Activities of Takis HADJIGEORGIOU related to 2016/2308(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
2016 Report on Turkey (debate) EL
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2016 Commission Report on Turkey PDF (313 KB) DOC (69 KB)
Amendments (32)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
— having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those of 24 November 2016 on EU-Turkey relations1 , and 27 October 2016 on the situation of journalists in Turkey2 , and of 13 November 2014 on Turkey's actions creating tensions in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0450. 2 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0423.
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to Turkey not having implemented for the eleventh consecutive year the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto; this refusal continues to have a profound negative effect on the negotiation process,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
Citation 8 b (new)
- having regard to the fact that the basis for accession to the EU for Turkey is the full compliance with the Copenhagen criteria and the EU's integration capacity, in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2006 European Council meeting,
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16
Citation 16
— having regard to the fact that respect for the rule of law, including, in particular, the separation of powers, democracy, freedom of expression and media, human rights, the rights of minorities and religious freedom, freedom of association and peaceful protest, including the property rights of all non-Muslim religious minorities, good neighbourly relations, the rights of women and children, the fight against corruption and organised crime, religious freedom, freedom of association and peaceful protest, and tackling discrimination against vulnerable groups such as the Roma, disabled persons, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons, are at the core of the negotiation process,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
— having regard to the crisis in Syria, the efforts towards a ceasefire and a peaceful settlement, and Turkey’s obligations to enhance stability and promote good neighbourly relations through intensive efforts in order to resolve outstanding bilateral issues, disputes and conflicts with the neighbouring countries over land and maritime borders and airspace, in accordance with the UN Charter and the UNCLOS,
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines, however, that measures taken under the state of emergency had large-scale, disproportionate and long- lasting negative effects on the protection of fundamental freedoms in the country; condemns the collective dismissal of civil servants, the mass liquidation of media outlets, the arrests of journalists, academics, judges, human rights defenders, elected officials and ordinary citizens, and the confiscation of property and passports on the basis of emergency decree laws without individualised decisions, and without the possibility of timely judicial review; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners held without proof of individual involvement in committing crime or without any charges presented against them;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines, however, that measures taken under the state of emergency had large-scale, disproportionate and long- lasting negative effects on the protection of fundamental freedoms in the country; condemns the collective dismissal of civil servants, the mass liquidation of media outlets, the arrests of journalists, academics, judges, human rights defenders, elected officials and ordinary citizens (over 48 000 according to recent Ministry of Justice figures), and the confiscation of property and passports on the basis of emergency decree laws without individualised decisions, and without the possibility of timely judicial review;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes note of the outcome of the referendum that took place on 16 April 2017, held under the state of emergency and in circumstances that prevented a fair campaign, as noted, in particular, by the joint observation mission undertaken by the OSCE and the Council of Europe; supports an independent evaluation of all claims regarding irregularities; notes the remarks of the Venice Commission on the constitutional reform, and underlines that the proposed constitutional amendments do not respect the fundamental principles of the separation of powers and sufficient checks and balances, and are not in line with the Copenhagen criteria;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that measures undertaken following the declaration of the state of emergency have targeted not only alleged members/supporters of the Gülen movement, but dissent in general and political parties of the opposition in particular; strongly condemns the imprisonment of 13 MPs belonging to the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including its co-chairs, and of 90 Kurdish municipal mayors; urges the Turkish Government to free those people without delay and restore them to the offices to which they were elected under universal suffrage, and to lift the state of emergency immediately; underlines that the reintroduction of the death penalty would violate Turkey’s international commitments, jeopardise its membership of the Council of Europe and lead to an immediate end to the EU accession talks;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is concerned by the increasingly frequent allegations of torture, in particular in prisons, and calls for the immediate publication of the latest reports by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)1a;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Condemns strongly the violations of freedom of expression and the serious infringements of media freedom, including the disproportionate bannings of media sites and social media; notes with concern the closure of around 170 media outlets - including almost all Kurdish-language outlets - and the jailing of more than 150 journalists; recalls that a free and pluralistic press is an essential component of any democracy and urges the Turkish government to release all journalists immediately; condemns, furthermore, the repeated blocking of access to social media, in particular the recent blocking of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia in order to prevent modifications being made to articles about Turkey, and condemns the Turkish courts’ decision to turn down the Wikimedia Foundation’s request for the blocking to stop;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Condemns strongly the serious backsliding and violations of freedom of expression and the serious infringements of media freedom, including the disproportionate bannings of media sites and social media; notes with concern the closure of around 170 media outlets - including almost all Kurdish-language outlets - and the jailing of more than 150 journalists; regrets in this context that in the last World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders the country has ranked 155th out of 180 countries, while according Freedom House 2017 report on the country's Press Freedom, the country's status is "Not Free"; recalls that a free and pluralistic press is an essential component of any democracy and urges the Turkish government to release all journalists immediately;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 – point 1 (new)
