43 Amendments of Lukas MANDL related to 2021/2246(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
— having regard to the Zagreb Declaration adopted at the EU-Western Balkans Summit on 6 May 2020,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
— having regard to the Sofia declaration of the EU-Western Balkans summit of 17 May 2018 and the Sofia Declaration, annexed thereto,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
— having regard to the 8th Berlin Process Summit of 5 July 2021,
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the EU remains Kosovo's main strategic partner and supports Kosovo’s commitment to European integration, notably through the IPA III, Economic Plan for the Western Balkans and Macro-Financial Assistance;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes Kosovo’s continued and strong commitment to advance on EU- related reforms and the overwhelming public support for European integrationconsensus among political parties, as well as overwhelming public support for European integration and identity; welcomes the population's pro-western spirit and the rate of progress with regards to EU-related reforms;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on EU Member States to prioritise enlargement and to deliver the promised benefits once the conditions have been met, as well as to improve the information exchange with EU citizens on enlargement.
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the growing political stability and strong commitment of the government to further advance on its European path as demonstrated by adoption of the Action Plan of the European Reform Agenda II and the National Programme for the Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement; underlines the need to strengthen the administrative capacities and to put in place a coherent coordination structure within the Kosovo institutions for their effective implementation;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the peaceful and orderly conduct of the municipal elections of 17 October and 14 November 2021; regrets, however, the low representation of women on ballots and the limited political competition in the Kosovo-Serb municipalities;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. CWelcomes the approval by the Assembly for the establishment of the ad- hoc Commission for electoral reforms on 13 April 2021; calls on Kosovo to address the long-standing deficiencies in the electoral process; deplores the fact that many of the recommendations issued by previous EU election observation missions since 2013 remain unaddressed;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates its call on the Council to proceed urgently with the adoption of a visa-free regime for the citizens of Kosovo; notes that the lack of visa-liberalisation hinders the implementation of EU programmes; notes that further delay could further undermine the EU's credibility and thus also impact the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes the Commission’s statement of 26 August 2020 confirming its assessment of 18 July 2018 that Kosovo has fulfilled all benchmarks for visa liberalisation; takes the view that visa liberalisation will improve stability and bring Kosovo closer to the EU by improving the ease of travelling and doing business; regrets that the isolation of Kosovo citizens is impacting the implementation of EU programmes; notes that further delay could undermine the EU’s credibility and thus also impact the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and the whole enlargement process and therefore reiterates its call on the Council, expressed inter alia in its resolution of 29 November 2018, to urgently proceed with the adoption of a visa-free regime for the citizens of Kosovo;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes also Kosovo’s intention to apply for membership of the European Union in 2022, but stresses that there is no fast-track and aim for candidate status according to the official procedure and that the normalisation of relations with Serbia based on mutual recognition is necessary for Kosovo to advance on its European path;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. RWelcomes the fact that Israel has recognized Kosovo on 4 September 2020; however, strongly regrets the fact that five EU Member States have not yet recognised Kosovo and reiterates its call for them to do so immediately;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes that the EU is Kosovo's biggest donor, trading partner and investor;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the adoption of the resolution of the Assembly of Kosovo strongly condemning the military aggression and the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, and commends Kosovo for its alignment with the EU by adopting sanctions against Russia; welcomes Kosovo's readiness to host Ukrainian refugees and the adoption of measures to support them; welcomes the implementation of the "Journalists in Residence" programme that enables Ukrainian journalists to live and work in Kosovo;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the increased efforts to fight corruption and the progress in adapting the legal framework on the rule of law; commends Kosovo for having moved up 17 places on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2021; encourages Kosovo to continue improving its track record in the fight against high-level corruption and organised crime; calls on the Kosovar authorities to continue strengthening the investigation and prosecution of organised crime cases including cases of trafficking in human beings and drug trafficking;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Commends Kosovo’s efforts in fighting terrorism and violent extremism; calls for active regional cooperation in countering potential terrorist activities and disrupting financial flows destined for terrorist financing; urges Kosovo to address online radicalisation and external extremist influences and calls on the Commission and the Member States to assist Kosovo in this important endeavour;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Welcomes the adoption of the Rule of Law Strategy and Action Plan for 2021-2026 and urges the authorities to implement it through a regular, structured and unified process;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Welcomes the progress on the establishment of the National Centralised Criminal Records Registry (NCCR), supported by the EU, and calls on Kosovo to address the remaining challenges;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Welcomes the conclusion of a Working Arrangement between the Kosovo Police and Europol in July 2020, which will constitute the basis for enhanced cooperation between Kosovo Police, Europol and EU Member States in fighting terrorism and extremism as well as organised crime, and calls on Kosovar authorities to make full use of this potential;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates its call for greater inclusion of persons belonging to minorities, including the Roma, Ashkali and, Egyptian, Bosniak, Turkish and Gorani communities, as well as persons with disabilities and displaced persons, by providing them with access to adequate healthcare and social protection, as well as access to education, employment opportunities and other social services; welcomes the creation of a new position of Deputy Prime Minister on Human Rights and Communities in the government and underlines the importance of equal representation of national minorities in media, judiciary, law enforcement and public administration;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls for the urgent revision of high-school textbooks, which provide misinformation and use discriminatory language and descriptions for ethnic minorities, sexual minorities and women; encourages government authorities to pursue the initiative and EU supported project "European Union Support to Basic and Secondary Education" started in late 2021 aimed at updating these textbooks;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Commends Kosovo for the peaceful co-existence of religious