Activities of Thomas WAITZ related to 2021/2247(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2021 Report on Montenegro (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2021 Commission Report on Montenegro
Amendments (36)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
— having regard to the Sofia Summit of 10 November 2020, including the Declaration on the Common Regional Market and the Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
— having regard to the Special Report 01/2022 of the European Court of Auditors: EU support for the Rule of Law in the Western Balkans: despite efforts, fundamental problems persist, of 10 January 2022,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas each enlargement country is judged on its own merits, and the implementation of necessary reforms, in particular in the area of rule of law, determines the timetable and progress of accession;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the vote of no confidence in the government on 4 February 2022 and the ensuing dismissal of the Parliament’s speaker; callsurges the responsible stakeholders to stop blocking the Parliament and allow for the formation of a new government as soon as possible and the election of a new speaker in line with the constitution, democratic norms and the pro-European aspirations of an overwhelming majority of Montenegro’s citizens; invites political parties and their elected representatives to express their protest within institutionalised democratic procedures in the Parliament instead of calling people to the streets in order to escalate tensions;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes that URA party leader Dritan Abazović has obtained the mandate from the President of Montenegro to form a new government composed of pro-European parties, which is highly welcomed especially in light of the recent Russian invasion in Ukraine and the continuous influence of pro- Russian political parties and narratives in the country;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes the protests against possible minority government organised by the Democratic Front and strongly condemns the support expressed for the Russian Federation on the day of the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine; is seriously worried about links between high-level representatives of the Democratic Front and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service; recalls Russia’s persistent interest in destabilising the country;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes Montenegro’s continued and full alignment with EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, including its announcement of support for the latest EU sanctions against Russia, and its active participation in EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations; welcomes the readiness to implement the EU sanctions against Russian propaganda outlets, RT-Russia Today and Sputnik, in accordance with applicable national legal procedures and encourages the government to take the necessary steps to provide the legal basis to enable the competent national authorities to take the necessary decisions;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of the EU funds available under the Pre-Accession Instrument (IPA III) and the Economic and Investment plan for the Western Balkans, while highlighting that any investment must be in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and EU decarbonisation targets;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Urges the Commission to seriously consider the special report 01/2022 of the European Court of Auditors and implement its recommendations, thus adapting its Rule of Law related investments in the Western Balkans, including in Montenegro;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Calls upon the EU and the Western Balkan countries to establish a framework for a fruitful cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Western Balkan countries, in order to ensure that the EPPO can effectively exert its competences in the area of EU funds, in particular in the area of IPA III funds in the Western Balkan countries;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates its strong recommendation that Montenegro should hold local elections simultaneously across the country; regrets that progress for achieving a comprehensive electoral reform has been slow and more efforts are needed to harmonise the electoral legal framework and regulate all key aspects of elections, through an inclusive process, well in advance of the next elections;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is worried about widespread corruption and urges Montenegro to boost the criminal justice response to high-level corruption and create conditions for the effective and independent functioning of judicial institutions and independent bodies dealing with corruption; welcomes that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) under new management demonstrated a more proactive approach, especially in stepping up its communication and outreach activities towards the general public, media and civil society and in addressing the caseload pending from previous years; regrets, however, that challenges related to the Agency’s independence, priority- setting, selective approach and the quality of its decisions remain and require sustained efforts in this respect;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Encourages further strengthening civil society participation in reforms and ensuring functional consultation and cooperation mechanisms, and in particular to guarantee the meaningful involvement of independent experts, civil society and local stakeholders when it comes to key legislation;
Amendment 104 #
15. Welcomes the first Citizens’ Assembly organised on 4 November 2021 by the Parliament of Montenegro in cooperation with the European Parliament; encourages the Montenegrin authorities to implement the conclusions of the Citizens' Assembly regarding the fight against corruption and stresses the importance of continuing this successful exercise in the future;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes the limited progress on freedom of expression; encourages Montenegro to step up its efforts to fight disinformation, hate speech, online harassment, politically-biased reporting and foreign influence in the Montenegrin media; reiterates its support to the government’s readiness to implement EU sanctions against Russian propaganda outlets;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Is highly alerted that the EU accession countries in the Western Balkans are being hit particularly hard by attacks in the form of foreign interference and disinformation campaigns stemming from Russia and China;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Recommends convening dialogues with Western Balkan civil society and the private sector to coordinate anti- disinformation efforts in the region, with an emphasis on research and analysis and the inclusion of regional expertise; calls on the Commission to build up the infrastructure required to produce evidence-based responses to both short- term and long-term disinformation threats in the Western Balkans; calls on the EEAS to pivot to a more proactive stance, focusing on building the EU’s credibility in the region, rather than defending it, in expanding StratCom monitoring to focus on cross-border disinformation threats emanating from Western Balkan countries and their neighbours;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes some positive steps, such as an ad hoc commission for monitoring violence against the media, the revision of laws on media and on the public broadcaster RTCG, and public consultations on a media strategy for 2021- 2025; calls for further efforts to transform the RTCG into a real public service and in general to improve access to information;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Condemns all violent acts during the demonstrations in Cetinje linked to the inauguration of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church; condemns Serbian interference in this regard; condemns Russia’s efforts to exploit ethnic tensions in the Western Balkans in order to inflame conflicts and divide