Activities of Tineke STRIK related to 2022/2200(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2022 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2022 Commission Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
Amendments (70)
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
— having regard to the relevant European Court of Human Rights rulings in favour of the plaintiffs, including Azra Zornić, Dervo Sejdić and Jakob Finci, among others,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 28 a (new)
Citation 28 a (new)
— having regard to the Transparency International 2022 Corruption Perception Index ranking BiH 110 out of 180 countries,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas enlargement ishas been the EU’s most effective foreign policy instrument to incentivise and encourage fundamental reforms, including in the area of the rule of law, and represents a geostrategic investment in lasting peace, democracy, stability and security throughout the continent;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas the enlargement policy’s effectiveness has considerably decreased over the last years due to a failure from the EU side to live up to its promises, as well as due to a lack of genuine political will to advance fundamental reforms by some of the political leaders of the enlargement countries;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas recent developments, in particular the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, have shown that non- enlargement has a massive strategic cost and can undermine security and stability on our continent;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the new enlargement momentum sparked by the changed geopolitical reality after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the applications for EU membership by some of the Eastern Partnership countries has prompted the EU to accelerate the long-overdue deliveries to the Western Balkans by starting accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, in the context of these geopolitical considerations, BiH has been granted EU candidate country status, too; whereas its further progress towards EU accession depends on implementing the 14 key priorities identified in the Commission opinion on its application for EU membership;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas genuine reconciliation in BiH is neededdemocratic transformation, the rule of law, adherence to EU rules, values and standards, based on its multicultural character and equal right well as socio-economic reforms, play a central role in the EU accession process;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas more than 25 years after the war has ended, the country is still malfunctioning due to the deep ethno- nationalistic division promoted by the political elites, secessionist attempts and a high degree of corruption, which amongst others leads to thousands of citizens leaving the country each year due to a lack of prospects in their home countries;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas actors of malign foreign interference aims to destabilise BiH; whereas some neighbouring countries and also EU Member States continue to meddle in the internal political affairs of BiH, preventing the country from moving forward towards the EU, from overcoming ethnic division and from engaging in a process of genuine reconciliation;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the European Council's decision to grant candidate status to BiH in the context of the changed geopolitical reality following the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine; reiterates its clear support for BiH’s EU integration, grounded in unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. EncouraRegrets the slow pace in the implementation of the 14 key priorities since 2019 and urges all authorities to seize the momentum to meaningfully advance on the 14 key priorities, in full respect for proper democratic, transparent and inclusive procedures within the competent institutions, and avoid slipping back into obstructive policies; underscores that BiH’s path towards EU accession needs to be anchored in functioning democratic institutions, rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, respect for fundamental rights and non-discrimination for all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the constitution;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to continue supporting BiH’s EU integration based on strict conditionality; in this context, calls on the EU to publish detailed explanations and measurement criteria on the implementation of the 14 key priorities with a view to raise awareness among the citizens about the EU integration process, as well as to strengthening monitoring capacities in the country;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the EU to intensify efforts to enable BiH authorities to work towards achieving conditions that would allow BiH to further progress on its EU integration path; urges all political actors in BiH to stop blocking the work of institutions and the democratic processes in the country;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Member States to urgently respond to the challenges to the European security posed by Russia, the increased tensions in BiH and the threats and acts of secession that undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement; demands, in this respect, significantly increased troop levels, the deployment of an EU Battle Group or similar force to the Brčko District, and the provision of a sufficient number of helicopters that can transport credible and effective military units able to fulfil EUFOR Althea’s