BETA

28 Amendments of Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU related to 2018/2150(INI)

Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide1a _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0094
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16
— having regard to the Commission recommendation of 21 December 2016 for a Council decision authorising the opening of negotiations with Turkey on an agreement on the extension of the scope of the bilateral preferential trade relationship and on the modernisation of the Customs Union, as well as the Council Conclusions of 26 June 2018 stating that no further work towards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union is foreseen,
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the decision of 19 July 2018 to lifNotes that the state of emergency, which was introduced after the 2016 coup attempt and, has been extended 7 times; Welcomes, however, the decision of 19 July 2018 to lift the state of emergency; notes that the prolonged state of emergency has led to an erosion of the rule of law and deterioration of human rights in Turkey; regrets that the adoption of new legislative proposals preserves many of the abusive powers granted to the Ppresident and the executive under the state of emergency and thereby dampens any positive effect of its termination; is concerned about the serious backsliding in the areas of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of association and procedural and property rights;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Turkish government to respect and fully implement the legal obligations, which it has entered into, concerning the protection of its diverse cultural heritage, by improving the care, restoration and enhancement of its monuments; calls on Turkey to ratify the 2005 UNESCO convention on the protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; calls on Turkey to cooperate with the relevant international organisations, especially the Council of Europe, in preventing and combating illicit trafficking and the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Deplores the fact that the Venice Commission recommendation on the status of religious communities in Turkey and the right of the Orthodox Patriarch to use the title "Ecumenical" are yet to be implemented and that the Halki (Heybeliada) Greek Orthodox Seminary remains closed. Furthermore, regrets the fact that the Council of Europe Resolution 1625 (2008) regarding property rights on the islands of Gokceada (Imvros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos) has not been fully implemented yet and that the electoral regulation for non-Muslim foundations is still not published after its annulment in 2013;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses concern at the shrinking space for civil society and the promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms; notes that a large number of activists, including human rights defenders, were arrested and demonstrations were recurrently banned during the state of emergency; calls on Turkey to protect the fundamental rights of minorities, such as LGBTI people, as well as religious minorities;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Is seriously concerned about the lack of respect for the freedom of religion, about continuous discrimination against religious minorities, including Christians and Alevis and violence on religious grounds, including verbal and physical attacks, stigmatisation and social pressure at schools, and problems in relation to legally establishing a place of worship; expects the Turkish government to treat every Turkish citizen without any prejudice towards his or her religious belief; calls on the Turkish authorities to promote positive and effective reforms in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, allowing charitable foundations to elect their governing bodies, eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of the clergy, complying with the relevant judgements of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission and by eliminating all forms of discrimination or barriers based on religion; calls on Turkey to respect the distinct character and importance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and to recognise its legal personality; reiterates the need to allow the reopening of the Halki Seminary and lift all obstacles to its proper functioning; urges the Turkish authorities to combat seriously all manifestations of anti-Semitism in society; calls on the Turkish government to implement the action plan it submitted in 2016 to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers related to the ECtHR decisions on Cem Houses and on compulsory religion classes and to put in place a comprehensive legal framework in line with European standards; believes that appropriate attention must be paid to implementing the ECtHR judgments on compulsory religion and ethics classes, indication of religious affiliation on identity cards and Alevi worship places;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Turkish government to respect and fully implement the legal obligations deriving from the Conventions to which it is a contracting party, and to halt the destruction of the cultural heritage in the occupied areas of Cyprus; calls on Turkey to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; calls on Turkey to cooperate with the relevant international organisations, especially the Council of Europe, in preventing and combating illicit trafficking and the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Calls on the Turkish government to respect and fully implement the legal obligations which it has entered into concerning the protection of cultural heritage, and, in particular, to draw up in good faith an integrated inventory of Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and other cultural heritage that was destroyed or ruined in the course of the last century; calls on Turkey to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; calls on Turkey to cooperate with the relevant international organisations, especially the Council of Europe, in preventing and combating illicit trafficking and the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Urges Turkey to end the repeated violations of Greek and Cypriot airspace and territorial waters, as these actions are not conducive to good neighbourly relations and undermine regional stability and security; calls on Turkey to avoid any kind of threat or action directed against a Member State, or any source of friction or action that damages good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes and reminds the need for Turkey to unequivocally commit to good neighbourly relations, international agreements, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is part of the EU acquis and to the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter, having recourse, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice. In this framework, it once again expresses its regret that the casus belli threat, declared by the Turkish Grand National Assembly against Greece has not yet been withdrawn;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, taking