communities, which could lead to the destabilisation of the whole region; is concerned about the attempts by the Orthodox Church in countries such as Serbia and Montenegro to promote Russia as a protector of traditional family values and fortify relations between state and church;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that the population and housing census is likely to take place this year, and expects it to be conducted in line with EU and international standards and urges to avoid any politicisation of the process;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Welcomes the adoption of the strategy for the inclusion of Roma and Egyptians 2021-2025 which is paying special attention to antigypsyism for the first time; encourages authorities to further increase efforts to fight discrimination, to ensure fair access to education, justice, housing, healthcare and labour market, as well as to take effective measures against hate speech;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that gender-based violence and violence against children is still of serious concern; regrets the shrinking space for CSOs providing specialised support services for women and disadvantaged groups and calls on Montenegro to provide adequate funding; urges the authorities to ensure a thorough implementation of the Istanbul Convention standards, to launch public awareness-raising campaigns, to encourage the reporting of domestic violence, to increase the number of well- trained and gender-sensitive law enforcement officers and judges as to ensure the proper investigation and prosecution of such crimes, and to introduce effective measures against sexual harassment, including at the work place; calls for the adoption of the necessary legal and policy measures to strengthen parliamentary representation and promote political participation of women;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes progress on the protection and promotion of LGBTIQ rights and the first same-sex marriage in July 2021; calls upon the lawmakers to advance the harmonisation of further pieces of legislation in the area of social benefits and residence, in order to make the same-sex law fully applicable, as well as to finally form the working group for drafting the Law on legal gender recognition based on self-determination; points to the need for further measures to substantially improve the life of the LGBTIQ community with regard to homophobic incidents, threats and discriminations, and in terms of access to health care, justice, employment and housing;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Emphasizes that all regional economic cooperation schemes in the Western Balkans should be inclusive and acceptable to all six countries, establishing cooperation on an equal footing among all six countries, while strengthening further alignment with EU standards and acquis; expresses, in this context, its scepticism towards the Open Balkan Initiative, while pointing to the danger that a regional economic cooperation initiative not encompassing all six countries and not being based on EU rules could have a negative impact on the EU integration processes;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Encourages authorities to improve the participation of women in the labour market and to urgently address issues such as gender gap in employment and pay and affordable childcare;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Urges Montenegro to take more action to prevent money laundering, strongly condemns the so-called ‘golden passport’ scheme and regrets its extension until December 2022 despite previous announcements to phase-out the scheme; stresses that citizenship by investment carries security risks and potential for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes the adoption of a national climate change adaptation plan and encourages Montenegro to speed up reforms in line with the EU’s 2020 climate and energy policy framework; and the clean energy package as adopted by the Energy Community Ministerial Council in November 2021; encourages authorities to progress with drafting its National Energy and Climate Plan focussing on sustainable renewable energy sources and avoiding new investments in fossil gas and coal-based infrastructure and to submit it to the Energy Community Secretariat for its recommendations; calls in this context on Montenegro to increase efforts to cut its electricity distribution network losses and save electricity by encouraging investments inefficient heat pumps and solar thermal water heating;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Encourages Montenegro to considerably increase its efforts to diversify its renewable sources and reduce its reliance on climate-vulnerable hydropower generation, also bearing in mind the harmful effects on nature and environment of hydropower plants, in particular in protected areas;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Paragraph 35 b (new)
35 b. Reiterates its urgent call to the Montenegrin authorities to immediately bring the Pljevlja coal powerplant into compliance with the Energy Community Treaty; calls on the authorities to publish the feasibility study for the planned modernisation project and publish the outcomes of the public prosecutor’s investigation into the tender process; expresses its concern on the lack of progress on monitoring and air quality improvements in polluted areas such as Pljevlja and urges the authorities to improve monitoring and implementation of air quality measures especially in polluted areas such as Pljevlja;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Reiterates its call on Montenegro to take urgent measures to preeffectively conserve protected areas, and encourages to continue identifying potential Natura 2000 sites; underlines the need to undertake appropriate assessments and ensure compliance with the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive when undertaking new investments that may affect potential Natura 2000 or Emerald sites, including Lake Skadar, Sinjajevina, Komarnica and others, or may result in a deterioration of the status of water bodies; shares serious concerns expressed by Montenegrin citizen and civic activists that one of the most precious among them, the Komarnica River Canyon, might be irreversibly devastated by construction of a dam for a hydropower plant in violation of the Bern Convention and calls on the authorities to conduct a detailed cost benefit analysis on its viability, including of existing alternatives based on more cost effective and less harmful solar and wind power; regrets the lack of proper ex-ante public consultations procedures and that despite initial progress the Sinjajevina issue is still not solved; calls in this context on authorities to duly take into account the independent scientific expertise available and the local protests and urges to definitely cancel the plans for the military training ground with a view to permanently protecting the pastoral landscape and local pastoralism;
Amendment 230 #
37. Notes with regret the damage to the Tara River and the Durmitor National Park UNESCO Heritage Site linked to building the Bar- Boljare highway; calls on Montenegro to implement riverbed revitalisation measures and closely monitor the environmental impact of transport infrastructure construction; calls in this context on Montenegrin authorities to halt any further development of the port of Virpazar until the adoption of the Spatial Plan for Special Purposes for the Skadar Lake area;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Calls on Montenegro to address illegal waste disposal and to improve planning procedures for waste water treatment facilities, with a view to speeding up their construction;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38 a. Encourages Montenegro to step up action on institutional and legislative reforms regarding hunting and fishing, with a particular focus on protected areas and protected species;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 b (new)
Paragraph 38 b (new)
38 b. Against this backdrop, urges Montenegrin authorities to enforce effective, dissuasive and proportionate penalties for all environmental offences and to root out corruption in this sector;