63 Amendments of Željana ZOVKO related to 2021/2245(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
— having regard to the first meeting of the EU-BiH Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) held on 5-6 November 2015, the third meeting of the EU-BiH Stabilization and Association Council held on 13 July 2018 and the fourth meeting of the EU- BiH Stabilization and Association Committee held on 7 November 2019,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
— having regard to the Joint Statement of 21 December 2020 by High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi on the holding of local elections in Mostar,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
— having regard to the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence approved by the Council on 21 March 2022,
Amendment 11 #
— having regard to the Council conclusions of 24 and 25 March 2022 on the prolonged political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the need for leaders in the country to demonstrate a strong commitment to finalise swiftly the constitutional and electoral reform,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
— having regard to the EU-Western Balkans summit, held in Zagreb on 6 May 2020, and its declaration,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
— having regard to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, adopted on 25 February 1991,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 b (new)
Citation 24 b (new)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 c (new)
Citation 24 c (new)
— having regard to the "Mostar Agreement" ensuring the holding of elections in Mostar, that included changes to the BiH election law in the part of election rules for the City of Mostar, signed between leaders of majority parties in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 17 June 2020,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 d (new)
Citation 24 d (new)
— having regard the Exit Strategy of the International Crisis Group (ICG) from Bosnia and Herzegovina of 7 August 2014,
Amendment 37 #
C a. whereas the credibility of the enlargement process is based on unequivocal results in key areas of rule of law and judicial reform, the fight against corruption and organized crime, security, fundamental rights, democratic institutions, public administration reform, as well as economic development and competitiveness;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and EUFOR Althea are integral in preserving peace in accordance with their mandates based in political neutrality and full respect for the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas all BiHconstituent peoples and all citizens of BiH should enjoy equal individual and collective rights and obligations throughout BiH territory, also according to the Annex 4 of The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement); whereas the country has committed to international and domestic obligations to end systematic ethnicity and residence-based discrimination and ensure citizens’ equalitydiscrimination and ensure equal rights and representation of the constituent peoples and all of its citizens before the law;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas all BiH citizens should enjoy equal rights and obligations throughout BiH territory; whereas the country has committed to international obligations to end systematic ethnicity and residence-based discrimination and ensure citizens’ equality before the law; whereas the nature of the state of BiH should reflect that it is shared by three constituent peoples;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas it is crucial to ensure legitimate representation of the constituent peoples;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas glorification of convicted war criminals, ethnic or religious segregation and discrimination go against the very essence of the European project; whereas there is an urgent need to effectively outlaw denial of the Holocaust, genocide, war crimes, political persecutions and crimes against humanity regardless of the perpetrator;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the Council expressed in the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence its strong support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the principles of equality and non- discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the Bosnia and Herzegovina constitution, as well as the reform process on its European path;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underscores that the pace of EU accession is determined by the due functioning of democratic institutions, grounded in the rule of law, good governance and fundamental rights and full implementation of Dayton Peace Agreement;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges BiH and its political leaders to advance on the 14 key priorities by restoring the independence of the judiciary, strengthening the rule of law, intensifying the fight against corruption and organised crime, securing media freedom and an enabling environment for civil society, and protecting vulnerable groups; welcomes the progress achieved by the agreement on the rules of procedure for the EU-BiH Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and elections in Mostar held on 20 December 2020;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its clear support for BiH’s democratic transformation through European integration, based on sovereignty, federalism, constitutionality and territorial integrity, grounded in the principles of equality and non- discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the constitution;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its clear support for BiH’s democratic transformation through European integration, based on sovereignty and territorial integrity, grounded in the principles of equality and non- discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the constitution; recalls that according to Article 4 TEU the European Union shall respect the national identities of Member States, inherent in their fundamental structures, political and constitutional, inclusive of regional and local self- government;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its clear support for BiH’s democratic transformation through European integration, based on sovereignty and territorial integrity, grounded in the principles of equality and non- discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples, including