Chapter VII executive mandate on short notice and everywhere in the country and can help to evacuate Liaison and Observation Teams’ houses in case of serious security incidents;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes BiH’s increased alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), and urges for the effective implementation of sanctions stemming from CFSP alignment; in this context, urges BiH to immediately join the EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus; remains concerned about the close ties of several high-ranking politicians and officials, particularly from RS, with the Russian regime and the potential security impact of these ties;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on the BiH authorities, NATO and EUFOR Althea to launch a reform process of the BiH armed forces with the aim of dissolving the three infantry brigades whose soldiers are mainly grouped according to ethnic affiliation and, instead, form truly multiethnic units;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Denounces in the strongest terms the recurring inflammatory rhetoric and secessionist laws and policies by the leadership of the Republika Srpska (RS)S entity, including the celebration of the so-called RS Day; highlights that the RS Day has been declared unconstitutional and urges the authorities to enforce the judgement of the Constitutional Court in this regard; denounces the presence of Serbian high- level government representatives at the illegal festivities; underlines that such actions destabilise BiH, undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, contradict BiH’s EU perspective and endanger access to EU funding;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Urges the relevant international and EU institutions to closely monitor the development of police forces in Republika Srpska (RS), with a special focus on whether equipment, armament, and training go beyond policing and into more paramilitary or military functions, which could potentially create additional tensions, threaten the safe and secure environment in the country and be incompatible with the Dayton Peace Agreement;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Reiterates its condemnation of the conclusions adopted on 10 December 2021 by the Republika Srpska National Assembly (RSNA) on the withdrawal from state-level institutions, the passing of the Law on Immovable Property Used for the Functioning of Public Authority, adopted by the RSNA on 10 February 2022, and the National Assembly’s vote aimed at establishing a separate High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; reiterates its concerns about allegations regarding the role of the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Várhelyi in the vote of the RSNA on the roadmap for its withdrawal from the State institutions of BiH; is deeply concerned that Commissioner Várhelyi deliberately seeks to circumvent and undermine the centrality of democratic and rule of law reforms in EU accession countries, including BiH; recalls the Commissioners’ obligations of integrity, discretion and independence, in compliance with the code of conduct for the Members of the Commission, and their obligations under the Treaties; in this context, urges the Commission to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into the conduct of Commissioner Várhelyi and to report the results of such investigation to the Parliament and Council; regrets the fact that the Commission has not yet launched such an investigation despite multiple requests by the European Parliament; condemns the insults directed by Commissioner Várhelyi against the Members of this Parliament during a plenary debate in February 2023 on the EU’s enlargement policy in the Western Balkans;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its call for targeted sanctions against destabilising actors in BiH, notably against the President of RS, Milorad Dodik, and other high-ranking members of his party SNSD; reiterates its calls on all Member States to ensure that such sanctions will be adopted by the Council;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Condemns malign foreign interference by third actors in BiH, notably Russia and China’s destabilisation of the Western Balkans, but also neighbouring countries like Serbia, as well as EU Member States, notably Croatia and Hungary; notes with concern that pro- Russian propaganda and narratives are pushed primarily by domestic actors;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Is highly alerted that the EU accession countries in the Western Balkans are being hit particularly hard by attacks in the form of foreign interference and disinformation campaigns stemming from Russia and China; is alarmed that Hungary and Serbia are helping China and Russia with their geopolitical objectives; recommends convening dialogues with Western Balkan civil society and the private sector to coordinate anti-disinformation efforts in the region, with an emphasis on research and analysis and the inclusion of regional expertise; calls on the Commission to build up the infrastructure required to produce evidence-based responses to both short-term and long-term disinformation threats in the Western Balkans; calls on the EEAS to take a more proactive stance, focusing on building the EU’s credibility in the region, rather than defending it, in expanding StratCom monitoring to focus on cross-border disinformation threats emanating from Western Balkan countries and their neighbours;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the rule of law, good governance, pluralism and fundamental rights need to be mainstreamed in the