33 Amendments of Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ related to 2021/2248(INI)
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas European integration represents the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia towards democracy and prosperity and serves as a powerful catalyst for reforms; whereas the prospect of North Macedonia’s merit-based membership is in the Union’s own political, security and economic interests;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the EU must provide a clear pathway for countries seeking to join the EU;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the EU remains fully committed to supporting North Macedonia’s strategic choice of European integration, based on the rule of law and good neighbourly relations, and continues being by far the biggest trade and investment partner and the largest provider of financial assistance to the country;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas malign foreign direct and proxy interference and disinformation aim to sow discord, violence, inter-ethnic tensions and to destabilise the whole region;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates its clear support for North Macedonia’s democratic transformation, underpinned by its strategic orientation and unwavering commitment to European integration along, with good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls the need to upholdaccelerate the pace and strengthen the credibility of European integration by promptly openofficially starting accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia as soon as possible, given that both countries have fulfilled the necessary conditions and delivered sustained results across, including across the areas of the fundamental areas;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls the transformative nature of the accession negotiations to be conducted under the revised enlargement methodology within a broader strategic context, including malicious activities seeking to undermine the political stability and European integration of the Western Balkan countries;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Commends North Macedonia on its steady progress on the path towards EU membership, its commitment to multiculturalism and inter-ethnic harmony, and its continued positive bilateral engagementengagement to resolve bilateral issues; welcomes the strategic approach towards the EU-related reforms under the “Europe at Home” agenda and the National Plan for Adoption of the acquis;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underscores that the pace of the EU accession is determined by the progress on the due functioning of democratic institutions, grounded in the rule of law, good governance and fundamental rights; urges North Macedonia to sustain and intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and consolidate media freedom;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reaffirms the need to maintain constructive engagement with and a broad cross-party consensus on EU-related reforms, by; underlines the need to further strengthening the legislative, oversight and budgetary capacities of the Assembly of North Macedonia (Sobranie); urges lawmakers to swiftly implement the commitments to revise its rules of procedure, made under the Jean Monnet Dialogue process;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses the need to finalise the electoral reform in a timely fashline with the outstanding OSCE/ODIHR recommendations;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls for the continued modernisation ofreform towards a merit-based public administration, streamlined intra-service coordination and improved local governancewith improved lines of accountability, streamlined intra-service coordination on the EU integration and related reforms and improved local governance; acknowledges steps taken to enhance efficiency and quality of services and eliminate corruption through digitalisation;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the implementation of the 2021 population census, which should lead to an improved evidence-based decision-making and expects the publication of its results soon;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the proposed amendments to the penal code and cCalls for the implementation of measures that increase the safety of media professionals and tackle attempts to intimidate them; notes the need to improve working conditions of journalists in order to ensure quality journalism;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes the improvements in ensuring women’s rights and gender- responsive policies; welcomes the adoption of the law aimed at preventing violence against women and domestic violence and encourages the alignment of the penal code with the Istanbul Convencountry to enhance the implementation of the national action plan for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention’s provisions; acknowledges the amendments to the law on the rights of the child and the completion of deinstitutionalisation;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Encourages ongoing steps to build trust in inter-community relationing further trust among communities and the functioning of a multi-ethnic society and democracy, while recalling the importance of upholding the rights of non-majorityall communities and tackling all instances of discrimination; encourages the Government to ensure equal constitutional protection of rights of all ethnic communities’ through appropriate constitutional and legislative amendments;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls foron the EU to boost its support for humanitarian assistance and border protection in the region; reiterates its calls for North Macedonia to improve migration management and, to be conducted in full respect of the fundamental rights and welcomes international cooperation to fight people smuggling; reiterates its calls on the country to put in place a proper migration management and registration system and to improve reception conditions;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. UWhile acknowledging the progress made, underlines the need to push forward the rule of law reform as a backbone of a democratic transformation, ensuring legal certainty, transparency, access to justice and non-discrimination;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Recalls that the updates to the penal code should cover, inter alia, the provisions on economic crime and disinformationviolence against women, the economic crime, money laundering, corruption, asset confiscation and dissemination of disinformation, step up fighting organised crime, including illegal timber cutting;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Emphasises the need to advance the