Activities of Lukas MANDL related to 2021/2002(INI)
Reports (1)
REPORT on cooperation on the fight against organised crime in the Western Balkans
Amendments (18)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas according to the UNODC report "Measuring Organized Crime in the Western Balkans" prosecutions and convictions tend to focus on low ranks of criminal organisations with group leaders more often enjoying impunity in the Western Balkans;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas around € 64 million were allocated for projects related to the fight against organised crime in the Western Balkans under the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance (IPA II);
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Expresses its view that linking visa liberalisation for Kosovo with the fight against organised crime is counterproductive as isolation encourages criminal activities; underlines once again that Kosovo has fulfilled all criteria for visa liberalisation and calls on the Council to grant visa liberalisation without further delay;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025 announced on 14 April 2021 and urges the EU to step up international cooperation on combatting organised crime, in particular with the Western Balkan countries, in order to address effectively this transnational threat;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores the lack of independence and functioning of the judiciary in the Western Balkan countries and urges that a more strategic approach be adopted in addressing challenges posed by organised crime; calls for the EU to provide further assistance in order to stimulate a culture of criminal justice professionalism and performance;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Urges the Western Balkan countries to fully address the shortcomings of their criminal-justice systems, including the length of proceedings, and to adopt a more strategic approach in addressing challenges posed by organised crime; calls on the EU and other international partners to provide further guidelines for law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary to enhance a culture of criminal justice professionalism and performance;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Is concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic made conditions for fighting corruption worse as the number of urgent public procurements conducted without transparency rose; calls on the Commission to link budget support to clear anti-corruption objectives; to this end, stresses the need to set up robust mechanisms to monitor implementation;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Underlines that insufficient regulation of online banking increases the risk of money laundering, and calls on the Western Balkan states and the Commission to address the issue of international and regional harmonisation within the EU enlargement process;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Highlights the important work of the Southeastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) to strengthen the capacities of national and regional stakeholders to control and reduce the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Commends the successful cooperation with liaison prosecutors (LPs) from Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia seconded to Eurojust to provide support in cross-border investigations involving their countries and highlights the significant increase in case work after the appointment of LPs; encourages, in this respect, similar cooperation with the remaining Western Balkan countries;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Believes that Interpol membership of all six Western Balkan countries would further improve the effectiveness of measures targeting transnational crime;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Welcomes the conclusion of the agreements on border management cooperation between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and Albania, Montenegro and Serbia; calls for all sides to advance the signing of the already negotiated agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia as soon as possible as well as to work on a similar agreement with Kosovo;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes the funding under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) to projects encompassing the whole region and aiming to improve the Western Balkan countries capacities in fighting corruption and organised crime; commends in particular the Witness Protection IPA II programme, leading to the creation of the "Balkan Network"; calls for the continuation of this cooperation and taking ownership by the Western Balkan partners to keep the network alive;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Expresses support for the IPA- funded multi-country programme "supporting a more effective administration of justice in organised crime and corruption cases in the Western Balkans through trial monitoring" as a step towards a more effective judicial response by the authorities on corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans; calls on the governments of the Western Balkan countries to implement fully the recommendations formulated as part of the peer reviews by the Member States’ experts;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22c. Calls on international donors to ensure better coordination of the various programmes countering organised crime and corruption in the Western Balkans to avoid duplication and increase effectiveness of international cooperation in these areas;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 d (new)
Paragraph 22 d (new)
22d. Notes the need to enhance data collection and to share information on organised crime with and among the Western Balkan countries as a crucial step to fighting these crimes; encourages the Western Balkans to work together with international partners towards establishing national statistical systems which record and analyse organised crime;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Commends the work of investigative journalists reporting on high- profile cases and disclosing links between organised criminal groups, politicians and businesses; strongly condemns intimidation, hate speech and slandering campaigns against investigative journalists and civil society, including targeted killings; calls on the authorities to ensure their protection; reiterates its call on the Commission and the EEAS to strengthen their cooperation with and support for civil society, NGOs and independent media on the ground;