EU’s Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) funding, which must be based on strict conditionality; recalls that EU funding for projects in the RS entity should remain frozen until the reversal of democratic backsliding by the RS entity and until full alignment with the CFSP, as enshrined in the IPA III Regulation; stresses that the IPA III funding must be modulated or even suspended in the case of significant regression or persistent lack of progress in the area of the “fundamentals”, notably in the field of the rule of law and fundamental rights, including the fight against corruption and organised crime, as well as media freedom; stresses that it is in the EU’s own security interests and its responsibility to guarantee that EU funds do not become counterproductive by strengthening clientelistic networks of corrupt politicians and privileged businesses;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls, in this context, on the EU and the Western Balkan countries to establish a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the accession countries; encourages the Western Balkan countries to swiftly conclude bilateral working arrangements with the EPPO in order to facilitate close cooperation and the prosecution of the misuse of EU funds, including through the secondment of national liaison officers to the EPPO;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Urges the Commission to implement the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors Special Report 01/2022, in order to ensure an effective impact of the EU's financial assistance in support of the rule of law in the Western Balkans, in particular by developing guidelines on the application of IPA III provisions on modulation and conditionality;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Recalls that EU funding for projects in the RS entity should remain frozen until the reversal of democratic backsliding by the RS entity and until full alignment with the CFSP; calls on the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Várhelyi to seek an opinion by the Member States and the European Parliament prior to resuming funds for the RS, in light of the political sensitiveness of such a decision;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urgently calls on BiH to engage in regular inter-parliamentary cooperation through the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, which would contribute to the fulfilment of the 14 key priorities;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the factNotes that the general elections held in October 2022 were generally well organised and competitive; notes howeverregrets, however, the numerous irregularities reported before and during the elections, and that they took place against a backdrop of stagnant reforms, divisive rhetoric and political obstruction; takes note of the changes introduced by the High Representative toand financial obstruction; regrets the cases of abuse of public resources to promote political parties, non-transparent financing of the election campaign, trading of polling stations between political parties, political pressure directed towards the Central Election Commission, the provision of special benefits to citizens before the election laws and constitution of the Federation of BiH, aimed at addressing a number of functionality issues; the increase in public spending before the elections; urges the authorities to take adequate measures to prevent indirect and direct vote buying in the future and underlines the need to prevent officials from abusing public expenditure, especially during the pre-election period;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Strongly regrets the lack of transparency and inclusiveness, as well as the timing of the changes to the election law and the constitution of the Federation of BiH introduced by the High Representative Christian Schmidt on the election day; regrets that these changes undermined the election process, cement the ethnic divisions in the country and were obviously favouring the electoral interests of the Bosnian Croat ethno- nationalist party HDZ BiH; regrets that although these measures were aimed at addressing functionality issues, they have the opposite effect and hamper functionality, in particular in the mid- and long-term perspective of the country; repeats its calls on the High Representative to swiftly withdraw these changes; nonetheless, underlines its full support for the mandate of the OHR, including the implementation of the 5+2 agenda, given the absence of functioning accountability mechanisms at national level and the weaknesses in the rule of law; recalls that the Bonn powers attributed to the High Representative should be used with great caution and as a measure of last resort;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Regrets the failure of political actors to bring the constitution and the electoral framework in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (Sejdić-Finci, Zornić, Pilav and Šlaku cases); calls on all decision makers to reach an agreement in line with the verdicts of international and domestic courts, as well as the political agreement of 12 June 2022; supports limited, transparent and inclusive reforms that would enable a sustainable transformation of the Dayton Peace Agreementbased on comprehensive consultations and public dialogue with citizens, civil society, independent experts and all relevant stakeholders in the country, that would enable a sustainable transformation of the Dayton Peace Agreement into a constitution, fully in line with European standards and principles, in order to overcome ethno-nationalistic division and progress on the path towards the EU; reiterates that any electoral