19 Amendments of Vladimír BILČÍK related to 2021/2244(INI)
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas enlargement is one of the EU’s most effective foreign policy instruments, as it contributes to extending the reach of the Union’s fundamental values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, peace building and respect for human rights;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the EU is Albania’s biggest trading partner and largest donor and whereas the country has benefited from EUR 1,24 billion in EU pre- accession funding under IPA I and IPA II since 2007;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the EU remains fully committed to support Albania’s strategic choice for EU integration; whereas Albania remains an important geopolitical ally and a trustworthy foreign policy partner, thanks to its efforts to advance regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas Albanian citizens have enjoyed visa-free travel to the Schengen area since December 2010;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas Albanian citizens have been able to participate in student, academic and youth exchanges under the Erasmus+ programme since 2015;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. URecalls that Albania’s EU accession depends on lasting, in-depth and irreversible reforms across fundamental areas, starting with the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions; underscores that the pace of EU accession is determined by the progress on the due functioning of all institutions and is grounded in the rule of law, good governance and fundamental rights; urges Albania to sustain and intensify efforts to reinforce the functioning of the judiciary, strengthen the rule of law and the economy, counter corruption and organised crime, and ensure media freedom;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reaffirms the joint responsibility of Albania’s political forces to strengthen constructive political dialogue and cooperation, enabling an effective functioning of the country’s democratic institutions by continuing to improve governance, transparency and pluralism and by enabling the active participation of civil society; expresses its serious concern about the polarised political climate and lack of sustainable cross-party cooperation that continue to hamper the democratic process; encourages the use of the Jean Monnet Dialogue (JMD) to build the consensus necessary for generating a democratic parliamentary culture and trust and to develop true inter-party dialogue;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Proposes an EU Election Observation Mission to Albania ahead of the next parliamentary election; calls on the Albanian government to ensure the full implementation of the ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations regarding the electoral shortcomings in due time before the upcoming general elections;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes the need for further progress on freedom of expression, media independence and pluralism; requests authorities to take decisive action against the marginalisation of and intimidation against independent media outlets and reportersat Albania has fallen nine places in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index since 2018; notes the need for progress on freedom of expression, media independence and pluralism; calls on Albania to ensure a policy of zero tolerance for intimidation and attacks against journalists, and the media; requests authorities to take decisive action against the violence, intimidation, smear campaigns and indirect political and financial pressure directed at independent media outlets and reporters, which seriously stifle media freedom, induce self-censorship and gravely undermine efforts to uncover crime and corruption; repeats its calls to improve the working conditions of journalists and to adopt regulations enhancing transparency around media ownership, funding and public advertising;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that any revision of media laws should be in line with the Venice Commission recommendations and should take place in a transparent and inclusive manner; in this regard, reiterates its grave concerns about the previously proposed so-called ‘anti-defamation package’, a legal act suffering from vagueness, that would likely have had a “chilling effect” suppressing free discussion and political speech in Albania, according to the Venice Commission6a; welcomes that the Parliament has initiated a process to review the current laws regarding the anti-defamation framework; _________________ 6a https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/docu ments/?pdf=CDL-AD(2020)013-e
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission to improve coordination and to address disinformation and hybrid threats that seek to undermine the EU perspective by more strategically underscoring the EU’s relevance to citizens in the Western Balkans;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls for further efforts to ensure and protect the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities; notes that persons with disabilities were among the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; deplores that during the April 2021 elections, persons with disabilities encountered barriers and difficulties to vote; calls for further efforts to address violence against persons with disabilities, improve overall accessibility (including services and information), and to promote employment; points out that the quality of education for disabled children, especially deaf children, remains a cause for concern;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the progress achieved in implementing the Istanbul Convention and calls on authorities to step up the prevention and responses to gender- based violence and femicide, to enhance support to survivors and to advance the prosecution of cases of harassment, and domestic violence andincluding violence against children; deplores that in Albania, 60% of all sexual abuse cases are committed against children - refugee and migrant children, and children with disabilities are extremely vulnerable to violence, exploitation, stigmatization and abuse;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Stresses that the authorities still need to strengthen the system for monitoring and combating child labour and other forms of exploitation;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Welcomes the ongoing efforts that should lead to systemic improvements in tackling organised crime, including the trafficking of humans, drugs, firearms and goods, along with cybercrime, violent crime, extremism and terrorist threats; commends the ongoing regional, bilateral and international cooperation on dismantling transnational crime networks, including with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies, such as Europol and Eurojust; highlights that Albania is the only country from the region that has signed cooperation agreements with all justice and home affairs agencies of the EU and that the first fully fledged joint operation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) outside the European Union was deployed at the Greek-Albanian border in May 2019; commends that Albania has allowed air monitoring by EU Member State law enforcement services to detect production of narcotics;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 c (new)
Paragraph 29 c (new)
29c. Underlines that the contribution of Albania to the protection of the European Union’s external border is of crucial importance; Stresses that border protection and the prevention of cross- border crime must continue to be a priority, and must be conducted in full respect for the fundamental rights enshrined in applicable international and regional laws and principles;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 d (new)
Paragraph 29 d (new)
29d. Notes that the Western Balkan countries serve as a transit corridor for migrants and refugees and that the large population movements in recent years have posed an enormous challenge to the region and EU Member States; notes that Albania continued to experience a growing influx of irregular migrants, mostly leaving Albania after a few days, on the way to other EU countries; notes that the number of irregular migrants apprehended in Albania in 2020 increased by 13% compared with 2019; stresses that the issue of Albanian nationals making unfounded asylum applications to EU Member States still requires substantial efforts from the Albanian authorities; calls for enhanced efforts in addressing the smuggling of migrants, in particular unaccompanied minors;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Stresses the need to improve the visibility of and communication concerning EU aid and Union financing in Albania; recalls, in this regard, the performance reward under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance to North Macedonia and Albania and notably the substantial support the EU has provided to the Western Balkans to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and to limit the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)