Activities of Željana ZOVKO related to 2021/2231(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
EU-Azerbaijan relations (debate)
EU-Azerbaijan relations (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on EU-Azerbaijan relations
Amendments (31)
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
— having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy signed between the EU and Azerbaijan on 18 July 2022,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
— having regard to the Commission's Joint Communication "Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations",
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
— having regard to opinion on Azerbaijan by the Council of Europe's Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) published on 4 February 2019,
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU is committed to promoting a South Caucasus region that is secure, stable, peaceful and prosperous and is ready to play an active role as reliable trade partner and honest broker in mediating a sustainable peace settlement;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the European Union supports peaceful conflict resolution of any unresolved regional conflicts via diplomatic means;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas, following the quadrilateral meeting between President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Macron and President Michel on 6 October in Prague, the EU has deployed a temporary monitoring mission along the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan with the objective of monitoring, analysing and reporting on the situation in the region;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas a sustainable normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan requires that all violence cease and that all the root causes of conflict be addressed, whereas such a goal can only be achieved when the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan can guarantee peaceful coexistence and the respect of minority rights;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the armed conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan have had a catastrophic impact on the cultural, religious and historical heritage of the whole region;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Azerbaijan is a reliable and, trustworthy and strategic supplier of fossil fuels to the EU and whereas it is becoming increasingly important in this role given the need for the EU to diversify its energy supplies;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the EU is Azerbaijan’s main trading partner and supports Azerbaijan’s WTO accession as well as the diversification, digitalisation and de- carbonisation of Azerbaijani economy;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas negotiations on a new Partnership Agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan are ongoing since 2018; whereas the new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan should advance the interests of the EU in the region as well as promote human rights, democratic standards and principles, growth and economic development;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020 and to refrain from any steps that could lead to further escalations; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid using inflammatory rhetoric and to implement measures to prepare their respective populations for peaceful coexistence, including those enhancing people-to-people contact; is of the opinion that the consequences of these hostilities and the presence of Russian peacekeepers is also impacting the political developments in the region;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the EU’s passive stance during and immediately after the 2020 war gave other regional actors, such as Russia and Turkey, the opportunity to gain influence in the region; reminds that more active European preventive diplomacy could have prevented such outcome; strongly supports, therefore, the initiative taken by the President of the European Council Charles Michel to convene and mediate bilateral meetings of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels and encourages the work of the EU’s special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia; urges the governments of both countries to fully engage in the drafting of a peace treaty and welcomes in this regard the meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of both countries on 30 September in Geneva and on 8 November in Washington D.C.;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the initial progress made on the process of border delimitation; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EU missioWelcomes the establishment of the Azerbaijan - Armenia border delimitation commission and takes note of the progress made on the process of border delimitation; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EU monitoring mission with up to 40 EU monitoring experts along the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan to build trust and contribute to the border commissions;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the humanitarian assistance provided by the EU for the conflict-affected population in and around Nagorno-Karabakh and its leading role in assistance for humanitarian demining in the areas affected by the conflict; calls on the Commission to increase EU assistance to people in need, facilitate the implementation of more ambitious confidence-building measures and enhance people-to-people contacts between citizensEuropean Commission to ensure additional funding and assistance on demining efforts, including equipment, training and risk education; calls for additional demining cooperation with experts from EU Member States and non- governmental organisations; calls on the Commission to increase EU assistance to people in need, facilitate the implementation of more ambitious confidence-building measures, promote interreligious and interethnic dialogue, protect minority rights and enhance people-to-people contacts between citizens in order to provide the foundations for a sustainable and peaceful coexistence;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Continues to be concerned about the fate of Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict and still held by Azerbaijan and welcomes the release of some of them; reminds that both Armenia and Azerbaijan are parties to the Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which stipulates that prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated and must be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining detainees, including those captured during the recent military confrontations, and for them to be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. SDenounces the destruction of Armenian and Azerbaijani cultural, religious and historical heritage