Activities of Sergey LAGODINSKY related to 2023/2125(INI)
Legal basis opinions (0)
Amendments (54)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to “Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation” - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova (A/HRC/54/54) of 21 September 2023,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
– having regard to the EU Gender Action Plan III 2021-2025,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 c (new)
Citation 1 c (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 d (new)
Citation 1 d (new)
– having regard to the 1954 OSCE Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 e (new)
Citation 1 e (new)
– having regard to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights report “Protecting Human Rights Defenders at Risk: EU entry, stay and support” of 11 July 2023,
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the inconsistency of the EU strategy to support and defend democracydeal with democracy backsliding in Russia has contributed to the Kremlin regime’s suppression of all rights and freedoms of the Russian people over the last few decades, ultimately leading to the destruction of Russia’s constitutional statehood and to the establishment of dictatorship in Russia;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the dictatorship in Russia has been one of the main causes ofdeteriorated following the Kremlin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which began with the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and continued with Russia’s large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 amounts to an unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war of aggression which has fundamentally and unprecedentedly altered the EU’s relations with Russia and continues to determine the framework in which the EU determines its political approach towards Russia;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU supports Ukraine’s objective to win thise war is Ukraine’s victory, to be accomplishedand restore its territorial integrity with the support from a broad coalition of liberal democracies; whereas this victory is necessary not only for the sake of Ukraine, but for that of the whole democratic world;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas Russia’s political system is controlled by a consolidated authoritarian regime which uses rigged elections as a semblance of democracy and concentrates all power in the hands of Vladimir Putin; whereas the government suppresses any dissent with the support of loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition factions;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas Mr Putin's regime has decimated a generation of Russian human rights organisations, including Memorial and the Moscow Helsinki Group; whereas the EU hosts a variety of Russian dissidents, media and civil society representatives who were forced to leave Russia as their criticism of the government put them at significant risk of retaliation by the authorities;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
D c. whereas many opposition actors remain in Russia and continue to fight for democracy, rule of law and human rights from within Russia at great personal risk; whereas representatives of the opposition are systematically subjected to verbal attacks, ad hominem campaigns and dehumanization by the government or pro-government media; whereas over 500 people are currently jailed in Russia as political prisoners; whereas since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities have curtailed rights and individual liberties even further to stifle domestic dissent;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
D d. whereas racism, xenophobia, hate crimes, police brutality, and other forms of discrimination against minorities, as well as misogyny, are still rampant in the Russian society; whereas the Russian authorities continue their relentless discrimination against LGBTIQ+ persons and use of the “gay propaganda” ban to justify criminal prosecutions;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)
Recital D e (new)
D e. whereas actors in the EU and in non-EU countries continue to circumvent Union restrictive measures, and some Member States have increased trade with Russia since February 2022, therefore considerably reducing the desired impact of sanctions on Russia’s ability to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine, and thus depriving one of the main EU foreign policy tools of effectiveness and credibility;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas a decisive Ukrainian victory against Russia could open a window of opportunity for the Russian people to achieve fundamental political changes in Russia, potentially led by the Russian people and resulting in the fall of the Kremlin regime; whereas this may lead to major political transformations in the broader region of Eastern Europe, including Belarus;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas the scale and duration of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as well as the impact on its relations with the West, including the unprecedented sanctions regime, have caused a certain degree of unrest in Russia’s political system that calls for a resilient EU policy towards Russia based on proactive scenarios and contingency planning;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas in recent decades Putin and his Kremlin regime have been doing everything possible to convince the western democracies that democracy in Russia is not possible; whereas the strategy of liberal democracies should maintainconsider that the Russian nation, like other Eastern European nations (such as Ukraine or Belarus), is aspiring, and is able, to live in a democracy;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the EU has to be preadypared for and help th possible transformation of Russia into a democracy whenif such an opportunity arises in the near to medium-term;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas democracy in Russia is the only way to ensure awould be a stepping stone for sustainable peace in Europe once Russia is defeated in its war against Ukraine;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas Parliament’s recommendation of 16 September 2021 on the direction of EU-Russia political relations1 made recommendations to the EU institutions in six policy directions asking for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy of future relations between the EU and a democratic Russia, which will assist the Russian people in its struggle to have a normal life and transform Russia back into a democracy; _________________ 1 OJ C 117, 11.3.2022, p. 170.
