52 Amendments of Bettina VOLLATH related to 2021/2245(INI)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
— having regard to the 2019 Poznan Declaration on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas BiH citizens aspire towards Euro-Atlantic integration for sustainable peace, democracy and prosperity; whereas the European Parliament has continuously supported BiH path into the EU;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas BiH’s progress on its EU accession path depends on the implementation of the 14 key priorities in the Commission’s opinion on BiH’s EU membership application, and; whereas EU assistance should address the persistent lack of progress in that regard with BiH counterparts;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and EUFOR Althea are integral in preserving peace, security and stability, in BiH and the Western Balkans region;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the High Representative used the Bonn Powers to suspend Republika Srpska Law on Immovable Property;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas all BiH citizens should enjoy equal rights and obligations throughout BiH territory regardless of their ethnic background; whereas the country has committed to international obligations to end systematic ethnicity and residence-based discrimination and ensure citizens’ equality before the law and has so far failed to do so;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges BiH todecision-makers to show commitment to the European project by advanceing on the 14 key priorities, notably by restoring the independence of the judiciary, strengthening the rule of law, intensifying the fight against corruption and organised crime, securing media freedom and an enabling environment for civil society, and protecting vulnerable groups;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its clear support for BiH’s democratic transformconsolidation through European integration, based on unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, grounded in the principles of equality and non- discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the constitutionpeople living in BiH following the ECHR decisions in the Seidic-Fince group of cases;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on all UNSC Members to ensure the renewal and continuity of the mandate of the OHR, as a crucial anchor of BiH stability;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the impasse in negotiations on electoral law reform in BiH and the lack of political will to overcome it; calls on all actors to promptly reach a balancnegotiate in good will and promptly reach a democratic human rights based agreement, to fulfil the constitutional duty of democratic governance and to ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process;
Amendment 107 #
6. Strongly denounces the disregard for international and national norms and obligations, all hate rhetoric and disruptive action, including withdrawal from institutions, particularly by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, which destabilises the country, undermines its statehood in violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and systematically hampers decisions on key laws and reforms; reject which are essential to advance towards EU integration; condemns all attempts to form parallel parastatal institutions, which undermine state institutions, constitutional and legal order, judicial independence and sovereignty; calls for a full, non-selective and unconditional return to all state institutions;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the EU and the international community to use all available tools, including targeted sanctions, against destabilising actors in the country, notably Milorad Dodik in the country; welcomes the set of sanctions already adopted in this respect; calls on all EU Member States to ensure similar targeted sanctions can be adopted by the Council;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that the EU future of BiH depends on sustainable peace and genuine dealing with the past and reconciliation, warranting its democratic, inclusive and multi-ethnic character; urges BiH to expedite effective and impartial prosecution of war crimes under the revised national war crimes processing strategy; calls on all regional political leaders to set up the relevant commission (RECOM);
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Encourages authorities to intensify cooperation and data sharing on missing persons and to ensure redress for the families of civilian victims, and the safe and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced people, the full respect of their rights and the return of their property, as well as reconstruction assistance, job creation and social measures and education rights on the regional and national level;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the amendments to the BiH Criminal Code outlawing the glorification of war criminals and the denial of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; deplores any attempt not to implement this decision; strongly condemns all forms of historical revisionism, denial, or minimisation or glorification of war crimes including non- compliance with decisions of international and domestic tribunals; calls for implementation of the amendments and effective investigations and prosecution of genocide denial;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges BiH’s political actors to make progress on reforms that are needed to bring the country closer to the EU; calls for an inclusion of civil society organisations in the process, during the transition and beyond; denounces all attempts to stall these reforms, thus endangering access to EU funding under IPA III, which must be based on strictboth incentives and strict rule of law conditionality and depends on the cooperation of different authorities;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. SRecalls on respecting the democratic principle of holding regular elections, in accordance with the