Activities of Sofia SAKORAFA related to 2018/2145(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2018 Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (debate) EL
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2018 Commission Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia PDF (315 KB) DOC (66 KB)
Amendments (30)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
– having regard to UN Security Council resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), as well as to UN General Assembly resolution 47/225 and the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11
Citation 11
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas by implementing robust and inclusive democratic reforms and actively improving neighbourly relations, the new government is demonstrating a serious commitment to the country’s Euro- Atlanticpean path; whereas reform efforts should be paired with continued EU support for implementation of the Urgent Reform Priorities;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas eleven Confidence- Building Measures were agreed between Greece and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, mainly in the fields of political and EU affairs, education and culture, trade and economic cooperation, connectivity, justice and home affairs, as well as health cooperation; whereas the Confidence-Building Measures have already produced tangible results;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas during previous years the country experienced one of its worst political crisis; whereas the divisive political mentality, the deep mutual mistrust, harsh rhetoric, the lack of compromise and the collapse of dialogue between the parties gave rise to a protracted political crisis which further undermined reforms and accession preparations, as well as citizens confidence in public institutions and led to the serious backsliding in several key areas of the EU accession process; whereas the recent political crisis has illustrated the lack of an effective system of checks and balances in the country's institutions and the need to increase transparency and public accountability;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas all political parties and state institutions have a duty toit is the shared responsibility of all political forces and leaders in the country to overcome the divisive political mentality, deep mutual mistrust and the lack of compromise by ensuring a genuine and sustainable political dialogue and cooperation, which are essential for the country's democratic development and stability, safeguarding the rule of law, the European perspective and the common good of its citizens; whereas all political parties and state institutions have a duty to reverse policies and practices which could still constitute obstacles for the country’s European future, including to refrain from any inflammatory statements or actions, to scale down their negative rhetoric, and contribute to a more inclusive and open political atmosphere, enabling further progress in the EU accession process;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the country must further strengthen, inter alia, parliamentary legislative and oversight capacity, the judiciary, respect for theas well as to accelerate and fully implement EU-related reforms in order to address systemic failures in the areas of justice, rule of law, media freedom and the, fight against organised crime and corruption; whereas sustained reform efforts are needed in the areas of public administration, fundamental rights, home affairs, the economy and employment, and a comprehensive review of the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) is also required;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas each (potential) candidate country is judged individually on its own merits, and it is the speed and quality of reforms that determine the timetable for accession and the pace of negotiations; whereas accession negotiations should be opened upon the full and constructive implementation of all required conditions;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph –1 (new)
Paragraph –1 (new)
-1. Replace ‘Macedonia(n)’ with ‘the country(’s)’ throughout the text
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges the government’s strong political resolve to fully implement the Pržino Agreement and the Urgent Reform Priorities, leading to intensified efforts on EU-related reforms, based on cross-party and inter-ethnic cooperation and consultations with civil society; encourages the new government to maintain the positive momentum and to secure progress, accelerate and fully implement EU-related reforms, in a transparent and inclusive manner;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Commends the positive diplomacy and active trust-building efforts leading to compromise and to the settlement of open bilateral issueutstanding open issues and to the promotion of good neighbourly relations; welcomes the entry into force on 14 February 2018 of the friendship treaty with Bulgaria;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. WelcomNotes the ratification by the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia of the strategic partnership agreement with Greece on 20 June 2018; urges the parties to duly inform their citizens of the contents and implications of the agreement and to diligently complete all internal procedures for the ratification and implementation of this strategicrefrain from temporising by raising issues intended to distract them from the actual substance of the agreement and the implications thereof; calls on both parties to hold a referendum on the agreement in order to give voters the right to ratify or reject it, given that this is an issue of major national, historical and cultural importance for both nations with undeniable implications for relations between them and for the stability of the region; urges the parties, in line with the express will of the peoples, to diligently complete ally important agreement, bringing an end to a protracted geopolitical limbonternal procedures for the ratification and implementation of the agreement, including the revision of the