Activities of Sergey LAGODINSKY related to 2019/2176(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2019-2020 Reports on Turkey (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey
Legal basis opinions (0)
Amendments (53)
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas as a candidate country and in the framework of the accession process, Turkey undertook a series of important reforms which for a period of time provided hope for the achievement of the membership; whereas during all these years, the accession process was strongly supported by the EU both politically and financially;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas in its previous annual report, Parliament called on the Commission and the Member States to formally suspend accession negotiations with Turkey, while remaining committed to democratic and political dialogue with Turkey, recalling that Parliament repeatedly called for the opening of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security at a time when the Turkish government had pledged to conduct serious reforms and regretting deeply that the accession instruments could not be used to the fullest extent owing to a continued blockage by the Council;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that Turkey’s continuous and growing distancing from European values and standards in recent years, has brought EU-Turkey relations to a historical low point, having deteriorated to such an extent that it requires both parties to profoundly reassess the current framework of relations, in order to restore dialogue, in a context of mutual trust and cooperation;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that Turkey’s lack of commitmentpolitical will to carrying out the reforms assumed in the accession process has made the latter inadequate to frame a complex relationship that has progressively become more transactional and driven by circumstances;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned that, over the years, the lack of progress in Turkey’s convergence has now transformed into a full withdrawal, marked by a stark regression in three main areas: backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, adopting regressive institutional reforms and pursuing a confrontational foreign policy; is further concerned by the fact that this regression has increasingly been accompanied by an explicit anti-EU narrative, displayed by high-level officials, including the President; calls, in this context, on Turkey to reassess the sincerity of its commitment to the EU path, as an indispensable component of the viability of the entire accession process; recalls in this context that the Council continued to block the opening of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security at a time when the Turkish government had pledged to conduct serious reforms; highlights, however that the Council’s blockage cannot be in any way an excuse for the authoritarian turn the country has undertaken under the rule of President Erdoğan;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that no incentive that the EU could offer can ever replace the much- needed political will to build a mature democracyensure respect for democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights and, in turn, become a member of the EU;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Urges to prioritize the vibrant civil society in Turkey and their pro-democracy efforts which could contribute to generating the political will necessary for building strong foundations for the EU integration process; encourages a new and immediate constructive dialogue mechanism with Turkish civil society for mutual confidence building and for sustaining the democratic and pro- European aspirations of Turkish society, supporting an exchange which should concentrate in particular on democratisation, human rights, rule of law, good governance, sustainable development, green and digital transition;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that, since Parliament’s last report, the situation, far from improving, has deteriorated even further; firmly insists, therefore, on the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic mannerthat a structured and comprehensive high-level dialogue aimed at discussing and re-framing the current state of EU-Turkey relations urgently take place, while maintaining the formal freezing of accession negotiations with Turkey, until the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, to explore possible new models for future relations have been assessed as part of the aforementioned structured dialogue;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets the current lack of understanding between the EU and Turkey, but reaffirms its firm conviction that Turkey is a strategic neighbour and ally with which the EU wishes to have the best possible relationsrestore relations based on dialogue, respect and mutual trust;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Expresses its will to strengthen and deepen mutual knowledge and understanding between Turkish and European societies,U Member States' societies, promoting cultural growth, socio-cultural exchanges and combating all manifestations of social, religious, ethnic or cultural prejudice; expresses its full commitment to continue supporting Turkey’s independent civil society in whatever circumstances and framework of relations that the future may bring; believes, nevertheless, that the accession process would still be the most powerful tool to exercise normative pressure on and constructive dialogue with the Turkish government and the best framework to sustain the democratic and pro-European aspirations of Turkish society; stresses that a purely transactional relationship will hardly contribute to the advancement of Turkey towards a more democratic model;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt; Recognises that the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Turkey has already started years before the 2016 coup attempt, while the situation fiercely aggravated during the state of emergency following the failed coup; notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt and is still impacting many individuals, among the more than 152.000 civil servants, including teachers, doctors, academics (for peace), lawyers, judges and prosecutors, who were arbitrarily dismissed and permanently banned from working in the public sector or even in their profession as a whole; stresses that many of these dismissals continue to have devastating effects on those dismissed as well as their families, including a lasting social and professional stigma; has strong doubts about the functioning of the Inquiry Commission on the State of Emergency Measures (CoSEM) as an internal remedy due to its lack of independence and impartiality; notes that the arbitrary passport cancellations, despite some incremental improvements, remain a major breach of the freedom of movement;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Deeply regrets that this repressive form of rule has now become a deliberate, relentless, systematic state policy, which extends to any critical activities, such