108 Amendments of Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS related to 2019/2201(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5
Citation 5
— having regard to the Republic of Moldovan's National Action Plan on the Implementation of the Moldova-European Union Association Agreement (NAPIAA) for 2017-2019,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6
Citation 6
— having regard to its previous resolutions relating to the Republic of Moldova, in particular the previous resolution on the Implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement of 14 November 20181 , its resolution of 5 July 2018 on the political crisis in the Republic of Moldova following the invalidation of the mayoral elections in Chișinău2 , of 15 November 2017 on the Eastern Partnership in the run-up to the November 2017 Summit3 , of 4 July 2017 on providing macro-financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova4 , and of 21 January 2016 on Association Agreements / Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine5 , _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2018)0458. 2 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2018)0303. 3 OJ C 356, 4.10.2018, p. 130. 4 OJ C 334, 19.9.2018, p. 199. 5 OJ C 11, 12.1.2018, p. 82.
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8
Citation 8
— having regard to the subsequent EU decision of July 2019 to resume budget support disbursements in light of the Republic of Moldova’s commitment to reform the justice system,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10
Citation 10
— having regard to the European Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) joint staff working document (SWD(2019)0325) on the Association Implementation Report on the Republic of Moldova of 11 September 2019,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11
Citation 11
— having regard to the outcome of the fifth Association Council meeting between the EU and the Republic of Moldova of 30 September 2019,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15
Citation 15
— having regard to the 2018 Transparency International corruption perception list that awards the Republic of Moldova the 117th place out of 180 countries and territories assessed (first place being the best),
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16
Citation 16
— having regard to the opinions and recommendations of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, in particular of 15 March 2018 on electoral reform in the Republic of Moldova, of 24 June 2019 on the constitutional situation with particular reference to the possibility of dissolving parliament, and of 14 October 2019 on the draft law on the reform of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Prosecutor’s Office,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17
Citation 17
— having regard to the recommendations and activities of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and other representatives of civil society in the Republic of Moldova,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
— having regard to the conclusions of the European Parliament election observation mission to the Republic of Moldova parliamentary elections of 24 February 2019 integrated in the international election observation mission led by the OSCE/ODIHR,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
— having regard to the Statement and Recommendations adopted on the occasion of the 7th Meeting of the EU- Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, held in Strasbourg on 18-19 December 2019,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19
Citation 19
— having regard to the Commission economic aid package adopted on 29 March 2020 to help the Republic of Moldova, among other countries, in its fight against the COVID- 19 pandemic, which included the redirection of existing instruments to mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the crisis;,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
— having regard to the Decision (EU) 2020/701 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25th of May 2020 on providing macro-financial assistance to enlargement and neighbourhood partners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 b (new)
Citation 19 b (new)
— having regard to the European Commission Report to the European Parliament and the Council, Third report under the visa suspension mechanism, and the accompanying Staff Working Document, published on 10 July 2020,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas through the AA/DCFTA the Republic of Moldova committed to incorporating the EU acquis into its own laws and practices in a large number of areas; whereas, in order to support these efforts, the EU committed to provide substantial financial and budgetary assistance to the Republic of Moldova;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas on 13 September 2017 Parliament and the Council adopted a decision to provide macro-financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova worth EUR 100 million in the context of the IMF programme to support the country’s economic and financial reforms;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas in November 2019 the Moldovan Parliament of the Republic of Moldova passed a motion of no-confidence in the Government constituted in June 2019, formed a minority government, and subsequently a new coalition government;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas on 17 April2020, the Russian and Moldovan governments signed an agreement for a loan of EUR 200 million to be provided by the Russian Federation to the Republic of Moldova with a preferential 2% interest rate, which was negotiated by the presidents of both countries; whereas this agreement has been ratified on the 23rd of April and, on the same day, following an appeal introduced by members of the parliamentary opposition, the Constitutional Court(CC) of the Republic of Moldova suspended the ratification law of the loan agreement until it would complete the examination of its compatibility with the Constitution; whereas on the 6th of May, the President of the CC reported pressure from the Moldovan authorities on the CC, as well as attempts to discredit its judges; whereas on the 7th of May 2020, the CC declared the loan agreement unconstitutional; whereas a new loan agreement with the Russian Federation is currently under negotiations;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas on the 10th of July 2020, the European Commission approved the disbursement of a second and final instalment of 30 million euros from its Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) programme; whereas, however, the Republic of Moldova will not be able to access the rest of funds available under this programme, which expires in July 2020;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F c (new)
Recital F c (new)