Electoral Law; stresses the importance of holding elections this year as planned;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Supports transparent and inclusive constitutional and electoral reforms to ensure equality and non-discrimination of all citizens, enhance accountability and transform BiH into a fully functional and inclusive state by immediately implementing rulings, opinions and recommendations of competent courts and international bodies; supports transatlantic facilitation efforts to this endregrets that US and EU facilitation efforts to this end took place with ethno-nationalist leaders outside of parliamentary structures; highlights the importance of the BiH Parliament as the legitimate arena for the ongoing negotiations on electoral reform, as a legitimate and supported BiH Parliament constitutes avital sign of a functioning democratic state;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3 a (new)
Subheading 3 a (new)
Green agenda and connectivity
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls the need for laws on gas and electricity, renewables, energy efficiency and climate, and to step up environmental and nature protection and ambition towards a green transition; calls on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to fully support BiH in this respect;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Urges BiH authorities to opt out from new coal generation facilities financed by China that are contrary to the EU directives on state aid and the country's commitments resulting from the Green Agenda;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for urgent action to tackle widespread selective justice, state capture, nepotism, cronyism, high-level corruption and criminal infiltration; reiterates the urgent need for judicial reform across BiH to improve the professionalism and integrity of the judiciary; notably calls for strengthening of the monitoring of performances of judiciary actors and the improvement of corruption monitoring mechanisms;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Reiterates the need to investigate political and administrative links to organised crime and to effectively prosecute high-profile corruption cases;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Recalls the need to update laws and align with the EU on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, and to establish an asset recovery office; financing of political parties, and protection of whistleblowers;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Underlines the poor cooperation of BiH’s law enforcement agencies and their failure to effectively collaborate with Europol, Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office; welcomes bilateral efforts supported by Europol and Eurojust aimed at dismantling people smuggltrafficking networks;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Deplores the continuing failure to safeguard media freedom and pluralism; insists on eliminating political interference and protecting journalists from intimidation with systematic judicial follow-upthe safety of journalists with systematic and efficient prosecution; calls on the authorities to take immediate and effective investigative steps in a timely manner; calls on the authorities to assign a special layer of protection to journalists in the criminal codes;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Deplores threats from the authorities against civil society; condemns growing restrictions on freedom of expression in theand freedom of assembly in BiH, notably in Republika Srpska entity;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Stresses the need to ensure the participation of citizens in the democratic life of the country through effective, meaningful and inclusive involvement of civil society organisations in the EU integration process; calls on authorities to ensure an enabling environment for civil society upholding international standards; calls on the authorities to develop and implement a strategic framework of cooperation with civil society and to guarantee an inclusive policy dialogue;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Commission to refocus IPA III support to in-country democratic forces, institutions and procedures and to civil society organisations;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5 a (new)
Subheading 5 a (new)
Social agenda
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to safeguard the rights of minorities and inclusion of vulnerable populations; calls for stronger country-wide human rights and anti- discrimination strategies and the implementation of an independent body to deal with human rights violations and issues; urges the prevention and proactive prosecution of hate crimes, hate speech and disinformation as well as gender-based and sexual violence;
Amendment 268 #
24 a. Calls for the amendment of the criminal codes in the Federation of BiH and Brčko District to expand provisions on incitement to hatred and violence so that they include sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics as protected grounds;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Is concerned by the level of gender-based violence, for which the institutional response needs to be improved and at abuses against women rights defenders; expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to accelerate the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence and provide reparation to women victims of war crimes; underlines the importance to provide reparation, access to specialised support services, legal aid and safe accommodation to women survivors of war crimes;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24 c. Recalls the need for specific earmarked funding on gender equality in all EU external financial instruments, and for reduced administrative constraints to allow access to funding for local and small civil society organisations (CSOs) and especially women civil society organisations (WCSOs);
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 d (new)
Paragraph 24 d (new)
24 d. Calls for the need to introduce legislation to protect LGBTI+ and for the prosecution of violence and hate crimes against them, as well as for promotimg their social inclusion and adopt a relevant action plan;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 e (new)
Paragraph 24 e (new)
24 e. Calls for the adoption of the Action Plan for Equality of LGBTI Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021- 2023, which has been stalled since 2020;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 f (new)
Paragraph 24 f (new)
24 f. Welcomes the conclusion of the Intersectoral Working Group on same-sex rights and partnership, which officially recommended a law on same-sex partnership to be drafted; calls on the government to bring this to the government session without delay;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 g (new)
Paragraph 24 g (new)
24 g. Welcomes the fact that the Government of the Canton of Sarajevo covered the security costs of the 2021Sarajevo Pride; calls for the amendment and harmonization of laws regulating freedom of assembly to come in line with international and EU standards;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 h (new)
Paragraph 24 h (new)
24 h. Stresses the need to duly prevent discrimination of Roma and other ethnic minorities, to improve access to healthcare, education, labour market and to develop and implement strategies on social inclusion;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 i (new)
Paragraph 24 i (new)
24 i. Demands BiH to develop and adopt a new action plan on child protection;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 j (new)
Paragraph 24 j (new)
24 j. Stresses that the strengthening of the welfare state in BiH is an important condition for social cohesion;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates its call to urgently end segregation and discrimination in education, including by implementing court rulings to end the discriminatory illegal practice of ‘two schools under one roof’; stresses the need to invest more in the education sector – from pre-school to higher education in order to achieve better and equal opportunities for all including vulnerable groups;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Welcomes the continued participation of BiH thanks to IPA support to the Erasmus+, Creative Europe and Europe for Citizens Programmes; stresses that educational and cultural exchanges and joint projects are an essential part of bringing the citizens of BiH and of the EU closer;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Urges BiH authorities to address the increasing youth unemployment rate, and to concentrate resources and leverage to ensure a future for BiH young people in their country:
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25 c. Calls on the authorities to foster the social dialogue among social partners on all socio-economic matters and to strengthen the role of trade unions bargaining for collective agreements;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Deplores the failure of authorities to address the severe migration-related humanitarian crisis at the border of Croatia and BiH; recalls the need for solidarityhuman rights-based solutions on migration and asylum, ensuring adequate humanitarian assistance and appropriate reception capacities across the country; welcomes the opening of the EU-funded centre in Lipa, especially also medical assistance and vaccination strategies, and appropriate reception capacities across the country; recalls the need for the establishment of accessible and efficient asylum system in the country as well as a full range of integration services for asylum seekers; reiterates its serious concerns over the rights of people in transit in BiH; expresses deep concerns about pushbacks of refugees to Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the limitation of their movement and limitation of public transport inside the country; underlines that the “externalisation” of EU border management and migration control to BiH authorities is of concern in light of violations of human rights standards; states that it is the EU’s duty to conduct a humane and migration approach, that aims at protecting the fundamental rights of persons in need of international protection in countries of transit such as BiH;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26 a. Condemns the closure of Miral camp on 28 April and that people who were living there were forcibly moved to Lipa camp which is far away from any infrastructural accessibility;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26 b. Condemns the eviction of squats by the police by force on 28 April which happened when people were sleeping; condemns that people were moved to Lipa camp;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls for the EU to take concrete steps to integrate the Western Balkans and BiH within a broader strategic and security context, also in view of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, disinformation and malign interference destabilising the country and region; stresses the need for the EU to boost its proactive strategic communication to counter attempts at diminishing the EU’s credibility and actions in the region and jeopardizing the country’s unity;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Underlines the need for EU to boost assistance and technical expertise to BiH for the protection and securitization of its cyber domain;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 b (new)
Paragraph 28 b (new)
28 b. Urges the EU to assist BiH in increasing its green energy security amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and the precariousness of the energy prices;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Welcomes EU-funded efforts to boost demining and the disposal of weapons, ammunition and explosives; underlines that BiH officially aligns itself with the criteria and principles of the Common Position on Arms Export and is a State Party to most disarmament, non- proliferation and arms control treaties;