19 Amendments of Edouard FERRAND related to 2016/2309(INI)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Euro-Atlantic integration is Montenegro’s key foreign policy prioritythe key foreign policy priority for the corrupt elite in power in Montenegro, and whereas this approach does not enjoy broad support in Montenegrin society, but is instead a divisive factor which may lead to an extremely serious political crisis;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas concerns remain about the polarised domestic climate and the boycott of the opposition in Parliament; whereas sustainable dialogue and constructive cooperation between ruling coalition and opposition are critical to maintaining progress in the accession process, which is itself in fact the main cause of the political crisis in the country;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas corruption and the infiltration of the State apparatus by organised crime remains a serious concerns;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Commends the competent authorities for holdingNotes the outcome of the parliamentary elections held on 16 October 2016 in an orderly manner in which fundamental freedoms were generalapparently respected; welcomnotes the revised legal framework under which the elections took place, but notes the persistence of some administrative deficiencies, including on the part of the State Election Commission (SEC), as well as concerns about the accuracy of the electoral register and politicisation; expects that the alleged procedural irregularities, including alleged abuses of state funds and abuse of office, and any other reported shortcomings, will be investigated fully and addressed effectively by the competent authorities; notes with regret that part of the opposition has not recognised the results of the elections; recognises the attempts by external actors to discredit the electoral process and the difficulties this has causedacknowledges that foreign agents, taking advantage in particular of the protection offered by US and EU law, are using propaganda methods and funding fraud on a massive scale in order to manipulate the electoral process in favour of Milo Djukanovic and his party, in the name of promoting European integration;
Amendment 52 #
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Continues to be deeply concerned aboutNotes the polarised domestic climate and the boycott of parliamentary activities by members of the opposition; urges again all political forces to re-engage in constructive cooperation within the Montenegrin parliament; calls for further reinforcement of the parliament’s scrutiny of the accession process and capacity for budget oversight; insists repeatedly on the need for a due follow-up on the ‘audio-recording affair’;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for the establishment of closer relations and exchanges of information on combating Islamist terrorism and its funding between the competent authorities in Montenegro and in the Member States;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the adoption of an action plan for fighting money laundering and terrorism financing, and the signing of the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism; stresses the need to continue to develop the track record in organised crime cases, especially as regards trafficking in human beings and money laundering, to ensure stronger inter-agency cooperation and to further intensify regional and international cooperation in the fight against organised crime; emphasises the need for Montenegro to cooperate effectively with the security services of the Member States, in particular by exchanging information;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the new strategy to combat violent extremism in 2016-2018, which complements the national strategy for preventing and combating terrorism, money laundering and the financing of terrorism; notes the setting up of a new intelligence unit tasked with identifying and monitoring potential members of violent extremist groups; considers it important to identify people in the early stages of radicalisation in order to prevent them from being recruited by violent extremist groups; emphasises the importance of cooperation between these services and those of the Member States which are responsible for combating Islamist terrorism;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes some progress in improving the situation of minorities; welcomes the adoption of a 2016-2020 strategy and action plan for the social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians; calls for an appropriate budget to be allocated so that the action plan may be implemented properly; encourages the competent authorities to continue to strengthen efforts to safeguard the rights of LGBTI people, notwithstanding the difficulties in acceptance of sexual diversity within Montenegrin society; remains concerned that most public buildings, including medical centres and university faculties, are still not accessible to people with disabilitiesExpresses concern at the interference by the Montenegrin Government in church matters, in particular its promotion of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church over the Serbian Orthodox Church, to which the territory of Montenegro is subject under canon law; condemns the persecution by the Montenegrin authorities of clergy and lay members of the Serbian Orthodox Church;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Remains concerned about the state of media freedom in Montenegro; urges again the competent authorities to resolve the long-pending cases of violence against, intimidation of and threats made to journalists, to take measures to protect media professionals and to create a safe environment for free journalism; insists on transparent state advertising in private media, on the amendment of the Montenegrin criminal code and on the introduction of new criminal offenses aimed at preventing and punishing attacks on journalists discharging their professional duties; acknowledges the legal measures taken to provide greater financial independence and sustainability for the public service broadcaster RTCG, and calls for further steps to ensure its independence, including editorial independence;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. While noting favourable economic developments, urgessuggests to the new government tohat it launch further structural reforms with a view to improving the business and investment climate, including measures aimed at reducing the informal sector, and to pursue efforts to diminish state involvement in the economy; calls for the rationalisation of public spending, as well as for intensified efforts to strengthen the rule of law and contract enforcement;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. WelcomNotes Montenegro’s proactive participation and constructive role in regional and international cooperation; commends Montenegro for continuing fully to align its foreign policy with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy; encourages it to continue to address, in a constructive and neighbourly spirit, outstanding bilateral issues with its neighbours, including the unresolved border demarcation issues with Serbia and Croatia;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. WelcomNotes the fact that Montenegro’s NATO Accession Protocol was signed in May 2016 and is currently being ratified by NATO members; encouragescalls on NATO members within the EU to prioritise the ratification process and to recognise that NATO membership for Montenegro is an important symbolic and strategic part of the country’s Euro- Atlantic integration processnot to ratify Montenegro's accession to NATO, which would constitute a significant stage in the development of the internal political crisis in Montenegro, creating fresh divides in society; points out that Montenegro, which was then part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was bombed by NATO in 1999;