9 Amendments of Michał Tomasz KAMIŃSKI related to 2009/2216(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to the its resolution of 17 December 2009 on Azerbaijan: freedom of expression1,
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls that hundreds of thousands of persons who fled their homes during or in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh war remain displaced and denied their right to return; calls on all parties to unambiguously and unconditionally recognise this right and the need for its prompt realisation; calls on the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities and leaders of relevant communiall parties to demonstrate their commitment to the creation of peaceful inter-ethnic relations through practical preparations for the return of displaced persons and other means; considers that the situation of the IDPs should be dealt with according to international standards, having regard inter alia to the recent PACE Recommendation 1877(2009), ‘Europe’s forgotten people: protecting the human rights of long-term displaced persons’;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Underscores the importance of free and fair elections to be held in accordance with international commitments and standards; notes that the last presidential elections held in Armenia in February 2008 were once again violent and that repercussions of the internal crisis in their aftermath are still being felt; is concerned about the elimination of presidential term limits in Azerbaijan in March 2009, which allows President Ilham Aliev to stay in power for life; takes note of the municipal elections held in a peaceful manner in Azerbaijan on 23 December 2009 and awaits the report of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities observation delegation thereon; calls on the Georgian authorities to ensure that the local elections scheduled for 30 May 2010 take place in accordance with international standards and that the electoral law is amended accordingly, and reaffirms that securing direct election of mayors is crucial; confirms its and the EU’s position that elections and referenda in breakaway regions are illegitimate; defends the political rights of displaced persons;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers freedom of expression to be a fundamental right and principle and the role of the media essential, is disturbed by the limitations on freedom of expression and the lack of media pluralism in the countries of the South Caucasus and calls on the authorities to ensure both; is preoccupied about attacks on journalists in Armenia and in particular about the continued detention of opposition journalist Nikol Pashinian, despite the welcomed amnesty of 18 June 2009 leading to the release of a number of imprisoned opposition activists; is concerned about the deterioration of the media climate in Azerbaijan with cases of harassment and intimidation of media professionals and deplores the detention and sentencing of the two youth activists and bloggers, Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade; accordingly calls for their release following the appeal procedure in accordance with international standards and with respect for the principles of a fair trial as set out in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights; welcomes the initiative of the Georgian Parliament to extend the Public Broadcaster Board to include more opposition and civil society representatives as well as to transform the second public channel into a political channel with the aim of deepening political pluralism;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes the view that freedom of assembly must be guaranteed, as it is instrumental to the development of a vibrant civil society; is worried about the difficulties, direct and indirect, which civil society faces in organising itself and disturbed by the adoption of laws and practices that might indirectly limit freedom of assembly, including through administrative harassment, such as the intensified checks by the fiscal authorities in Armenia; is concerned about the lack of any serious investigation into the events following the presidential elections of February 2008 when 10 people were killed and which led to the imposition of a state of emergency and restriction of a number of freedoms and rights; calls on the authorities in Azerbaijan, including the local authorities, to implement in a non- restrictive manner the legislation on freedom of assembly which, as amended, meets most international standards; is concerned that in Georgia the 2009 amendments to the Law on Assembly and Manifestations may limit freedom of assembly and curtail the ability of the opposition to mobilisewelcomes the fact that the opposition protest in the centre of Tbilisi over the period of several moth was conducted peacefully and without interference from the Government; at the same time, welcomes the efforts of the Parliament of Georgia to give due consideration to the comments provided by the Venice Commission; underlines the important role of civil society for the peace and reconciliation processes in the region;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the countries in the region to participate actively in the work of the EU- European Neighbourhood Parliamentary Assembly (EURONEST) and use the possibilities it affords for multilateral and bilateral exchanges of views; in this regard notes that the intensified dialogue between the members of parliament of the countries in the region is crucial; calls on interested national parliaments of national Member States of the EU and the European Parliament to strengthen parliamentary co-operation with the parliaments of the region with the aim of increasing their position and policy-making capacities;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes the strategic geopolitical location of the South Caucasus and its increasing importance as an energy, transport and communications corridor connecting the Caspian region and Central Asia with Europe; however, calls the countries involved and the Commission to include Armenia in relevant energy projects and to end the isolation of that country;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recognises the significance of the region for the EU’s energy cooperation and energy security, especially in the context of development of the Nabucco pipeline; notes the great value of Azerbaijan’s energy resources and the essential role these play in its economic development; underscores the importance of ensuring that the benefits deriving from the exploitation of natural resources are evenly distributed and invested in the development of the country as a whole, permitting it to brace itself against the negative repercussions of an eventual decline in oil production; notes the intensifying Azerbaijani - Russian partnership, particularly in the energy sector; welcomes the intention of Azerbaijan to diversify its economy;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Takes note of the current EU involvement in conflict resolution processes in the region and believes that the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty justifies a more prominent role for the EU; welcomes the work of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia and calls for increased EU action to persuade Russia and the relevant de facto authorities to stop blocking the EUMM from entering South Ossetia and Abkhazia; considers that the EU now has the opportunity to play a greater role in the solution of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict and could do so by participatunderlines the fact that the EU has an important role to play in contributing to the culture of dialogue and understanding in the nregotiations through the establishment of an EU mandate for the French Co-chair of the Minsk Groupion; asks the Commission and EUSR Mr Semneby to extend the relevant aid and information dissemination programs to Nagorno- Karabakh; also underlines the importance of EU contribution, by standing ready to launch reconstruction aid programmes and by supporting civil- society projects that aim to promote reconciliation and contacts between individuals in the region;