Activities of Tamás MESZERICS related to 2017/2056(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the negotiations on the EU-Azerbaijan Comprehensive Agreement PDF (523 KB) DOC (70 KB)
Amendments (19)
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to ensure that the deepening of relations between the EU and Azerbaijan is linked to and undertaken on the basis of mutually agreed ambitions and the upholding of the core values and principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in the interest of both parties and especially their citizens;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) to remind the Azerbaijani authorities about the European Parliament position expressed in the same resolution according to which the ratification of new agreements between the EU and each of the parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict must be made conditional on meaningful commitments to and substantial progress towards solvingthe peaceful resolution of the conflict, such as maintaining the ceasefire and supporting the implementation of the OSCE 2009 Basic Principles and the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co- Chairs;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) to inform and consult with the main stakeholders about the ongoing negotiations and actively communicate about the aims of the new agreement to improve public awareness, both in Azerbaijan and in the EU, about the expected opportunities and benefits that would arise from its conclusion, thereby countering all disinformation campaigns;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) to provide for regular and in-depth dialogue, notably on political and democratic reforms aimed at bolsteringcreating independent institutions, such as the judiciary in order to make them more democratic, and and independent, on upholding of human rights, and on fostering a strong civil society parliament and on protecting human rights, media, and creating an environment in which a strong civil society can operate without undue interference and ensuring its involvement in the reform process;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
(ka) to ensure coherence of EU policy on situations of occupation or annexation of territory and ensure, therefore, that no products from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan are exported illegally to the EU;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k s (new)
Paragraph 1 – point k s (new)
(ks) to express deep concern at the military build-up and the disproportionate defence-spending in the region and highlight the importance of defusing tension and prevent the risk of new fights with regard, in particular to a negotiated disengagement and disarmament around the ceasefire line; to support, in this regard, the enhancement of the OSCE mission and the substantial increase of the number of international observers;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(ma) to ensure independence of judiciary by allowing independent practicing lawyers to continue practicing and representing clients under the notarized power of attorney and to put an end to arbitrary disbarment of lawyers;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) to put in place specific provisions to support Azerbaijan in fighting corruption, money laundering and tax evasion including greater transparency of beneficial owners of companies and trusts, transparency of large companies 'financial activities in terms of profits realised and tax paid and strengthening of the tax administration' and financial intelligence unit's capacities to prevent these crimes;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) to include provisions related to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms aimed at ending political prosecutions and abductions, the targeting of political dissidents, independent journalists, human rights defenders, NGO representatives and members of some minority groups including the LGBTQ community; to set up a reinforced forum for aregret that the current format of the EU- Azerbaijan Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom, Security and Human Rights and Democracy did not produce substantial results and to set up a reinforced forum for an effective and result-oriented human rights dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan to encourage and support in particular the implementation of comprehensive reforms of the judiciary, all in line with EU standards; to prepare this dialogue in consultation with the main international and genuinely independent Azeri NGOs;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p b (new)
(pb) to define clear benchmarks ahead of every round of the human rights dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan and to evaluate the dialogue on the annual basis, based on the deliverables; to encourage and support in particular the implementation of comprehensive reforms of the judiciary, all in line with EU standards; to include clearly defined provisions on a suspension mechanism of the agreement in case of continued human rights violations;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
(rb) to comply with the ECtHR ruling on Ilgar Mammadov’s case and fully cooperate with the ECtHR on the cases involving allegations of violations of the right to freedom of association and execute the decisions handed down;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r d (new)
(rd) to condemn, in particular, the recent sentencing of Afgan Mukhtarli to a 6 year prison term on trumped-up charges after his abduction from Georgia, to call firmly for his immediate release and to grant asylum and find ways to protect all the Azerbaijani dissidents entering the EU;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r f (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r f (new)
(rf) to respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and refrain from restricting this right in ways that are not compatible with its obligations under international law, including the European Convention on Human Rights; to promptly and effectively investigate all cases of excessive use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention of peaceful protesters, including in connection with the opposition rallies in September 2016 and September 2017 and bring the perpetrators to justice;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r g (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r g (new)
(rg) to ensure, before the conclusion of the negotiations, that Azerbaijan takes tangible measures to ease the operating environment for civil society by amending the legislation so that registration of non- governmental organisations and receiving foreign funding is possible without administrative and legal barriers; to ensure that NGOs are not subject to excessive and unnecessary reporting to various government agencies (including on various occasions to the Tax Agency, the Social Protection Fund, the State Statistical Committee and the Finance Ministry);
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) to seek, before the conclusions of the negotiations, that Azerbaijan commits to investigations into all cases of mistreatment of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, notably in the case of the late Mehman Galandarov, who died in custody as well as to investigate alleged torture and ill-treatment of Taleh Bagirzade, Giyas Ibrahimov, Beyram Mammadov, Mehman Huseynov; to investigate torture and ill-treatment allegations of the LGBTQ community members, who were arrested and harassed en mass (around 150 people) in September 2017;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) to underline the importance of a free and independent media, both off and on-line andensure that free and independent media, both off and on-line can operate in the country without undue interference; to lift travel bans on 4 journalists of Meydan TV; to unblock access to the websites of Azadliq, and of three news outlets that have to operate from abroad (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)Azerbaijan Service, Meydan TV, and Azerbay can Saati); to ensure a strengthened EU support for free and pluralistic media in Azerbaijan, with editorial independence and in line with EU standards, and pointing out that a reinforced attention to press and media freedom could take the form of a regional initiative encompassing all the Eastern Partnership countries;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point x
Paragraph 1 – point x
(x) to also support the diversification of Azerbaijan’s energy mix, promoting non- carbon energy sources and preparing for the post-carbon age in line with the commitments of the Paris Agreement; to note the important dimension given to climate change and the necessity, in this regard, to set ambitious targets and to the impact on local communities in the pending decision by the European Investment Bank on the funding of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP);
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point x a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point x a (new)
(xa) to assist effectively Azerbaijan in its efforts to diversify the economy currently over relying on hydrocarbons; to ensure, at the same time, that the EU assistance is not directed to those sectors of the Azeri economy exporting to the Russian Federation that could potentially damage the European firms affected by Russian sanctions;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point z
Paragraph 1 – point z
(z) to provide new perspectives for enhanced cooperation in non-energy related areas in order to diversify the Azerbaijani economy, boost job creation and allow for more people-to people contacts both at a regional and European level, in particular in the fields of education, health, transport and tourism; to find ways, in this regard, to set up programmes aimed at facilitating meetings on specific issues and common problems between the representatives of Azeri and Armenians NGOs and youth organisations;