Fc. whereas during the COVID-19 crisis solidarity with the Eastern Partnership countries is of paramount importance and the EU provided substantial support to address the impact of the outbreak in the region; whereas, in this context, the Republic of Moldova will benefit from 87 million euros in redirected bilateral funding;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F d (new)
Recital F d (new)
Fd. whereas the EU is also making further MFA loans of 100 euros million available to the Republic of Moldova, as part of the Decision to provide MFA to ten partner countries in the neighbourhood in order to help them limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic; whereas the first instalment of the exceptional MFA package will be disbursed as swiftly as possible after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with Moldova will be concluded; whereas in order to receive the second instalment, to be disbursed within one year from the signing of the MoU, the country will have to respect certain conditionalities; whereas an important precondition for the granting of this MFA is that the country respects effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, the rule of law and guarantees respect for human rights;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F e (new)
Recital F e (new)
Fe. whereas the new coalition government’s majority in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has been constantly shrinking as deputies defected from the ruling alliance; whereas the Republic of Moldova will hold Presidential elections in the fall and is currently facing a period of acute political instability; whereas President Igor Dodon has underlined that the Parliament must be dissolved and early elections must be held as soon as possible; whereas on the 7th of July 2020, the Constitutional Court of Moldova has ruled that early elections could be held only after the Presidential elections;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F f (new)
Recital F f (new)
Ff. whereas the Republic of Moldova has made international and national commitments to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women; whereas the country has adopted measures to promote the political representation of women, including through adoption of a mandatory 40% gender quota for the political parties’ electoral lists; whereas further efforts are needed in order to advance the objectives of the 2017-2021 National Gender Equality Strategy, including appropriate funding and stronger implementation mechanisms;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. NRecalls that the common values on which the EU is built, namely democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, lie also at the heart of the political association and the economic integration between the EU and the Republic of Moldova; notes that the AA/DCFTA remains of primary importance, especially in current exceptional times, and commends the progress achieved by Moldova to date; recalls, however, that further progress must be achieved;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that the AA/DCFTA remains of primary importance for the development of the Republic of Moldova, especially in current exceptional times, and commends the progress achieved by Moldova to date; recalls, however, that further progress must be achievedsustained engagement in this process of Moldovan society and authorities; recalls, however, that further progress must be achieved in its implementation, to deliver its full potential and benefits; underlines that the AA/DCFTA was the main vector in encouraging and supporting the process of structural reforms, democracy and the rule of law;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the reforms that led to the introduction of a visa-free regime with the Union; the program has been used extensively by the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and represents a very good example of how the implementation of the AA/DCFTA touches upon the lives of citizens by fostering people-to-people contacts with other fellow Europeans;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Welcomes all intentions towards a closer political, human, and economic integration with the Union in line with the principle of differentiation and based on the performance, results, and aspirations of the Republic of Moldova's authorities and society;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the conclusions of the IMF’s March 2020 Article IV consultation and the IMF Board’s sixth and final review of the Republic of Moldova’s economic performance under the Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility arrangements, with particular regard to the rehabilitation of the Moldovan banking system of the Republic of Moldova and the strengthening of financial sector governance;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the November 2019 Activity Program of the Moldovan Government of the Republic of Moldova is less ambitious than the previous government’s 2030 Global Agenda, and regrets the lack of a new NAPIAA and underlines the importance of agreeing as soon as possible on a new Agenda as a distinct tool to steer the Association Agreement's implementation; insists that the continuation of EU sector budgetpolitical and financial support remains conditional upon the delivery of tangible reforms, in particular of the judiciary;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding on new exceptional EU Macro Financial Assistance program aimed at countering the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and looks forward to the implementation of the undertaken commitments;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the European Commission to develop a mechanism to monitor the concrete implementation of reforms, including clear benchmarks, with the meaningful involvement of civil society, particularly at local level; deems it essential, in this context, to step up the financial support for CSOs, which play a critical role in fostering participation in public debates and monitoring both the action of Moldovan authorities and the effectiveness of the Union’s policies towards the country;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the European Commission to develop a conditionality mechanism to monitor the concrete implementation of reforms, including clear benchmarks;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Ahead of the Presidential elections scheduled for the 1st of November 2020, urges Moldovan authorities to ensure the holding of free and fair elections;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure free and fair presidential elections scheduled on November 1st, 2020;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Acknowledges the adoption by the Moldovan ParliamentParliament of the Republic of Moldova adoption of numerous legislative acts in line with the country’s commitments enshrined in the AA; underlines the importance of a full implementation of these acts, including by adopting