67 Amendments of Tineke STRIK related to 2022/2203(INI)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
— having regard to the Joint Staff Working Document, accompanying the Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council “EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III: An ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action (2021-2025)”,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 31 a (new)
Citation 31 a (new)
— having regard to the Special Report 01/2022 of the European Court of Auditors: EU support for the Rule of Law in the Western Balkans: despite efforts, fundamental problems persist, of 10 January 2022,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 31 b (new)
Citation 31 b (new)
— having regard to the Transparency International 2022 Corruption Perception Index ranking North Macedonia 85 out of 180 countries,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 33 a (new)
Citation 33 a (new)
— whereas the EU has reiterated its full and unequivocal commitment to the EU’s membership perspective of North Macedonia and that the future of the country and its citizens lies within the EU;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas enlargement ishas historically been the most effective EU foreign policy instrument and is a geostrategic investment in long-term peace; to incentivise and encourage fundamental reforms, including in the area of the rule of law, and represents a geostrategic investment in long-term peace, democracy, stability and security throughout the continent;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the effectiveness of the enlargement policy has considerably decreased over the last years due to a failure from the EU side to live up to its promises, notably the unfair and unjustified delay in starting accession negotiations with North Macedonia, 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 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas North Macedonia has established itself as a reliable partner, including in the area of foreign policy, and has delivered sustained reforms;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas democratic transformation, the rule of law, and reconciliationdherence to EU rules, values and standards, as well as socio- economic reforms, play a central role in the EU accession process;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine highlights the critical importance of EU enlargement, and has shown that non-enlargement has a massive strategic cost and can undermine security and stability on our continent;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. 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 of some 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, and granting the candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas each country should be judged on its own merits and whereas the accession process should not be misused to settle bilateral disputes, as this sets a very dangerous precedent for all future accession processes;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the long-overdue start of accession negotiations marks a new phase in EU–North Macedonia relations;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the political leaders in all Member States, as well as in the enlargement countries, need to prove their genuine commitment to enlargement based on the Copenhagen criteria with concrete steps and progress in order to re- energise the whole process, ensuring its continuity, consistency, credibility and impact;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Warmly welcomes North Macedonia’s consistent commitment to EU integration, despite difficult circumstances due to the unjustified and unfair delays in the enlargement process of the country, which has been underpinned by steady progress on guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, while moving towards cross-cutting policy alignment;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. CWelcomes and strongly commends North Macedonia’s full and consistent alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, including its clear-cut response to the aggression against Ukraine by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus agreed by the Council, as well as its support to the statements of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, fully confirming the country's strategic choice; welcomes North Macedonia’s continued active participation in EU missions and operations under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP); calls upon the EU to involve the country in any schemes that exist to mitigate the potential economic effects of restrictive measures against Russia, such as energy support schemes;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes North Macedonia’s 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship, especially in light of the current challenging global geopolitical context;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges decision-makers to foster a national consensus on EU integration, building upon a successful start to the screening process, to work towards the ambitious goal of meeting the criteria for EU membership by 2030; calls on the Member States not to further block North Macedonia’s path to the EU anymore, to constructively support the country to achieve this objective and to assess the country’s progress in light of the Copenhagen criteria;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Expresses concern aboutDeeply regrets the unjustified and unfair delays in the accession process; stresses the need to strengthen the process’s transparency, accountability and inclusiveness, including its parliamentary dimension;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Reminds Member States that the enlargement policy must be driven by objective criteria and not be impeded by unilateral interests, as it has happened in the case of North Macedonia; strongly condemns the misuse of veto powers by some Member States in the Council, which have unfairly delayed the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia, as well as with Albania; notes with concern that