57 Amendments of Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ related to 2019/2174(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 28 June 2018, the Council conclusions of 18 June 2019 and the European Council conclusions of 17-18 October 2019, which postponed the decisions on opening accession negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4
Citation 4
– having regard to the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness, and Cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, signed on 1 August 2017 and ratified in January 2018,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas North Macedonia has made consistent progress on its path towards the EU, strengthening the mutual climate of confidence;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the rule of law is a key benchmark for assessing the state of the democratic transformation and progress towards the EU accession;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c(new)
Recital A c(new)
Ac. whereas despite of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Macedonia held orderly and competitive parliamentary elections;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the country is maintaining a steady pace on the rule of lawin advancing EU reforms, in particular in key areas such as the rule of law, fight against corruption and organised crime, intelligence services, public administration and functioning of democratic institutions and procedures;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the EU’s engagement with the Western Balkans surpasses that of any other region and demonstrates a mutual strategic commitment;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b(new)
Recital D b(new)
Db. whereas the EU has mobilised €66 million to assist North Macedonia in tackling COVID-19 and a post-pandemic recovery and made available up to EUR 160 million in macro-financial assistance;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. whereas North Macedonia remains one of the main transit routes for irregular migration;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges the authorities to sustain consensual efforts to strengthen democratic consolidationcy and the transformation process, continue to fight against corruption, and restto reinforce the rule of law, while improving the climate for media and civil society;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Recalls that the progress in accession negotiations under the revised enlargement methodology continues to depend on persistent, in-depth and irreversible reforms across fundamental areas;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Commends the steady steps in following up onprogress achieved in addressing the ‘Urgent Reform Priorities’ and following up on the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the Senior Experts’ Group on systemic Rule of Law issues;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recalls that sufficient financial and human resources are needed to ensure an effective and consistent application of dissuasion, prevention, detection, pro-active investigation and sanctions mechanisms for public office holders through measures covering conflicts of interest, lobbying, codes of ethics and whistle-blower protection;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Welcomes steps strengthening impartiality and transparency and accountability of the judiciary through the pro-active action of the Judicial Council and calls for the effective implementation of the revised law on the Council of Public Prosecutors; calls for a full use of mechanisms to confirm professionalism and integrity of judiciary through verifications, financial investigations and asset confiscations;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the coimplementation of measures to ensure judicial and prosecutorial professionalism, independence, integrity and accountability, including through an efficient implementation of codes of ethics and of the landmark law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ensuring sustainable solutions for the cases related tof the Special Prosecutor’s Office, and accountability for crimes stemming from the large-scale illegal wiretapping case;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourages the conclusion of institutional reforms and the restructuring of the security and intelligence sectorimplementation of the ongoing reforms in the security and intelligence sectors, ensuring financial and operational independence of the new National Security Agency and a meaningful parliamentary oversight over secret services;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for continued efforts to tackle organised crime and corruption through effective dissuasion, prevention, detection, financial investigation and sanctions for money laundering, financial crimes and terrorism finance, along with operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks; urges to further align with the acquis and conduct systematic financial investigations, stepping up freezing, confiscation and management of illegally acquired assets;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Urges the Public Prosecutor’s Office to process the unresolved serious priority cases and to pro-actively follow up on major cases referred by anti- corruption and audit agencies as well as whistle-blowers;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Takes note of the progress in addressing the widespread corruption through a strengthened track record on investigating, prosecuting and trying cases of high level corruption, abuses of official position and illicit enrichment, notes the importance of the reinforced role of the Anti-Corruption Commission and cooperation with it in this regard;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9d. Encourages to strengthen the newly-established Asset Recovery Office and improve fight against money laundering and economic crimes, including through partnership with Europol; calls to step up joint efforts in tackling organised, economic and cyber- crime;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the positive engagement of the country’s main poliRecalls that a constructive role of the opposition is essentical forces, enabling adoption of key legislation and a smooth electoral functioning of the Parliament and the adoption of key legislation, such as EU-related reforms and the NATO integration process;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underscores the need to improve the legislative process by minimising the use of fast track procedures, and by enabling proper consultations and impact assessments; recalls the need to upgrade the parliamentary rules of procedure by consensus in order to empower the Parliament and strengthen legislative, oversight and budgetary scrutiny mechanisms;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines the need to complete a timely, inclusive and comprehensive review of the Eelectoral Codelegislation, by addressing the remaining recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for additional measures to improve the transparency of political party financing and ensure democratic and competitive intra-party functioning mechanisms; recalls the need to effectively implement the recommendations of the State Audit Office;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Urges to embed merit-based standards in public appointments and promotions, advancing the culture of transparency, integrity and equitable gender and ethnic representation across the civil service and the public sector, while ensuring adequate whistle-blower protection;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Urges to further improve access to public information by ensuring regular cross-agency updates through the open governmental data portal and a full functionality of the Agency for Protection of Free Access to Public Information;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a(new)
Paragraph 17 a(new)