reform must not deepen ethnic division;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on BiH to harmonise party registration rules and to ensure the transparency of political party financing; acknowledges the steps taken by the Central Election Commission and calls for its capacities to be strengthened; strongly denounces the threats by some political actors in BiH against the members of the Central Election Commission; reiterates its full support to the CEC and invites the EU Delegation to offer concrete support to the CEC members in case of threats;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. CReiterates the urgent need for a judicial reform across BiH to improve the professionalism and integrity of the judiciary based on the 14 key priorities and the 2019 Priebe report recommendations; calls for the judiciary’s integrity and independence to be strengthened, namely by bringing the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) and the Law on Courts in line with EU standards, and by eliminating selective justice, the case backlog, corruption, a lack of transparency and poor oversight; expresses its concerns regarding numerous scandals involving political pressure and irregularities during the selection of high-ranking judges and prosecutors;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Strongly denounces all attempts to form parallel institutions on the entity level, which dangerously undermine the state institutions, the constitutional and legal order, judicial independence and sovereignty; calls on the RS entity to immediately withdraw and revoke the laws claiming state property; takes positive note of the decision of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to suspend the RS entity Law on Immovable Property and repeats the OHR call to align entity legislation with the rulings of the Constitutional Court;
Amendment 201 #
17 b. Highlights that the HJPC model is fundamentally flawed as it allows prosecutors and lawyers to prevail over judges and is highly politicised; calls on the authorities to guarantee full access to trials to journalists so that they can act as watchdogs and monitor the enforcement of the rule of law and human rights; calls on the courts to publish all their decisions online and to answer media questions and freedom of information requests;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Expresses its deep concern about the lack of progress on preventing widespread corruption and the increasing signs of state capture, political interference and obstruction; reiterates the need to investigate political and administrative links to organised crime; regrets the lack of final convictions for high-level corruption cases in the last years, which fosters a culture of impunity; urges the authorities to conduct criminal proceedings in a timely manner and to step up their efforts to effectively prosecute and finalise high-profile corruption cases; urges BiH to adopt conflict of interest laws and an Anti- Corruption Strategy, as well as to strengthen protection for whistleblowers; in line with the EU acquis, by ensuring the implementation of the existing laws and the independence of the responsible institutions for the implementation of such laws;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for increased resources and competences for anti-corruption structures, as well as for the adoption of integrity plans for these structures; points to the added value of effective cooperation among law enforcement agencies and with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the steps taken to increase the alignment of public procurement laws with the EU acquis; expresses its concern aboutthat the new proposals for a procurement law do not sufficiently address the sector’s vulnerabilities to corruption and irregularities, which needs further significant improvement;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Reconciliation, regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Expresses its full solidarity with all survivors of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and their families; deplorestrongly condemns all historical revisionism, including genocide denial, the glorification of war crimes and war criminals, and the contestation of established facts and tribunals; calls for effective prosecution of such cases; notes positively the decrease in cases of genocide denial and glorification of war criminals since the amendment of the Penal Code in 2021, which criminalises these practices, introduced by the previous High Representative Valentin Inzko; regrets, however, that the prosecution has failed to initiate any criminal proceedings on these matters and that no perpetrator has been brought to justice; urges the authorities, notably the State’s Prosecutor Office to effectively investigate and prosecute such cases; condemns, in particular, the ban of the RS security forces of a march commemorating the victims of the massacre in Prijedor; strongly condemns the violent attacks on 25 March 2023 against two returnees to Višegrad and urges the RS authorities to investigate these cases and hold the perpetrators accountable; calls for the adoption of a common curriculum in history textbooks based on court- established facts related to the war as a means to avoid historical revisionism and encourages the EU to support this initiative;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes the ongoing reduction in the backlog of war crimes cases, but regrets that the pace remains slowCalls on the authorities to ensure the implementation of the revised National War Crimes Processing Strategy, notably by ensuring an adequate division of cases between the prosecutors’ offices so