/1894, of 11 November 2019, to impose restrictive measures in view of Turkey’s unauthorized drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, are the first instances where such reactions were deemed necessary in view of the conduct of a candidate country;
Amendment 563 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. CStrongly condemns the partial reopening of Varosha beach, which violates international law and UN Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789 and undermines mutual trust and therefore the prospect of the resumption of direct talks on the comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus issue; underlines the importance of the status of Varosha and calls on Turkey to immediately reverse this action; reiterates its support for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equalitywith the withdrawal of the Turkish army, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions in accordance with International law, the EU acquis and the principles on which the Union is founded;
Amendment 594 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, especially in the northeast and Idlib, which constitute grave violations of international law and calls on the Turkish government to end its illegal occupation of northern Syria by withdrawing its military and paramilitary proxy forces;
Amendment 596 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns the Turkish military interventinvasions in northeast Syria, especially in the northeast and Idlib, which constitute grave violations of international law;
Amendment 597 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Expresses its deep concerns about the Turkish government’s relationship at the highest levels with terrorist organizations like Hamas, which poses further threats to the stability of the region;
Amendment 598 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Strongly condemns the Turkish support to jihadism in the EU but also in northern Africa, middle east, central Asia and the Indian subcontinent;
Amendment 612 #
30. Calls on Turkey to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Libya under the auspices of the UN, and to fully adhere tostop immediately violating the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council;
Amendment 627 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and in violation of the International Law, sent foreign proxy forces from Syria to support the war effort;
Amendment 630 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and sent foreign jihadist fighters from Syria to fight in the conflict;
Amendment 636 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. RegretsStrongly condemns the fact that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of invasione of the sidesAzerbaijan in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 645 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Deplores Turkish funding of mosques in Europe through its Religious Affairs Ministry, also known as the Diyanet, which serve as hubs for the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkish espionage, greatly undermining the security and social cohesion of Member States;
Amendment 666 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Believes that it is high time to fully review the EU’s relations with Turkey and to define a comprehensive, unified and coherent strategy for the medium to long term, among all EU institutions and Member States;
Amendment 676 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Takes the view that enhancing communication and dialogue at all levels are key to restoring mutual trust between the EU and Turkey; deplores the continuous and unjustified refusal of the Turkish side to reinstate the normal functioning of the EU- - Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee; at the same time, recalls that the Council’s decision of 15 July 2019 not to hold the EU – Turkey Association Council and further meetings of the EU – Turkey high level dialogues by virtue of Turkish illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, remains valid;
Amendment 682 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Takes the view that enhancing communication and dialogue at all levels are key to restoring mutual trust between the EU and Turkey; dDeplores the continuous and unjustified refusal of the Turkish side to reinstate the normal functioning of the EU- Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee and calls for the immediate termination of accession negotiations and the suspension of the customs union between Turkey and the EU;
Amendment 686 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Takes into account not only the absence of any progress in engaging with Turkey, but also the renewed escalation on the Turkish side by unilateral actions and provocations in breach of International Law by the latter, and calls on the Council to develop a list of further restrictive measures that should be sectoral and targeted, including an arms embargo and trade measures; in this spirit, recalls the European Council’s conclusions of 1-2 October 2020 that the EU will use all the instruments and the options at its disposal, including in accordance with Articles 29 TEU and 215 TFEU, in order to defend the interests of its Member States and its interests as a whole;