Activities of Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR related to 2019/2176(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2019-2020 Reports on Turkey (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey
Amendments (70)
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, since 1999,Turkey enjoys the most ambitious and mutually demanding model of relations the EU can offer to a third state, that is the candidate status for becoming a member; whereas being a candidate country presumes a willingness to progressively approach in all aspects the values, interests, standards and policies of the EU;
Amendment 51 #
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 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the critical assessment of a general backsliding in Turkey has also been shared by other relevant institutions such as the Council of Europe, and by international human rights organizations; whereas it has also been reflected by the increasing number of cases and critical rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR);
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas this backsliding has been observed as affecting three main areas: the deterioration in the rule of law and fundamental rights, the institutional framework and related reforms, and a foreign policy that is increasingly conflictual and inclined to military options instead of dialogue and diplomacy; whereas in all these three areas there has been a clear divergence with EU standards, policies and interests;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas in its previous annual report, in view of the consolidation of this serious backsliding, Parliament called on the Commission and the Member States, in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, to formally suspend accession negotiations with Turkey;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that Turkey’s lack of commitment 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, with little to do with the logic of the original format of gradual alignment to predetermined benchmarks;
Amendment 128 #
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, amplified in the country by the pro-government media outlets; 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 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recognizes that the lack of results in an increasingly stagnant accession process has contributed to a fatigue felt on both sides and a progressive detachment and mounting disregarding by the Turkish authorities for the results of the Commission’s progress monitoring procedure and Parliament’s resolutions; takes the view that the accession process has become an end in itself
Amendment 161 #
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 with regard to the domestic, institutional and foreign policies; firmly insists, therefore, on the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, to explore possible new models for future relations;
Amendment 172 #
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 relations; reaffirms its interest in having a strategic alignment and constructive cooperation based on shared values and interests in areas such as foreign policy and security, economy, trade, migration, climate change or digitalization; believes that, the if current negative trends were to be reversed, strengthened relations could provide great potential and be mutually beneficial, particularly in multilateral fora and with regard to geostrategic challenges;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Acknowledges in this sense that, if the accession progress were to be continued, the EU should be coherent with the path offered to Turkey excluding any possibility that, in the event of a successful alignment, a final veto could thwart the whole process on the grounds of political, cultural or religious motives;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on Turkey to cooperate with the EU and the Council of Europe on deep and urgent reforms in these areas, as the country is still at very early stages of the alignment with the EU acquis and remains far from meeting its international commitments in full;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. NBelieves that the deterioration of the fundamental freedoms in Turkey predates the period of the State of Emergency installed after the coup attempt of 2016; considers that extraordinary measures can be expected in front of an existential threat such as a coup attempt but that they need to be proportional and remain limited in time and scope; 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, despite that existential threat having long ago and fortunately disappeared;
Amendment 252 #
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 W of repression of human rights and of any critical voice in the country, with the complicit cooperation of a judiciary branch unable or unwilling to rein in any abuses to the constitutional orkders’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since 2002; regrets that this broad concept of terrorism contravenes the basic principle of individual responsibility through collective generic accusations;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is deeply worried about the disregard by the Turkish judiciary of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings and the increasing non-compliance of lower courts with the judgments of the Constitutional Court; is deeply concerned about the recent targeting by the executive on the latter, including the public statements considering the institutional overhaul of the Court;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Stresses that a serious reform of the legislative and judicial branches of power is needed in order to improve access to the justice system, increase its effectiveness and provide better protection for the right to trial within a reasonable time;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Condemns the dismissal and large- scale transfers and the forced removal of approximately 30% of Turkish judges and prosecutors, causing a worrying decline in the overall quality of judicial decisions, intimidation and self-censorship; expresses serious concern about the recruitment and promotion of judges and prosecutors in the absence of objective, uniform, merit-based criteria and about the use of ad-hoc appointments; calls for addressing the shortcomings in the structure and process for the selection of the members of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) with a view to ensuring its independence and putting an end to its arbitrary decisions;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Is deeply concerned about the situation of lawyers in Turkey, as for the last years hundreds have been and continue to be harassed, arrested, prosecuted, and convicted in relation to their professional activities; deeply regrets the recent amendment to the Law on Lawyers as a further blow to the functioning of the judiciary and as an attempt to disempower existing bar associations and eradicate remaining critical voices; urges the Turkish authorities to respect the independence of the legal profession and to allow lawyers 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 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Paragraph 14 e (new)
