30 Amendments of Hermann TERTSCH related to 2021/2250(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
— having regard to the Negotiating Framework for Turkey of 3 October 2005, and to the fact that, as is the case for all candidate countries, Turkey's relations with the EU depend on full compliance with Copenhagen criteria, and to the need to normalize its relations with all EU Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian genocide1a, _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0094.
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 c (new)
Citation 4 c (new)
— having regard to the declaration issued by the European Community and its Member States on 21 September 2005, following the declaration made by Turkey upon signature on 29 July 2005 of the Ankara Protocol, including the provision that the recognition of all Member States is a necessary component of the negotiations, and to the need for Turkey to proceed to the normalization of its relations with all Member States and to fully implement the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement towards all Member States, by removing all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including restrictions on means of transport, without prejudice and discrimination,
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Turkey, besides being a candidate for EU accession, is a key partner in relation to the economy, trade and migration, as well as a strategic partnercountry presumes the commitment to progressively align in all aspects with the values, interests, standards policies and the EU acquis;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, in the aftermath of recent tensions between the EU and Turkey, particularly in relation to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the European Council offered to nurture a more positive dynamic in EU-Turkey relations, provided that this continued to be met with constructive efforts, by expressing readiness to engage with Turkey in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner in a number of areas of common interest;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas being a candidate country presumes a willingness to adopt a progressively approach and a firm commitment to meeting all obligations while gradually adopting in all aspects the values, interests, standards and policies of the EU; whereas an analysis of the EU’s reports in recent years reveal that Turkey’s distance from the EU’s values and its normative framework is still considpractically insuperable and is even growing in fundamental areas such as the rule of law and human rights;, driving a major wedge between the two sides and thus hampering constructive parliamentary dialogue.
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas over the past year, EU- Turkey relations have on average remained stable, as enhanced cooperation and dialogue on a number of issues have coexisted with regular conflicts; whereas this report reflects this situation by welcoming positive developments and pointing to further potential in the relationship, while signalling remaining problems, in particular as regards respect for democratic rights, the rule of law and fundamental rights; freedoms, together with the continued centralisation of powers in the hands of the Presidency without any solid and effective separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas over the past years, EU- Turkey relations have on average remained stable, as enhanced cooperation and dialogue on a number of issues have coexisted with regular conflicts; whereas this report reflects this situation by welcoming positive developments and pointing to further potential in the relationship, while signalling remaining problems, in particulardue to the fact that EU disregards the aggression against Greece and Cyprus; whereas this report is critical towards the lack of EU initiative for legitimacy in the eastern Mediterranean, while signalling major internal problems, as regards the rule of law and fundamental rights;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates its concern about the persistent distance between the EU and Turkey, despite it being a candidate country, in terms of European values and standards, and the continuing lack of political will to carry out the necessary reforms to address, in particular, the serious concerns about the rule of law and fundamental rights that continue to negatively affect the accession process; considers that without clear progress in this field, Parliament cannot envisage any resumption of accession negotiations with Turkey, which have effectively been at a standstill since 2018;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes, however, that there has been a slight improvement over the past year in overall EU-Turkey relations, which have on average remained stable, as enhanced cooperation and dialogue on a number of issues have coexisted with regular conflicts; expresses its hope that this pattern of ‘conflictual cooperation’ can be overcome and replaced with a more positive dynamic that demonstrates a genuine attachment to its reiterated commitment to accession to the Union, this being a prerequisite for the viability of the whole accession process;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its firm conviction that Turkey is a country of strategic relevance in political, economic and foreign policy terms, a partner that is key for the stability of the wider region, and an ally with which the EU wishes to pursue the best possible relations; welcomnotes, in this view, the recent statements expressed at the highest level by the Turkish authorities about the recommitment of the Turkish Government to the EU path, but urges the Turkish authorities to put their words into action and demonstrate this commitment with specific facts