Activities of Hannes SWOBODA related to 2011/2008(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the state of implementation of the EU Strategy for Central Asia PDF (272 KB) DOC (176 KB)
Amendments (20)
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the poor records of Central Asian states demonstrate continuing shortcomings in governance and regional cooperation are important reasons for, which prevent them from fully realising their bleak political, social and, economic situation and for the limited achievements ofand development cooperationpotential,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas concerns about security and stability in the region should include not only state security, but also the security of the populations through, inter alia, respect for human rights, environment and access to basic public services,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Underlines the strong political and economic interest of the EU in strengthening its relations with Central Asian countries in all areas of cooperation, such as stability, security and sustainable development of the region, energy and transport links, common challenges and threats, including border management and combating drug trafficking, reinforcement of dialogue on human rights and rule of law, trade and economic relations;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges the importance of the EU Special Representative’s continuous work in the field in ensuring a high level of political dialogue with the Central Asian states; recalls that his mandate also provides for engagement with local civil society and that this is necessary for increased EU visibility calls for political dialogue to be based on an assessment of compliance by Central Asian states with their commitments as OSCE members;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores the difficulty encountered by the EU in engaging with independent civil society in the area of human rights and good governance in the context of the continued harassment of NGOs in the region; calls for EU delegations and embassies to support for genuinely independent NGOs so as to help them play an effective role in the development and consolidation of civil society;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Approves the holding of regular regional EU-Central Asia summits and calls for an EU-Central Asia parliamentary forum to be established as a means of assessing and contributing to the contents of the summit talks; underlines the importance of the regular bilateral parliamentary cooperation in the framework of the existing Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and interparliamentary meetings with the Central Asian countries; stresses the importance of the European Parliament’s more active engagement in the monitoring of the negotiations of partnership agreements with the Central Asian countries and the implementation of the existing ones;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that, although some positive developments have taken place in the region (abolition of the death penalty in Uzbekistan, some constitutional and judicial procedure reforms, etc.), the overall situation in the fields of human rights and the rule of law remains worrying;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for a strengthening of the human rights dialogues in order to make them more effective and result-oriented, with a more active engagement of the European Parliament in monitoring them; urges the Council and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to issue benchmarks for the progress made by the states of the region in the field of human rights and the rule of law, and of the effectiveness of EU measures and assistance projects towards this aim;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10, subheading 2 a (new)
Paragraph 10, subheading 2 a (new)
Economic integration and sustainable development
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10c. Emphasises that democratic and economic progress is interconnected; calls in this regard to improve the environment for foreign investment and for private entrepreneurship, while respecting international social, labour and environmental standards;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 d (new)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10d. Welcomes the involvement of women in political, economic, educational, social and cultural spheres of the Central Asian countries; calls on the governments of the region to promote legislation and enforce laws to fight domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other forms of abuse and discrimination against women;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reaffirms its support for actions aimed at fostering regional cooperation as the onlya major way to address the many cross- border security, resource management, ethnic, environmental and development problems of the states concerned; believes that regional cooperation should take precedence over other trade and economic unions;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Regrets to note the recent transition of prison facilities’ oversight from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Interior and calls upon the Government of Kazakhstan to intensify its efforts to prevent and remedy torture and inhuman, cruel and degrading treatment;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Commends Kyrgyzstan for its efforts to pursue democratic reforms and shift to a genuine multi-party system; hopes that further progress will be accomplished in the conduct of the upcoming presidential elections scheduled later this year; points out, nevertheless, that sustained efforts are needed to develop a fully functioning democracy, and calls in this regard on the HR/VPEU to assist the Kyrgyz authorities in the area of institution-building, consolidation of democratic practices and the fight against corruption and the infiltration of organised crime in Kyrgyz administration;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the decision of the Kyrgyz Government to establish a Special Commission to implement and monitor the recommendations of the International Independent Commission (IIC) for investigation into the June 2010 events in South Kyrgyzstan, and calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to adopt the measures necessary to defuse interethnic tension, reduce ethno-nationalism and stabilise the situation and to promote cultural dialogue and respect for minority rights and the fight against all forms of discrimination; inter alia by instituting genuine judicial and police reform as a prerequisite for the prevention of human rights violations such as torture and other forms of police abuse calls on the EU to design and implement EU assistance programmes together with the Kyrgyz authorities and NGOs aiming at conflict prevention, reconciliation and prevention of impunity;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Expresses concern over reports of torture in custody and the continuing lack of access of civil society monitors to places of detention; calls for ICRC and international monitors to be granted access to penitentiaries to increase transparency;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes note of the legislation adopted in the political, economic, social and educational field and expects words to be followed by deeds; urges, in this regard,urges the Council and the HR/VP to encourage the Turkmen authorities to implement fully the new legislation and to continue the process of engagement with international and regional organisations;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Deplores, however, the fact that none of the conditions set by the European Parliament in February 2008 in order to move ahead with the Interim Agreement have been fulfilled, in particular free and unfettered access for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, the abolition of all government impediments to travel, and the possibility for NGOs to operate in the country; considers that these conditions must be met in order for Turkmenistan to comply with the international standards it has ratified.
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Notes the concern by ILO, representatives of workers, employers and NGOs as to the ongoing use of state- sanctioned forced child labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry; calls for Uzbekistan’s authorities to engage with the ILO and grant the ILO unfettered access to monitor the cotton harvest;