31 Amendments of Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS related to 2022/2202(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas Montenegro evinces full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Commends Montenegro’s long- standing commitment to EU integration, underpinned by a high level of public support; reiterates its support for Montenegro in this regard; stresses that progress in negotiations depends on meeting interim rule of law benchmarks; regrets that no chapters have been closed in the past six years; regrets that a growing reluctance to progress on EU negotiations is evident among the ruling political elite;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes note of the results of the presidential elections held in March 2023 and the early parliamentary elections held in June 2023; encourages the President, the new parliament and the government to focus on the key reforms needed for the country to make progress in EU integration and avoid deepening political polarisation, and remains ready to cooperate with all political actors to support the country in maintaining its strategic course;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the elected President and political parties to refrain from using inflammatory rhetoric and language in political discussions so as to prevent further polarisation in the country and additional tensions in the region;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by foreign actors in Montenegro, particularly Russia's and Serbia’s employment of blackmail and hybrid warfare tactics in response to Montenegro's accession to NATO in 2017; notes that religious institutions can be used as a tool for external influence and condemns Serbian interference in this regard;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Condemns the unprecedented cyberattack of August 2022 against Montenegro’s digital infrastructure; urges Montenegro to actively enhance its resilience in this regard by adopting the strategy on countering hybrid threats and the relevant action plan, in alignment with the EU strategic documents, including the 2022 EU Cyber Defence Policy; further encourages Montenegro to fully leverage EU-funded cybersecurity tools, such as the Cybersecurity Rapid Response project for Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Regrets the adoption of the controversial Law on amendments to the Law on the President by the Parliament of Montenegro in December 2022; welcomes the Constitutional Court’s launch of the procedure for reviewing the law’s constitutionality; notes that after more than a month following its initiation, the procedure has still not been completed;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on all institutions to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and implementing principles of the Rule of law, media freedom and democratic standards, in line with the advanced candidate country status that Montenegro enjoys at present;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the appointment of three new Constitutional Court judges as a step towards resolving the constitutional crisis; regrets the fact that the Constitutional Court was left without a quorum since September 2022; calls on the new parliament to finalise judicial appointments as a matter of utmost priority;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the new Parliament to urgently appoint the Supreme State Prosecutor upon proposal of the Prosecutorial Council, which was sent to Parliament on 11 May 2023; calls on the Parliament to urgently elect three new members of the Judicial Council;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates its call for local-level elections to be held on the same day; welcomes the fact that elections in 14 municipalities were held on the same day in October 2022; calls for a robust legislative framework in this regard; and calls on the authorities to secure a 40% quota for female candidates on electoral lists;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections were competitive and well-managed overall, and that candidates were able to campaign freely and enjoyed equal opportunities to reach out to voters; remains concerned about the vulnerability of the media to internal and external influences in terms of campaign coverage and about allegations of misuse of state resources in the pre-electoral period;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Takes note of the serious charges being brought against key figures in the judicial system; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to guarantee the right to a fair trial, including the right to an independent and impartial tribunal;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Expresses its concern about the deep political polarisation in the media landscape and the pressure being put on the local media market by expanding regional media competition; calls upon media regulatory bodies, and relevant stakeholders to promote and support initiatives that encourage balanced and unbiased reporting, as well as the representation of diverse perspectives, in order to mitigate the impact of political polarisation;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Urges Montenegro to finally adopt a new set of media laws, namely the Law on Media, the Law on Public Media Service of Montenegro and the Law on Audiovisual Media Services;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes some positive steps, such as the introduction of tougher penalties for attacks and threats against journalists, and the establishment of the ad hoc commission for monitoring violence against the media; reiterates, however, the need for the effective implementation of its findings and recommendations; urges the authorities to refrain from any verbal attack or undue political pressure on independent media and journalists;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Emphasises the need to review the investigation of journalist Dusko Jovanovic’s murder and to engage foreign experts to secure a full and effective investigation of the case;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Expresses its concern over the independent position of the national broadcasting service (National Radio- Television of Montenegro) and the illegal election of the general director of the service;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Is concerned by the growing violence and hate speech towards LGBTI people; urges the authorities to adopt the Law on legal gender recognition based on self-determination, a new LGBTI Strategy and the amendments necessary for the full implementation of the Law on same- sex partnership;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on Montenegro to improve access to justice and to ensure better follow-up and enforcement of rights in proceedings on domestic violence, as well as; calls for further specific measures to prevent gender-based violence, particularly within the domestic environment, by providing enhanced protection;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Expresses concerns about the lack of progress and conflict of interest in the process of drafting amendments to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence; notes that the State Prosecutor, who is suspected of domestic violence, was delegated by the State Prosecution Office to the Working Group of the Ministry of Justice for Drafting Amendments to the Law;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the key role of civil society organisations in functioning democracies and regrets verbal attacks made by state officials against CSOs;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls on Montenegro to urgently and fully implement the UPR, CAT and CPT recommendations to combat the climate of impunity, amend the definition of torture according to the UN Convention against torture, secure the prompt and effective investigation of torture complaints and ensure that suspected perpetrators of torture be immediately suspended from duty for investigation and receive penalties commensurate with the seriousness of their actions if found guilty;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Calls on Montenegro to proactively investigate all war crimes allegations, and raise issues of command responsibility, aiding and abetting; urges the authorities to review old cases that were not prosecuted in line with international humanitarian law as well as domestic law, and ensure all victims and their family members obtain redress and/or administrative compensation for their suffering;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Is concerned by the dissolved Montenegrin parliament's adoption of the Law on Veterans and Disability Protection, which selectively prescribes the institute of "civilian victims of war" and their right to monetary compensation, despite the fact that the Law has not yet taken effect;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls for concrete steps to be taken to resolve long-standing bilateral disputes in a constructive and neighbourly manner; encourages the promotion of cross-border initiatives, including the EU co-financed Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between Serbia and Montenegro;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls for concrete steps to be taken to resolve long-standing bilateral disputes in a constructive and neighbourly manner; calls for effective regional cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of persons indicted for war crimes;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls on Montenegro to enhance its fiscal economic policies in order to align its public debt levels with the target set by the EU's Stability and Growth Pact, ensuring they do not exceed 60% of the GDP; urges Montenegro to strengthen its foreign investment screening mechanism to enhance economic security, prevent political interference, and address issues of bad governance; emphasizes the importance of improving the sustainability of its exports by reducing overreliance on extractive industries, such as copper ore and raw aluminium;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Encourages Montenegro to make the best use of the EU funds available under the IPA III and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, including the Youth Guarantee in the Western Balkans and the Erasmus+ programme;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Calls on the Commission to make the necessary legal and political arrangements to extend the jurisdiction of the EPPO to EU funds devoted to Montenegro as a candidate country;