secondary legislation;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is concerned that political instability and frequent government changes are affecting the implementation of AA/DCFTA provisions and limiting the pace of reforms;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Reiterates its concern regarding the lack of a constant commitment to improvements in the public sector, which discourages competent people from pursuing a career in public administration;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Stresses the need for the development of a professional public administration and the encouragement of young people to take up a career in the public sector, so as to achieve a more transparent administration in which nepotism and favouritism do not lead to chronic politicisation;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the progress achieved on the reform of public administration and public financial management, but encourages further steps to increase transparency;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the authorities to consider the critical structural changes as priorities to allow the emergence of real self- government since crucial reforms are still not implemented and there are cases in which local authorities are subjected to intense political pressure or harassment by the central authorities or people associated with the ruling groups;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure full implementation of the public administration reform in line with the OECD/SIGMA principles of public administration;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Acknowledges the Republic of Moldova's essential steps to increase the performance of public administration and calls for action to start a more comprehensive decentralization reform as soon as possible;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Underlines the need for more in- depth and broader cooperation between local authorities, for a reduced number of local administrations and more measures to ensure their greater independence and decrease their operating costs;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is concerned by the high level of concentration and politicisation of the media and advertising sectors, leading to a low level of public confidence in the media; urges the Moldovan authorities to refrain from exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to adopt measures curtailing freedom of speech and limiting the media’s ability to report facts in an independent and unbiased waytakes the view that strengthening media pluralism and its independence should be a priority for the Union in its relations with the Republic of Moldova and that this should be reflected appropriately also in the financial allocations; urges the Moldovan authorities to refrain from exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to adopt measures curtailing freedom of speech and limiting the media’s ability to report facts in an independent and unbiased way; expresses concern for the spreading of fake news and disinformation in the Republic of Moldova during the coronavirus crisis and points out the need for both the local authorities and the Union to develop specific programmes that promote media literacy, combat disinformation and support quality, fact-checked media content;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is concerned by the high level of concentration and politicisation of the media and advertising sectors, leading to a low level of public confidence in the media; urges the Moldovan authorities of the Republic of Moldova to refrain from exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to adopt measures curtailing freedom of speech and limiting the media’s ability to report facts in an independent and unbiased way;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Urges the authorities to step up support in the fight against fake news, hybrid warfare in communication, and the degradation of media programs; underlines that political involvement in mass media structurally undermines fundamental freedoms and access to information;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Asks the authorities to sustain the development of actions to ensure full disclosure of media ownership and to support a deeper involvement of civil society in monitoring and assessing of the transparency process;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Calls for more support from the government in the development of civil society, calls on government and authorities to refrain from any pressure on NGOs and other civic actors; regrets the distrust and hostility with which political officials approach civil society in general;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7d. Urges more meaningful and active involvement of civil society in the policymaking processes;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the amendments to the electoral legislation adopted in August 2019, and the ruling of the Moldovan Constitutional Court of Republic of Moldova in February 2020 on the territorial requirements for establishing political parties;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Urges the Moldovan authorities to further improve the electoral legislation in order to ensure the effectiveness of the right to vote, including abroad, as well as the fairness of the electoral campaigns;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Urges Moldovan authorities to further improve the electoral legislation to ensure an effective right to elect, including abroad, as well as the fairness of the electoral campaigns;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to promote transparency in public decision-making and to ensure proper involvement and consultation of stakeholders and civil society at all stages, which will also increase public scrutiny and the social acceptability of the reforms conducted;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Asks for strict restraint from changing the electoral legislation to satisfy specific political needs or from altering the rules and regulations to manipulate the results, which will always end in political unrest and instability affecting the commitment for structural reforms;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Is of the opinion that the EU assistance to the Republic of Moldova should continue to prioritize improving the living standards of the citizens, targeting areas such as facilitating the development of SMEs, helping the youth, as well as the general reform of the education and health sectors;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8d. Points out that the COVID-19 crisis has brought to light the fact that the health system of the Republic of Moldova is underdeveloped and is struggling to cope with the recent surge in the number of cases; calls on the European Commission and the Member States to provide urgent help to Moldovan authorities, including