all of the above into account and in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, to formally suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey; remains, however,Taking all the above into account, calls on the Commission and the Council of the European Union, to exert further pressure on Turkey in order to comply with the Copenhagen criteria and implement its contractual obligations towards all Member States; remains committed to democratic dialogue with Turkey; and asks the Commission to use, during the formal suspension of negotiations, all funds available under IPA II and the future IPA III to support, through a dedicated envelope directly managed by the EU, Turkey’s civil society, and to increase opportunities for people-to-people contacts, academic dialogue, access for Turkish students to European universities and media platforms for journalists;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that while the EU accession process was at its start a strong motivation for reforms in Turkey, there has been a stark regression in the areas of the rule of law and human rights during the last few years; recalls that Parliament repeatedly called for the opening of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security at a time whe and repeats its calls on the Turkish government had pledged to conduct serious reforms; regrets deeply that the accession instruments could not be used to the fullest extent owing to a continued blockage by the Council;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that while the EU accession process was at its start a strong motivation for reforms in Turkey, there has been a starkmassive regression in the areas of the rule of law and human rights during the last few years; recallnotes that Parliament repeatedly called for the opening of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security atTurkey has been moving further away from the EU; deeply deplores the a ntime when the Turkish government had pledged to conduct serious reforms; regrets deeply that the accession instruments could not be used to the fullest extent owing to a continued blockage by the Council-EU rhetoric of the Turkish President which has clouded the mutual relationship and thus led to the current standstill in any negotiation process;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
15. Believes that a door should be left open for thRecalls the need for Turkey to implement in a full and non- discriminatory manner the current customs union towards all Member States and believes that following this, the possible modernisation and upgrading of the 1995 Customs Union between the EU and Turkey, to include relevant areas such as agriculture, services and public procurement, which currently are not covered, could then proceed; recalls that two thirds of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Turkey comes from EU Member States and that Turkey is an important growth market for the EU; believes that the upgrade would provide a valuable opportunity for democratic conditionality, positive leverage and the possibility of a roadmap where upgrading the Customs Union would go hand in hand with concrete commitments by Turkey on democratic reforms; believes further that the upgrading of the Customs Union wcould provide an important opportunity for policy dialogue on climate change as well as on labour rights in Turkey; calls on the Commission to start preparatory work for the upgrading of the Customs Union as soon as the Turkish Government indicates its readiness for serious reforms;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
15. Believes that a door should be left open for the modernisation and upgrading of the 1995 Customs Union between the EU and Turkey, to include relevant areas such as agriculture, services and public procurement, which currently are not covered; recalls that two thirds of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Turkey comes from EU Member States and that Turkey is an important growth market for the EU; believes that the upgrade would provide a valuable opportunity for democratic conditionality, positive leverage and the possibility of a roadmap where upgrading the Customs Union would go hand in hand with concrete commitments by Turkey on democratic reforms, rule of law and good neighbourly relations; believes further that the upgrading of the Customs Union would provide an important opportunity for policy dialogue on climate change as well as on labour rights in Turkey; calls on the Commission to start preparatory work for the upgrading of the Customs Union as soon as the Turkish Government indicates its readiness for serious reforms;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that visa liberalisation is of great importance for Turkish citizens, particularly for students, academics, business representatives and people with family ties in EU Member States; encourages the Turkish Government to fully and in a non-discriminatory manner comply with the 72 criteria identified in the visa liberalisation roadmap; towards all Member States, stresses that the revision of Turkey’s anti-terrorism legislation is a key condition for ensuring fundamental rights and freedoms, and that visa liberalisation willcould be possible once all the criteria have been metfully and effectively met, in a non- discriminatory manner towards all Member States;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
18. Recalls the important role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resulting from the war in Syria; takes the view that Turkey’s population has shown great hospitality by offering shelter to more than 3 million Syrian refugees; calnotes that the number of irregular arrivals ton the EU and its Member States to keep their promise regarding a large-scale resettlement, anduropean Union from Turkey has significantly risen in 2018 compared to last year; calls in Turkey to increase patrolling efforts and vigilance in its western borders; underlines the importance of the full and effective implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, with a view to bringing the flow to halt; calls on Turkey to implement fully and effectively the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement and to re-launch without further delay the implementation of the bilateral readmission protocol with Greece; highlights the importance of a large-scale resettlement, and calls on the EU and its Member States to ensure adequate financial resources for the long- term support of the Syrian refugees in Turkey;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Reiterates the need to strengthen good neighbourly relations; calls on Turkey, in this connection, to step up efforts to resolve outstanding bilateral issues, including unsettled legal obligations and disputes with its immediate neighbours over land and maritime borders and airspace, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter and with international law; calls on the Turkish Government to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); urges the Turkish Government to end the repeated violations of Greek airspace and territorial waters, as well as the practice of Turkish military aircraft flying over Greek