the support for EU membership has dropped significantly in the last years because of the EU’s, notably the Council’s, inability to deliver on its promises;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Repeats, against this background, its calls to enhance the EU’s capacity to act by reforming decision-making, including through the introduction of qualified majority voting in areas relevant to the accession process, and ensuring the effective functioning of an enlarged union as a whole; calls for abolishing, in particular, the requirement for unanimity when deciding on the start of the negotiation process, as well as the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Invites policymakers to constructively engage in the continued adoption and implementation of structural reforms, while strengthening decision- making transparency, inclusive consultations and the oversight abilities of the Assembly of North Macedonia (Sobranie), including under the auspices of the Jean Monnet Dialogue; urges all political parties to dedicate more efforts to reduce polarisation and to play a more constructive role;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the authorities to comprehensively address the outstanding electoral recommendations well ahead of the 2024 elections; reiterates its call to promptly review the electoral legislation in a transparent, timely and inclusive manner in line with the outstanding OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Venice Commission recommendations; stresses, in particular, the importance of removing all restrictions on the electoral rights of people with disabilities;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourages the country to increase institutional integrity and intensify its judicial reform; invites the government to swiftly adopt the new strategy and action plan for the judiciary sector as both expired in 2022; encourages, in particular, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Good Governance Policies to take more diligent steps towards the detection of corruption cases, as well as to increase the communication and outreach with the public about the results obtained; welcomes prosecutions related to the abuse of office and looks forward to systematic action to prevent, prosecute and follow-up on corruption cases; insists on adequate funding for and the effective functioning of independent bodies and agencies and on the consistent implementation of their decisions and recommendations; applauds anti-corruption contribution of independent civil society and the media;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls 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 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the authorities to effectively fight corruption and organised crime through coordinated investigations and prosecutions leading to final convictions and asset confiscations in cases involving high-level corruption, organised crime and money laundering; in this context, calls on the competent authorities to carry out regular and intensive investigations to prevent delays in the hearings of high- profile cases; calls on the authorities to implement the recommendations of the State Audit Office and the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Underlines the importance of continuing to deliver justice in major lawsuits related to the abuse of office, corruption and terror, including the April 2017 attacks against the Sobranie, illegal wiretapping and extortion; repeats, in this context, its call on Hungary to work with the Macedonian authorities to follow-up on the extradition request for their criminal former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who fled a jail sentence in North Macedonia and was granted asylum in Hungary;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Expresses concern over the election of high-ranking officials in the judicial system such as the Public Prosecutor for Organised Crime and Corruption, as well as members of the Judicial Council and members of the Board of the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, as the process lacked transparency and guarantees for independence;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Deplores the malign foreign interference and hybrid attacks, such as disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks and false bomb threats, directed against North Macedonia’s institutions and citizens; invites the authorities to considerably strengthen North Macedonia’s resilience against such threats; urges the Commission and the EEAS to further support the country in these efforts;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Invites North Macedonia to fully align with EU visa policy and to limit security risks related tomediately end its citizenship-by- investment scheme; urges the authorities to take further action against criminal trafficking networks and to step up cooperation with the EU’s justice and home affairs agencies while acting fully in line with fundamental rights;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for further progress on the reforms in the public administration and, notably to adopt the amendments to the Law on Administrative Servants and the Law on Public Sector Employees, as well as the Law on Top Management Service and the implementation of the reorganisation of the state administration; encourages the authorities to complete the local governance reform and the decentralisation process;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reiterates its calls to the Commission to implement the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors Special Report 01/2022 to ensure the effective rule-of-law impact of financial assistance in the Western Balkans, including in North Macedonia;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Reiterates its deep concerns about reports that the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Várhelyi deliberately seeks to circumvent and undermine the centrality of democratic and rule of law reforms in EU accession countries; urges the Commission to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into