as Kurdish activismpeaceful Kurdish civil and political engagement, or peaceful protest by women rights activists, including by Cumartesi Anneleri (Saturday Mothers), or even to events that took place prior to the attempted coup, such as the Gezi protests;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Regrets that the current overly broad anti-terrorism provisions and the abuse of the anti-terror measures have become the backbone of this state policy; is highly concerned that, as stated during the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review, Turkey’s authorities have no plans to further revise the Anti- Terror Law; stresses the urgency of resuming a credible political process involving all concerned parties and democratic forces leading to a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue; reiterates its firm condemnation of the violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since 2002;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Deeply regrets that the anti-terror provisions and measures have retained numerous emergency restrictions and are thus continuing their adverse effect on human rights and fundamental freedoms, including by restricting due process guarantees, prolonging the duration of pre-trial detention and allowing for continued dismissals of public officials, because of alleged links to terrorist organisations;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Remains strongly concerned of the broad and vague notions introduced by anti-terrorism provisions and measures, which allow for politically motivated prosecutions of political opponents, human rights defenders and journalists, particularly for alleged “membership of a terrorist organization”; reiterates its deepest concern at the use of terrorism charges to target the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of association;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that the erosion of the rule of law and the systemic lack of independence of the judiciary continues to be one of the most pressing and worrying issues; condemns the increased surveillance by the executive and the political pressure affecting the work of judges, prosecutors, lawyers and bar associations; deeply regrets that, during the adoption of the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review in October 2020, Turkey refused to accept the recommendations to introduce a constitutional amendment to make the Council of Judges and Prosecutors independent of the executive;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Is deeply concerned about the deteriorating structural problems concerning the lack of institutional independence of the judiciary in favour of the executive; points to the fact that the lack of independence of the judiciary, coupled with the chilling effect of the mass dismissals carried out by the Government in the past years constitute serious threats to the rule of law and undermine the capacity of the judiciary as a whole to provide an effective remedy for human rights violations, both in regard to measures taken under the state of emergency, and in general; notes with regret that, in this context, the Judicial Reform Strategy will not be able to achieve its stated objectives;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Strongly condemns the dismissals and forced removals of a large number of Turkish judges and prosecutors, in a climate of growing intimidation and self- censorship; recalls that any dismissals and appointments within the judiciary should be subjected to particularly exacting scrutiny, that the executive branch shall be prohibited to interfere with or attempt to exert influence over the judiciary and that the appointment of the judiciary shall respect the principles of independence and impartiality;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Is appalled by a reported a pattern of persecution of lawyers representing individuals accused of terrorism, whereby lawyers were prosecuted for the same crime as that attributed to their client, or a related crime, in a context where this constituted a clear obstacle to the enjoyment of the right to fair trial and access to justice; shares the concerns highlighted in the opinion of the Venice Commission adopted in October 2020, on the July 2020 amendments to the attorney ship law of 1969, notably on the creation of multiple bar associations in the same city, based on voluntary membership, stresses that this will lead to further politicisation of the legal profession, resulting in incompatibility with the impartiality requirement of the legal profession and endangering the independence of attorneys; urges the Turkish authorities to respect the independence of lawyers and to allow them to conduct their work freely in line with international human rights standards; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all lawyers who are detained solely for exercising the legal profession;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is deeply worried about the disregard by the Turkish judiciary and executive of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings and the increasing non-compliance of lower courts with the judgments of the Constitutional Court; calls on Turkey to ensure full respect of the ECHR and adherence to the relevant judgements and rulings of the ECtHR, as well as to cooperate with the Council of Europe with a view to strengthen rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights; hopes that the ECtHR will be able to prioritise and accelerate delivering judgments in the numerous Turkish cases pending before its court, notably the case of prominent writer Ahmet Altan, which has been pending since 2017;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Is concerned that the Ombudsman and the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey did not satisfy the criteria of the Paris Principles and ECRI’s General Policy Recommendations Nos. 2 and 7 in terms of statute, structure, function, activities, financial and operational independence, board members’ independence and eligibility and membership;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Expresses serious concern about the disproportionate and arbitrary measures curtailing freedom of expression, media freedom and access to information; urges Turkey to guarantee media freedom as a matter of priority and to immediately and unconditionally release and acquit detained journalists, writers and social media users for exercising their profession and civil rights;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Denounces the arbitrary closure of civil society organisations, including prominent human rights non- governmental organizations and media; and notes with deep concern that the space for dissent in Turkey has shrunk considerably, calls on Turkey to view critical or dissenting voices, including human rights defenders, academics and journalists, as valuable contributors to social dialogue, rather than destabilising forces;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is deeply concerned about the constant attacks and pressure on the opposition parties, which undermines the proper functioning