14e. Deplores the death of the lawyer Ebru Timtik, after238 days of hunger strike in demand for a fair trial after her conviction for alleged membership of a terrorist organisation and while her appeal was pending before the Court of Cassation; reminds that she is the fourth prisoner to die this year as a result of a hunger strike to demand a fair trial, following the deaths of Helin Bölek and Ibrahim Gökçek, two musicians from the Grup Yorum band, and Mustafa Koçak; expects that the ongoing trial against three police officers charged with the killing of the Kurdish human rights lawyer, Tahir Elçi, will finally reveal the full circumstances around his death and bring justice to his case;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 f (new)
Paragraph 14 f (new)
14f. Notes with concern the lack of remedy for the large-scale dismissals affecting 30 percent of its judges and prosecutors and over 150,000 public sector workers that took place during the state of emergency, including the inefficiency of the Inquiry Commission on the State of Emergency; calls on Turkish authorities to respect the rights of defence of those dismissed and to ensure an assessment procedure in line with international standards;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 g (new)
Paragraph 14 g (new)
14g. Urges Turkey to align its anti- terrorism legislation with international standards in order to ensure an effective protection of fundamental rights and freedoms and proportionality and equality before the law; recognizes that Turkey has legitimate security concerns and the right to fight terrorism; stresses nevertheless that this must be done in accordance with the rule of la w, human rights and fundamental freedoms; reiterates its firm and unambiguous condemnation of the violent terrorist attacks on the part of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since 2002;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 h (new)
Paragraph 14 h (new)
14h. Is appalled by the statements by top representatives of the executive and the ruling coalition on the possible reinstatement of the death penalty that Turkey abolished in 2004; warns that such regrettable move would not only contravene Turkey’s existing international commitments but would be incompatible with the EU accession process;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. EReiterates the importance of media freedom and independence as one of the core values of the EU and a cornerstone of any democracy; 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, amid a suffocating lack of pluralism in media outlets, frequently misusing anti-terror legislation with the aim of muzzling criticism; urges Turkey to guarantee media freedom as a matter of priority and to immediately release and acquit all unlawfully detained journalists, writers and social media users for exercising their profession and civil rights; notes that, even if in the last year the number of journalists in prison has decreased from 160 to over 70, this number remains very high and continues to be a cause of serious concern;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the Turkish authorities to demonstrate zero tolerance towards all incidents of physical and verbal abuse or threats against journalists, and to allow media outlets which have been arbitrarily closed to reopen;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Is deeply concerned about the lack of independence and impartiality of public entities such as the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) and the Press Advertising Agency (BİK) which are being used as a tool to arbitrarily suspend, ban, fine or financially strangle media outlets considered to be critical to the Government; regrets the cancellation in 2019 of more than 700 press cards by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications and the difficulties that local and international journalists encounter to do their job;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Expresses its serious concern about the new law on the “Arrangement of Internet Publication and Combatting Crimes Committed Through These Publications” of July 2020 which places new draconian obligations on social media providers and is highly likely to mark another blow to the freedom of expression as it gives the government sweeping powers to censor online content and prosecute social media users; notes the lifting on the ban on Wikipedia but stresses that over 400.000 websites remain blocked and several restrictions on the use of social media continue to be in force;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15d. Deplores the massive deterioration of academic freedom in Turkey, in particular the continuous breaches of the rights of Peace Academics despite the Constitutional Court decision of July 2019, and the amendments to the Turkish Higher Education Council Law, which add additional restrictive measures to the ones already in force;
Amendment 314 #
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 since November 2016 of former HDP co- chair Selahattin Demirtaşs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, opposition leader and former presidential candidate; recalls the ruling by the European Court on Human Rights on his case, which calls on the Turkish authorities to immediately release him;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Condemns the revocation of the parliamentary status of HDP and CHP MPs, which seriously damages the parliament’s image as a democratic institution; strongly regrets the rejection by two lower courts to retrial the case of one of these MPs, Enis Berberoğlu, as ruled by the Constitutional Court, thus putting into serious question the judicial hierarchy in Turkey; recalls its condemnation of the politically motivated sentence of Canan Kaftancıoğlu, Istanbul Provincial chair of the CHP, to almost 10 years of prison and demands its reversal;