judicial reform, the independence of the judiciary and the functioning of bodies that ensure its self-governance; , strengthening institutional independence, funding, quality, coordination and transparency of the judiciary and the functioning of bodies that ensure its self-governance; urges political forces to swiftly agree on appointing Constitutional court judges to ensure its functionality;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes the considerable progress made and supports the measures enforced in countering corruption and organised crime under the ‘Action21’ anti- corruption plan, including thought proactive investigations by the specialised Commission (SCPC) and Prosecutor (OCCPO), prioritising convictions and confiscations of criminal assets in high- level cases; calls on the Member States to enhance cross-border judicial cooperation with the Western Balkan countries in criminal matters;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Encourages the finalisation of the security and intelligence sector reform; calls for the whistle-blower protection mechanism to be updated and the lobbying law to be implemented effectively measures, ensuring its independence and a meaningful oversight; calls for the whistle-blower protection mechanism, improving implementation of the EU Directive and the Council of Europe Recommendation on whistle-blowers and an effective implementation of the newly- amended lobbying law;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Welcomes the sustained progress made so far, which should lead to systemic improvements in tackling the trafficking of humans, drugs, firearms and goods, along with cybercrime and surveillance, violent crime, extremism and terrorist threats; urges North Macedonia to strengthen its resilience to hybrid threats and fake new, disinformation and fake news; commends the ongoing bilateral and international co-operation on dismantling transnational crime networks, including with international and the EU justice and home affairs agencies, covering the intensified action against the trafficking of humans, drugs and illegal weapons; deplores cyber- attacks conducted against the country's institutions;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Recommends that North Macedonia continue to pursue steps to improve the business climate and infrastructure under the Growth Acceleration Financing Plan, combat tax evasion, modernise education, broaden social security coverage and advance the digital transformation, reform the energy and transport markets, in addition to short-term measures mitigating the impacts of pandemics and rising energy and food prices;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Encourages North Macedonia to continue harnessing the potential offered by digitalisation for modernising administrative, electoral, judicial, social, health, fiscal and economic processes, increasing transparency and accountability and tackling corruption and informal economy; underlines the need to step up EU support for the rule of law, sustainable green growth, biodiversity, innovation, competitiveness, property rights and the reversal of the brain drain and demographic decline; underlines the need to boost investment in youth empowerment and inclusion, along with measures to reduce high levels of youth unemployment;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Recalls that EU funding is based on strict conditionalityunder the Pre-Accession Instrument (IPA III) and the Economic and Investment plan for the Western Balkans is based on strict conditionality; and should be modulated to address fundamental reform areas; underlines the need to improve visibility of the EU funding;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes North Macedonia’s updated climate pledges of a net 82% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030; recalls that additional efforts are needed to meet the targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of supply and emission reductions; urges the authorities to align environment and climate change legislation with the EU acquis and to ensure its enforcementEU to intensify its support to counter the reversal of a sustainable transition from coal in the face of the global energy crunch; urges the authorities to align environment and climate change legislation with the EU acquis and to ensure its enforcement; acknowledges increasing alignment with the EU’s third energy package and urges to finalise unbundling of the gas transmission and to implement the energy efficiency legislation;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Urges the country to step up efforts to upgrade transport and energy infrastructure and regional connectivity, including rail and road corridors VIII and X and gas and electricity interconnectors with neighbouring countries;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends the country’s increasing alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy and invites it to align itself with the restrictive measures related to Russia; welcomes its continued contributions to EU crisis management missions ; welcomes its continued contributions to EU crisis management missions and NATO-led operations; commends a swift alignment to the sanctions against the Russian aggression in Ukraine, increasing its foreign policy alignment to 100%, including with moves to end broadcasting of Russian state-owned and state-backed propaganda operationsutlets, ban entry into its airspace;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Welcomes the ongoing process of historical reconciliationsettlement with neighbouring countries; , embodied by the Prespa agreement with Greece and the Treaty on Good Neighbourly Relations with Bulgaria;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Strongly welcomes the political impetus for a renewed dialogue between Bulgaria and North Macedonia andleading to a settlement on a short name notified to the United Nations; encourages the partners to accelerate engagement in good faith in order to reachkick-start accession negotiations by resolving pending bilateral issues contained in the so-called 4+1 measures, to be sufficiently covered and progressively addressed through the Negotiating Framework; urges the partners to strive sincerely to speedily reaching an acceptable compromise, thereby bringing societies closer together by enabling a common future in the EU;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Paragraph 47 a (new)
47 a. Calls once again upon all regional political leaders to set up the Regional Commission tasked with establishing the facts about all victims of war crimes and other human rights violations committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia (RECOM), building upon the significant work carried out by the Coalition for RECOM;