of a democratic system; notes the political, legislative and administrative measures taken by the government to paralyse municipalities run by mayors of opposition parties in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir and south-eastern cities; regrets that the incumbent government abuses financial resources and administrative competences of the state to weaken or silence the opposition;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes with great concern the way that the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including its youth organisations, has been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities; strongly condemns the continued detention of former HDP co-chair Selahattin DemirtaşHDP deputies, including the co-chair of the party, Figen Yüksekdağ and former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and calls for the latter's immediate release in accordance with the ECtHR Judgment in the case of Demirtaş v. Turkey (no. 2) of 20 November 2018;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Highlights the case of Cihan Erdal, member of the youth wing of the Turkish Green/Left party, who, while temporarily visiting Turkey to see his family, was arrested and detained on 25 September 2020, for the sole reason of having been a member of the People's Democratic Party (HDP) 6 years prior to his arrest;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on Turkey to release all imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, academics and others who have been detained on unsubstantiated charges and to enable them to carry out their work without threat or impediment in all circumstances; calls on Turkey to terminate all incommunicado detention and detention in unofficial detention locations and strongly condemns the re- arrest and continued detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figureimportant figures, like prominent writer Ahmet Altan and Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figure and urges the Turkish authorities to immediately release them;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Is deeply concerned by the hygienic and sanitary situation in Turkey’s overcrowded prisons exacerbating the deadly danger of the COVID 19 pandemic for prisoners; is appalled by the decision of the Turkish Grand National Assembly to exclude political prisoners from the legal provisions to release 90.000 prisoners, thus deliberately exposing the lives of journalists, human rights defenders and those deemed to be political opponents, to the risk of the deadly disease COVID 19;
Amendment 363 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Remains deeply concerned by the situation in the south-east of Turkey with regard to the protection of human rights, freedom of expression and political participation; is particularly concerned about numerous reports of law enforcement officials engaging in torture and ill-treatment of detainees while responding to perceived and alleged security threats in the south-east of Turkey, including the report about two villagers having been thrown out of a flying helicopter by Turkish soldiers; condemns the police custody measures served against prominent civil society actors and political opponents in south- east Turkey on 20 November 2020 and calls on Turkey to ensure the protection and safety of human rights defenders and to promptly initiate independent investigations into the case;
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges Turkey to protect the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, including women, LGBTI people and ethnic and religious minorities; condemns the pervasive hate-speech against LGBTI people, especially when done by high-level political and religious figures; condemns the lack of proper investigation, prosecution and sanction of hate speech, both online and offline, and of hate crime; calls on authorities and officials to firmly condemn all acts of violence and hate speech against minorities and vulnerable groups and to investigate and prosecute them effectively;
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Urges the Turkish authorities to end the protracted bans on Pride marches in several cities; calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the right to freedom of assembly and association, as enshrined in Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, can be effectively enjoyed, without discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, in respect of the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe;1a _________________ 1a https://search.coe.int/cm/Pages/result_det ails.aspx?ObjectID=09000016805cf40a
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Is concerned about the persistent disadvantaged situation of Kurdish women, exacerbated by prejudice against their ethnic and linguistic identity, leading to their further marginalisation with respect to their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights; calls upon Turkey to ensure access to equal rights for women in a vulnerable situation, including for Kurdish women;
Amendment 411 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Is appalled by the reported practice of arrests of pregnant and post-partum women and urges Turkey to release them and to end the practice of arresting them just before or immediately after giving birth;
Amendment 416 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Strongly condemns forced extraditions, kidnapping and abduction of Turkish citizens residing outside Turkey on the sole basis of their alleged links to the Gülen movement in violation of the principle of rule of law and basic human rights; urges the EU to address this worrying practice in its own Member States, notably in Bulgaria, as well as in the candidate and associated countries, to support the countries in processing extradition requests coming from third countries in a transparent manner and in full compliance with the rule of law, respect for human rights and democratic standards and to withstand the pressure exerted by Turkey;
Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21d. Is highly concerned by the reports about Turkey deporting Uighur Muslims to China via third countries that neighbour the western Chinese province of Xinjiang, where hundreds of thousands of Uighurs are held in camps and face brutal persecution;
Amendment 421 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 e (new)
Paragraph 21 e (new)
21e. Urges Turkey to put in place a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, including a prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin, colour, language, citizenship, sexual orientation and gender identity aimed at combating racism and homo/transphobia;
Amendment 423 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 f (new)
Paragraph 21 f (new)
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 g (new)
Paragraph 21 g (new)