17a. Welcomes the 2019 Poznan Declaration on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process, urges the authorities to fully implement it and improve the absorption capacity of the country’s increasing funding for Roma integration policies;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the renewed adoption of anti-discrimination legislation, and urges the authorities to follow up with an inclusive and transparent process establishing an independent Anti- Discrimination Commission, ensuring protection and inclusion of all marginalised groups; encourages the Sobranie to adopt legislation which will enable a simplified, transparent and accessible procedure based on self-determination for legal gender recognition, and prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity; notes the organisation of the first-ever Skopje Pride in June 2019;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Invites the Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations to advance social cohesion through the implementation of the ‘one society for all’ strategy and urges to address the remaining challenges of discrimination, exclusion and underrepresentation;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Commends continued constructive endeavours to strengthen inter-ethnic relations and the protection of minorities, especially under the strengthened mandate of the Agency for Communities Rights Realisation to monitor and guide public institutions in upholding their legal obligations towards minorities;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Commends the strengthening of the Ombudsman office and urges the authorities to step up implementation of its recommendations;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on lawmakers in Northern Macedonia to take steps to ensure an adequate representation of women in all decision-making positions, following the positive trends in women’s representation in the Parliament, facilitated by mandatory gender quotas, and to further address the gender imbalance and gender pay gap in the labour force;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the country’s efforts in improving cooperation on managing migration and addressing the basic needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants; calls for further strengthening international protection of those in need; recalls the need to establish a viable mechanism for managing irregular migratory flows, ensuring international protection and combating people smuggling networks;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes the ongoing co- operation and supports the finalisation of the status agreement with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) that would facilitate better protection of borders and fighting cross border crime in full respect for fundamental rights;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Acknowledges that the generally favourable environment for freedom of expression and media independence must be enhanced through improved legal framework, self- regulation, transparency of ownership and advertising market, while increasing financial sustainability and impartiality of public and private media outlets, reducing political advertising and ensuring independent editorial policies;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Encourages systemic media reforms that would reinvigorate competition, the independence of the public service broadcaster, and qualitymedia regulator and support investigative journalism;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Commends stepsNotes the steps taken to enhancinge media self-regulation and professional standardsthrough the Register of Professional Online Media and stepping-up professional standards through the Charter on journalists’ working conditions and draft Fair Working Contract for digital media;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Urges the adoption of measures to safeguard the financial and operational independence of the public service broadcaster and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, commends the Agency’s efforts on monitoring transparency of media ownership and tackling the instances of hate speech, discrimination and threats against reporters;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls for effective investigations into physical threats and verbal attacks against media professionals; urges to ensure a clear cleavage between a free public debate as opposed to hate speech, defamation or incitement to violence;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Urges the authorities to make full use of continuing COVID-related EU support and related mechanisms, using the opportunities offered by the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, aimed at bringing the region closer to the EU Single Market;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 c (new)
Paragraph 28 c (new)
28c. Calls on the European Commission and the Member States to allocate a sufficient amount of COVID-19 vaccines to the citizens of all Western Balkan countries; encourages regional cooperation in the field of health, in particular on cross-border diseases in order to mitigate the burden in the region;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Welcomes the social protection reform broadening the support base and urges for targeted measures addressing child poverty, aggravated by the pandemic;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Stresses the need to advance efforts to ensure a non-discriminatory access to the labour market for the EU citizens, freedom to provide services, a mutual recognition of professional qualifications and elimination of non- tariff barriers to trade;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Calls for steps to ensure competition in the rail market, advance construction of relevant rail corridors and ensure functionality of the relevant border crossings;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Welcomes continuous steps to ensure compliance with the obligations of the Third Energy Package, and create an integrated regional energy market through electricity and gas interconnectors with neighbouring countries;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Recalls the potential of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, notably to enhance regional connectivity through Rail Corridor VIII to Bulgaria, and gas interconnectors to Greece, Kosovo and Serbiathe North Macedonia-Kosovo and North Macedonia-Serbia gas interconnectors;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Welcomes the adoption of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to support Green and digital transition of the region;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls for political will to implement ambitious environmental protection and sustainable development plans including through restrictions on hydropower development in protected areas, ensuring environmental liability and protecting biodiversity;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Recalls the need to prioritise setting up of an integrated regional waste management system, promote recycling, step-up wastewater treatment capacities and reduce the high rates of marine plastic leakage;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Regrets that Bulgaria and North Macedonia have yet to find a compromise on issues related to history and language, trusts that they will soon be settled in order not to jeopardise the integration momentum, andpending bilateral issues and recalls the importance of achieving tangible results in the implementing in good faith bilateral agreements as part of the enlargement process; encourages both sides to reach a compromise over a roadmap of concrete measures, which implementation will be assessed throughout the accession process; looks forward to the holding of the first iIntergovernmental cConference, kick-starting the accession talks without a further delay as soon as possible after the adoption of the Negotiating Framework;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 b (new)
Paragraph 39 b (new)
39b. Underlines the need for the EU and the United States to strengthen their partnership and coordination in the Western Balkans in order to advance key reforms, improve governance and reconciliation;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Invites North Macedonia to continue contributing to the EU crisis management operations and increasing its alignment with the Common Foreign and Security PolicyAcknowledges the high level of alignment of North Macedonia with the Common Foreign and Security Policy and invites the country to continue contributing to the EU crisis management operations;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 c (new)
Paragraph 42 c (new)
42c. Calls for an active engagement and the appropriate inclusion of the Western Balkans countries in the Conference on the Future of Europe;