Activities of Juozas OLEKAS related to 2021/2199(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Security in the Eastern Partnership area and the role of the common security and defence policy (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on security in the Eastern Partnership area and the role of the common security and defence policy
Amendments (57)
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 50 a (new)
Citation 50 a (new)
— having regard to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe of 1990,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EaP is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to securitneighbourhood policy, specifically designed to bolster relationships with the six EaP countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, to help promote peace and stabil, stability, resilience, shared prosperity, sustainable development and reforms and human security oin the EU’s eastern flankneighbours, in a spirit of shared ownership and responsibility;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas the EaP has been facing serious violations of international law, security threats and conflicts in the recent years;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas the destabilisation of the EaP region poses a significant threat to the EU peace, stability and security;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas between 2021-2027, the EU aims also to invest in a range of security stabilisation initiativesthe EU and EaP partners jointly decided to deepen their cooperation in the area of security such as enhancing the ability of EaP countries to meet hybrid and cyber threats;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the essential aims of the EaP are beneficial to the international community, including Russia, in that they help to forge a more stable region through measures that enhance good governance, the rule of law and good neighbourliness by promoting shared prosperity and prospects for the peoples of all EaP countries;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EaP Summit on 15 December 2021 resulted in increased efforts to bolsterenhance resilience, security dialogue and cooperation in the areas of the CSDP;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas President Putin’s Russia has engaged in continuous hybrid warfare against some EaP countries, backed by the ever- present threat of force across the region, to keep states politically off- balance and tied to Moscow’s self-declared sphere of influence, effectively removing the right of; whereas EaP countries are sovereign to choose their own foreign policy choices and alliances;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas in September 2021, Russia’Russia regularly conducts joint ZAPAD military exercise with Belarus and several other countries in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) demonstrated that Russia’s gap ; whereas Russia and Belarus agreed on a joint military capabilities is rapidly closing while itsdoctrine, with the aim of deepening its political and military relations with CSTO countries is rising;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the 2014 invasion and illegal annexation of Crimea demonstrated that Russia rejects EU or NATO aspirations in former Soviet territories and is determined to contend and contest any attempts to aid democratic development in a region which it considers its ‘near abroad’is a clear violation by Russia of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine; whereas the EU has strongly condemned it and firmly sustained determination not to recognize it and has taken restrictive measures in this respect;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the latest Normandy Format and Minsk I & II Agreements have failed to end hostilities between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and LuhanskSummit in Paris on 9 December 2019 agreed several measures, notably concerning a renewed cease fire and disengagement of forces, that not only remain to be implemented, but are also obstructed and evidently contradicted by the latest actions of the Russian Federation; whereas the implementation of the Minsk I & II Agreements has suffered serious setbacks, in particular due to unilateral measures taken by the Russian Federation in contradiction with its commitments under the agreements; whereas the conflict in the Donbas region has killed more than 14 000 people and displaced around 1.5 million people;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas Russia, against the backdrop of a crisis on the EU-Belar is threatening Ukraine with over 120 thousian border, has amassed over 100 000 troopsds of troops amassed on the border of Ukraine in an offensive formation while increasing its hybrid warfare tactics targeting the elected government in Kyiv, creating widespread concern about a potential second invasion of Ukraine;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
I a. whereas Russia has demanded a revision of the European security order, involving the commitment not to further enlarge NATO and the withdrawal of NATO troops from some EU Member States, thereby disrespecting core principles of European security as agreed among European countries, including Russia;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
I b. whereas the EU has expressed its preparedness to counter any military aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine with the strongest possible sanctions;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I c (new)
Recital I c (new)
I c. whereas talks took place in various bilateral and multilateral formats including the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE; whereas there can be no discussion on European security without European countries; whereas the OSCE is the only European organisation that brings together all European countries including Russia, Central Asia, and the transatlantic partners; whereas the OSCE therefore remains the most suitable framework for discussing how to strengthen the common European security architecture in the interest of all;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas following the electoral unrest, Belarus has largely abandoned its aim of fostering better relations with the EU, having reversed trends towards democratisation and taken to weaponising refugeesmass demonstrations against massive electoral fraud, the Belarusian regime has further increased domestic and violent repressions, in an attempt to uproot domestic aspirations towards liberalisation and destabilise; whereas Belarus has been using hybrid methods of warfare against EU Member States;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the outbreak of hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia fundamentally altered the political, strategic and operational status quo of the South Caucasus and resulted in; whereas Russia’s deployment ofed approximately 2 000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno- Karabakh as part of a ceasefire agrethe 9 November 2020 trilateral statement;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the Russian Federation is continuing to further reinforce its illegal military presence in Georgia’s occupied territories and, to intensify its military build-up and military exercises, seriously destabilising the security situation on the groundand to increase ‘borderisation’ along the Administrative Boundary Line, seriously destabilising the security situation on the ground and endangering the livelihood of the population in the conflict-affected areas;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas the success of any CSDP mission depends on the robustness of its mandate and on the level of political will and cohesion, as well as the willingness of Member States to invest their expertise, assets, personnel and resources;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas the threats posed to the EU’s east not only concern friction with Russia but also and its eastern partners’ security also comprise climate change, cyber attacks, proliferation of WMDs, terrorism, organised crime, human trafficking, corruption, massinstrumentalisation of irregular migration and a host of other threats to the cohesion of societies both within and outside the EU;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
