18 Amendments of Malik AZMANI related to 2022/2203(INI)
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas democratic transformation, the rule of law and reconciliation play a central role in EU accession process and each accession country should demonstrate robust irreversible results in democratic resilience and socio-economic transformation;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has considerable potential to further destabilise many EU and non- EU countries, especially those in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership and highlights the critical importance of EU enlargement;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas North Macedonia has been heavily targeted by Russian disinformation and other hybrid attacks, and should strengthen protection of its critical infrastructure, cyber-security, counter-disinformation and energy transition measures;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the fight against corruption, malicious foreign interference, money laundering and organised crime is a European security issue, crucial for North Macedonia’s and other enlargement countries’ progress in the EU accession;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas each country should be judged on its own merits and wthereas the conditionality-based accession process should not be misused to settle bilateral disputes;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the EU is a community of cultural and linguistic diversity, based on solidarity and mutual respect among its peoples;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the EU remains the main political and economic partner of the Western Balkan countries, mobilising an unprecedented cross-cutting additional support in the wake of the pandemics and Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Commends North Macedonia’s full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, including its clear-cut response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes the adoption of an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility amounting to EUR 9 million in support of the army of North Macedonia who is actively contributing to EU missions and operations
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -5 (new)
Paragraph -5 (new)
-5. Recalls that the rule of law and institutional integrity are the backbone of a democratic transformation, societal resilience and socio-economic cohesion;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourages the country to increase institutional integrity and intensify its judicial reform to guarantee the independence, professionalism, transparency and impartiality of the judicial system; 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 129 #
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 involvof corruption including high-level corruption, organised crime and money laundering;
Amendment 137 #
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 EU to support the authorities to considerably strengthen North Macedonia’s resilience against such threats; calls for a stronger involvement of all stakeholders, including the Parliament of North Macedonia, in tackling foreign interference and disinformation
Amendment 157 #
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 to its citizenship-by- investment scheme; calls on the authorities to refrain from enabling systematic acquisition of citizenship based on economic interest; 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;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the authorities to step up protection of vulnerable groups and the prosecution of domestic and online abuse and to improve services for the victims of violence; stresses that the Ombudsman concluded that courts' sentences against convicted offenders of rape and domestic violence were overly lenient and did not contribute to a reduction and elimination of severe forms of domestic violence nor provide sufficient protection to survivors; welcomes changes to the Criminal Code of North Macedonia, covering crimes related to violence against women and the safety of journalists and insists on the need to strengthen North Macedonia’s anti- discrimination commission and Ombudsman’s office;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Acknowledges North Macedonia’s enabling environment for media freedom and urges 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 journalists, including the use of SLAPPs;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Is concerned about the lack of trust in journalism in North Macedonia, in particular due to the extreme political polarisation and pressure from businessmen on the media sector; deplores the high number of violations of professional and ethical standards by media in North Macedonia with portals being accused of spreading fake news and inciting speech, as highlighted by the Council for Media Ethics of North Macedonia; calls on the Association of Journalists of North Macedonia and its members to fully abide by the industry standards set up in the Journalism Trust Initiative developed by Reporters Without Borders, as the appropriate tool to increase professional journalists credibility and rebuilt society's trust
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes 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; deplores the persistent disinformation campaigns creating distorted and polarised narratives that have marred the period leading to the 2018 referendum on the Prespa Agreement to reduce turnout, such as alleged threats to the Macedonian language, despite clear support for the agreement