technical assistance and, in the long-run to help them build resilience to similar epidemiological emergencies that might happen in the future;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the Republic of Moldovan participation in common security and defence policy (CSDP) missions and operations, on cyber -security and cyber- crime investigations, as well as Moldova’s cooperation with NATO; calls on the EU to include the Republic of Moldova in new formats of cooperation countering hybrid threats;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Acknowledges the Republic of Moldova's unique experience and expertise and the contribution that it can provide to the Union collective security and defence policy;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Encourages a deepened cooperation in EU-related defence policies, including participation in PESCO once the issue of involvement of third countries is determined;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Reiterates the EU’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova, and for the efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Transnistrian issuepeaceful resolution of the Transnistrian conflict, based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, ensuring the protection of human rights on the territories not controlled by constitutional authorities;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Acknowledges the increased security interdependence between Moldova and the Transnistria region and the stability of both as the main factor for prevention and resolution of security challenges such as hybrid threats, cyberattacks, election cyber-meddling, disinformation and propaganda campaigns, and third-party interference in the political, electoral, and other democratic processes;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Encourages the Moldovan Government to continue promoting an environment favourable to the settlement of conflicts and supporting activities that increase confidence and people-to-people contacts across conflict-divided communities;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10c. Welcomes all activities that enhance the economic collaboration and increase the level of goods and services exchanges between Republic of Moldova and Transnistria;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Reiterates that the UN General Assembly adopted on 22 June 2018a resolution urging the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops and armaments unconditionally from the territory of the Republic of Moldova and reaffirming the support for the immediate implementation of that resolution;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Encourages the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to look for more in- depth collaboration with the Union and its Members States in order to enhance the implementation of good practices and solutions for countering disinformation, propaganda, manipulation and hostile influencing carried out by external forces aimed at dividing, destabilizing, and undermining the integrity of the internal political processes and the relations with the Union;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Urges the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to consider the development and implementation of the package of laws regarding the fields of conflict prevention and crisis management part of NAPIAA in 2017- 2019;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the Moldovan Government of the Republic of Moldova to complete judicial reforms so as to ensure the independence, impartiality and effectiveness of the judiciary and specialised anti-corruption institutions, taking the necessary measures, including the introduction of guarantees of judicial independence in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Asks for measures to provide more robust and more resilient institutions, the prevalence of the rule of law, the implementation of judicial reforms and the fight against corruption and money laundering, broader participation in the process of all the stakeholders including a permanent presence from the civil society to achieve a meaningful consultation regarding the objectives and the implementation for a significant acceptance of decisions;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the authorities to continue effective consultations in order to adopt a concept and action plan for justice reform based on a comprehensive diagnostic, ensuring wide consensus from stakeholders and in strict adherence with the Constitution and European standards;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Calls on the authorities to ensure progress with regard to the adoption of constitutional amendments related to the judiciary in line with the Venice Commission’s recommendations; regrets that the amendments regarding the appointment of Supreme Council of Magistracy members have been rushed through Parliament; underlines the need to ensure the independence of the SCM, as well as to establish merit-based procedures for the selection and the promotion of judges;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is concerned by the very high level of disapproval of the judiciary, and therefore calls on the Moldovan authorities of the Republic of Moldova to ensure that the Prosecutor General, his staff, and public prosecutors in general, work independently and abide by the highest standards of professionalism and integrity;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Urges an in-depth reform of magistrates' status using international precedents and good practices to allow the Supreme Council of the Magistracy (SCM) full independence in defending judges and prosecutors against any act of interference in or in connection with their professional activity and to promote a merit-based and transparent system for the selection and promotion of judges; calls on the Moldovan authorities to advance in the transparent process of drafting and timely adoption of the amendments to the Constitution on the SCM, in line with Venice Commission recommendations, and of the new Strategy to ensure justice sector independence and integrity with the participation of and in consultation with the Council of Europe and EU experts, civil society, and other interested actors;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Moldovan authorities to ensure the complete independence of the Constitutional Court, and that it is not subject to any form of political interference; firmly rejects any attempts of intimidation or pressure on the judges of the Constitutional Court;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Moldovan authorities of the Republic of Moldova to ensure the complete independence of the Constitutional Court, and that it is not subject to any form of political interference;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Encourages the strengthening of the Constitutional