whether the conduct engaged in and the policies furthered by the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the Commission and of the Commissioner’s obligations under the Treaties; urges the Commission to report the results of such investigation to the Parliament and the Council; 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 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that North Macedonia’s commitment to upholding civil liberties and fundamental rights; welcomes its progress towards eliminating all types of discrimination and ensuring equalitylegal framework is largely in line with international and European standards, in particular regarding its commitment to upholding civil liberties and fundamental rights; welcomes its progress towards fighting discrimination and ensuring equality; against this background, calls on the authorities to tackle the intersectional discrimination that minorities face through a systemic and effective institutional approach;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the authorities to step up protection of women, Roma, the LGBTI+ community and other vulnerable groups and the prosecution of domestic and online abuse and to improve services for the victims of violence; welcomes changes to the Criminal Code of North Macedonia, covering crimes related to violence against women and the safety of journalists andgender-based violence and the safety of journalists, as well as the adoption of the Law on Compensation of Victims of Crime; highlights, however, the need to further harmonise the Criminal Code with the Istanbul Convention; insists on the need to strengthen North Macedonia’s anti- discrimination commission and Ombudsman’s office, including by guaranteeing its financial independence, and the Ombudsman’s office; in this context, calls on the authorities to effectively enforce the decisions of the Anti-Discrimination Commission and follow up on the Ombudsman’s recommendations;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Welcomes the draft law on gender equality and the progress achieved in establishing effective gender equality mechanisms; calls for the adoption of this law and for the allocation of sufficient resources for its implementation, while underlining the need to further strengthen gender mainstreaming mechanisms and fight gender-based discrimination in the country;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Commends North Macedonia’s well-established inter-community harmony and urgin line with the Ohrid Framework Agreement, which is a positive example in the Western Balkan region, and invites the country to sustain its long- standing commitment to multiculturalism and inclusiona functioning multi-ethnic democracy, including through implementing the Strategy “One Society for All”;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Welcomes the adoption of the Strategy for Roma Inclusion for 2022- 2030 and calls for its effective implementation; urges the authorities to ensure the inclusion of Roma children in the national education system line with the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, and to immediately end discriminatory practices such as segregated classrooms;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Welcomes the success of the 3rd Skopje Pride in 2022 and looks forward to its 4th edition; calls on the authorities to take further steps to ensure the equality of LGBTI+ persons, to swiftly adopt a national action plan on LGBTI+ rights and to ensure the allocation of sufficient resources for its implementation; urges all political actors to continue and accelerate the process of amending the Law on Civil Registry, which would ensure swift and unimpeded legal gender recognition on the basis of self-determination;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Is greatly concerned with the stark increase of an anti-gender movement in the country, as well as the spread of misinformation and discriminatory and hateful speech against the LGBTI+ community, particularly against transgender persons in the media and political discourse;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
18d. Condemns the consistent practice of pushbacks of migrants in North Macedonia, as reported by investigative media and human rights organisations; regrets the adoption of an Agreement between the EU and North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in North Macedonia, despite the fact that the Commission quoted in its fundamental rights impact assessment multiple reports about systematic pushbacks, sometimes accompanied by physical violence; reiterates its calls for the country to improve access to asylum and reception conditions and to put in place a proper migration management and registration system in full respect for fundamental rights and international standards; calls on both the EU and North Macedonia to guarantee the rights of asylum seekers and refugees; calls upon Frontex to monitor and act in compliance of fundamental rights when deployed in North Macedonia;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. NotUrges the Government of North Macedonia’s to improvinge its engagement with civil society, while ensuring inclusive consultations and transparency; and to ensure transparency and inclusive and meaningful consultations in the policymaking processes; urges the authorities to restore the dialogue with CSOs through the Council for Cooperation between the Government and Civil Society; against this background, calls on the government to foster the implementation of the 2022-2024 Strategy for Collaboration with and Development of Civil Society, as well as to ensure sufficient and sustainable funding for civil society organisations;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Acknowledges North Macedonia’s enabling environment for media freedom and; urges, however, the authorities to ensure transparency of media ownership, financing and political advertising, as well as the public broadcaster’s and the media regulator’s ability to operate independently; recalls the need to counter political interference and foreign and home-grown disinformation and manipulative narratives; deplores threats and attacks against journalistsreform the legal framework for media in an inclusive and transparent manner, effectively involving civil society and the association of journalists, to ensure transparency of media ownership, financing and political advertising, with a view to ensuring the competitive and equitable distribution of public funding and safeguarding fair competition and editorial independence;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Calls on the authorities to adopt a legal framework that protects journalists, human rights defenders and other stakeholders from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs);