Recital R
R. whereas the CSDP will also require even closer coordination with NATO’s defence and deterrence posture and the Open Door Policy; whereas NATO pursues an Open Door Policy; whereas Ukraine and Georgia are NATO aspirant countries;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R a (new)
Recital R a (new)
R a. whereas the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM) is a civilian mission launched in 2014, at the Ukrainian government’s request for the EU to support the reform of law enforcement and rule of law institutions, thereby re- establishing trust with Ukrainian citizens after violent events surrounding the Ukraine revolution;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V a (new)
Recital V a (new)
V a. whereas the Council is currently discussing options to increase the CSDP presence in Ukraine;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital W
Recital W
W. whereas in its 13 years of existence, the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) is a civilian mission launched in 2008, following the EU-mediated Six Point Agreement which ended the war between Georgia and Russia; whereas in its 13 years of existence the EUMM) has represented the strong political commitment of the EU in the region by providing stability and security to conflict- affected communities, normalisation and confidence-building amongst the parties in conflict;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital AA
Recital AA
AA. whereas flagrant violations of the six-point agreement and ceasefire by occupying forces are often met with limited responses or calls to action by Member States, or no response at all, which risks emthere have been illegal arrests across the Administrative Boundary Lines and illegal “bolrdening the occupying forces to carry out more such actionrisation” activities;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital AD
Recital AD
AD. whereas the EUMM has created a new confidence-building mechanism – a ‘hotline’ – which is the onlya channel of communication between the Government of Georgia and the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including Russia’s FSB border guards deployed in both territories; whereas this hotline was activated 3 000 times in 2020;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital AE
Recital AE
AE. whereas on 24 October 2019, for the first time in over 10 years, FSB border guards crossed the occupation line, detaining EUMM border guards on territory clearly within the borders of GeorgiaAdministrative Boundary line, detaining EUMM monitors and forcing the EUMM to negotiate their release;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital AF
Recital AF
AF. whereas the EUMM’s role in securing the release of detained border guardmonitors, as well as its efforts to assist sick people from the territories in getting treatment in Georgia, adds tremendous value to the important role the EUMM plays in both conflict management and confidence building;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital AG
Recital AG
AG. whereas the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) is a civilian mission launched in 2005; whereas it has a non-executive mandate to enhance the border management capacities of border guards, customs authorities and law enforcement in Ukraine and Moldova with an annual budget of EUR 12 million and a staff of over 200 personnel, with a mandate up for renewal in November 2023;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Welcomes the conclusions of the 2021 EaP Summit, promoting security as an important field of cooperation und underlining the EU’s readiness to enhance security dialogue with EaP partners; considers that such dialogue could further promote alignment and gradual convergence of the EU and the EaP countries foreign and security policy, in line with partners’ commitments with the EU.
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Underlines that sustainable peace and human security in the EaP region is essential for the EU; stresses that the peaceful resolution of ongoing or frozen conflicts in the region, based on international law, and good neighbourly relations are key to building and strengthening resilient and sustainable democracies in the EaP, with strong ties to the EU;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1 a. Reminds that peace and security require strong and publicly accountable institutions, good governance and respect for the rule of law; strongly encourages EaP partners to further engage in the relevant reforms as only internal resilience based on strong and democratic institutions will allow to achieve the necessary resilience towards external threats;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 b (new)
Paragraph -1 b (new)
-1 b. Condemns the threatening large- scale military build-up by the Russian Federation along the border with Ukraine, related actions in the non- government-controlled areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in illegally annexed Crimea and in Belarus; calls on the Russian Federation to immediately and fully withdraw its military forces, cease its threat against the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and contribute tod e- escalating tensions in the region by fully abiding to its commitments as an OSCE participating state;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Encourages the EU and Member States to ensure that any provision of equipment support via the EPF to EaP countries is in line with the needs of the EaP country and with full respect of international humanitarian law and international Human Rights law, of the Common Position on Arms Export and with the necessary transparency provision, and is carried out in collaboration with NATO strategic planning in order to avoid duplication;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages the Member States each to deploy personnel to CSDP missions in EaP countries to ensure all Member States are represented in missions throughout the region and to encourage greater participation by non-EU countries in these missions, particularly former communist countries that have hosted successfully completed CSDP missions;; endorses Member State’s’ cooperation with EaP partners in area of security such as Lithuanian- Polish-Ukrainian Brigade.