Court to enable it to resist permanent partisan temptation to use it for political purposes;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is concerned by the very high level of perceived corruption in Moldova, and therefore urges the Government to step up the fight against it, as well as money laundering, arms smuggling and organised crime; calls on the Moldovan Government to adopt concrete measures to reinforce the independence and integrity of the National Anticorruption Centre’s Office and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office; points out the need for sustained and consistent efforts to prevent and prosecute high-level corruption and organized crime; takes the view that this is the only way to re-establish the trust of the Moldovan citizens and ensure the enactment of lasting reforms in the Republic of Moldova;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is concerned by the very high level of perceived corruption in the Republic of Moldova, and therefore urges the Government to step up the fight against it, as well as money laundering, arms smuggling and organised crime; calls on the Moldovan Government of the Republic of Moldova to adopt concrete measures to reinforce the independence and integrity of the National Anticorruption Centre’s Office and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Expresses dismay at the recent news of the discovery of a plant on the territory of the Republic of Moldova secretly producing helicopters which were intended for illegal exports in the CSI countries ; urges the authorities to step up efforts to fight organized crime and dismantle criminal schemes;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Welcomes the adoption of the law on Anti-Money Laundering sanctions on 21 May 2020 and calls for the swift elaboration of guidelines for the application of the new legislation, as well as for specialized training for the concerned authorities;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its concern at the persistent failure to bring transparent prosecution of all those responsible for the bank fraud exposed in 2014, as well as the slow recovery of stolen assets; calls on Member States to offer the necessary assistance to the Republic of Moldova's authorities in the investigation of the case if there will be any requests for it;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its concern at the persistent failure to bring transparent prosecution of all those responsible for the bank fraud exposed in 2014, as well as the slow recovery of stolen assets; calls on the authorities to bring all those responsible to justice without further delay and to recover the misappropriated funds;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Urges the Moldovan authorities to increase transparency on the funding of political parties, and to investigate all irregularities in a fair and unbiased way; stresses the need to fight corruption inside the Moldovan political class; is deeply concerned by recent allegations of buying off of Members of the Parliament in order to change political affiliation, as well as allegations of kidnapping, intimidation and pressure on elected representatives; points out that these allegations must be investigated and that such behaviour is incompatible with the values which are at the core of the AA with the Republic of Moldova; draws attention also to the responsibility of political parties to fight corruption within their own ranks;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Urges the Moldovan authorities of the Republic of Moldova to increase transparency on the funding of political parties, and to investigate all irregularities in a fair and unbiased way;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Welcomes the adoption, on the 18th of June 2020, of the new law to abolish the Citizenship for Investment Programme as of 1 September 2020, at the end of the existing moratorium; takes the view that this is an essential move in order to reduce the risks of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering in the Republic of Moldova; notes that until the programme is cancelled only existing applications will continue to be processed and calls on the Commission to monitor carefully how this will be done;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls on European Commission to increase funding through the available budget support and technical assistance instruments, aimed at strengthening the justice and law enforcement authorities' capacity and efficiency, taking into account progress in the implementation of the reforms;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Notes that according to the latest Commission report, the Republic of Moldova continues to meet the visa liberalisation requirements, and that visa- free movement continues to bring positive economic, social and cultural benefits both to the Union and Moldova; calls on the authorities to continue the efforts to satisfy the visa liberalisation benchmarks, in particular in the areas of anti- corruption, to strengthen the judiciary, to apply the anti-money laundering legislation and to take concrete action to address the increase of unfounded asylum applications;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Takes the view that the authorities should provide transparent information on the external assistance that they intend to seek and that financing from the Russian Federation should be discussed openly in Parliament and with experts and civil society, including the geo- strategic conditionalities and the long term impact on the economy arising from this type of financing ; considers that, when it comes to conditionalities attached to EU financial assistance, the authorities should also provide the necessary explanations to the public; underlines that EU conditionalities are to be seen as opportunities to conduct the necessary reforms;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the authorities to significantly increase efforts to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular for vulnerable groupsAcknowledges the improvement of legislation on the protection of human rights and calls on the authorities to recognize the respect for human rights as a critical criterion and a vital condition for a democratic society;
Amendment 252 #
