Activities of Tineke STRIK related to 2019/2174(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on North Macedonia
Amendments (42)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0641), its Annex, and the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Guidelines for the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans’ of 6 October 2020,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
Citation 8 b (new)
- having regard to the joint communication of 8 April 2020 of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy entitled ‘Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19’ (JOIN(2020)0011), and the Commission communication of 29 April 2020 entitled ‘Support to the Western Balkans in tackling COVID-19 and the post- pandemic recovery’,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council meeting of 19-20 June 2003,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a(new)
Recital A a(new)
Aa. whereas North Macedonia should be evaluated individually on its own merits against progress made on the criteria set by the European Council, and the speed and quality of reforms determine the timetable for accession to the EU; whereas the prospect of EU membership has been a fundamental incentive for reforms in the Western Balkan countries; whereas the enlargement process has played a decisive role as regards the stabilisation of the Western Balkans;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the European Council’s decision of 17-18 October 2019 to postpone the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia led to political instability in the country and early elections in 2020;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D f (new)
Recital D f (new)
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D g(new)
Recital D g(new)
Dg. whereas the misuse of the accession process for the settlement of unilateral cultural-historical disputes by EU Member States would set a dangerous precedent for the future accession processes for the rest of the Western Balkan countries, especially considering the historical context of the region;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D k (new)
Recital D k (new)
Dk. whereas the current hold-up of approving the negotiating framework and holding the first Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in the Council of the EU is jeopardizing the Union’s credibility in the Western Balkans and reducing the EU's transformative power and impact in the region considerably;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on EU Member States to show clear political will and stand by their promises and commitments to North Macedonia in order for the EU to remain a credible and reliable partner for accession countries; therefore urges the Council to approve the negotiating framework and hold the first IGC with North Macedonia without further delay;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Reminds Member States that the enlargement policy must be driven by objective criteria and not be impeded by unilateral interests; reiterates that the EU’s enlargement policy has been the most effective foreign policy instrument of the Union and that its further dismantlement might lead to an unstable situation in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Expresses its solidarity with the people of North Macedonia, whose patience and confidence in the European future of their country should be rewarded by continuing engagements from the EU side;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Calls upon the European Commission to implement the “more for more” principle rigorously, in particular in relation to North Macedonia, in the context of IPA III or the Western Balkans Economic and Investment Plan, given the significant progress and good steps by the country over the reporting period and as a sign of solidarity from our Union;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is concerned over the impeded access to justice during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting from lack of capacity of the courts to adjust and operate in a digital manner, for example; therefore encourages the authorities to speed up the digitalisation of the judiciary and the related administration;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Commends the fact that opposition parties remained engaged in the Sobranie, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, and supported key decisions in the common national interest; is, however, worried by the growing use of nationalist and inflammatory rhetoric by some political actors and non-constructive attitudes of part of the opposition, in particular in relation to the recent process of amending the Rules of Procedures of the Assembly;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underscores the needrges the Assembly to improve the legislative process by minimising the use of fast track procedures, and by enablincreasing transparency, publishing information on law-making processes in a timely and inclusive manner, and conducting proper consultations and impact assessments; recalls the need to upgrade the parliamentary rules of procedure by consensus; reiterates the importance of cooperation with and sustainable funding for civil society in order to ensure a sound scrutiny of public institutions leading to the necessary checks and balances in a democratic society;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Urges authorities to ensure comprehensive transparency and unimpeded access to information for citizens, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Stresses the fact that the COVID- 19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on non-majority communities by deepening inequality, exacerbating existing problems, and calls on the government and authorities to take these issues into account in their responses to the pandemic;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Underlines the unsatisfactory pace of implementation of Roma inclusion policies and lack of sufficient capacity for implementation, coordination, monitoring, and absorption of funds; encourages the authorities to ensure unimpeded implementation of the Law on persons without regulated civil status and to resolve the issue of lack of personal documents for Roma;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Urges the effective implementation of the hate crime legislation and legislation against gender biased violence;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Welcomes positive steps towards institutional support for the advancement of human rights of LGBTI+ persons, but notes that discrimination of the LGBTI+ community remains a prevalent problem and that implementation of the regulatory framework by state institutions should be prioritised; calls for increased action to fight hate speech and hate crimes against LGBTI+ persons, encourage reporting of these crimes and stop impunity;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Is concerned by cases of police brutality against marginalized communities such as Roma, LGBTI+ persons, people who use drugs, or sex workers;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the renewed adoption of anti-discrimination legislation, and urges the authorities to follow up with an inclusive and transparent process establishing an independent Anti- Discrimination Commission, ensuring protection and inclusion of all marginalised groups; encourages the Sobranie to adopt legislation which will enable a simplified, transparent and accessible procedure based on self-determination for legal gender recognition, and prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the steady improvementCalls for further progress in ensuring meaningful and timely inclusion of civil society in the decision- making processes across different policy areas, as well as in safeguarding the financial sustainability of the non- governmental sector, and calls for further progress in these field; notes with concern that during the pandemic, funds for civil society were