13 Amendments of Marielle DE SARNEZ related to 2016/2311(INI)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Serbia, like every country aspiring to EU membershipa privileged partnership with the EU, must be judged on its own merits in terms of fulfilling, implementing and complying with the same set of criteria and whereas the quality of and the dedication to the necessary reforms determines the timetable for accession;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. having regard to the undertaking by the Commission to put its enlargement process on hold;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the opening of negotiations on Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) as the key chapters in the EU approach to enlargement based on the rule of law; welcomnotes the opening of Chapters 32 (Financial Control) and 35 (Other Issues), the opening of negotiations on Chapter 5 (Public Procurement) and the opening and provisional closure of Chapter 25 (Science and Research); calls on the Council to open Chapter 26 (Education and Culture);
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that, while some progress has been made in the area relating to the judiciary, in particular by taking steps to harmonise jurisprudence and further promoting a merit-based recruitment system, judicial independence is not assured in practice; regrets that the constitutional and legislative framework is not yet in line with European standards thus leaving scope for undue political influence in the recruitment and appointment of judges; stresses that the quality and efficiency of the judiciary and access to justice remain undermined by an uneven distribution of the workload, a burdensome case backlog and the lack of a free legal aid system;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Notes that public enterprises remain particularly vulnerable to corruption; urges the further development of independent supervision for the detection of potential cases of conflicts of interest in the management of state-owned companies, in privatization procedures, public-private partnerships and in relation to strategic investment partnerships; stresses that the excessive recourse to the provision on abuse of office in the private sector in the criminal code is harmful to the business climate and hampers legal certainty;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the progress made in the fight against organised crime and the adoption of Serbia’s first national serious and organise crime threat assessment (SOCTA); calls on Serbia to step up efforts to investigate wider criminal networks, improve financial investigations and intelligence-led policing and develop a solid track record of final convictions; has taken note of the controversial events in Belgrade’s Savamala district and calls for calls for the implementation of the February 2016 law on the police, which provides for better separation of tasks between the police and the Ministry of Interior; urges the alignment with EU rules of the law on the confiscation of criminal assets, notably as regards their swift resolutiond-party confiscation, extended confiscation and precautionary freezing of assets;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Expresses concern over the failure of the authorities to bring to justice the organizers and perpetrators of the unlawful demolition of properties in the Belgrade Savamala district on 24 April 2016; underlines that the authorities must carry out thorough investigations and bring those responsible to justice;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Recalls that Serbia criminalised already in 2014 the activity of foreign fighters in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2178(2014); urges the adoption of the national strategy to prevent and fight terrorism finalised in March 2016;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Calls on the authorities to ensure fair and free elections in April 2017 and, in this respect, to swiftly implement the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations following the elections in 2014 and 2016; is particularly concerned about smear campaigns against some opposition figures and presidential candidates, which have undermined democratic standards and procedures;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines that the legislative and institutional framework for observance of international human rights law is in place; stresses that consistent implementation across the whole country is needed; notes that further sustained efforts are needed to improve the situation of persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS and; underlines the need for the Serbian authorities and all political parties and public figures to facilitate the emergence of a climate of tolerance and inclusion in Serbia, notably as regards LGBTI persons;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its concern that no progress has been made to improve the situation regarding freedom of expression and of the media; stresses that threats, violence and intimidation against journalists remain an issue of concern; calls on the authorities to fully investigate any cases of attacks against journalists and media outlephysical attacks, attacks on property and threats against journalists and media outlets; calls on the authorities to swiftly bring to justice those responsible for such actions and to ensure final judicial rulings on the unresolved cases of murdered journalists; calls for the full implementation of media laws; underlines the need for complete transparency in media ownership and funding of media;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the fact that Serbia remains constructively committed to bilateral relations with other enlargement countries and neighbouring EU Member States; has taken positive note of the fact that Serbia has shown an increasingly constructive engagement in regional cooperation initiatives such as the South- East Europe Cooperation Process, the Regional Cooperation Council, the Central European Free Trade Agreement, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the Brdo process, the Western Balkan Six initiative and its connectivity agenda and the Berlin process; calls on Serbia to implement the connectivity reform measures associated with the connectivity agenda; underlines that outstanding bilateral disputes should not have a detrimental effect on the accession process; welcomes the adoption of a national strategy for the investigation and prosecution of war crimes; notes that the mandate of the former War Crimes Prosecutor expired in December 2015; stresses that the appointment of his successor is a matter of serious concern; calls for the implementation of this strategy and the adoption of an operational prosecutorial strategy; calls for full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); urges the authorities to continue working on the issue of the fate of missing persons;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Regrets the presence of the President of Serbia, along with other senior government officials, at the so called "Republika Srpska Day", a celebration which has been declared unconstitutional by BiH´s Supreme Court; calls on the Serbian authorities to support constitutional reforms in BiH in order to strengthen the country´s capacity to function and carry out EU accession talks; underlines that the unequivocal and principled condemnation of war crimes committed in the region is the cornerstone of regional stability and essential for EU integration; reiterates its call on government officials to refrain from gestures such as publicly endorsing individuals convicted for war crimes;