19a. Welcomes the progress in the adoption by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova of the new law on non-commercial organisations and hopes the text will soon pass through the third and final reading and will be published swiftly; points out the central role NGOs play in any democratic society and expresses hope that the new legislation will improve the transparency of public decision-making and provide a modernized framework for the functioning of civil society in the country;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls for more concrete measures to improve detention conditions and to eliminate the detention of people with disabilities in psychiatric hospitals against their will; calls for the complete elimination of torture and ill-treatment in prisons as a method of pressure on imprisoned or detained political opponents;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Reminds that a draft bill establishing Magnitsky-type legislation has already been introduced in the Moldovan Parliament; encourages the legislative body to move forward with the examination of the law which would, if adopted, contribute to fighting human rights abuses, corruption and money- laundering;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Urges further steps in implementing the national legislation for preventing and combatting trafficking in human beings and for a substantial increase in the quality of services provided to victims;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19c. Calls for more protection, assistance, and support of victims of crime, especially children, during investigations and after the judicial process, and for more support during the social reintegration of the victims;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 d (new)
Paragraph 19 d (new)
19d. Encourages the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to promote programs that include consistent gender equality dimension, offer more support to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in society, implement legislation to fight hate speech and physical violence perpetrated against the more vulnerable groups;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 e (new)
Paragraph 19 e (new)
19e. Welcomes the progress in the adoption by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova of the new law on NGOs and looks forward to the implementation of the law, which will represent an essential step in strengthening transparent policy dialogue and ensure a favourable climate for the functioning of the civil society in the Republic of Moldova;
Amendment 269 #
19f. Calls for an increased presence of civil society actors in all the actions regarding human rights, fundamental freedoms legislation and implementation, allowing NGOs to act more efficiently as a watchdog for reforms and hold the respective State institutions accountable;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the significant increase in Moldovan imports intotrade between the Republic of Moldova and the EU, as well as the fact that the EU is the largest investor in Moldovathe country; welcomes the Moldovan Parliament’s adoption of the European LEADER approach as the basis for its national rural policy; welcomes the fact that, in 2018, the Union accounted for 70% of Moldova’s total exports and 56% of its total trade; encourages further progress in areas such as the customs code, the protection of intellectual property rights including geographical indications, the improvement of sanitary and phytosanitary standards, the improvement of market conditions in the field of energy, public procurement, and access to finance for SMEs;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the significant increase in Moldovan imports into the EU, as well as the fact that the EU is the largest investor in Moldova; welcomes the Moldovan Parliament’s adoption of the European LEADER approach as the basis for its national rural policy;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Encourages full implementation of the DCFTA in order to further increase the EU – Moldova bilateral trade and investment relationship;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Welcomes the Moldovan Parliament’s adoption of the European LEADER approach as the basis for its national rural policy;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to adopt and implement policies aimed at regulating the participation of the entities from jurisdictions that do not implement international transparency standards (offshore jurisdictions) or the businesses that are directly or indirectly controlled by such companies from trading with public authorities (public procurement, privatization, concession, and public- private partnership);
Amendment 287 #
22. UCalls on the Moldovan Government to further reform the energy sector in order to increase resilience, transparency in costs and contracts in the sector, and to improve energy independence and efficiency, particularly by strengthening the independence of the energy regulators, increasing energy interconnections with the Union, diversifying energy sources, including renewable energy, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels; stresses that all these aspects are of paramount importance for enhancing the country’s energy security; urges further steps to ensure the independence of the National Agency for Energy Regulation, and the rapid adoption of the secondary legislation needed to ensure the full implementation of the Third Energy Package;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Urges further steps to ensureWelcomes actions to strengthen institutional capacity and the independence of the National Agency for Eenergy Rregulation,or and the rapid adoption ofencourages the snecondessary legislation needed to ensure the fulland urgent actions to be taken for the implementation of the Third Energy Package, in particular in the field of natural gas;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls on the National Agency for Energy Regulations of the Republic of Moldova to approve the energy market Rules based on fair competition and ensure compliance by all market participants;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Commends the arrangements agreed between Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Romania in December 2019 to enable gas transfers to Ukraine and Moldova via the Trans-Balkan pipeline, and the February 2020 Action Plan to ensure the independence of the transmission system operator Moldovatransgaz;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Encourages the Moldovan authorities to continue the efforts to reinforce the energy security of the country and commends the finalisation of the Ungheni – Chișinau gas pipeline by the end of 2020;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Urges the Moldovan authorities to ensure the timely implementation of the project for interconnection of Moldova- Romania electricity systems by providing the necessary support and monitoring the activity;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Encourages the Moldovan authorities to requestconsider the establishment of a Jean Monnet Dialogue to support inter- party dialogue and parliamentary capacity building;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for all EU institutions, the Member States and Moldovan authoritiesin close cooperation with the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to better communicate the benefits of the AA/DCFTA and ofthe EU assistance to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova;