Activities of Stelios KOULOGLOU related to 2021/2244(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the 2021 Commission Report on Albania
Amendments (29)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
— having regard to the Council of Europe’s report ‘Beyond Definitions: a call for action against hate speech in Albania – a comprehensive study’, published in November 2021;1a _________________ 1a https://rm.coe.int/beyond-definitions- eng/1680a464b2
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
— having regard to the European Court of Auditors press release of 10th of January 2022
Amendment 20 #
Da. whereas the rule of law and human rights are a key benchmark for assessing the progress towards the EU accession;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas past OSCE/ODIHR recommendations to further improve the conduct of elections in the Republic of Albania and bring them fully in line with the OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards have not yet been fully addressed
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the Commission redirected EUR 50.6 million in grants to meet the most immediate needs and provide socio-economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underscores that the pace of EU accession is determined by the progress on the due functioning of all institutions and is grounded in the rule of law, good governance and fundamental rights; urges Albania to sustain and intensify efforts to reinforce the functioning of the judiciary, strengthen the rule of law, empower civil society, counter corruption and organised crime, and ensure media freedom;, guarantee the rights of minorities and address the worrying persecution of the LGBTQI community
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Expresses concern over the enduring inflammatory rhetoric, which fuels the culture of intimidation, smear campaigns, violence and rioting and worries that the reported attacks against journalists have not yet resulted in final convictions;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Is concerned with the ability of the National Council for Civil Society to voice priorities of civil society organizations in policy-making processes is still very weak;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes the need for further progress on freedom of expression, media independence and pluralism; requests authorities to take decisive action against the marginalisation of and intimidation against independent media outlets and reporters; repeats its calls to improve the working conditions of journalists and to adopt regulations enhancing transparency around media ownership, funding and public advertising. Recalls the need to strengthen the protection of Albanian journalist's labour and social rights;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Is concerned that according to the Commission report, no progress was reported in the areas of freedom of expression; Notes that there is a need to ensure a policy of zero tolerance for intimidation and attacks against journalists, including in political discourse;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the relevant bodies to systematically and proactively prevent and prosecute all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation; encourages the office of the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination to be more proactive in combatting discriminatory hate speech, in particular against LGBTI persons, and to develop disaggregated data collection on the matter;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes advances in ensuring equal opportunities and calls for further improvements in the enforcement of gender equality, property rights, data protection, rights of people with disabilities and minority rights, including especially the rights of Roma and LGBTI persons, who are exposed to multiple discrimination;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Expresses concern on the pending by-laws on minority rights, in particular on self-identification and the use of minority languages and increase capacities of the State Committee on National Minorities;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Commends the adoption of the new LGBTI National Action Plan 2021- 2027 and encourages full implementation and proper budgeting via a coordination and monitoring body which shall oversee it;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Considers that reports of numbers of HIV infections doubling since last year are highly concerning; recalls that the National Strategy for People Living with HIV expired in 2020 and has not been renewed; recalls that access to PEP and PrEP for those most at risk can significantly contribute to decreasing new infections, and recalls that these are still unavailable to LGBTI persons; calls on the government to take appropriate measures, in liaison with civil society, to address the rising numbers of HIV infections and ensure access to healthcare of those most vulnerable;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls on Albania to make further progress on measures consolidating property registration, by reforming property registration and land sector framework in order to fully implement the Venice Commission recommendation and advancing a transparent process of registration, including in minority areas;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Notes that the Republic of Albania has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17d. Expresses serious concern on the discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) personas remains pervasive and dominant in Albanian society, especially regarding to access to health care, education, justice, employment and housing; Is extremely concerned about the cases of physical aggression against members of the LGBTIQ community and the diffusion of hate speech;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Notes that women representation in public offices needs improvement;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Notes that following the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recommendations, further improvements are needed in the functioning of detention facilities;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Is worried that according to the European Court of Auditors “progress on the rule-of-law situation in the region has generally been limited, and sustainability has proved difficult to achieve despite EU political support and financial assistance”;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Commends the steady progress in implementing a comprehensive justice reform, underpinned by the unprecedented vetting process, followed by a restored functionality of relevant courts, as a very important first step in order to become fully functional; Highlights that an important milestone was reaches at the end of 2020 with the appointment of three new judges to the Constitutional Court; Whereas the Constitutional Court has regained its necessary quorum to hold plenary sessions;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Recalls the need to continue to consolidate the capacity of the judicial system and the governance institutions;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Recalls that further advances are needed in the process of re-evaluating judges and prosecutors;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Is concerned with the cases involving high-level officials still remain limited, fostering a culture of impunity within the higher levels of the State;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 b (new)
Paragraph 28 b (new)
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Welcomes the ongoing efforts that should lead to systemic improvements in tackling the trafficking of humans, firearms and goods, along with cybercrime, violent crime, extremism and terrorist threats; c. Highlights the need to continue to strengthen the fight against corruption and to bolster the capacity to further strengthen the efficiency of the judicial system and its capacity to tackle corruption and organised crime. Commends the ongoing bilateral and international cooperation on dismantling transnational crime networks, including with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Calls for enhancing measures for the protection of the environment, especially regarding the national parks and the environmentally protected areas, paying particular attention on the construction of numerous Hydroelectric Power Plants within national parks, without previous proper environmental studies