Activities of Eduard KUKAN related to 2018/2147(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2018 Report on Albania (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2018 Commission Report on Albania PDF (389 KB) DOC (64 KB)
Amendments (18)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the rule of law is a fundamental value on which the EU is founded and which is at the heart of both the Enlargement Process and the Stabilisation and Association Process, and whereas reforms are needed to tackle the important remaining challenges in this area, notably in ensuring an independent, impartial, accountable and efficient judiciary, and in the fight against corruption and organised crime, as well as in the protection of fundamental rights;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the need to strengthen the Albanian Parliament’s oversight capacities, including in the EU accession process; welcomescalls on more efficient use of the inquiry committees and better use of the various oversight mechanisms and institutions in order to hold the government to account; welcomes the increase in transparency of the parliamentary process and adoption of the Albanian Parliament’s Code of Conduct that will enhance the integrity and transparency of, and public trust in, the institution; underlines the need for an enforcement mechanism, including sanctions, to make the code effective; underlines the central role of the Committee on EU Integration and the responsibility of the National Council for European Integration as a forum for consultation on accession preparations; calls for further use of cooperation with the Parliament of Albania within the framework of the European Parliament support programme for parliaments of the enlargement countries, in order to enhance its capacity to produce quality legislation in line with the EU acquis and exercise its oversight role;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. CallUrges for action addressing the outstanding recommendations of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR) as regards electoral reform with a view to increasing public trust in the electoral process; calls on addressing the OSCE/ODHIR recommendation as a priority through legislative and administrative measures; welcomes the work by the Ad-hoc Committee on Electoral Reform of the Albanian Parliament related to independence and depoliticisation of the election administration, transparency in campaign finance, voter registration, vote buying, the use of new voting technologies and out-of- country voting, and urges it to reach consensus on, and adoption of, the necessary reforms in due time before the 2019 local elections;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes Albania’s revised law on political party financing; urges the public prosecutor to investigate cases of illegal and undeclared funding of the political parties; reiterates its calls on the country’s political parties to fulfil their obligation to ensure the exclusion of criminal offenders from public office at all branches and levels of government and the Parliament;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates that constructive political dialogue, willingness to compromise, sustainable cross-party cooperation and the maintenance of unwavering commitment to the implementation and consolidation of the reforms across all five key priorities are essential to the effort to advance the EU accession process; reiterates its strong believe that political dialogue should take place within the democratic institutions;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the progress made in justice reform aimed at increasing the independence, accountability, professionalism and efficiency of judicial institutions; regrets that the administration of justice continues to be slow and inefficient; calls on the Albanian authorities to speed upwelcomes finalisation of the first phase of the vetting of members of judicial system on1 August 2018, however calls on the Albanian authorities to proceed in a timely and efficient manner with the vetting process, without compromising on quality or fairness; takes note of first dismissals and voluntary resignations of candidates prior to their hearings; notes some delays in the periodic evaluations of judges;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Reiterates its call on the Albanian authorities to effectively ensure the enforcement and progress towards the protection of property rights, while at the same time taking into account property registration, restitution and compensation; calls on making necessary progress on the digitalising and mapping of property; urges the Albanian authorities to adequately inform citizens about their rights and possibilities for enforcement of their claims; underlines the importance of an effective property rights regime for guaranteeing the rule of law and an attractive business environment;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the additional steps taken to reinforce the protection of human rights, minority rights and anti- discrimination policies; welcomes the adoption of a framework Law on Minorities, which abolished the differentiation between national minorities and ethno-linguistic communities and introduced the principle of self-identification; insists that measures be taken to further improve the education, health, employment rates and living conditions for Roma, Egyptians and other ethnic minorities;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Welcomes reinforcement of the legislative framework on rights of children through the adoption of the Law for the Protection of Children’s Rights, the Criminal Justice for Children Code and the ‘Children’s Agenda 2020’; recalls that institutional mechanisms to protect children’s rights still needs to be improved, urges the authorities to implement secondary legislation on protection of children rights and juvenile justice and calls for a significant increase in financial allocations for the child protection system, in particular child protection units (CPU) at local and regional level;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Reiterates the critical importance of professional and independent private and public service media; notes the partial progress made in increasing the independence of the country’s audio-visual media authority and public broadcaster; calls for measures to improve the financial transparency of state advertising in the media; calls as well for measures to strengthen the protection of the labour and social rights of journalists; welcomes the setting-up of the Albanian Media Council, and underlines its role in establishing ethical and professional standards for the media;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Welcomes the setting-up of the Albanian Media Council and underlines its role in establishing high ethical and professional standards for the journalists and the media while promoting their independence and freedom; welcomes adoption of revised Journalistic Code of Ethics as well as the Ethical Guidelines for Online Media and calls for reinforcement of its principles in order to maintain public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence and accountability;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Fears possible negative impacts on employment and social policy-making following the dismantling of Albania’s LabourSocial Welfare Ministry as a result of governmental restructuring; encourages the Albanian authorities to foster cooperation with trade unions; calls on them to take effective measures to address the high unemployment rate, especially among young people, and to further improve the quality of education;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Expresses concern over economic activity that has led to grave environmental damage in protected areas, especially such as the hydropower plants along the Vjosa and Valbona rivers; expresses doubts about quality of strategic environmental assessments and environmental impact assessments urges the authorities to step up environmental impact assessments and public consultations on such projects; calls on exploring investments in renewable energy projects other than hydropower need to be further explored;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Expresses concern that Albania remains the Western Balkan country from which are made the highest number of illegal entries and stays, and unfounded asylum claims, in Member States; calls for Albanian authorities to establish systems to assist the effective transition of families and children upon their return in the country;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Welcomes the steps made for the agreement on operational cooperation between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and Albania, the first country in the region with which such an agreement was concluded and encourages further cooperation on the operational level;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes Albania’s participation in the Berlin Process, the Western Balkans Six initiative and other regional initiatives, and its contribution to strengthening the profile of the Regional Cooperation Council; welcomes Albania’s proactive role in promoting regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations with other enlargement countries and with neighbouring Member States; welcomes the establishment of the Albania-Serbia Joint Chamber of Commerce in Tirana and encourages strengthening of the trade and business cooperation in the region; welcomes official launching of the Western Balkans Fund, which should promote common values and develop regional cooperation between citizens, civil society and institutions of the Western Balkans region;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Reiterates its support for the initiative to establish the Regional commission for the establishment of facts about war crimes and other serious violations of human rights committed in the former Yugoslavia (RECOM); urges the government of Albania to take the lead on its establishment; underlines the importance of this process and the active engagement of all regional political leaders in order for it to start its work without further delay; calls attention to the Coalition of RECOM’s Proposal of the Action Plan with clear dates and benchmarks;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Commends Albania on its continued full alignment with all EU positions and declarations made in the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy; calls on Albania to align itself with the EU common position on the integrity of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and to renounce its bilateral immunity agreement with the United States; commends Albania’s active participation in military crisis management missions under the common security and defence policy, as well as its contribution to NATO missions of strategic importance to the EU;