Amendment 327 #
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 decalls on the Commission and the Member States to increase their protenction of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figureand support for human rights defenders at risk in Turkey, including through emergency grants;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Strongly condemns the re-arrest of Osman Kavala, a prominent and respected leading civil society figure, only hours after his acquittal in February 2020, and his continued detention for over three years on spurious charges and in a blatant refusal to abide by the final judgement of the ECtHR and the subsequent call by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers; considers the new case and indictment against him and US academic Henry Barkey -for allegedly spying and attempting to overthrow Turkey’s constitutional order- unfounded, devoid of any evidence and therefore politically motivated; is appalled by the decision of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) to investigate the three judges of the Istanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court who last February acquitted Kavala and the rest of the defendants in the Gezi Park trial due to the lack of evidence; is appalled to see how, on the other hand, the former Istanbul Deputy Public Prosecutor Hasan Yılmaz, responsible for the second indictment against Kavala, has been subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Justice;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Condemns the heavy prison sentences on terrorism related charges despite the absence of any evidence of criminal activity received by 4 of the human rights defenders affected by the Büyükada case last July, whose convictions were uphold in November by the Istanbul Regional Court of Appeal, while the rest of the defendants have been acquitted; considers this case as another example of the hostile environment against civil society organizations and the recurrent influence of virulent political discourse leading to biased judiciary decisions; condemns the re-arrest of writer Ahmet Altan in November 2019 just a week after he was released from jail following more than three years in pre- trial detention;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Calls on Turkey to effectively implement a new Human Rights Action Plan in a participatory and transparent manner, addressing all issues and proposing real and credible remedies; urges the Commission to support the implementation of such an Action Plan only if conditions are in place for reaching results;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
18d. Deeply regrets the unjust and discriminatory nature of the penal reform adopted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic since it excludes those imprisoned for their political activities from early release; regrets that the freedoms of expression, assembly and association have further deteriorated as a result of the government’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic; regrets the unfounded attacks from the government and top political leaders towards the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) for having publicly questioned the official government statistics;
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Commends the existence of a vibrant, plural, engaged and heterogeneous civil society in Turkey, in spite of the massive political crackdown, as it represents one of the few remaining checks on the Turkish Government and with the potential to help the country confront its deep political and social challenges;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Expresses serious concerns about the further backsliding affecting freedoms of assembly and association in light of recurrent bans, disproportionate interventions in peaceful demonstrations, investigations, administrative fines and prosecutions against demonstrators on charges of ‘terrorism-related activities’;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Reiterates the commitment to maintain strong support for Turkey’s civil society; emphasises that the allocation of funds under the future Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) should continue to focus on support for Turkey’s democratic civil society and increased opportunities for people-to- people contacts;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19c. Points out that visa liberalisation would constitute an important step towards facilitating people-to-people contacts; welcomes the presidential circular of May 2019 calling for the acceleration of demarches but stresses that there has been very little real progress concerning the 6 outstanding benchmarks still to be fulfilled by Turkey; calls on the Turkish authorities to step up the efforts to meet these outstanding criteria;
Amendment 362 #
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, which receives less attention than deserves; is concerned by the restrictions put in place on the rights of journalists and human rights defenders working on the Kurdish issue and the continued pressure on Kurdish media, cultural and language institutions and expressions all around the country, leading to further shrinking of cultural rights; stresses the urgency of resuming a credible political process leading to a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue; calls on Turkey to promptly investigate all serious allegations of human rights abuses, killings and forced disappearances, and to allow international observers to carry out independent monitoring activities; is concerned by the recent mass raids and detentions in Diyarbakır affecting lawyers, politicians and civil rights activists, and by the remanding in prison of five civil society figures including Dr Şeyhmus Gökalp, High Honorary Board member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB);
Amendment 373 #
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; continues to be concerned about the prevalence and severity of violence against women in Turkish society, including “honour” killings, non-legal child marriages and sexual abuse, and about the Turkish authorities’ reluctance to punish the perpetrators of gender-based violence; encourages Turkish authorities to substantially improve the social services network for an effective protection of women including, among others, the increase in the number of shelters or establishing a specific 24/7 emergency hotline for women suffering violence; rejects any legal provision that could allow in the future to grant rapists suspended sentences for their child sex offences as long as they marry their victim; is deeply worried about the increasing attacks by high-level government and political representatives against the Istanbul Convention, including calls for Turkish withdrawal, on the grounds that it allegedly runs counter to the morality and values of the “Turkish family”; deplores the continued very low level of representation of women in Government, Parliament, at the local level or, in general, with regard to any decision-making positions;