Paragraph 8 – point 1 (new)
(1) Condemns the adoption of the 2016 law on the legal protection of security forces involved in counter- terrorism operations, the terms of which have given rise to fears that it could be a way of fostering impunity;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Expresses its serious concern at the continuously deteriorating situation in south-east Turkey, especially in the areas where curfews were imposed, where some 2 000 people were reportedly killed in the context of security operations and an estimated half a million people became displaced in the period from July 2015 to December 2016; notes that local prosecutors have consistently refused to open investigations into the reported killings; recalls that the Turkish Government has a responsibility to protect all people living on its territory, irrespective of their ethnic and cultural origin, religion or beliefs; is convinced that only a fair political settlement of the Kurdish question can bring sustainable stability and prosperity both to the area and to Turkey as a whole; notes that a series of laws have created an atmosphere of ‘systematic impunity’ for the security forces; regrets the decision of the Turkish Parliament to waive the immunity of a large number of MPs unconstitutionally, paving the way for the arrests of opposition politicians;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on Turkey to protect the rights of the most vulnerable groups and of persons belonging to minorities; regrets that the LGBTI marches in Ankara and Istanbul were banned for the second consecutive year; is seriously concerned about gender-based violence, discrimination, hate speech against minorities, hate crime, lack of respect for the freedom of religion or belief and violations of the human rights of LGBTI persons; calls on Turkey to harmonise its domestic legislation with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, which it ratified in 2014; welcomes the government’s national strategy and action plan for Roma and encourages the authorities to address key obstacles to the social inclusion of Roma;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11 d. Calls for the implementation of the Council of Europe Venice Commission Resolution 1625 (2008) on the protection of property rights on Imvros and Tenedos; notes that further action is needed to address the problems faced by members of the Greek minority on these islands, in particular with regard to property rights; calls on Turkish authorities, in this regard and given the dwindling number of members of the minority, to encourage and assist expatriate minority families who wish to return to the island; calls on Turkey to respect the 1972 UNESCO Convention and to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression, which is the EU's main legal reference in the area of culture;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the deepening ofNotes that there has not been much progress in the EU- Turkey relations in key areas of joint interest, such as counter-terrorism, migration, energy, the economy and trade; believes EU-Turkey coopbelieves EU- Turkey cooperation in key areas can be an investment in the stability and prosperity of both Turkey and the EU; insists that the Turkish government has to revise in line with Internation in these areas to be an investment in the stability and prosperity of both Turkey and the EUal and European Law the legal framework as regards organised crime and terrorism in order to ensure the freedom and fundamental rights, notably the right to fair trial and freedom of expression, of assembly and association in practice;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Believes that strengthening trade relations could bring concrete benefits to citizens in Turkey and the EU, and therefore supports the Commission’s proposal to start negotiations on the upgrading of the Customs Union; reiterates that the EU is Turkey’s main trading partner and tha can be contemplated provided that Turkey proceeds first two thirds of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Turkey comes from EU Member States; ce full and indiscriminate implementation of its obligationsi ders the involvement of social partners in negotiations as crucialiving from the current Customs Union Agreement between EU- Turkey; calls on the Commission to include political benchmarks on human rights and fundamental freedoms inonce the negotiations for the upgraded Customs Union begin;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 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-à-vis all member states, the Republic of Cyprus in particular; reiterates that Turkey's refusal to normalize its relations with all EU Member States has started having a negative impact on its relations with the EU, including its accession process;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that visa liberalisation is important for the Turkish population and will enhance people-to-people contacts; encourages the Turkish Government to comply with the final outstanding criteria, including revision of its anti-terrorism legislation and to fully and in a non- discriminatory manner meet all the criteria identified in the visa liberalisation roadmap towards all Member States;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Condemns in the strongest terms all terrorist attacks carried out in Turkey, and stands firmly by Turkey’s population in our joint fight against terrorism; welcomes the close bilateral relations between EU Member States and Turkey in the field of anti-terrorism cooperation, including on ‘foreign fighters’; reiterates its condemnation of the return to violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU’sstresses that the inclusion of PKK on the EU's list of terrorist organisations is standing in the way of the establishment of peace, dialogue and negotiations, at the same time