since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; strongly insists that Azerbaijan and Armenia refrain from destroying cufurther destruction and altueral, religious or historicaltion of such heritage; calls for the restoration of damaged sites in accordance with UNESCO standards and indications as well as for a greater involvement of the international community in the preservation of cultural, religious and historical heritage in the region; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to quickly allow a UNESCO mission to visit both countries without preconditions;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on Azerbaijan to ensure the safety and respect of the rights of all minorities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region as this is an essential prerequisite for the creation of conditions conducive to post-war rehabilitation and genuine reconciliation;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. RAcknowledges the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor between Azerbaijan and Europe and the first dispatch of gas in December 2020; recognises the strategic role played by Azerbaijan as a provider of fossil fuels to the EU and welcomes its willingness to contribute even more to the EU’s objectives in terms of security and diversification of energy supply and climate neutrality;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the new memorandum of understanding between the EU and Azerbaijan signed by President Aliyev and Commission President von der Leyen in Baku on 18 July 2022 that includes a commitment to double the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver at least 20 billion cubic metres to the EU annually by 2027; welcomes Azerbaijan’s participation in the EU4Energy program and urges the country to make more progress on energy efficiency;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises Azerbaijan’s potential as a producer of renewable energy, in particular in offshore wind and green hydrogen and calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance EU- Azerbaijan cooperation in that area;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the significant trade flows between the EU and Azerbaijan and the high level of EU investment in Azerbaijan; underscores that the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan could mobilise up to EUR 2 billion in additional investments, which will deliver tangible benefits for the people of Azerbaijan and support the country’s economic diversification, green and digital transition; Calls on the EU to continue supporting regional development in Azerbaijan, including rural development, agriculture and food safety;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recognises Azerbaijan’s strategic geographical position as a potential gateway between Europe and Central Asia and beyond, within the so-called ‘Middle Corridor’; urges the EU to support Azerbaijan and its neighbouring countries in their efforts to establish trans-Caspian and trans-Caucasian connections;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on EU institutions to ensure that any deepening of relations between the EU and Azerbaijan remains conditional on the country making substantial progress on respect for the core values and principles of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, good governance, the rights of minorities, freedom of the media and gender equality;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Notes the multicultural and multi- religious character of Azerbaijan and therefore calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to step up their efforts and ensure the non-discriminatory treatment of national minorities and to actively pursue investigations and convictions for hate-motivated crimes based on religious, gender related or ethnic grounds; calls on Azerbaijani authorities to ensure that all minority groups receive education in their national languages and to have equal opportunities, adequate representation in political and cultural life, public media and the administration; calls on Azerbaijan to protect and promote tangible and intangible cultural heritage, languages and traditions of its national minorities;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Deeply regrets the current state of press freedom in Azerbaijan; expresses its concern at the new law on media adopted in December 2021; calls for a swift review of that law in accordance with the recommendations included in the opinion of the Venice Commission of 17-18 June 2022; urges Azerbaijan to stop persecuting bloggers and journalists; calls on Azerbaijan to free all journalists and bloggers currently detained on the basis of the opinions they expressed;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Recommends to the European External Action Service, the Commission and the Member States to increase their support for and cooperation with civil society and human rights defenders, in particular in relation to restrictions on their work; calls on the Government of Azerbaijan to establish a regular and in- depth political dialogue with civil society in order to encourage ambitious and widely shared reforms aimed at making institutions more democratic and independent, to promote human rights and media freedom and develop a regulatory environment in which civil society can operate without undue interference;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Strongly insists that Azerbaijan ceases all repression of political opposition activists through intimidation, arrests, detentions and court cases; urges Azerbaijan to releases all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience currently detained; Calls on Azerbaijan to fully implement the decisions of the ECtHR and to clear its backlog of unimplemented cases;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Urges Azerbaijan to reform its electoral legal framework to align it with international standards and obligations, guarantee constitutionally protected rights and freedoms, as well as address pending recommendations by ODIHR and the Venice Commission;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Expresses its concern at the persistent lack of independence, impartiality and effectiveness of the judiciary; urges Azerbaijan to cease to restrict access to the bar for lawyers engaging in human right cases and to stop using disciplinary procedures as a means to put pressure on those lawyers;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Takes good note of the limited progress made by Azerbaijan on the prevention of corruption; calls on Azerbaijan to address the lack of an effective system of asset disclosure for members of parliament, judges and prosecutors; to strengthen the role of the judiciary within the Judicial Legal Council and to eliminate the government’s undue influence over the Prosecutor’s Office;