Constitution of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. RecallNotes that the country has already achieved a highrelatively good level of alignment with the acquis; welcomes its continued alignment with EU declarations and Council decisions on the Common Foreign and Security Policy and notes that full alignment is a prerequisite for the Euro- Atlanticpean future of the country;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the 27 April 2017 attack on the Parliament of the country, which constitutes an attack on democracy and during which several MPs and journalists sustained severe injuries, and calls for the organisers and perpetrators to be brought to justice; stresses that security related issues in Parliament need to be addressed as a matter of urgency; further condemns any form of instrumentalisation, obstruction and abuse of procedures of the Parliament which prevent Parliament from functioning properly;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Fully endorses thenotes Commission’s recommendation and ensuing Council decision setting June 2019 as a date for opening accession negotiations in recognition of the encouraging reform efforts; considers that a swift opening of the screening process and accession talks will sustain and deepen the reform momentum; considers that the opening of negotiations would provide further incentives for democratisation and enhance scrutiny and accountabilityprovided that the country will maintain and deepen the current reform momentum by delivering further tangible and sustained results and that full and constructive implementation of all required conditions have been achieved, including reforms on the Urgent Reform Priorities, justice, fight against corruption and organised crime and public administration;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the steps taken towards reinstating checks and balances and increasing inclusion through measures improving the environment in which independent oversight institutions, the media and civil society organisations operate; stresses that further efforts are needed to reverse the negative effects of the past period; recalls that the mistakes of the past should not be repeated;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Appreciates the government’s efforts to prevent backsliding and eliminate the remaining elements of state capture; recalls that the country was a frontrunner in the accession process in the 2000s;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes some improvements in electoral legislation and stresses the need for a timely, inclusive and transparent review of the Electoral Code by comprehensively addressing the remaining OSCE/ODIHR, Venice Commission and GRECO recommendations on campaign financing and on political parties; urges political parties to democratise their internal decision-making processecalls on the competent authorities to establish a credible track record of effective scrutiny of political party and electoral campaign financing; urges political parties to democratise their internal decision-making processes; stresses that more efforts are needed to prevent and fully investigate any form of intimidation of voters;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the launch of the Jean Monnet Dialogue process in Ohrid on 17 and 18 May 2018, aiming at strengthening the culture of dialogue and compromise among the Members of the Parliament and the resulting adoption by unanimous cross-party support of the Code of Ethics; encourages the Working Group on Reforms and Functioning of the Sobranie to review the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament and put forward proposals for amendments and timelines for adoption in the priority areas outlined in the conclusions in Ohrid;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Recalls that proper functioning of the judicial system and an effective fight against corruption are of paramount importance in the EU accession process;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the judicial reform strategy aimed at restoring judicial independence, accountability, professionalism and ending political interference and selective justice, and stresses the need to complete legislative alignment in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission; , including external and internal pressure and selective justice; underlines that full and effective implementation of the adopted judicial reform strategy is key to preventing further setbacks, reversing the backsliding of previous years and addressing remaining systemic shortcomings; stresses the need to complete legislative alignment in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls for sustained efforts in adopting and implementing measures envisaged in the judicial reform strategy, including reforming the systems for appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of judges and prosecutors, and demonstrating that the independence of the judicial system is respected and promoted at all levels; underlines the need to shield the judiciary from political interference;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Remains concerned bythat widespread corruption continues to be a serious problem in many sectors and welcomes initial achievements in the prevention and prosecution thereof; is concerned about limited final court rulings on high level corruption cases and calls for sustained efforts to establish a track record of investigations, indictments and final convictions in cases of high-level corruption and organised crime; commends the work carried out by the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) in difficult circumstances; remains concerned about attacks and obstruction against SPO work and the lack of cooperation from other institutions; strongly believes that the establishment of the legal accountability of the wiretaps constitutes an important step towards restoring citizens trust in national institutions; notes that the Index of perceived corruption of officials and politicians in the country recently published by Transparency International continued to deteriorate significantly in 2017 which points to a disturbing