that facilitates the infringement of human rights; calls therefore on the Council to revise the list and remove the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations since 2002; inv; calls on the Turkish authorities the Member States to enforce legislation banning the use of signs and symbols of organisations which are on that listo restart talks with PKK leaders for a peaceful solution for the Kurdish question; and to end the confinement of Abdullah Ocalan in prison;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Calls on European Council for EU embargo on arms sales to Turkey, following the decision of Germany and Austria;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Commends the engagement by the Turkish Government and the hospitality shown by the population in hosting around 3 million refugees; notescalls on the EU and the Heads of States and Governments of the EU to revoke the EU-Turkey statement on migration, and urges the Member States to initiate the voluntary resettlement scheme for the most vulnerable refugees in Turkey; calls on the Commission to ensure long-term investment in both refugees and their host communities in Turkey; encourages the Turkish Government to grant work permits to all Syrian refugees; calls on Ankara to keep up its patrolling efforts in the Aegean and to implement fully the bilateral readmission agreements signed with Bulgaria and Greece;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Is disturbed at ONG reports highlighting the growing number of refugee children working under illegal conditions in Turkish businesses; also stresses that it is essential to prevent the death of migrants at sea not just by developing legal and safe access routes for migrants and asylum seekers, but also by ensuring that the Turkish authorities genuinely act to combat the people smugglers and traffickers in Turkey whose methods include corrupting the security forces; regrets that the joint EU- Turkey action plan on refugees and migration management takes no account of the reality of the situation for migrants and refugees in Turkey and is based on a purely repressive approach; stresses in this context that cooperation on migration should not be used as a bargaining chip or be conditional solely on reinforced border controls or the accession process, but should also take into account the interests of migrants and asylum seekers and the recognition of their rights;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Condemns strongly the recent statements by President Erdogan accusing some EU leaders of ‘Nazi practices’ and warns that the continuation of such unwarranted statements undermines Turkey’s credibility as a political partner; notes with concern the reports of alleged pressure on members of the Turkish diaspora living in the Member States, and condemns the Turkish authorities’ surveillance of citizens with dual nationality living abroad; is concerned at the revocation of a large number of passports, leaving people stateless in contravention of the UN's 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and its 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Calls upon the Turkish Government to halt its plans for the construction of the Akkuyuy nuclear power 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; 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;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines that a settlement of the Cyprus problem would have a positive impact on the entire region, while first and foremost benefiting both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots; praises the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities in Cyprus for having achieved major progress in the settlement talks; welcomes the exchange of preferred maps, thus far unprecedented, and the first international conferenceConference on Cyprus held with the guarantor powers; supports the settlement based on a bi- communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, 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 on the basis of respect for international law and the principles on which the Union is founded; welcomes the intensified engagement by the parties to achieve the settlement of the Cyprus problem; expects Turkey to show active support for the negotiations, and reiterates that Turkey’s commitment and contribution to a comprehensive settlement remain crucial; praises the important work of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), and calls on Turkey to allow access to all relevant sites and to assist the CMP by providing information from its military archivemilitary zones for exhumation and to assist the CMP to the discovery of relocated and other remains by providing all relevant information from its military archives; welcomes, in this respect, the appointment of EP standing rapporteur on missing persons;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Calls on Turkey to immediately withdraw its troops from Cyprus and to transfer Varosha to its lawful inhabitants in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550(1984);
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Calls on Turkey to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has been signed and ratified by the EU, the 28 Member States and all other candidate countries and forms part of the acquis in line with December 2015 Council Conclusions and other relevant Council Conclusions; also condemns all the provoking actions of Turkey within the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus which are a source of instability and calls on Turkey to terminate them; it recalls that Ankara must respect the sovereign rights of all EU Member States and to refrain from any action damaging good neighbourly relations while at the same time respecting the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes;
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Calls on the Turkish government to end the repeated violations of Greek airspace and territorial waters, as well as Turkish military aircraft flights over Greek islands, in accordance with the principle of good neighbourly relations which constitute a fundamental part of the Negotiating Framework and an essential element of the Enlargement Process; in this framework it once again expresses its deep regret that the casus belli threat declared by the Turkish Grand National Assembly against Greece in 1995, has not yet been withdrawn;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19 c. Deplores Turkey's policy of illegal 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 revoke relevant threats and terminate all actions aiming to alter the demographic balance on the island thus impeding a future solution;