political representation, as enshrined in the constitution;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that enforcement of the Dayton Peace Agreement includes the obligation to adhere to the constitutional architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina with respect for rights of all constituent peoples and citizens and obligation to implement OHR decisions;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that enforcement of the Dayton Peace Agreement includes the obligation to implement OHR decisions; recalls that the European Parliament strongly advocates the position of individual approach, full fulfilment of the set criteria and consistent and credible conditionality;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the impasse in negotiations on electoral law reform in BiH, that should allow the Croats to elect the Croation representative in the Presidency, and the lack of political will to overcome it; calls on all actors to promptly reach a balanced agreement, to fulfil the constitutional duty of democratic governance and to ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the impasse in negotiations on electoral law reform in BiH and the lack of political will to overcome it; calls on all actors to promptly reach a balanced agreement, to fulfil the constitutional duty of democratic governancefter several attempts and facilitating interventions from the European Union and United States and the lack of political will to overcome it; calls on all actors to promptly reach a compromise with a balanced agreement to avoid electoral engineering, to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human rights and the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to fulfil the constitutional duty of democratic governance based on legitimate representation of all constituent peoples and citizens and undisputed electoral legitimacy for all legislative and executive bodies regardless of their specific features defined by the Constitution, and to ensure the transparency, legitimacy and integrity of the electoral process; before the next general elections; urges the European Union, United States and the international community to intensify their efforts in facilitation of a political agreement;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the impasse in negotiations on electoral law reform in BiH and the lack of political will to overcome it; calls on all actors to promptly reach a balanced agreement, to fulfil the constitutional duty of democratic governance and to ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process; stresses that the reform of the electoral law, which will guarantee the representation of the three constituent peoples, is a step towards establishing a functioning society and institutions;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Regrets the non-implementation of the binding Constitutional Court decision in the case Ljubić, that has resulted in the denial of the right of Croats to elect their own legitimate political representatives in the 2018 general elections, especially regarding the election of Croatian members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina; calls on all stakeholders to reach an agreement on the reform of the Election Law to assure that in the 2022 general elections all constituent peoples and citizens have the right to elect their own legitimate political representatives;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Deeply regrets that BiH still remains in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights by not implementing the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Sejdić-Finci, Zornić, Pilav and Šlaku cases; deeply regrets that BiH still has not implemented the ruling of Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the case Ljubić;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Strongly denounces the disregard for international and national court decisions, norms and obligations, all hate rhetoric and disruptive action, including withdrawal from institutions, by the leadership of Bosniak and Serb parties in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and particularly by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, which destabilises the country, undermines its statehood in violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and systematically hampers decisions on key laws and reforms; rejects all attempts to form parallel parastatal institutions, which undermine state institutions, legal order, judicial independence and sovereignty; calls for a full, non-selective and unconditional return to all state institutions, which should function in full accordance with the Constitution and with full electoral legitimacy and procedural legality, including the Central Electoral Commission;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Strongly denounces the disregard for international and national norms and obligations, all hate rhetoric and disruptive action, including withdrawal from institutions, particularly by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, which destabilises the country, undermines its statehood in violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and systematically hampers decisions on key laws and reforms; rejects all attempts to form parallel parastatal institutions, which undermine state institutions, legal order, judicial independence and sovereignty; calls for a full, non-selective and unconditional return to all state institutions; also denounces the unitarian concept of the state promoted by the Bosniak leadership which is not in accordance with the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of three equal constituent peoples and others and with the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European legal acquis;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the EU and the international community to use all available tools, including targeted sanctions, against destabilising actors in the country, including those hindering collective and individual political rights as per the Constitution;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that the EU future of BiH depends on sustainable peace and genuine reconciliation, and the political representation of the three constituent peoples, warranting its democratic, inclusive and multi-ethnic character; urges BiH to expedite effective and impartial prosecution of war crimes under the revised national war crimes processing strategy; calls on all regional political leaders to set up the relevant commission (RECOM);