that the most complex cases are transferred to the state level; against this background, recalls that the strategy will expire at the end of 2023 and calls on the authorities to adopt a new strategy; notes the ongoing reduction in the backlog of war crimes cases, but regrets that the pace remains slow; calls on the courts to facilitate public access to the war crimes verdicts; regrets that some war criminals convicted by the BiH courts escape justice by hiding in Serbia and Croatia as they hold dual citizenships;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for furthe implementation of the law on missing persons and the establishment of a fund that supports their efforts on the issue of missing persons; families; calls for the harmonisation of the legislation aiming to guarantee a wide range of rights for the civilian victims of the war; in this context, takes positive note of the adoption of the Law on Civilian Victims of War in the Brčko District, which legally recognises children born of wartime rape as civilian victims of the war, but calls on the Brčko District to address its shortcomings; warmly welcomes the adoption by the Government of the Federation of BiH of the Draft Law on Protection of Civilian Victims War, which recognises children as a special category of civilian victims of war and provides them with special rights; urges the authorities in RS to adopt a legislative framework that addresses the discrimination faced by children born as a result of the war;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Calls on the state authorities to adopt a law on victims of torture during the war;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Welcomes that the film ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ received the 2022 LUX Audience Award of the European Parliament and the European Film Academy; is, however, concerned that the public broadcaster of RS has denied broadcasting this film about the Srebrenica genocide; condemns the public funding by some municipalities of RS of the propaganda revisionist movie ‘Republika Srpska: Struggle for freedom’;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. WelcomNotes BiH’s active participation in regional cooperation; welcomes the recent agreements in the context of the Berlin Process and calls for their swift ratification, especially the agreements regarding the free movement of people; calls on BiH to work towards enabling visa-free travel between BiH and Kosovo;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Emphasises the vital role of independent media; strongly condemns attacks on and threats and intimidation, smear campaigns, insults, intimidation and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) against journalists, including by politicians and, public figures and private companies; insists on an appropriate, systematic and effective judicial follow- up and the; reiterates its calls on the authorities to assign a special layer of protection ofor journalists in the criminal codes;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26 a. Notes with concern that both, private and public media, are strongly influenced by political parties and are financially unstable; calls on BiH to introduce legislation to ensure transparency of media ownership, more transparent and specific criteria for the public funding of the media, as well as to secure the financial sustainability of the public broadcasting system and independent appointment procedures; highlights the importance of ensuring an adequate representation of minority and vulnerable groups, especially in the public media;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26 b. Expresses its deep concern about the amendments to the Criminal Code of RS, which foresee the (re-)criminalisation of defamation and slander with harsh penalties, including prison sentences; considers this decision as one of the most serious attack on media freedom and freedom of expression in many years and urges the government of RS to immediately withdraw the proposed amendments;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26 c. Underlines the need to strengthen capacity building for prosecutors and judges when dealing with hate speech and attacks against journalists; invites the EU to increase its financial and technical support for quality journalism and media trainings, dedicated especially to investigative and independent media outlets;
Amendment 269 #
27. DeploresCondemns all forms of discrimination, segregation, violence and hate speech against minorities, and urges effective prosecution of such cases; calls on BiH to safeguard and promote the countrywide the rights of all minorities, including the Roma and other vulnerable groups such as migrants and refugees, and to collect data on hate crimes categorised by the motivation;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Urges the authorities to significantly improve the institutional response to sexual and gender-based violence, to collect data on femicides and to increase and improve protective measures, such as victim support, legal aid and safe accommodation; recalls that BiH also needs to accelerate the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence, provide reparation to women victims of war crimes, and secure witness protection;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Calls for the legislation on gender equality to be harmonised with the Istanbul Convention across the country and to be effectively enforced; points to the fact that women are under- represented in politics and public life and gender impact assessments are not carried out as required by law; calls on the BiH authorities 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 