Activities of Gheorghe-Vlad NISTOR related to 2022/2205(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2022 Report on Türkiye (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2022 Commission Report on Türkiye
Amendments (20)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
– having regard to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states that the contracting parties undertake to abide by the final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in any case to which they are parties, and, therefore, to the obligation of Türkiye to implement all judgements of the ECtHR, — having regard to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states that the contracting parties undertake to abide by the final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in any case to which they are parties, and, therefore, to the obligation of Türkiye to implement all judgements of the ECtHR,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Türkiye remains a candidate for EU accession, a NATO ally and a keykey partner in trade and, economic partner, as well as a key partner on migrationmatters and on migration issues, as well as a strategic NATO ally and as such, Türkiye is expected to respect democratic values, rule of law, human rights and abide by the Acquis communautaire;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Türkiye has been gradually moving further away from the EU’s values and normative framework for a number of years, a fact which shows a most worrying and deepening trend, as exemplified by a number of measures curtailing fundamental freedoms and human rights;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the Russian war of aggression continues to cause unprecedented geopolitical shifts in Europe; whereas Türkiye’s key location allows it to play an instrumental, strategic role in the events; whereas now, more than ever before in the EU - Türkiye relationship, there must be a concerted effort in support of the legally recognised status-quo-ante wherever the Russian Federation waged wars of aggression, of international law and of internationally recognised borders;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, after the efforts in previous years to depict in detail the developments regarding many aspects of Türkiye’s EU accession process and EU- Türkiye relations, this resolution intends to offer a more concise political assessment of the way forward; whereas a more positive dynamic in EU-Türkiye relations is sought after, the European Union expresses readiness to engage with Ankara in a number of areas of common interest, subject to the established conditionalities set out in previous European Council conclusions, including good neighbourly relations and respect for human rights and international law;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine continues to impact EU-Türkiye relations in ways that are yet to unfold; reiterates its appreciation for Türkiye’s role as an early mediator between Ukraine and Russia and the key part played by Türkiye in brokering and keeping alive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has been crucial in helping to counter a severe global hunger crisis; notes that with regard to hybrid threats, in the context of international conflicts and crises, the circulation of false information and propaganda on social and mainstream media was observed also in the Turkish information environment; condemns the fact that Türkiye did not restrict the operations of Russian media outlets in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine; underlines that Türkiye’s CFSP alignment rate slipped to an all-time low of 7 %, compared to 11 % in 2021; regrets that Türkiye does not support sanctions outside the UN framework and hence continues not to align with EU restrictive measures, including economic sanctions; deplores that Türkiye continues to obstruct the accession of EU Member States to international organisations, such as preventing the participation of the Republic of Cyprus in the Conference on Disarmament;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges the partial measures taken in recent months by the Turkish authorities to prevent the re-exportation to Russia of goods covered by EU sanctions, but urges them to go further in order to ensure that Türkiye stops being a hub for entities and individuals that wish to circumvent such sanctions; the European Union institutions and its member states have shown that, in recent international developments, the norms and values which are at the core of our European project, are becoming essential pillars in our external action, in relations with other global actors; this approach will only become stronger with time and we urge all our friends, allies and partners to take this seriously into account;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores, against the backdrop of the war, the delaying of the ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession, which only plays into Russia’s hands; invites the Turkish authorities to deliver on their promise of a more constructive partnership in NATO and to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership in the Grand National Assembly as early as possible; deeply regrets the fact that Türkiye has failed to provide to Ukraine the Russian-built S400 missile defence system which is in Ankara’s possession; condemns Türkiye’s refusal to part with its investment in Russian S-400 air defence missiles despite falling foul of the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA); believes that, by certain non-collegial actions and also sometimes through inaction, Türkiye falls short of delivering what is expected from a NATO member and ally;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that, in terms of human rights and the rule of law, the desolate picture painted in its resolution of 7 June 2022 on the 2021 Commission Report on Turkey remains valid, and reiterates the content of that resolution; fully endorses the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of 12 October 2022, and the related report by its Monitoring Committee, on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Türkiye; deplores the targeting of political parties, human rights defenders and media which represents major setbacks for human rights and runs counter to Turkiye’s obligations to respect democracy, the rule of law and women’s rights; dialogue on such issues remains an integral part of the EU-Turkey relationship;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is dismayed by the fact that, far from the negative trend stopping or being reversed, the democratic backsliding in Türkiye has continued in the last year, with new legal reforms and a relentless crackdown on any critical voice, particularly ahead of and during the recent elections; affirms with regret that Türkiye has now become a global showcase for all kinds of authoritarian practices; calls on the Turkish authorities to allow civil society organisations, lawyers and other legal representatives, and the press to function in accordance with their duties and within their remit and scope and to exercise their profession freely, as this provides for an overall healthier democracy and society;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Remains deeply concerned aboutCondemns the lack of independence of the judiciary, the continued breach of the obligation to abide by the landmark rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, and stresses that this area is of highest concern to the EU, as it represents the keystone of a functioning democratic system that works in the service and for the benefit of the population; remains concerned about the serious restrictions on fundamental freedoms – particularly freedom of expression and of association – and the constant attacks on the fundamental rights of members of the opposition, lawyers, journalists, academics and civil society activists in Türkiye and the continued breach of the obligation to abide by the landmark rulings of the European Court of Human Rights; is particularly worried by the continued crackdown on Kurdish politicians, journalists, lawyers and artists; expresses deep concern about the deterioration of the rights of vulnerable groups (including ethnic, religious and sexual minorities), the rights of women and the constant targeting and harassment of LGBTI+ people, both of whom could see their rights further curtailed by the possible amendments to Türkiye’s constitution; deeply regrets the fact that Türkiye was the first country to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention; urges the Turkish government to abide by and to act in conformity with the international treaties, covenants and obligations it is part of;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Expresses its strong concern over the continued hyper-concentration of power in the Turkish presidency, without any effective checks and balances, which has seriously eroded the democratic institutions in the country; criticises that the Balkan factor is becoming an even more influential force in Turkish politics affecting the country’s foreign policy by extent, and that domestic politics are shaping Ankara’s Balkan policy; notes that it is estimated that up to 18 million Turkish citizens have origins from the Balkans; underlines that there are special ties with countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, which is Türkiye’s most important interlocutor on Balkan affairs.