and decisions and recalls that one of the fundamental principles guiding all EU action is to uphold the national sovereignty of the Member States and defend their external borders, thus protecting common European interests, values and objectives;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Turkey, includingespecially its backsliding on fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law; considers that the current repressive form of rule, whose main pillars are abuse of the legal framework and, a lack of independence of the judiciary and the progressive Islamisation of political life, is a deliberate, relentless and systematic state policy developed to suppress any critical activities either-directly or through a chilling effectdirected against the increasingly authoritarian presidential system; is appalled by the fact that in order to pursue this policy, the Turkish state authorities are ready to blatantly and persistently disregard their international and domestic legal obligations, such as those derived from Turkey’s membership of the Council of Europe;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Insists that the crucial area of fundamental rights and freedoms, which is at the core of the accession process, cannot be disconnected and isolated from overall relations with the EU and stresses that for Parliament, it remains one of the main obstacles to further progress on any positive agenda that could be offered to Turkey;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that no inducement that the EU could offer Turkey, nor the repeated calls that the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament might make for Turkey to comply with its obligations can ever replace the much-needed political will to build a mature democracy and, in turn, become a member of the EU;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Believes that this fundamental area, which is at the core of the accession process, cannot be disconnected and isolated from overall relations and that it remains along with the full respect of international law and the fundamental principle of good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, the main obstacles to progress in bilateral relations;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9 c. Strongly condemns the Turkish decision to convert the emblematic Hagia Sophia and many other churches, to mosques and calls on the Turkish authorities to urgently reverse such decisions;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 e (new)
Paragraph 9 e (new)
9 e. Calls on the Turkish government to respect and fully implement the legal obligations deriving from the Conventions to which it is a contracting party, and to halt the destruction of the cultural heritage in the occupied areas of Cyprus; calls on Turkey to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; calls on Turkey to cooperate with the relevant international organisations, especially the Council of Europe, in preventing and combating illicit trafficking and the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage;
Amendment 238 #
9 f. Strongly condemns the removal of 47 democratically elected mayors from office on the basis of questionable evidence and, in particular, their arbitrary replacement by unelected trustees appointed by the central government; strongly believes these unlawful decisions constitute a direct attack on the most basic principles of democracy, depriving millions of voters of their democratically elected representation;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Regrets profoundly the continuing parlous situation in 2021 regarding fundamental rights and freedoms in Turkey, especially religious freedom and particularly that of Christian minorities that are increasingly suffering attacks, discrimination and marginalisation and even the conversion of Christian temples into mosques, as in the case of the Hagia Sophia, which is a clear affront to Christianity, in an attempt to oppose other religions inside and outside its borders, using Islam as a political weapon, something which poses a serious threat to the peace and well-being of both Europe and Turkey itself; regrets that the government has continued to reinforce a Sunni Islamic interpretation of religious pluralism, to the detriment of religious tolerance and the security and welfare of religious minorities; calls on it to actively combat common acts of vandalism and hate speech directed at minority religious communities; urges the Turkish Government to adopt a new human rights action plan to thoroughly address freedom of religion or belief;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. NCondemns the indictment in pursuit of the HDP party’s closure and the political banning for nearly 451 HDP politicians; notes with great concern that the HDP and its party organisations have been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities, leading to a situation where over 4 000 HDP members are currently in prison; continues to strongly condemn the continued detention since November 2016 of Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, the former co-chairs of the HDP;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes with great concern that the HDP and its party organisations have been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities, leading to a situation where over 4 000 HDP members are currently in prison; continues to strongly condemn the continued detention since November 2016 of Selahattin Demirtaşș and Figen Yüksekdağ, the former co-chairs of the HDP and calls for their immediate release;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Expresses concern regarding the extradition treaty signed between Turkey and the People's Republic of China in 2017; calls on the Turkish parliament not to ratify the extradition treaty, as this would pose great risks for the country's Uyghur community;