vicious circle between corruption and an unequal distribution of power as well as of the wealth in the society;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls upon the authorities to intensify the fight against money laundering and conflicts of interest by establishing and strengthening the capacities of anti-corruption, counter-crime and financial investigation cells, and through freezing, confiscation and, recovery and management of assets; welcomes the adoption of the law on the protection of whistle- blowers and calls for an urgent review of laws on anti-corruption, financial control and public procurement;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for further improvements in the conditions of asylum system and migration management; encouragescalls upon the authorities to establish reliable data on the scountry to step up regional cooperation and partnership with Fpe and structure of migration flows; urges the authorities to further strengthen implementation and systematic registration of migrants and to ensure their protective-sensitive profiling; calls for sustained efforts to prontexct under a new status agreement with a view to dismantling human trafficking networks; accompanied minors and vulnerable persons who are at risk of becoming victims of trafficking, in particular given the mixed migration flows passing through the country; encourages the country to step up regional cooperation with a view to dismantling human trafficking networks; recalls that urgent measures are needed to counter xenophobia and address negative public attitudes towards migrants and refugees;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the initial steps taken in enhancing the prevention of discrimination and urges the authorities to effectively address hate crime and hate speech against minorities, including vulnerable groups such as the Roma and the LGBTI community; remains concerned that the societal prejudice continues and hate speech is prevalent against LGBTI persons in the media, internet and social media; calls upon the authorities to ensure effective protection and to put in place dissuasive and proportionate sanctions for hate speech, homophobic/transphobic actions and violence; deplores persistent deficiencies in the work of the Commission for Protection from Discrimination;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Welcomes the substantial improvement in the operational environment for, and the consultations with, civil society organisations (CSOs) and stresses the need to enhance the legal, financial, administrative and policy framework, including through laws on foundations and donations; underlines the need to translate this progress into more structured, comprehensive and predictable consultative process, involving all stakeholders;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes modest improvements in the media environment and conditions for independent reportingReiterates the importance of media freedom and independence as one of the core EU values and a cornerstone of any democracy; Notes modest improvements in the media environment and conditions for independent reporting; remains concerned over freedom of expression and the media, the use of hate speech, the cases of intimidation, self-censorship and political interference; regrets in this context that in the index compiled by Reporters Without Borders the country has ranked among last places in Europe and the Balkans falling from 34th place in 2009 to 109 in 2018, while according Freedom House 2017 report on the country's Press Freedom, the country's status remains "Not Free"; calls for initiatives to create a climate that is favourable to investigative journalism; welcomes the termination of state- sponsored advertising in the media as an important measure to foster a level playing field in the sector and calls for further safeguards against politicisation of the media; stresses the need to strengthen the financial and editorial independence and capacity of the media regulator and the public service broadcaster; calls for measures to increase the protection of the labour and social rights of journalists;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Welcomes improvements in ensuring access to information; stresses the need to update regulations on media services and access to public information; stresses the need to effectively follow up on threats and intimidation against journalists; condemns any form of hate speech, inflammatory language and populist rhetoric; calls upon the authorities to demonstrate zero tolerance towards all incidents of physical and verbal abuse or threats against journalists;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Urges the authorities to address the large informal economy and the persistent problems of tax evasion and weak contract enforcement which continue to deter foreign direct investment; stresses the need to implement measures on public procurement and internal financial control; notes the need to improve transparency of data on public spending, procurement, State aid and the use of EU funds; underlines the need to re-evaluate and enhance the EU mechanism for monitoring and assessing the use of funds in the country and their potential susceptibility to feeding corruption practices and networks;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. DCalls for the development of a comprehensive policy and strategy on the sustainable development and protection of the environment; draws attention to extreme air pollution indicators in Skopje, Tetovo and Bitola and other heavily polluted cities; calls for effective action for air quality monitoring and improvement; calls on the country to improve coordination between the government, central level institutions and municipalities to actively work towards air quality improvement; urges the new government to start implementing the Paris Agreement, also by developing a comprehensive strategy on climate-related action consistent with the EU 2030 framework; stresses that the country needs to seriously step up efforts to transpose and start implementing the climate acquis, particularly on emissions monitoring and reporting and effort sharing;