33 Amendments of Urmas PAET related to 2021/2250(INI)
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Turkey, besides being a candidate forto EU accession, is a key partner in relation to the economy, trade and migration, as well as a strategic partner, security and counter-terrorism, green transition and migration, as well as a strategic partner; Whereas Turkey is the EU’s sixth trading partner while the EU is Turkey’s largest trading partner; Whereas Turkey is a key member in NATO and plays an instrumental geostrategic role in the security architecture of the Black Sea and, in particular, in the security of Ukraine, which is facing Russian aggression;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, in the aftermath of recent tensions between the EU and Turkey, particularly in relation to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the European Council offered to nurture a more positive dynamic in EU-Turkey relations by expressing readiness to engage with Turkey in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner in a number of areas of common interest on the condition of improvements in EU-Turkey relations and the respect for democratic values and the rule of law by the Turkish government;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes, however, that there has been a slight improvement over the past year in overall EU-Turkey relations, which have on average remained stable, aswith enhanced cooperation and dialogue through the high-level dialogues on a number of issues, while haveing coexisted with regular conflicts; expresses its hope that this pattern of ‘conflictual cooperation’ can be overcome and replaced with a more sustained and genuine positive dynamic;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Insists that the crucial area of fundamental rights and freedoms, which is at the core of the accession process, cannot be disconnected and isolated from overall relations with the EU and stresses that for Parliament, it remains one of the main obstacles to further progress on any positive agenda that could be offered to Turkey;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates its strong condemnation of Turkey’s withdrawal, by presidential decree, from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) and expresses deep concern about the persistence of violences against women in Turkey;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates its strong condemnation and regret of Turkey’s withdrawal, by presidential decree, from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention);
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the importance of upholding the freedom of assembly in Turkey, which is enshrined in its constitution; but increasingly under pressure, in particular for certain opposition parties;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its serious concern about the disproportionate and arbitrary measures curtailing freedom of expression; welcomes the further decrease in the number of journalists in prison in Turkeycondemns the high number of imprisoned journalists, media employees as well as social media users; notes with deep concern the increasing restrictions and censorship imposed on social media platforms;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its serious concern about the disproportionate and arbitrary measures curtailing freedom of expression; welcomes the further decrease in the number of journalists in prison in Turkey while regretting that Turkey still ranks among the countries where freedom of the press is the most attacked;
Amendment 246 #
10. Asserts thatCondemns the continued prosecution, censorship and harassment of journalists and independent media remains an issue of concerin Turkey; is concerned as well by the targeting of journalists and opponents in the European Union, as was the case of Turkish journalist Erk Acarer in Berlin;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Is worried by the increasing number of fake news in Turkish social media environment; is also worried by the spread of state propaganda, in particular from the state-run news agency Anadolu;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes note of the adoption of the fourth and fifth judicial packages in Turkey during 2021; asserts, however, that the current problems stem not only from problematic legislation, but are often caused by a failure to implement existing adequate provisions; remains concerned about the continuing erosion of the rule of law and judicial independence in Turkey;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Regrets the sustained pressurelegal and administrative pressure by the Turkish government on civil society and, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, academics, ethnic and religious minorities and numerous Turkish citizens and the continuously shrinking space to operate freely in Turkey;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Continues to urge the Turkish Government to release Osman Kavala after more than four years of unlawful and illegitimate detention; reiterates its call on the Turkish authorities to abide by the final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in this case;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Expresses deep concern about the deterioration in the human rights situation for LGBTI people, in particular with regard to physical attacks – especially against transgender persons – the protracted bans on Pride marches across the country, restrictions on the freedoms of assembly, association and expression, and censorship in the media and urges the Turkish government to protect their equal and legal rights;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is deeply concerned about the constant attacks, imprisonment of members of the opposition and pressure on the opposition parties, particularly the HDP and the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which undermine the proper functioning of the democratic system; stresses that democracy presupposes an environment in which political parties, civil society and the media can function without threats or arbitrary restrictions;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes with great concern that the HDP, its elected mayors and its party organisations have been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities, leading to a situation where over 4 000 HDP members are currently in prison; continues to strongly condemn the continued detention since November 2016 of Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, the former co-chairs of the HDP;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recognises that Turkey has legitimate security concerns and the right to fight terrorism; stresses, nevertheless, that this must be done with full respect for the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms; reiterates its firm and unambiguous condemnation of the violent terrorist attacks by ISIS and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since 2002;
