38 Amendments of Attila ARA-KOVÁCS related to 2019/2176(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Turkey, in particular those of 13 March 2019 on the 2018 Commission Report on Turkey1 , of 19 September 2019 on the situation in Turkey, notably the removal of elected mayors2 , of 24 October 2019 on the Turkish military operation in northeast Syria and its consequences3 , and of 17 September 2020 on the preparation of the special European Council summit focusing on the dangerous escalation and the role of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean4 and of 26 November 2020 on escalating tensions in Varosha following the illegal actions by Turkey and the urgent need for the resumption of talks4a, _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2019)0200. 2 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2019)0017. 3 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2019)0049. 4 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2020)0230. 4a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2020)0332
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6
Citation 6
- having regard to the Council conclusions of 18 June 2019 on the standstill of Turkey's accession process, 15 July and 14 October 2019 on Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, to the European Council conclusions of 12 December 2019 on the illegal Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Libya, of 1 October 2020, to the statements of the EU Foreign Ministers of 15 May 2020 and 14 August 2020 on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, to the outcome of the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers (Gymnich) of 28 August 2020, and to all previous relevant Council and European Council conclusions,
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas being a candidate country presumes aquires the willingness together with concrete actions to progressively approach, in all aspects, the values, interests, standards and policies of the EU;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. Whereas, under the Negotiating Framework, Turkey is expected to unequivocally commit to good neighbourly relations, and the peaceful settlement of disputes having recourse, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, in spite of this principled stance by Parliament and all of the current circumstances, the destabilising actions of Turkey in Libya, Syria and South Caucasus and its illegal actions in Eastern Mediterranean, the European Council, in its conclusions of 1 October 2020, offered Turkey a renewed and broad positive agenda, provided that constructive efforts are sustainedTurkey would stop its illegal activities, in a further attempt to restore our relations;
Amendment 131 #
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 and destabilised foreign policy; is further concerned by the fact that this regression has increasingly been accompanied by an explicit anti-EU narrative by government officials; 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;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges the persistent strategy of openness and good will adopted by the EU and lately materialized in the renewed positive agenda offered by the European Council in October 2020; Stresses that no incentive that the EU could offer can ever replace the much- needed political will to build a mature democracy and, in turn, become a reliable ally and ultimately a member of the EU; Notes that ever since the last European Council conclusions, no efforts were attempted by Turkish authorities to advance towards benchmarks laid down in this broad agenda and that Turkey's confrontational attitude and rhetoric has even deteriorated;
Amendment 143 #
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 democracy and, in turn, become a member of the EU; Recalls that accession process is and will remain a merit-based process fully dependent on the objective progress achieved by each country, including Turkey;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recalls that the allocation of EU funds is conditional on the respect for the rule of law, democratic values, human rights, European and international law; due to the backsliding in all these areas in Turkey, reiterates its position that all the funds allocated under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) to be directly managed by the EU in order to support Turkey's civil society, human rights defenders and journalists, and to increase opportunities for people-to- people contacts, academic dialogue and media platforms for journalists with the objective of protecting and promoting democratic values and principles, human rights and the rule of law and that no actions organised by the Turkish state should get financed by the EU budget as long as the situation does not significantly improve;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets the current lack of understanding between the EU andcommitment from the side of Turkey, but reaffirms its firm conviction that Turkey is a strategic neighbour and allyn important neighbouring country, with which the EU wishes to have the best possible relations based on international law and mutual respect;
Amendment 253 #
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; 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;notes with great concern the continued mass incarceration of people convicted or held in pre-trial detention on terrorism- related charges based on scant evidence; reiterates its firm condemnation of any violence against civilians from all state and non-state actors.
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Deeply regrets the discriminatory Covid-19 early release law which disregarded the right to life of those imprisoned on political grounds and failed to address the situation of those held in pre-trial detention; expresses concern about the unsanitary and overcrowded prison facilities.
Amendment 263 #
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; is appalled by the mass arrest and prosecution of lawyers for representing their clients; is concerned about the legislative amendment allowing for the division of bar associations along political lines in a way to diminish their role as human rights watchdogs.