Amendment 386 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Expresses deep concern at the violations of the human rights of LGBTI people, in particular physical attacks, the prolonged bans on Pride marches across the country or the restrictions to the freedoms of assembly, association and expression; reminds that Turkey is among the countries with the highest murder rates of transgender persons; condemns the homophobic language and hate speech by high-level government officials including the head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), the Ombudsman Institution or the chair of the Red Crescent Society of Turkey; calls on Turkish authorities to increase their efforts to prevent hate crimes, prejudice and social gender-based inequality; recalls that legislation in Turkey on hate speech is not in line with ECtHR case- law;
Amendment 405 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Is deeply concerned about the reported rise in allegations of violent arrests, torture, ill-treatment and cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment in police and military custody and in prisons, as well as by cases of enforced disappearances over the past four years, by the failure of prosecutors to conduct meaningful investigations into such allegations and by the pervasive culture of impunity for members of the security forces and public officials implicated; urges Turkey to ensure that a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into these allegations of torture and other ill-treatment is carried out including into the allegations of torture regarding two villagers in Van after being detained by the gendarmerie on 11 September which caused the death of Servet Turgut and severe injuries to Osman Şıban; calls on Turkey to authorize the publication of two pending reports by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture on its ad hoc visits in 2016 and 2018;
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Calls for the effective implementation of the second Action Plan and the national strategy for Roma, with a more inclusive approach towards civil society, a reinforced gender perspective, an enhanced cooperation with local authorities and the allocation of the necessary resources;
Amendment 418 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21d. Points out that trade union freedom and social dialogue are vital to the development of a pluralistic society; regrets, in that respect, the legislative shortcomings on labour and trade union rights and stresses that the right to organize, the right to enter into collective bargaining and the right to strike are fundamental rights of workers; is concerned by the continuing strong anti- union discrimination by employers and by the dismissals, harassment and detentions that managers and members of some unions continue to face; calls on Turkish authorities to align to the ILO core labour standards to which the country has committed;
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Is alarmed by the consolidation of an authoritarian interpretation of the presidential system; is deeply concerned about the continued hyper-centralisation of power in the Presidency, to the detriment not only of the Parliament but also of the Council of Ministers itself, under the reformed constitutional design, which does not ensure a sound and effective separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches and the judiciary; regrets the current limitations to the check and balances needed for an effective democratic accountability of the executive branch, and in particular the lack of accountability of the Presidency; is concerned by the increasing influence of the Presidency over State institutions and regulatory bodies that should remain independent; expresses its concern particularly on the marginalization of the Parliament which has seen its legislative and oversight functions largely undermined and its prerogatives recurrently breached by Presidential decrees; calls on the review of the current presidential design and implementation in line with the principles of democracy as referred to in the recommendations of the 2017 Venice Commission of the Council of Europe;
Amendment 433 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Notes with concern that the civil service system continued to be marked by partisanship and politicisation and that, together with the excessive presidential control at every level of the state machinery, it has resulted in an overall decline in the efficiency, capacity and quality of the public administration; call on Turkey to take measures to restore a merit-based competitive promotion system and to ensure the transparency and accountability of the administration;
Amendment 434 #
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 -but also shared to a large extent by almost the entire political spectrum in the country- 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 lifedeep polarization of Turkish politics, accentuated by the new presidential system, and the increasing use of polarizing populistic narratives which further divide Turkish society and hampers inter-party dialogue and reconciliation; is concerned about the increasing clout of religious conservatism in political life, in contrast with the long- established secular tradition of the country; is worried, in this sense, about the growing role and resources of the Directorate for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in all spheres of Turkish public life, including education, and also abroad;
Amendment 449 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Is deeply concerned by the conversion of the Hagia Sophia historical-religious monument into a mosque without authorisation of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which could violate the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which Turkey is a signatory; calls on Turkey to reconsider and reverse this decision; stresses that the decision on Hagia Sophia, undermines efforts of dialogue and cooperation between religious communities as well as Turkey’s pluralistic, multicultural social fabric; deplores Turkey’s widespread practice of expropriation, including church properties, which is a violation of the rights of religious minorities;
Amendment 454 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Calls on Turkey to improve the broader environment for elections at all levels in the country, ensuring a fair and free playing field for all candidates and parties and aligning itself with the recommendations of the Venice Commission on addressing the gaps in the electoral framework and its call to reverse decisions not consistent with international norms and standards;
Amendment 455 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Paragraph 23 c (new)
23c. Recalls that the 10% electoral threshold -the highest among Council of Europe members- is at odds with the case law of the ECtHR and reduces the opportunities for representation of large groups of the electorate; is concerned by the public statements on possible electoral reforms which could further hamper the entry and participation of political parties in the Parliament and the eventual establishment of parliamentary majorities;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Strongly condemns the removal of democratically elected mayors from officeIs deeply worried about the severe impact on local politics and local democracy of recent decisions taken by Turkish authorities; strongly condemns the removal of democratically elected mayors from office (including the mayors of Diyarbakir, Van, Mardin and more recently Kars) on the basis of questionable evidence and, in particular, their arbitrary replacement by unelected trustees appointed by the central government; strongly believes these unlawful decisions constitute a direct attack on the most basic principles of democracy, depriving millions of voters of their democratically elected representation;
Amendment 465 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Condemns the Supreme Election Council’s (YSK)decisions to re-run the metropolitan mayoral election in Istanbul and the denial of mayoral mandates to HDP winning candidates in favour of second-placed AKP candidates, putting into serious question the respect for the legality and integrity of the electoral processes and the institution’s independence from political interference;
Amendment 470 #
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 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; commends Turkey’s hospitality towards the approximately 3,6 million Syrian refugees and around 370,000 registered refugees from other countries, which is the largest refugee community in the world; applauds the efforts taken by all involved authorities, particularly the municipalities, to improve the integration of the refugee populations; 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; emphasises that the instrumentalisation of migrants and refugees for political leverage cannot be accepted; strongly condemns, in this view, Turkey's use of migratory pressure for political purposes in March 2020, when the Turkish authorities actively encouraged migrants and refugees to take the land route to Europe through Greece;
Amendment 509 #
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 envisage any modernisation of the Customs Union given the current circumstances, including the growing list of Turkey’s deviations from its currents obligations, the fact that the EU and Turkey are currently quarrelling at the WTO or the unacceptable 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;
Amendment 522 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Is firmly convinced that the COVID-19 pandemic can only be tackled through global cooperation; believes that EU-Turkey cooperation could be further deepened in this regard, including with respect to the establishment of sustainable supply chains; welcomes Turkey’s positive role in supplying protective equipment to a number of Member States and third countries;
Amendment 525 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Calls on Turkish authorities to continue their 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; notes the public’s concerns around the ‘Kanal İstanbul’ project which has led to several court cases against the positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on this project; welcomes that Turkey has to a large extent aligned its legislation with the EU Directive on EIA; calls on Turkey to complete its alignment including the provisions that would require to run transboundary consultations with the neighbouring countries;
Amendment 527 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Acknowledges that, as any sovereign country, Turkey can pursue its own foreign policy in line with its interests and goals; expects that, as an EU candidate country, Turkey would aim at increasingly aligning its foreign policy to that of the EU under the Common Foreign and Security Policy; deeply regrets that, to the contrary, Turkey has decided recurrently to act unilaterally and to consistently collide with the EU priorities in a wide range of foreign affairs matters, rendering Turkey an unpredictable and unreliable international actor;
Amendment 529 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 d (new)
Paragraph 26 d (new)
26d. Stresses that, whatever claims Turkey can have, these should be defended through diplomacy and dialogue based on international law and that any attempt to pressure other countries by the use of force, threats or hostile and insulting rhetoric, particularly towards the EU, are unacceptable and unseemly for an EU candidate country; calls, in this view, on the Commission and the VP/HR to show a firm stance in front of any abusive language against the EU expressed by representatives of the Turkish Government;
Amendment 534 #
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, as well as Turkey’s violations of Greek national airspace, including overflights of inhabited areas, and territorial sea, 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 engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat; stresses that a sustainable conflict resolution can only be found through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations in a spirit of good will and in line with international law; calls on all sides in a genuine collective engagement to negotiate the delimitation of EEZs and the continental shelf in good faith, fully respecting international law and the principle of good relations between neighbours; supports the proposal for a multilateral conference on the Eastern Mediterranean with the participation of all actors involved, to provide a platform to settle disputes through dialogue; reiterates its call on the Council to stand ready to develop a list of further restrictive sectoral and targeted measures in the absence of any significant progress in engaging with Turkey;
Amendment 555 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Condemns the partial illegal 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; reiterates its support for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality; , by negatively modifying the situation on the ground, exacerbating division and embedding the permanent partition of Cyprus; warns against any change of the status quo in Varosha in violation of the UNSC resolutions; calls on Turkey to reverse this action and avoid any other unilateral action that could raise further tensions on the island, in compliance with the recent call of the UNSC; calls on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the Varosha area to its lawful inhabitants under the temporary administration of the UN in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 550 (1984) and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island through a policy of illegal settlements; reiterates its call on Turkey, to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement in line with United Nations Security Council relevant resolutions; regrets that the highest Turkish authorities have endorsed the two state solution; urges to relaunch negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus under the auspices of the UN- Secretary General as soon as possible, building on the agreements already reached in the 2017 Crans-Montana process; calls for the EU and its Member States to play a more active role in bringing negotiations to a successful conclusion; reiterates its support for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality, single sovereignty and single citizenship and with political equality between the two communities, as defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in accordance with international law and the EU acquis and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; is firmly convinced that a sustainable conflict resolution can only be found through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations in a spirit of good will and in line with international law; stresses the need for the EU acquis to be implemented across the entire island, following the solution of the Cyprus problem and the importance to engage with the democratic forces of the Turkish Cypriot community; praises the important work of the bi-communal Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), which deals with both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot missing persons;
Amendment 587 #
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; reiterates that legitimate security concerns cannot justify unilateral military action in a third country; recalls that there can be no sustainable military solution to the Idlib issue but only apolitical one;
Amendment 602 #
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; stresses the need for an immediate ceasefire; strongly condemns the signature of the two Memoranda of Understanding between Turkey and Libya on comprehensive security and military cooperation and on the delimitation of maritime zones, which are interconnected and are in clear violation of both international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions;
Amendment 625 #
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 one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; calls on Turkey to refrain from any activity and rhetoric that could further exacerbate tensions in the South Caucasus region;
Amendment 644 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Recalls that the EU and NATO remain the most reliable partners for Turkey in international security cooperation; calls on Turkey to keep political coherence in the fields of foreign and security policies in its condition as member of the NATO and accession candidate;
Amendment 673 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Takes the view that enhancing communication and dialogue at all levels are key to restoring mutual trust between the EU and Turkey; deplores the continuous and unjustified refusbelieves that other channels of communication should be strengthened, including among municipalities -supporting the relevant work done by the Committee of the Regions- and in the realm of the Turkish side to reinstate the normal functioning of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee; academia, culture and journalism; calls for a swift resumption of the meetings between the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and the European Parliament in the framework of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), as an important framework for discussion and de-escalation; deplores the continuous and unjustified refusal of the Turkish side to reinstate the normal functioning of the EU- Turkey JPC;
Amendment 690 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Amendment 692 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 b (new)
Paragraph 33 b (new)
33b. Calls for the involvement of representatives of Turkey, as a candidate country, in the debates and activities related to the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe; believes that, beyond representatives of the Government, this participation should also include a pluralistic representation of members of the parliament, representatives of local government, and civil society, particularly the youth;
Amendment 695 #
33c. Considers that, as a necessary step in order to improve the overall state of the relations, both sides need to abide by a respectful language, invest efforts in fighting the existing prejudices and misconceptions, and allow for a more objective and complete consideration of the other side’s image among the respective public opinion, reversing the mutual deteriorating perception; calls, in this view, on the Commission to launch a communication strategy for Turkey aimed at raising awareness about the EU, providing objective information on its policies and restoring Turkish citizens’ perception; stresses that a belligerent and aggressive rhetoric only reinforces the extreme positions on both sides and that a purely confrontational approach plays into the hands of those who aim at pulling Turkey and the EU apart;
Amendment 698 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Turkey, and asks for this report and the Commission’s Turkey 2020 Report to be translated into Turkish.