communities, and highlights the importance of the continued protection of the cultural heritage and property rights of all religious communities;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines that the free media are one of the essential pillars of democracy and that journalists must be protected from political pressure; condemns political pressure to which journalists are subjected, including the use of SLAPPs to intimidate them and lead to self-censoring; stresses that the use of defamatory language against journalists is unacceptable;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Is deeply concerned about the continuing high level of domestic and gender-based violence in Kosovo, as well as violence against children in Kosovo; welcomes the adoption of the National Strategy on protection against domestic violence and violence against women, draft law on crime victim compensation and the adoption of the revisions on free legal aid, which guarantees free legal aid to victims of domestic violence, victims of gender- based violence and of sexual violence; calls for the effective implementation of the national strategy against domestic and gender-based violence;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls for the EU to strengthen its support for and cooperation with Kosovo in addressing disinformation and fighting malign hybrid activities that seek to undermine the European perspective of the region, in particular from Russia and, China and Turkey;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Welcomes the cooperation of the six Western Balkan countries within the Common Regional Market (CRM); notes that the CRM creates an integrated market of 18 million people, which is highly competitive and creates many benefits, including more and better jobs;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Reconfirms its support for the EU- facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and reiterates the importance of constructive engagement on the part of the authorities of both Serbia and Kosovo in order to achieve a comprehensive legally binding normalisation agreement based on mutual recognition, which is crucial for both countries to advance on their respective European paths; calls for all past agreements to be respected and fully implemented, including the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls for the stepping up of efforts and the delivery of solutions on the issues of missing persons and the electricity arrangements in the north of Kosovojustice for war crimes in Kosovo; calls on the government to also address these topics as part of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue agenda and to establish cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Calls on the government to find solutions to the electricity arrangements in the north of Kosovo;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Calls for the opening and the publication of all wartime archives; reiterates its call, therefore, for the former Yugoslav archives to be opened and, in particular, for access to be granted to the files of the former Yugoslav Secret Service (UDBA) and the Yugoslav People’s Army Secret Service (KOS), and for the files to be returned to the respective governments if they so request;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the introduction of a roaming-free zone in the entire Western Balkans as of 1 July 2021, improving connectivity and bringing benefits to citizens and businesses in the region; in that regard, urges the EU, together with Western Balkans’ governments to intensify their efforts in order to reduce and eliminate roaming charges with all Member States;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Encourages the establishment of a multinational and multilingual public broadcaster that would unite people and promote peace and reconciliation among Western Balkan countries, following the example of ARTE;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Acknowledges the important contribution of KFOR and the participating states in maintaining a safe and secure environment, freedom of movement for all citizens in Kosovo and in facilitating the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans.
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. RWelcomes the steps undertaken by the government aiming at reducing the informal economy; however, regrets the fact that Kosovo’s large informal economy continues to hinder the development of its private sector; notes the existence of a strategy and a corresponding action plan to address the underlying causes of informality, but regrets the lack ofcalls for more effective implementation; notes the large percentage of personal remittance inflows to the GDP;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 d (new)
Paragraph 34 d (new)
34d. Calls on Kosovo’s authorities and the Commission to further support SMEs in order to develop a viable economy for Kosovo;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Underlines that the implementation of both fundamental and structural reforms remains essential for economic recovery and social development;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Urges the authorities to continue their efforts to reform the education system so that it provides students with the skills and knowledge required by the labour market; calls for increased efforts to integratewhich serve to guarantee decent living standards; welcomes the growing number of scholarships for female students in STEM subjects; calls for increased efforts in order to achieve a higher share of women into the labour market;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Stresses the need for urgent implementation of active labour market policies, including upskilling, vocational education and training, and on-the-job training, in order to increase employment of vulnerable groups; expresses serious concerns about the massive emigration of highly-skilled workers from Kosovo; notes that the increasing emigration of healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, technical staff and medical caretakers has a detrimental impact on the healthcare system; calls for Kosovo to introduce comprehensive socio-economic measures to address demographic decline and brain drain;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34b. Reiterates its calls on the Commission to develop a regional strategy to address the persistent youth unemployment and brain drain by tackling the skills mismatch between the education system and the labour market, improving the quality of teaching, and ensuring adequate funding for active labour market measures and vocational training schemes, along with adequate childcare and pre-school education facilities; regrets the lack of progress in improving the quality of education; calls on the relevant actors to include persons belonging to minority groups in the design and implementation of employment measures;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 c (new)
Paragraph 34 c (new)
34c. Emphasises the need for investing in digitalisation as a way of minimising the digital divide and ensuring equal access to the internet, including for the most vulnerable groups and people living in rural areas and outermost-regions; notes the great potential of Kosovo's young population for world class talent and in this regard the potential of digitalisation for the development of Kosovo's economy; regrets the Kosovo's population is isolated behind a visa-wall;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 e (new)
Paragraph 34 e (new)
34e. Notes Kosovo's potential in the area of digitalisation and ICT skills and in this regard its remarkable development of the ICT sector since 1999; appreciates that Kosovo's young population has advanced knowledge in ICT and could therefore become Europe's next Silicon Valley;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Welcomes the adoption of the € 3.2 billion Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans and calls on Kosovo to make an effective use of it; welcomes the ongoing preparation of five flagship projects on energy, and clean water and air;