Amendment 290 #
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; condemns the imprisonment of journalists, media employees as well as social media users; notes with deep concern the increasing restrictions and censorship imposed on social media platforms; urges Turkey to guarantee media freedom as a matter of priority;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes with great concern the way that the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) has been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities; strongly condemns the continued detention of former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş; and Figen Yüksekdağ, members of parliament, elected mayors, administrators and members.
Amendment 326 #
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; strongly condemns the re-arrest and continued detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figure; and other prominent Journalists like Ahmet Altan and Hanim Büsra Erdal.
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges Turkey to protect the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, including women, refugees, LGBTI people and ethnic and religious minorities; is appalled by the rise in hate crimes.
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Deplores the fact that the Venice Commission recommendations on the status of religious communities in Turkey have yet to be implemented; reiterates its call on Turkey to respect the importance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Orthodox Christians all over the world, to recognise its legal personality and the public use of the ecclesiastical title of the Ecumenical Patriarch; stresses the need to eliminate restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, to allow the reopening of the Halki Seminary and lift all obstacles for its proper functioning;
Amendment 392 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Reiterate its call on the Council to establish a comprehensive and effective EU-wide human rights sanction regime, which would allow for targeting any individual, state- and non-state actor, responsible for or involved in human rights violations, breaches of fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Turkey;
Amendment 401 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Expresses concern about the reported deportation of Uighurs by way of third countries to China, where they are likely to face grave persecution.
Amendment 406 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Strongly condemns the decision by the Turkish authorities to convert Hagia Sophia a World Heritage Monument into mosque, in violation of the UNCESCO Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which Turkey is signatory member; Deplores that Moni tis Choras/Chora Church was also converted from museum into a mosque during the last months; Urges the Turkish government to reverse its decisions and protect the multicultural character of the country; believes these actions undermine the trust between the Turkish government and the religious communities in the country;
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Regrets the fact that the Treasury has appealed favourable decisions for the restitution of properties according to the Law on Foundations and most of the appeals against rejected claims are pending either before local courts or at ECHR; calls for the publication of the new electoral regulation for non Muslim foundations, following its annulment in 2013, which has created serious problems to proper administration of these foundations as no elections can take place; recalls the need for Turkey to fully implement all recommendations of the Council of Europe Resolution 1625(2008) with particular emphasis on the restitution property rights of the Greek Orthodox population and its foundations on the islands of Imvros and Tenedos, as well as inheritance rights and adopt all necessary positive discrimination measures for assisting the repatriation of all minority families who wish to return to the islands; underlines the need to preserve the bicultural character of the islands;
Amendment 474 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls the laudable role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resultinghosting refugees from the war in Syria; takes the view that the EU should continue to give the necessary support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment of the EU-Turkey Statement and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance with their respective commitments; however at the same time criticises the resettlement of Syrian refugees to Turkish-occupied regions in the North of Syria, from which the local Syrian population was previously displaced and is now prevented from returning; refugees must not be brought back to Syria against their will, nor must they be used to carry out demographic engineering against the Kurdish and Christian population in the North of Syria.