islands; expresses its regret that the casus belli threat declared by the Turkish Grand National Assembly against Greece has not yet been withdrawn;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Calls on Turkey to further align its foreign policy with that of the EU in accordance with provisions of the Negotiating Framework;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18 b. Calls on the Turkish Government to halt its plans for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant; requests that the Turkish Government join the Espoo Convention; asks the Turkish Government to involve, or at least consult, the governments of its neighbouring countries, such as Greece and Cyprus, during any further developments in the Akkuyu venture;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18 c. Reiterates its call on Turkey to fulfil its obligation of full, non- discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement vis-à-vis all Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus; regrets that Turkey has still not made progress towards the normalization of its relations with the Republic of Cyprus; reiterates that recognition of all Member States is a necessary component of the accession process and calls for progress without any further delay;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the efforts by the UN to resume negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus; supports a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the EU acquis; reiterates its call on Turkey to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement, to begin withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN, and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island; praises the important work of the Committee on Missing Persons; recognises the right of the Republic of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements concerning its exclusive economic zone, explore and exploit its natural resources and calls on Turkey to respect relevant international law (UNCLOS); urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action which might have negative effects on good neighbourly relations; urges Turkey to show restraint and to respect Cyprus’ sovereignty over its territorial sea and Cyprus’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone; deeply regrets recent statements by Turkey in this regard;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the efforts by the UN to resume negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus; supports a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the EU acquis; reiterates its call on Turkey to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement, to beginimmediately withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the sealed- off area of Famagusta to the UN, and its lawful inhabitants, in accordance with UNSC Resolution550(1984), as an effort to pave the way for a democratic comprehensive settlement and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island; praises the important work of the Committee on Missing Persons; recognises the right of the Republic of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements concerning its exclusive economic zone; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action which might have negative effects on good neighbourly relationreiterates its calls on Turkey to respect the sovereign rights of all Member States, including those relating to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources when in line with the EU acquis and international law; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action damaging good neighbourly relations and a climate conducive to the peaceful settlement of bilateral disputes;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the efforts by the UN to resume negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus; supports a fair, comprehensive and viable settlementsettlement based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, a single international legal personality, single sovereignty and single citizenship with political equality between the two communities, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and, the EU acquis, and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; reiterates its call on Turkey to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement, to begin withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN and its lawful inhabitants in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984), as an effort to pave the way for a democratic comprehensive settlement, and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island; praises the important work of the Committee on Missing Persons; recognises the right of the Republic of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements concerning its exclusive economic zone; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action which might have negative effects on good neighbourly relations;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the efforts by the UN to resume negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus; supports a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the EU acquis; reiterates its call on Turkey to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement, to begin withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN, and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island; praises the important work of the Committee on Missing Persons; recognises the right of the Republic of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements concerning its exclusive economic zone; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action which might have negative effects on good neighbourly relations; and underlines that recognition of all Member States is a fundamental component of the EU- Turkish relations;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Calls upon the Turkish government to halt the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear plant; points out that the envisaged site is located in a region prone to severe earthquakes, hence posing a major threat not only to Turkey but to the Mediterranean region as a whole; accordingly, requests that the Turkish government join the Espoo Convention, which commits parties to notifying and consulting each other on major projects under consideration that are likely to have a significant adverse environmental impact across boundaries; to this end, asks the Turkish government to involve, or at least consult, the governments of its neighbouring countries, such as Greece and Cyprus, during any further developments in the Akkuyu venture;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Deplores Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement vis-a-vis all member states, including the Republic of Cyprus;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Deplores Turkey's policy of settlement and calls on Turkey to refrain from further settlement of Turkish citizens in the occupied areas of Cyprus, which is contrary to the Geneva Convention and the principles of international law; urges Turkey to terminate all actions that alter the demographic balance on the island thus impeding a future solution;
2018/12/17
Committee: AFET