Amendment 376 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Commends the efforts made by Turkey to continue hosting the largest refugee population in the world; welcomes, in this regard, the continued provision of EU funding for refugees and host communities in Turkey, and expstresses its commitment to sustain this support in the futurethat further failure to meet commitments should lead to calls for the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, of the financial instrument for pre-accession assistance, of the current and projected Multiannual Financial Framework, and of the EU-Turkey Action Plan on Migration, as well as an end to all EIB loans to Turkey;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. CommendAcknowledges the efforts made by Turkey to continue hosting the largest refugee population in the world; welcomes,in hosting larger populations resulting from the migration crises in fulfilment of its major commitment to the EU, for which it is receiving substantial funding; recalls the crisis resulting from Ankara's regrettable decision in March 2020 to encourage migrants and refugees to enter EU territory through the Greek border; points outs in this regard, that the continued provision of EU funding for refugees and host communities in Turkey, and expresses its commitment to sustain this support in the futuredepends on Turkey's clear willingness to meet its commitments in this area;
Amendment 447 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the decrease in tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean during the past year, but remains fully aware that these positive dynamics could be reversed at any moment while the underlying issues remain unresolved dynamics of Turkey's recurrent violations of the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus must cease completely and unequivocally reaffirms solidarity with Greece and Cyprus;
Amendment 469 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Deplores the fact that the unresolved conflict in Cyprus is a major obstacle to EU-Turkey relations; reaffirms its view that the only sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue is that of a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality and political equality, in accordance with international law and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; deeply regrets that Turkey has abandoned this UN frameworkTurkey's unwillingness to end hostilities directed at Cyprus, this being a major obstacle to EU-Turkey relations; recalls that the European Council has reconfirmed the European Union position regarding illegal drilling by Turkey in the Exclusive Economic Zone around Cyprus and has unequivocally reaffirmed its solidarity with Cyprus;
Amendment 531 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Insists that democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights should remain at the heart of EU-Turkey relations under any framework; reaffirms its support for keeping the accession process and its value-based approach as the maintakes the view that this process must be based on strict conditionality as the most appropriate framework for EU-Turkeyfuture relations, as it is still the most powerfulnd as a tool to exercise normative pressure and sustain the democratic and pro-European aspirations of Turkish society; nevertheless remains open to the possibility of both sides reviewing, in a realistic manner, the appropriateness of this framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, exploring other possible models for future relations;
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Recalls that the external borders of the European Union, in particular those of Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece and Cyprus in the Mediterranean basin, are European borders and urges the EU to bring all existing instruments and all necessary means to bear to assist Member States suffering from systematic violations of their sovereignty and their borders and to treat such situations as a shared concern and not as isolated problems; recalls that one of the fundamental principles guiding all EU action is to ensure the defence of Member States' national sovereignty and their external borders and thus uphold common interests, values and objectives;
Amendment 543 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes that the current state of ‘conflictual cooperation’ in EU-Turkey relations is prone to producing unsatisfactory results; callwishes for a rebalancing of the relationship by building on the solid grounds for cooperation driven by mutual interests, and also by building confidence to address the lack of trust; believes that an orderly dispute settlement mechanism may be benefcalls on Turkey, once again, to strive to gain the confidence of the EU, which depends solely and exclusively on its genuine willingness to meet its obligations, bearing in mind that no incentives or novel dispute settlement mechanisms can ever replace the necessary politicial in such an overall framework and calls on the Commission to explore the creation of such a mechanismwill of Turkey to develop a genuine democratic framework and eventually join the Union;
Amendment 555 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that the varying priorities of the EU institutions set out in the existing frameworks governing EU-Turkey relations make it very difficult to find an effective way to move forward; deplores the lack of a long-term strategy, a coherent policy and consistent leadership towards Turkey in the EU and among all its institutionachieved real progress or perceive any real commitment on the part of Turkey; calls on Turkey to give reasons for not heeding the voices calling for suspension of the accession process;