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Stresses the importance of the public broadcaster’s and the media regulator’s ability to operate independently, impartially and professionally and calls upon the government to allocate sufficient resources to this end; calls for the withdrawal of the amendments to the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, which aim at removing the active ban on the government’s advertising in private media; recalls the need to counter political interference and foreign and home-grown disinformation and manipulative narratives; recalls the need to strengthen investigative journalism, fact-checking and media literacy as means to tackle hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference campaigns; in this context, calls on the Commission to step up its efforts of supporting media plurality in North Macedonia, notably by identifying ways to financially support free and independent media;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Is highly alerted that North Macedonia and the rest of 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, such as Russia’s interference campaigns during the ratification process of the Prespa Agreement; is alarmed that Hungary and Serbia are helping China and Russia with their geopolitical objectives; condemns, in this context, the attempts of media outlets and persons close to the Hungarian government to interfere and meddle with the media and media landscape in North Macedonia with the goal of discrediting the Macedonian government; urges the European Commission to open a dialogue with the Hungarian authorities with regard to this interference and to consider taking necessary steps; calls on the EU to enhance its dialogue with civil society and other relevant stakeholders 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, as well as in expanding StratCom monitoring to focus on cross-border disinformation threats emanating from Western Balkan countries and their neighbours;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)
Paragraph 20 d (new)
20d. Strongly condemns threats and attacks against human rights defenders and journalists, in particular against women journalists and journalists belonging to the LGBTI+ community; in this context, urges all political actors to stop and condemn hate speech, smear campaigns and harassment of independent civil society organisations and calls upon the competent authorities to enforce a zero-tolerance approach regarding intimidation, threats and acts of violence against human rights defenders and journalists and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
Reconciligional cooperation and good neighbourly relations
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. NoteCommends North Macedonia’s commitment to positive diplomacy and good neighbourly relations; reiterates its full support for a consistent mutual implementation of the Treaty of Friendship with Bulgaria and the Prespa Agreement with Greece; recalls that according to the new enlargement methodology of the Commission, all parties must abstain from misusing outstanding issues in the EU accession process;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Commends the country’s constructive engagement as part of inclusive regional cooperation initiatives and welcomes the tangible progress reached under the Berlin Process andon the Freedom of Movement with Identity Cards, on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, and on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications for Doctors of Medicine, Dentists and Architects and calls on all Western Balkan countries to speed up their implementation; commends the progress reached in the context of the EU-–Western Balkans summit in Tirana, the first-ever EU-Western Balkans Summit in the region;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Commends North Macedonia for hosting the meeting of the Belgrade- Pristina dialogue in Ohrid on 18 March 2023, which additionally proves the credibility and reliability of the country vis-à-vis its neighbours, which is key for the stability and prosperity of the Western Balkan region;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Warns against attempts by ultranationalists and extremists, as well as by third countries, to undermine peaceful inter-community and bilateral relations and deplores all internal and external actionscondemns all actions and violence that endanger stability and jeopardise regional reconcilicooperation;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Condemns the hate speech, smear campaigns and threats directed by some extremist Bulgarian politicians and officials against Macedonian citizens, including the death threat against the President Stevo Pendarovski by a Member of this Parliament; strongly condemns the irredentist idea of a “Greater Bulgaria” supported by the Bulgarian far-right, including by Members of this Parliament, which hampers good neighbourly relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia and contravenes EU values; stresses that the Macedonian history, language and identity should be fully respected by all EU Member States; in this context, invites Bulgaria and North Macedonia to find a compromise on issues related to history and language, while reiterating that this dispute must be settled separately from the accession process of North Macedonia;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Calls on the authorities to improve access to social, education