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on Turkey to abide by a zero- tolerance policy on torture and to duly investigate persistent and credible reports of torture, ill-treatment and inhumane or degrading treatment in detention, interrogation or custody, in order to put an end to impunity and hold those responsible to account;
Amendment 395 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Expresses its appreciation to Turkey for demanding all Black Sea and non-Black Sea states to halt passage through its straits;
Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Acknowledges that Turkey can pursue its own foreign policy in line with its interests and goals, but expects this policy to be defended through diplomacy and dialogue based on international law and, as a candidate country, to be increasingly aligned with that of the EU; deplores that Turkey's foreign policy alignment rate with EU foreign policy is a meagre 14%; believes that increased EU- Turkey cooperation can be achieved on multiple foreign policy areas such as on Ukraine and Afghanistan;
Amendment 428 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Reaffirms its call expressed in its resolution of 15 April 2015 and once again encourages Turkey’s government to recognise the Armenian Genocide, thus paving the way for a genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples; welcomes, in this regard, the recent intensified diplomatic exchanges and growing interaction between the Turkish and Armenian governments;
Amendment 445 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the relative decrease in tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean during the past year, but remains fully awareconcerned that these positive dynamics could be reversed at any moment while the underlying issues remain unresolved underlying issues remain unresolved; expresses solidarity with EU member states which have suffered from these tensions and urges Turkey to refrain from any provocative statement or action towards EU Member States;
Amendment 453 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Calls on Turkey to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Libya under the auspices of the UN, to fully adhere to the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council and to not obstruct EU and NATO missions mandated to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya;
Amendment 470 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Deplores the fact that the unresolved conflict in Cyprus is a major obstacle to EU-Turkey relations; reaffirms its view that the only sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue is that of a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality and political equality, in accordance with international law and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; deeply regrets that Turkey’s government has abandoned this UN framework by unilaterally opening up the town of Varosha, in violation of UNSC resolutions;
Amendment 471 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Deplores the factRecalls that the unresolved conflict in Cyprus is a major obstacle to EU-Turkey relations; strongly reaffirms its view that the only sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue is that of a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality and political equality, in accordance with international law and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; deeply regorets that Turkey has abandoned this UN framework;
Amendment 482 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Recognizes the importance of a well-functioning NATO; deplores in this regard Turkey’s unilateral actions undermining NATO by purchasing Russian S-400 missiles; calls on the Turkish government to overcome these tensions by halting actions that go against the collective interests of the alliance;
Amendment 496 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Calls on the EEAS StratCom divisions to document suspicions of Turkish disinformation directed at the EU, particularly in the Balkans and the MENA region and to report its findings to the European Parliament;
Amendment 506 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 d (new)
Paragraph 24 d (new)
Amendment 536 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Calls on the Commission for full transparency and accuracy in the allocation of funds under the successor of the FRT and requests that it ensures that these funds are primarily given directly to the refugees and host communities and are managed by organisations that guarantee accountability and transparency;
Amendment 551 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that the varying priorities of the EU institutions set out in the existing frameworks governing EU-Turkey relations make it very difficult to find an effective way to move forward; deplores the lack of a long-term strategy, a coherent policy and consistent leadership towards Turkey in the EU and among all its institutions; calls on the EEAS to intensify transatlantic dialogue and cooperation with the Biden administration as regards to its relations with Turkey;
Amendment 558 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Welcomes the meeting in March 2022 of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee and expresses in this regard the hope that the continued functioning of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee shall be restored;
Amendment 561 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Calls for the mutually beneficial modernisation of the Customs Union, accompanied with an effective and efficient dispute settlement mechanism;