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Regrets that rulings of the European Court of Human Rights have still not been implementedCalls on BiH to urgently implement the pending rulings of the European Court of Human Rights; deeply regrets the discriminatory provisions under the BiH Constitution that prevent citizens from enjoying equal political rights, leaving BiH with a system of constitutional systemic discrimination without equality of all citizens; reiterates that without the abolishment of all these discriminatory provisions, BiH’s electoral system remains in violation of EU standards, which need to be respected to progress in the enlargement process;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underscores the importance of inclusive and quality education, including by systematically reforming "ethnified" and divisive curricula that seriously hamper internal mobility and limit the critical thinking skills required to combat the effects of disinformation; reiterates its call for an urgent end to the discriminatory practice of ‘two schools under one roof’;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recognises the key role of civil society, particularly in reform processes, as well as in reconciliation efforts; calls on the authorities to foster a conducive environment for their work; calls for the protection and promotion of the freedom of assembly and of expression to be enhanced and to implement effective and meaningful consultation mechanisms with civil society organisations; strongly condemns attacks, threats, intimidation and smear campaigns against human rights defenders and urges the authorities to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice; calls for the protection and promotion of the freedom of assembly and of expression to be enhanced, noting that there has been no substantial progress in the harmonisation of the fragmented legislation on freedom of assembly both at the entity and cantonal levels; calls on all authorities to align their legislation on freedom of assembly with the EU acquis and international standards following the model of the Brčko District as a good example;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 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; condemns the use of SLAPP cases that were filed against civil society organisations, notably environmental protection organisations, and regrets the involvement of EU-based companies in this practice; reiterates its calls on the authorities to ensure an enabling environment for civil society that upholds international standards and to develop and implement a strategic cooperation framework;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30 b. Is seriously concerned by the announcements of the President of RS Milorad Dodik to introduce a foreign agents law, which would dangerously stifle CSOs and criminalise the work of civil society; urges the authorities in RS not to introduce this legislation and to cease to label civil society representatives as foreign agents and mercenaries;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 c (new)
Paragraph 30 c (new)
30 c. Welcomes the success of the 3rd BiH Pride March in 2022 and looks forward to its 4th edition; regrets, however, the hurdles posed by the administration, the lack of cooperation of the authorities with the organisers, especially the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the obligation for the organisers to cover the costs of additional security measures; in this context, regrets that the authorities impose additional burdens to the Pride organisers and do not apply the law equally to all assemblies; denounces the counterprotests organised against BiH Pride by far-right and religious fundamentalist groups and the hate speech and bias reporting against the LGBTI+ community;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 d (new)
Paragraph 30 d (new)
30 d. Strongly condemns the violent homophobic attacks against journalists and activists from the organising committee of the BiH Pride March in Banja Luka on 18 March 2023; calls on the competent authorities to thoroughly investigate this hate crime and hold the perpetrators accountable; condemns the inaction of the security forces in RS who did not ensure the safety of the victims; highlights that the occurrence of these attacks happen in the context of the heightened inflammatory rhetoric of extremist political groups and organisations in RS, which fuels an anti- LGBTI+ sentiment in the entity;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 e (new)
Paragraph 30 e (new)
30 e. Strongly condemns President Dodik’s announcement of a law prohibiting LGBTIQ+ organisations from entering educational institutions;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Reiterates the need for solidarity- based migration and asylum management and a fair distribution of reception capacities; welcomes the opening of negotiations on BiH’s upgraded status agreement with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency; regrets persisting shortcomings in migration and border management; calls on BiH to fully align with the EU’s visa policythe need to ensure appropriate, dignified and fair reception capacities across the country, calls on BiH to improve the speed, length and quality of asylum procedures; is concerned about the reports on insufficient reception conditions in the EU-funded centre in Lipa and about EU supported intentions to create a migrant detention centre inside Lipa; stresses the need to increase transparency and democratic scrutiny in the allocation and implementation of EU funds in the field of migration, notably the large amount of funds implemented by