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Expresses concerns about the continued proper functioning of Türkiye’s market economy, particularly with regard to the conduct of monetary and fiscal policies, and the institutional and regulatory environment; notes with concern that according to Europol, Türkiye is the second largest source country of pirated products affecting the EU single market and of counterfeit products seized at the EU’s external borders; believes that a stronger and more honest relationship with the EU would help with alleviating some of the hardships and assist with the improvement of living standards for the Turkish population;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes, after a confrontational period, Türkiye’s recent steps towards normalising relations with several countries, such as Armenia, Egypt, Israel and the Gulf states, but remains concerned by the fact that Türkiye’s foreign policy still clashes in many aspects with EU interests and, far from growing closer to the EU, it has further diverged in the last year, reaching a record low of alignment with just 7 % of common foreign and security policy decisions; regrets the fact that Türkiye closed its airspace to Armenian flights in response to a new monument that was erected in Yerevan commemorating a programme to assassinate perpetrators of the Armenian genocide;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the overall de-escalation of tensions observed in the eastern Mediterranean in recent times, particularly in the wake of the February earthquakes, andas certain previous activities undertaken by Ankara in that region and in the Aegean area in relation to its neighbours Greece and Cyprus were highly provocative in nature; stresses that the possible extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean Sea under Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea continued to weigh on Greek- Türkiye relations, and the 1995 declaration of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, that any unilateral action by Greece to extend its territorial waters would be considered casus belli, still holds; expresses its hope that a possible new era in Türkiye’s foreign policy might yield positive results in the bilateral relations between Türkiye and all EU Member States; reiterates its long- standing support for a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi- communal, bi-zonal federation and reaffirms its positions on the matter expressed in its resolution of 7 June 2022; and invites the Turkish government to reassess the possibility of returning to dialogue on this format, as it represents the only viable way towards reconciliation; urges Türkiye to maintain good neighbourly relations and to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its firm conviction that Türkiye is a country of strategic relevance in political, economic and foreign policy terms, a key partner for the stability of the wider region and a vital ally, including within NATO, and reaffirms that the EU is committed to pursuing the best possible relations with Türkiye based on dialogue, respect and mutual trust; whereas development of the security dimension of the EU is progressing, Turkey would represent, as a member of NATO, an extremely valuable partner and a military ally to most EU states; supports an objective assessment of the EU -Türkiye cooperation on refugees and migration matters and underlines the importance of both sides to comply with their respective commitments;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers, in view of all the above, that in the absence of a drastic change of course by the Turkish Government, Türkiye’s EU accession process has lost its purpose and will not endure much longer in the current circumstances; recommends, in that case, starting a reflection process to find an alternative and realistic framework for EU-Türkiye relations in substitution for the accession process; calls on the Commission, therefore, to explore possible formats for a mutually appealing framework through a comprehensive and inclusive process; urges the Turkish government, the European Union’s institutions and its member states to approach this matter with the highest responsibility and dedication, and to construct a coherent new infrastructure of cooperation that realistically encompasses the interests of all parties involved, as this will represent the basis of a new interaction between two close and highly relevant partners;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Insists that democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights should remain at the heart of good neighbourly relations between the EU and Türkiye and that any framework for those relations should be firmly underpinned by the principles of international law and multilateralism; believes that the continuous erosion of these fundamental rights and the overall decay of approaches inspired by European values is rapidly degrading the democratic fibre of Turkish society;
Amendment 383 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Acknowledges and commends the democratic and pro-European aspirations of the majority of Turkish society (particularly among Turkish youth), whom the EU will not forsake; expresses its utmost commitment to sustaining and increasing the support for Türkiye’s independent civil society in whatever circumstances and under whatever framework for relations that the future may bring; underlines that in the area of education, within the Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Türkiye, the net enrolment rate (NER) for preschool education decreased quite dramatically from 71.22 % in 2019- 2020 to 56.89 % in 2020-2021 and the combined NER for Turkish children between 3 to 5 years old decreased from 41.78 % to 28.35 % and that Türkiye has no youth strategy in place and does not prioritise civic engagement and empowerment of youth in line with the European Youth Strategy;