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the first step of effective assistance to transform Russia into a democracy should be for the EU to establish a regular and structured political dialogue with Russian democratic forces; whereas the new consultative group launched by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative (VP / HR) in June 2023 between the EU and Belarusian democratic forces and civil society is a good model for such a dialoguea regular and structured political dialogue with Russian democratic forces can be a tool for the EU to connect and exchange with relevant actors of civil society;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for the EU institutions, in particular, the European External Action Service and the Commission, to prepare and pursue, together with Russian a political strategy empowering civil society and democratic forces, a strategy empowering the transformation of Russia into a democracy in the following three timeframes of power change in Russia in Russia that prioritises proactive scenarios and contingency planning;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – introductory part
Paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Emphasises that Ukraine’s victory and Russia’s defeat will open a window of opportunity for the transformation of Russia into a democracy and thereforefollowing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU’s relations with Russia are now fundamentally framed by its war of aggression; notes that in this context, the EU should strengthen the following policies:
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point a
Paragraph 2 – point a
(a) joint EU military support to Ukraine, including delivery of weapons to Ukraine;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point b
Paragraph 2 – point b
(b) adoption and implementation of further sanction packages against Russia and its allieBelarus, especially on oil and gas, as well as effective implementation and enforcement of existing sanction packages;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point c
Paragraph 2 – point c
(c) establishment of a special tribunaln ad hoc international criminal tribunal for the prosecution of the Russian Federation and senior Russian and Belarusian leaders for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and possible war crimes, including the war crime of unlawful deportation of children and that of unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point d
Paragraph 2 – point d
(d) adopexploration of a legal instrument to allow the use of immobilised Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraineavenues allowing for the confiscation of frozen Russian assets and for their use for the reconstruction of Ukraine and the compensation of the victims of Russia’s aggression;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point e
Paragraph 2 – point e
(e) accession of Ukraine to Euro- Atlantic structuresdecision by the Council in December in favour of the opening of the EU accession negotiations with Ukraine;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the preparation for the transformation of Russia into a democracy has to be inclusive and be shaped in a regular and structured EU political dialogue with Russian civil society and democratic forces is needed for the EU to be prepared for a potential transformation of Russia into a democracy;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that the EU strategy needs to include mechanisms to strengthen its support to civil society and the political opposition both inside and outside Russia, and to improve Russian democratic forces’ communication with Russian society and societies in liberal democracies around the globe;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls for the introduction of EU restrictive measures against individuals involved in the political persecution and fabrication of cases against Russian civil society and activists;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Invites the EU institutions to establish a ‘democracy passport’ and special visa arrangementsReiterates its call for a EU-wide multi-entry visa scheme for human rights defenders as well as politically persecuted individuals, and for using existing flexibilities and addressing gaps in legislation as proposed by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in its 2023 report “Protecting Human Rights Defenders at Risk: EU entry, stay and support”; stresses in this regard that such schemes could also target opposition leaders, civil society activists and otherwise politically persecuted persons; Invites the EU institutions to ensure their preparation for a situation in which Russia copies Belarus and ceases issuing passports in its consulates, in which case it may be necessary for the EU and all Member States to introduce the recognition of de facto statelessness and issue travel documents, as foreseen in Article 28 of the OSCE Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, in order to allowing the democratic opposition and, civil society activists to continue their work in theand otherwise politically persecuted persons to relocate to EU mMember sStates, and, where relevant, continue their work while in exile;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls for the simplification of processes to register organisations and entities in the EU, to open bank accounts and other administrative needs for those Russian dissidents in the EU to continue their work in exile;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. Notes that any democracy-support actions to be implemented immediately after the change of power in Russia have to involve the following milestone conditions that must be accepted by the transitional government of Russia in order for the EU to acknowledge that a real transition towards democracy in Russia is under wayfor EU relations with Russia to return to a more constructive path, the Russian authorities need to commit to the following priorities:
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point a
Paragraph 6 – point a
(a) withdrawal of all Russian troops from all the occupied territories of Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership countries, acknowledging the sovereignty and territorial independence of Russia’s neighbouring countries;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point c
Paragraph 6 – point c
(c) restoration of free and independent media and political freedoms;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 6 – point c a (new)
(c a) respect for rule of law and human rights, including LGBTI rights, women’s rights and minority rights; implementation of all relevant decisions adopted by international bodies, including judgements of the European Court of Human Rights;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point d
Paragraph 6 – point d
(d) holding of democraticfree and fair elections;
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point f
Paragraph 6 – point f
(f) launch of an accountability agenda which will include prosecution, lustration, vetting and reconciliation processes, as well as the empowerment of civil society and the reform of public institutions, in particular in the justice and security sectors;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 6 – point f a (new)
(f a) cease foreign interference and international disinformation campaigns;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the EU’s support to a transitional government indemocratic forces both inside and outside Russia should be provided in an inclusive manner, encompassing support to pro- democratic political, justice and security eliteactors, intellectuals, free media, grassroots civil society and democratic forces;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the EU should expect a broad coalition of democratic forces in Russia to immediately start work on prepar, among other contingencies, the EU should include in its strategy towards Russia contingency planning for the eventuality of a shift towards democracy in Russia including a new constitutional framework based on the principles of parliamentary democracy and delegation of important decision-making powers to the regions, and that this framework should include thes well as major economic and social reforms Russia needs to facilitateing the transition and building a solid basis for sustainable democracy over the long term;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Expresses concern about the lack of unity among EU member states in relations with Russia, with regard in particular to Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, undermining the EU’s condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine by meeting President Putin and stating his commitment to bilateral ties with Russia; is further concerned about the ongoing trade in sanctioned war-critical goods between Member States and Russia and condemns those companies in the EU that evade sanctions deliberately for their own financial gain;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Calls on the Commission to use the multilateral platforms of which Russia is a member to continue condemning human rights violations in Russia as well as Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Calls on the Commission and in particular EEAS, to develop a proactive, long-term strategic policy towards Russia that effectively responds to the reality of EU-Russia relations today, the human rights situation in Russia and the support needs of the Russian civil society and opposition representatives in exile;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8 d. Calls for this renewed EU strategy towards Russia to ensure alignment of the EU’s and Member States’ political and economic relations with Russia;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8 e. Stresses that this strategy needs to revolve around ongoing and dynamic scenario and contingency planning for different eventualities concerning developments within Russia, both positive and negative;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 f (new)
Paragraph 8 f (new)
8 f. Expresses support for the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova and calls on Member States to ensure that the UN Human Rights Council extends her mandate again in 2024;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9