the International Organisation for Migration; is concerned about the increased practice of migrant returns from BiH to countries of origin without proper asylum procedures, and by the involvement of IOM in this practice; reminds that BiH is geographically surrounded by EU Member States and strongly denounces that migrants attempting to enter Croatia, including to seek international protection in the European Union, have been violently pushed back by Croatia, in a flagrant breach of EU human rights, and refugee law and exacerbating the inhuman and degrading conditions of migrants in BiH; urgently calls on the Commission to hold the Croatian government accountable and to start infringement proceedings for the continued patterns of violent pushbacks at the EU border with BiH; notes the opening of negotiations on BiH’s upgraded status agreement with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and recalls that any eventual agreement with this agency should fully respect fundamental rights and international standards;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes the Commission’s energy support package for the Western Balkansof €1 billion in EU grants for the Western Balkans to help them overcome the energy crisis, including immediate budgetary support of €70 million to BiH; underlines the utmost importance that the emergency funds must be designated to relieve the effects of the energy crisis and support BiH towards an energy efficient and renewable energy based economy; calls on the authorities to make the best use of this assistance in order to build a resilient and environmentally friendly energy system in line with the REpowerEU plan; underlines the importance of ensuring a reliable and clean energy supply, diversifying energy sources, and investing in renewables and in the improvement of energy efficiency; recommends strengthening BiH’s integration into the European energy market;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Urges BiH to finalise and adopt than ambitious, credible and cohesive national energy and climate plan; calls on it to adopt the necessary legislation on gas, electricity, renewable energtranspose the Clean Energy Package in a timely mand energy efficiency,ner and to ensure the full harmonisation of laws at the state-level for a functional energy market;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Calls on BiH to accelerate its implementation of projects under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans andthat would allow the country to lift its dependency on fossil fuels, thereby promoting the pathway towards decarbonisation and aiding in the accomplishment of the Green Agenda objectives;
Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Welcomes the announcement by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH) government to reject a proposal for an alternative Chinese subcontractor for the proposed Tuzla 7 coal-fired power plant and calls on the authorities to stop the support for the controversial Tuzla 7 power plant altogether with a view to opening the path for BiH meeting its international obligations towards decarbonisation and fighting climate change; regrets the decision of the national authorities to extend the lifetime of the Tuzla 4 and Kakanj 5 coal power plants;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37 b. Underlines the need to improve ex- ante comprehensive strategic environmental assessments (SEA) with the meaningful involvement of the concerned local communities, civil society organisations and independent experts; highlights the need to increase the transparency of relevant procedures for infrastructure projects across eco- sensitive sectors; stresses the importance to increase environmental mainstreaming in different sectoral policies; calls on BiH to boost the prosecution of environmental crimes;
Amendment 386 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 c (new)
Paragraph 37 c (new)
37 c. Notes some positive developments with regards to environmental protection and commends the work of local environmental organisations and civil society activists; urges BiH to respect a strong environmental message coming from its citizens, who are calling for the protection of rivers and public goods in both entities, urging for the harmonisation of the environmental laws in line with the EU acquis, as well as calling for an immediate abolition of incentives for all small hydropower plants; calls on BiH to protect its rivers and prevent the construction and the development of small hydroelectric power plants on their banks;
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 d (new)
Paragraph 37 d (new)
37 d. Calls on BiH to increase the number and size of protected natural areas by adopting and implementing the Directive on Birds and Habitats, as well as the Water Framework Directive; stresses the need to maintain the integrity of existing national parks and other protected areas; calls on the authorities to enforce the laws and measures for environmental protection with the aim to mitigate the impact of mining activities on the environment;
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 e (new)
Paragraph 37 e (new)
37 e. Calls for urgent action to tackle soil and water contamination and management; urges the government to step up efforts on improving air quality and reducing air pollution, in particular in urban areas; calls on the local authorities to initiate effective air quality protection programs in the cities of BiH; is concerned that the country’s capital Sarajevo has been often at the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world in terms of air quality and urges for compliance with its own emissions legislation;