21g. Calls on Turkey to maintain progress in the alignment with the EU directives and acquis related to the environment and climate action and to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change; commends the work of environmental rights defenders and warns against the dire environmental impact of major public infrastructure projects carried out in the past years, including Istanbul’s third and largest airport and the third Bosphorus bridge; is particularly concerned of the disastrous environmental impact, including the potential ecological destruction of the Marmara Sea and the loss of surrounding waters, including water supplies, along with forested and agricultural land, of the planned Kanal Istanbul project, aimed at the opening of a 45-km artificial shipping canal between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea; highlights that several court cases have been brought against the positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on this project and calls for independent environmental impact assessments to be carried out, along with transparent procedures for public procurement and including citizens and civil society through proper public consultation processes for any infrastructure development;
Amendment 426 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 h (new)
Paragraph 21 h (new)
21 h. Calls on the Turkish Government to halt its plans for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant; points out that the envisaged site is located in a region prone to severe earthquakes, hence posing a major threat not only to Turkey, but also to the Mediterranean region; requests, accordingly, that the Turkish Government join the Espoo Convention, which commits its parties to notifying and consulting each other on major projects under consideration that are likely to have a significant adverse environmental impact across boundaries; asks, to this end, the Turkish Government to involve, or at least consult, the governments of its neighbouring countries in relation to any further developments in the Akkuyu venture;
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is concerned about the ever more frequent use of a hyper-nationalist narrative among the ruling elite that increasingly gives rise to antagonistic approaches towards the EU or its Member States; is concerned about the increasing clout of religious conservatism in political life; is alarmed by the harmful interference President Erdoğan/ Turkey is exerting in EU countries including through the Turkish government’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet);
Amendment 464 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Is alarmed by the misuse of presidential decrees and ministerial decisions, further eroding the principle of legality in decisions taken to cope with the emergency of COVID-19 pandemic, noting that no measures have been taken for the protection of social and economic rights; criticises the Turkish authorities' attacks against the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), with the aim to silence any critical questions related to the government's handling of the COVID 19 pandemic;
Amendment 485 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls the laudable role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resulting from the war inwelcoming refugees from Syria; takes the view that the EU should continue to give the necessary support to Syrian and other refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment, including a human rights impact assessment, of the EU-Turkey Statement and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance with their respective commitmentsfundamental rights as part of its implementation;
Amendment 492 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Is concerned by several reports of expulsion and return of migrant and refugees, raising concerns in relation to the respect of the principle of non- refoulement, especially with regard to Syrian nationals, as well as to those who have been returned to a third country without having been granted access to asylum procedures; urges the Commission to ensure a close monitoring of the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, including in relation to the human rights situation of asylum seekers and migrants returned to Turkey as part of the EU-Turkey Statement;
Amendment 546 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is deeply concerned by the ongoing dispute in the Eastern Mediterranean and the related risk of a military escalation; condemns Turkey’s illegal activities in Greek and Cypriot waters, which violate both the sovereign rights of EU Member States and international law; expresses its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus; urges Turkey to engagand all stakeholders involved to engage in bona fine in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat;
Amendment 569 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Condemns the partial reopening of Varosha beach, which undermines mutual trust and therefore the prospect of the resumption of direct talks on the comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus issue; calls on Turkey to reverse this action and to refrain from provoking nationalist sentiments; reiterates its support for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality;
Amendment 593 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, especially in the northeast and Idlib, which constitute grave violations of international law and calls on the Turkish government to end its illegal occupation of northern Syria and Afrin and withdraw its military and paramilitary proxy forces;
Amendment 609 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on Turkey to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Libya under the auspices of the UN, and to fully adhere to the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council; calls on Turkey to fully cooperate with the CSDP IRINI mission;
Amendment 623 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh through its direct engagement and transfer of foreign fighters in support of Azerbaijan; calls on Turkey to refrain from any further military interference in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict;
Amendment 639 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Is highly worried that the racist right-wing extremist Ülkücü movement, known as “Grey Wolves”, closely linked to the ruling coalition party MHP, is spreading in Turkey itself, but also abroad in EU Member States; calls on the EU and its Member States to examine the possibility of adding them to the EU terrorist list and to ban their associations and organisations in EU countries, to closely monitor their activities and to fight back their influence, which is especially threatening for citizens with a Kurdish, Armenian or Greek background and anyone they consider an opponent;
Amendment 651 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)
Paragraph 31 b (new)
31b. Continues its support to the visa liberalisation process once the set conditions have been met; notes that visa liberalisation is of great importance for Turkish citizens, particularly for students, academics, business representatives and people with family ties in EU Member States; encourages the Turkish Government to fully comply with the 6 outstanding benchmarks still to be achieved, especially with regards to the anti-terror law and data protection law;