and healthcare services, in particular for women from rural areas, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as people from the Roma and LGBTQI+ communities and other minorities and vulnerable groups;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Welcomes the draft changes on labour rights and calls for the full alignment of the law on working relations with the EU acquis to effectively guarantee the right for equal pay for equal work, to ensure pay transparency and to enhance the protection from discrimination based on pregnancy and maternity; underlines the need to strengthen the competences and allocate more resources to the State Labour Inspectorate to ensure the effective protection of workers’ rights and fight labour discrimination;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Underlines the transformative nature of the substantial EU assistance provided under the IPA and the Western Balkans investment framework, including the energy support package; stresses that funding should be suspended in cases of backtracking or unjustified delays on reforms, especially in the fields of democracy and the rule of law;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6
Subheading 6
Energy, the environment, biodiversity, sustainable development and connectivity
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Invites decision-makers to prioritise energy efficiency measures and welcomesurges them to take the necessary steps to accelerate the energy transition and energy diversification with a view to phasing out fossil fuels; applauds the EU energy support package for the Western Balkans, including immediate budgetary support of EUR 80 million for North Macedonia’s energy reforms; underlines that the emergency funds must be designated to relieve the effects of the energy crisis and calls on the authorities to make the best use of this assistance in order to build a resilient and environmentally friendly energy market in line with the REPowerEU plan; urges the authorities to step up efforts to mainstream environmental and climate action across sectors; expresses support for the region’s integration into the EU energy market; welcomes the diversification of energy sources and routes; highlights the importance of ensuring a reliable and clean energy supply and investing in renewables and in the improvement of energy efficiency;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Invites the competent authorities to review the National and Energy Climate Plan with a view to ensuring policy cohesion and credibility; in this context, encourages the authorities to integrate the recommendations from the consultations with the National Energy Community Secretariat;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Calls on the authorities to effectively transpose and implement the revised Clean Energy for all Europeans package;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Applauds the advancing energy transition away from coal towards solar and wind power through EU-supported flagship projects, including the Oslomej solar power plant and the expansion of the Bogdanci wind park; regrets, however, the reinstatement of the Negotino oil-based power plant, as well as the purchase of diesel generators for district heating solutions;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes the need to fill in transport connectivity gaps by improving planning and administrative and operational capacity through transparent tender procedures and by making progress on new and unfinished core infrastructure projects;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Urges the authorities to significantly improve the quality of their ex-ante Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) with the meaningful involvement of the concerned local communities, civil society organisations and independent experts; in this context, calls on the authorities to implement and enforce the SEA directive with a view to effectively preventing a negative impact on nature and environment, as well as rooting out corruption in this sector; highlights the need to increase the transparency of relevant procedures for infrastructure projects across eco- sensitive sectors, as well as the importance to increase environmental mainstreaming in different sectoral policies; calls on North Macedonia to boost the prosecution of environmental crimes;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls for further progress on climate protection; urges the Government of North Macedonia to step up efforts on improving air quality and reducing air pollution; welcomes its ongoing steps to protect nature,, including increasing capacities in the fight against climate change, both in terms of human and financial resources; urges the Government of North Macedonia to step up efforts on improving air quality and reducing air pollution, in particular in urban areas; is highly concerned, in this context, that the country’s capital Skopje has often been 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; welcomes the country's ongoing steps to protect nature; urges the government, however, to further designate more protected areas and to ensure the effective management and financing of the already existing protected areas; urges the authorities to amend the hunting and forest laws to ensure the survival of critically endangered species such as the Balkan lynx, as well as to complete the transposition of the Habitats and Birds Directives; welcomes steps to increase recycling rates and modernise and expand itsthe waste management system, while calling for more efforts in these areas, including by improving the legislation for water protection and adopting the strategic documents for water management;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Calls for improved environmental and strategic environmental impact assessments; inviteson the authorities to urgently implement the UNESCO recommendations on preserving the heritage status of the Ohrid region; urges the local and national authorities to step up their efforts to protect the biodiversity of the Ohrid region, in close cooperation with the Albanian authorities;