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that the EU future of BiH depends on sustainable peace and genuine reconciliation, warranting its democratic, inclusive, multi-national and multi-ethnic character according to the Dayton Peace Agreement; urges BiH to expedite effective and impartial prosecution of war crimes regardless of the perpetrator, under the revised national war crimes processing strategy; calls on all regional political leaders to set up the relevant commission (RECOM);
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Notes that genuine reconciliation, cooperation and peaceful coexistence is possible only by mutual recognition and respect of the rights and needs of the all constituent peoples and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the right of legitimate representation in all levels of government; notes that the principles of federalism would suit the functioning of this state as it would establish equality in all spheres between the constituent communities and citizens;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges BiH’s political actors to make progress on judicial, electoral, administrative and economic reforms that are needed to bring the country closer to the EU; denounces all attempts to stall these reforms, thus endangering access to EU funding under IPA III, which must be based on strict conditionality and depends on the cooperation of different authorities;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Deplores the damage and loss of live caused by a strong earthquake that hit Bosnia and Herzegovina near Stolac on 22 April 2022; calls on the European Union and all its Member States to show solidarity and provide appropriate financial and material assistance to the country through all possible mechanisms, including the distribution of funds from the IPA III pre-accession fund;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the importance of holding elections this year as planned; calls for the necessary implementation of electoral reform in the run-up to the elections, in order to protect the guaranteed rights of the constituent peoples, enshrined in the Dayton Peace Agreement;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the importance of holding elections this year as plannedgeneral elections this year as planned, based on fulfilment of necessary formal and legal preconditions in order to ensure unequivocal integrity and legitimacy of the election and election process in line with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and rulings of domestic and international courts;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Supports transparent and inclusive limited constitutional and electoral reforms to ensure equality and non-discrimination of all constituent peoples and citizens, enhance accountability and transform BiH into a fully functional and inclusive pluralistic state by immediately implementing rulings,elevant rulings of domestic and international courts, and opinions and recommendations of competent courts and international bodies; supports transatlantic and European facilitation efforts to this end and condemns all obstructions and inactivity of political actors in that regard;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Supports transparent and inclusive constitutional and electoral reforms to ensure equality and non-discrimination of all citizens, enhance and constituent peoples; insists on the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on finding mechanisms so that none of the constituent peoples can elect political representatives of other constituent peoples, especially in the House of Peoples; supports enhancing accountability and transforming BiH into a fully functional and inclusive state by immediately implementing rulings, opinions and recommendations of competent courts and international bodies; supports transatlantic facilitation efforts to this end;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Notes that for the last twenty years, the reserved seats for minorities in democratic institutions have not been properly filled with representatives of these minorities; calls on political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to follow the example of the ruling of Supreme Court of Kosovo that acknowledged the decision of Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) to annul the election of representative of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities as she was elected illegitimately in breach of the principle of legitimate representation;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for the implementation of consistent country-wide merit-based civil service standards, enabling a streamlined, depoliticised and accountable public administration; calls for equal representation of all constituent peoples and citizens in the public service, companies and media outlets;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the need to enhance internal and regional economic harmonisation and connectivity; calls for country-wide sector strategies, improvements to strategic planning, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and the creation of control and audit structures; welcomes the European investments in road and rail infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely the development of Corridor Vc linking Central Europe to port of Ploče on the Adriatic coast;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Welcomes the efforts of the EU and its Member States, as well as neighbouring countries in the region, in assisting the country in vaccination campaigns and mitigating the consequences of the COVID pandemic;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls the need for improved laws on gas and electricity, renewables, energy efficiency and climate, and to step up environmental and nature protectionnotes that progress in the areas of environmental and climate protection as well as alignment with EU standards has remained low; therefore urges BiH’s authorities to ensure greater alignment with EU standards and policy objectives on climate protection and energy;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Calls on the BiH authorities to reduce transboundary air pollution, especially in case of Bosanski Brod oil refinery that affects the quality of life and health of people living in Slavonski Brod in Republic of Croatia; reminds that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory party of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo, 1991) and is bound by its obligations;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for urgent action to tackle widespread selective justice, state capture, nepotism, cronyism, high-level corruption and criminal infiltration; reiterates the urgent need for judicial reform across BiH to improve the professionalism and integrity of the judiciary and for administrative reform to eradicate corruption;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Calls for the implementation of rulings of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reminding that the rule of law is integral to the country's progress in Euro-Atlantic integration;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Deplores the continuing failure to safeguard media freedom and pluralism; insists on eliminating political interference and protecting journalists from intimidation with systematic judicial follow-up; expresses its concern over the lack of a variety of traditional media channels, including television broadcasting; draws attention to the inadmissible practices of reducing the presence of certain constituent peoples in those same media and to the problem of biased and negatively toned reporting;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Reiterates the need for equal representation of all constituent peoples in public media outlets and calls for media pluralism to be ensured in media programmes as well as content in the languages of all constituent peoples; stresses the need to ensure public broadcasting outlets in official languages which would protect cultural diversity of all constituent peoples;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Commission to refocus IPA III support to in-country democratic forces, institutions and procedures and to enable local and regional administrations to a better absorption of funds; calls to eliminate the lack of equal distribution of IPA III funds at local and regional level in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates its call to urgently end segregation and discrimination inaddress the different rulings regarding the individual cases of ‘two schools under one roof’ that allow the right to education, including by implementing court rulings to end the discriminatory illegal practice of ‘two schools under one roof’ the official language of one's choice, as introduced by the OSCE; stresses that all citizens have the right of access to education in all official languages, as guaranteed by the UNESCO conventions;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates its call to urgently end segregation and discrimination in education, including by implementing court rulings to end the discriminatory illegal practice of ‘two schools under one roof’; recalls that according to Article 165 (1) TFEU the European Union shall fully respect the responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of the education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity; reiterates that according to Article 165 (4) TFEU any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States is excluded from the EU incentive measures in the field of education;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Notes that the adoption of programmes and curriculum should take in account the cultural and language diversity while respecting the constitutional architecture and competences; calls on the improved coordination and standardisation of educational curricula between the different cantons in the Federation, that have the constitutional competence over education;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Deplores the failure of authorities to address the severe migration-related humanitarian crisis; recalls the need for solidarity-based solutions on migration and asylum, asylum and border management in coordination and cooperation with affected Member States on the European external border, ensuring adequate humanitarian assistance and appropriate reception capacities across the country; welcomes the opening of the EU-funded centre in Lipa;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Urges BiH to reverse the trend of regression on alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, particularly with regard to implementing sanctions against Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine; calls on BiH to strengthen good neighbourly relations and to work on resolving ongoing bilateral issues;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls for the EU to take concrete steps to integrate the Western Balkans and BiH within a broader strategic and security context, also in view of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and its attempts to disrupt the European path of the Western Balkans, by means of disinformation and malign interference destabilising the country and region;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Welcomes EU-funded efforts tothe mobilization of European Peace Facility funds worth €10 million that will finance 150 metal detectors and 68 special vehicles in order to build capacities, boost demining and the disposal of weapons, ammunition and explosives;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Welcomes the continued presence of EUFOR’s Operation Althea in the country and the extension of its mandate by the United Nations Security Council on 3 November 2021;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the recent reinforcementserve activation of additional 500 soldiers of EUFOR Althea and the support under the European Peace Facility to strengthen the armed forces of BiH; reminds that the mission still plays an important role in safeguarding the security and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the recent reinforcement of EUFOR Althea and the support under the European Peace Facility to strengthen the armed forces of BiH; recognizes the added value that BiH's membership in NATO would have for democratic and institutional progress, as well as peacekeeping;
Amendment 346 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Notes that the mandate of EUFOR Althea expires in November 2022; calls on the EU and its Members States to facilitate the extension of the mandate of the mission and to develop a contingency plan in case of non-extension, as the denial of its renewal risks to be detrimental to the peace and security environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina and would lead to further destabilization;