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages Member States to expand support mechanisms for the participation of EaP countries in CSDP missthe further participation of EaP countries in CSDP missions, that would help to increase partners’ interoperability, develop common procedures and join actions;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Invites Member Statesthe EU to reinforce cooperation with NATO, also through the upcoming EU-NATO joint declaration, in supporting the defence and security capacity of our neighbours to the east;
Amendment 363 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the EEAS to coordinate threat assessment reports and political messagings with NATO Liaison Offices in EaP countries;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Encourages Member States that share both EU and NATO membership and that lead different NATO capacity building initiatives with EaP countries to ensure that training efforts and the transfer of best practices are coordinated with the EU MPCC and CPCC; encourages Member States to ensure that CSDP missions in EaP countries embrace close coordination with NATO’s defence and deterrence posture and Open Door Policyactions in the region;
Amendment 373 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Encourages Member States to use theRecalls that the participation of third- country PESCO agreement over military mobility as a template for EaP country participation, with an emphasies in individual PESCO projects can be in the strategic interest of the EU, when it comes to providing technical expertise on tailoring PESCO projects to the needs of CSDP missions and on developing highly encrypted secure civilian communication systemr additional capabilities, particularly in the case of strategic partners such as some EaP countries;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Encourages the VP/HR to devote particular attention to the security of the EaP area in the upcoming EU-US security and defence dialogue and the EU-US dialogue on Russia; recalls that the European security order cannot be discussed without the European countries; underlines that the stability of the EaP region is essential to the security of the whole European continent;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Welcomes the valuable contribution of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in EU CSDP missions and operations;
Amendment 395 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Encourages Member Statesthe EU to extend EUAM cooperation to all anti- corruption structures and to include, either in the form of training and instruction or on the basis of sharing best practices and jointly setting future priorities, both Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK) and its High Anti- Corruption Court;
Amendment 400 #
19. Encourages Member Statesthe EU to expand their support to the EUAM’s digitalisation efforts via training and the provision of technologies that support data registry, human resource management and court filing procedures to assist in transparency, community trust building and countering corruption;
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Amendment 411 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls foron the Council to maintain the EUAM, the EUMM and the EUBAM to remain in action for as long as necessary and supports their renewable mandate structures to ensure easier adaptation to any alteration of facts on the ground;
Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. ImploresCalls on Member States to strengthen their public reactions to provocations against the EUMM, especially detentions of EUMM border guardmonitors and ceasefire violations;
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Council, the Commission and the EEAS to explore options to foster the cyber capability- building of our partners such as adjusting advisory mandates to include specialised training in combating hybrid warfare activities, cyber warfare and OSINT analysis, or to launch Civilian cyber missions; notes the important training work undertaken by the European Security and Defence College in the cyber defence field and welcomes the targeted training and education events organised by the ESDC for EaP partners;
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Expresses deep concern about destabilising and terrorist actions by certain countries, notably Iran, in the South Caucasus; strongly condemns any acts of terrorism; welcomes the security cooperation between the EU, its Member States and EaP countries and fully supports the further deepening of counter- terrorism cooperation;
Amendment 435 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to increase the visibility of CSDP missions in the EaP by strengthening its strategic communication, by proactive countering disinformation against them, by including them in their political messaging, publicly accessible documents and engagements with the international press;
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Underlines the crucial need to boost cooperation between the EU and EaP partners in the fields of strategic communication, fighting disinformation and information manipulation, as well as any malign foreign interferences; welcomes the work of the EEAS East Stratcom Task Force in this respect;
Amendment 441 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Stresses the need for the EU to boost its institutional capacities for conflict prevention, mediation, dialogue and de-escalation in the EaP region; underlines that the EU could play a stronger role in setting confidence- building measures and could further take part in reconciliation efforts;
Amendment 443 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25 c. Underlines the importance for the EU to promote the role of women and young people in peace building in the EaP region and to advance the Women, Peace and Security and the Youth, Peace and Security Agendas in the EaP region;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 d (new)
Paragraph 25 d (new)
25 d. Welcomes the will expressed at the latest EaP summit in December 2021 to explore enhanced sectoral cooperation in the field of energy security with interested EaP associated partners; points to climate-security as an area of possible further cooperation between the EU and the EaP;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 e (new)
Paragraph 25 e (new)
25 e. Asks the EEAS to also work on strengthening the training and capacity- building of our EaP partners in the field of arms control, disarmament and non- proliferation; praises the EU CBRN risk mitigation Centres of Excellence initiative in Tbilissi in this respect;
Amendment 447 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 f (new)
Paragraph 25 f (new)
25 f. Calls on the Commission to increase the capacity-building of EaP partners in boosting the resilience of their critical entities, through common training activities and the sharing of best practices;
Amendment 448 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 g (new)
Paragraph 25 g (new)