cut in a budget restructuring; underlines that, while the government needs to address the unexpected consequences of the pandemic, budget restructuring should not be to the detriment of the sustainability of the civil society sector and without undertaking proper consultation processes;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Welcomes the set-up of the external oversight mechanism of the police in the Ombudsman’s Office, which includes civil society representatives; notes, however, that while this mechanism is functional, it remains inactive due to the lack of cooperation of the current Ombudsman with civil society; calls for continuing to address police impunity through the systematic implementation of safeguards against ill-treatment by police, the use of genuinely independent investigators, and strengthening of control mechanisms of the police;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Is concerned by the continued legal shortcomings of and delay in the selection process of the new Ombudsman, which needs to be transparent, inclusive, and merit-based, and involve civil society; calls on North Macedonia to further improve the human rights situation in practice, complete the appointment of members of independent and regulatory bodies based on merit, and to take measures to guarantee the functional independence of these bodies at all times, including through appropriate allocation of funds;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Urges North Macedonia to increase efforts aimed at gender equality and women’s rights, including by prioritising gender mainstreaming and increased cooperation with civil society, in particular women’s organisations;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on lawmakers in Northern Macedonia to take steps to ensure an adequate representation of women in all decision-making positions, and to further address the gender imbalance and gender pay gap in the labour forcelack of implementation of women workers’ rights, gender stereotyping, gender imbalance and gender pay gap in the labour force; points to significant gender differences in participation and quality of work, insufficient action on sexual harassment in the workplace, discrimination in legal provisions related to maternity leave, and the lack of childcare and pre-school capacity;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the country’s efforts in improving cooperation on managing migration and addressing the needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants; recalls the need to establish a viable mechanism for managing irregular migratory flows, ensuring international protection and combating people smuggling networks, as well as adopting an effective approach for the prevention of refoulement, integration of migrants and the re-integration of returnees;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Expresses its concern with regards to the allegations by several NGOs of pushbacks and violence with alleged involvement of the North Macedonian police; calls on the authorities to put in place an active monitoring mechanism and to undertake the necessary steps to prevent these violations of international law;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Acknowledges that the generally favourable environment for freedom of expression and media independence must be enhanced through improved self- regulation, transparency of ownership and advertising market, while increasing financial sustainability and impartiality of public and private media outlets; stresses that public financing of media, including paid political advertising, must be transparent, follow clear criteria and engage all relevant stakeholders;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Encourages systemicUrges the Assembly to unblock the stalemate on media reforms that would reinvigorate competition,increase the independence ofand capacity of the media regulator and the public service broadcaster, and quality investigative journalism;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls for effective investigations into physical threats and verbal attacks against media professionals and further improvement of the legal framework in order to increase the safety of journalists, including by tackling impunity of perpetrators;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Condemns the attempts of media outlets close to the Hungarian government to interfere in the media in North Macedonia with the goal of discrediting the government of North Macedonia, posing a serious threat to media freedom and democracy; urges the European Commission to open dialogue with the Hungarian authorities with regards to this interference and to consider taking necessary steps;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notes the significance of ensuring quality journalism and media literacy for tackling widespread disinformation and fake news; urges the EEAS to address disinformation and hybrid threats that seek to undermine the European perspective of the region by more strategically underscoring the EU’s relevance to citizens in the region; stresses the need to improve coordination in order to fight regional disinformation campaigns; reminds of the strong link between weaknesses in media freedom and opportunities for local and foreign actors to manipulate facts and spread disinformation; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to closely cooperate on those linkages and overlapping challenges, as well as to foster the creation of a Balkan-focused Centre of Excellence on disinformation;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recalls that substantial efforts are still needed to meet the targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of supply and emission reductions; emphasises the importance of tackling energy poverty;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Recalls the potential of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans to enhance regional connectivity through Rail Corridor VIII to Bulgaria, and gas interconnectors to Greece, Kosovo and Serbiabroader regional and cross- border cooperation; stresses that any investment must be in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and EU decarbonisation targets, and therefore calls upon the European Commission to put forward ex ante environmental impact assessments for each individual project, with the obligation to terminate projects which are not in line with the European Green Deal and climate targets;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls for political will to implement ambitious environmental protection and sustainable development plans, including by setting up an integrated regional waste management system; urges the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including by developing a comprehensive climate strategy and adopting a law, consistent with the EU 2030 framework, and develop a National Energy and Climate Plan, in line with Energy Community obligations;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Reiterates its calls to address an alarming level of urban air pollution ,in particular in urban areas, via a transition to sustainable energy, heating and transport, as well as by improving inter- sectoral coordination and increasing financial resources for reduction of air pollution at the local and national level;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Regrets thatLooks forward to holding the first intergovernmental conference, kick- starting the accession talks without further delay, and calls on Bulgaria and North Macedonia have yet to find a compromise on issues related to history and language, trusts that they will soon be settled in order not to jeopardise the integration momentum, and looks forward to while reiterating that this dispute has no relation whatsoever to the official accession criteria and shoulding of the first intergovernmental conference, kick-starting the accession talks without a further delay be settled separately from the accession process of North Macedonia;