Amendment 482 #
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 in Syria; takes the view that the EU should continue to givfinance the necessary direct support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment of the EU-Turkey StatementCalls for the adoption of an EU- Turkey agreement instead of the current Declaration, with parliamentary scrutiny and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance wrefraining from using ith their respective commitmentso pressure or blackmail the other party;
Amendment 499 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Deplores the negative role of Turkey, threatening regional peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and South Caucasus and its role in conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and in Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 506 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses that a modernisation of the Customs Union could be beneficial for both parties and would keep Turkey economically and normatively anchored to the EU; reiterates that this would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and, fundamental freedoms, respect of the international law and good neighbourly relations; highlights that it seems unrealistic to envisage any modernisation of the Customs Union given the current circumstancsituation in human rights inside the country and its destabilising foreign policy; deplore the continuous violations of the current framework and the calls to boycott on EU Member States; recalls that the current Customs Union will not achieve its full potential until Turkey fully implements the Additional Protocol in relation to all Member States, which should be a precondition for the opening of the negotiations for the modernisation;
Amendment 520 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses that a modernisation of the Customs Union could be beneficial for both parties and would keep Turkey economically and normatively anchored to the EU; reiterates that this would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and fundamental freedoms; highlights that it seems unrealistic to envisagestresses that given the current circumstances, any modernisation of the Customs Union given the current circumstancescan't be envisaged; recalls that the current Customs Union will not achieve its full potential until Turkey fully implements the Additional Protocol in relation to all Member States;
Amendment 537 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is deeply concerned by the ongoing dispute in themultiple NAVTEXs issued by Turkey for exploration in Eastern Mediterranean and, in the relatedcontinental shelf off the Greek island of Kastelorizo, increasing the 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; Strongly condemns the repeated violations of the Greek territorial waters and national airspace, including the overflights of inhabited islands in the Aegean sea and over the region of Evros; expresses its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat; reiterates its regret that the casus belli threat declared by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in 1995 against Greece, in case has not yet been withdrawn and it is repeated in relation to the possible extension of the Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea;
Amendment 548 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Reiterates that the European Council of 1 and 2 October 2020 recalled to Turkey that the EU will use all the instruments and the options at its disposal, including of imposing a sanctions’ regime on Turkey , in accordance with Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU, in order to defend its interests and those of its Member State; recalls the Council Conclusions of 14 October 2019 calling the Member States to take strong national positions regarding their arms export policy to Turkey on the basis of the provisions of Common position 2008/944/CFSP, including the strict application of criterion 4 on regional stability and calls to consider introducing an initiative in the Council for all EU Member States to halt arms export licensing to Turkey in accordance with this Common Position; reiterates its call on the VP/HR for as long as Turkey continues with its current illegal, unilateral actions in the Eastern Mediterranean that run counter to the sovereignty of any EU Member State and international law, and does not engage in dialogue based on international law, to introduce an initiative in the Council for all EU Member States to halt arms export for all types of military equipment, including weapons, weapons for dual-use goods and know-how, to Turkey in accordance with the Common Position;; Calls on the NATO leadership to communicate in the strongest terms to Turkey that it will not tolerate the country’s aggressive acts against fellow NATO members;
Amendment 552 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Reiterates its call on the Turkish government to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is part of the European acquis and recalls that even though Turkey is not a signatory, customary law provides for Exclusive Economic Zone for both inhabited and uninhabited islands; Calls on Turkey to proceed to the negotiating table in good faith in order to solve the issue of the delimitation of maritime zones with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and to accept the referral of the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, in the event a settlement cannot be reach through negotiations;
Amendment 568 #
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 573 #
28a. Stresses that, in spite of reiterated calls for de-escalations and peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue, Turkey did not refrained itself from further violating international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of EU Member States through unilateral and illegal actions; Calls therefore on the Council to impose restrictive sectoral and targeted measures against Turkey, which should have no adverse impact on the Turkish society;
Amendment 595 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, especially in the northeast and Idlib, Afrin, Ras al- Ayn/Sere Kaniye and Tal Abyad which constitute grave violations of international law;
Amendment 599 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Amendment 601 #
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; regrets that in at least two instances Turkey has denied the personnel of EUNAVFOR MED Irini to inspect ships travelling from Turkey to Libya; recalls that all candidate countries should align their foreign policy with the EU’s foreign and security policy and not to actively work against it; Strongly condemns the signature of the two Memorandums of Understanding between Turkey and Libya on the delimitation of maritime zones and on comprehensive security and military cooperation, which are interconnected and are in clear violation of both international law and the UN Security Council resolution imposing an arms embargo on Libya;
Amendment 631 #
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 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of oAzerbaïdjani forces and to directly and militarily intervene ofn their sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 669 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. calls on Turkey to stop the attempts to influence European policy through a targeted diaspora policy and to mobilise Turkish- and Islamic communities against the secular understanding of freedom of religion and expression;
Amendment 671 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)
Paragraph 32 b (new)
32b. Recalls that Turkey has to stop in particular the attempt of the Turkish government to spy and put pressure on opposition members and politicians of Turkish origin in Europe and condemns in the strongest possible terms all attempts to use violence and intimidation against intellectuals, activists or politicians in Europe.