26 Amendments of Andrey KOVATCHEV related to 2023/2052(INI)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
– having regard to the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 2533 as adopted on 11 July 2020 and 2504 as adopted on 10 January 2020, both concerning the border crossings of Bab al-Salam and Bab al-Hawa and the provision of humanitarian aid,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic of 21 January 2021 to the 46th regular session of the Human Rights Council,
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since 2011 half a million Syrians have died and 14 million have been displaced due to violent attacks by armed and terrorist groups, but mainly as a result of the fierce repression by the Syrian regime, with the help of its allies, of its own people; whereas this repression has included the repeated use of chemical weapons, incendiary bombs, barrel bombs, missiles and conventional aerial bombardments on civilians; whereas at least 150 000 Syrians are missing in the regime’s concentration-camp system and families have still not been informed of the fate of their loved ones; whereas this remains the largest displacement crisis in the world;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since 2011 half a million Syrians have died and 14 million have been forcibly displaced due to violent attacks by armed and terrorist groups, but mainly as a result of the fierce repression by the Syrian regime, with the help of its allies, of its own people; whereas this repression has included the repeated use of chemical weapons, incendiary bombs, barrel bombs, missiles and conventional aerial bombardments on civilians; whereas at least 150 000 Syrians are missing in the regime’s concentration-camp system and families have still not been informed of the fate of their loved ones;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the crisis has left some 15.3 million people in Syria in need of humanitarian aid and protection; whereas an estimated 8.8 million people were further affected by the earthquakes in February 2023, exacerbating the pre- existing humanitarian challenges in Syria and the neighbouring countries;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas anti-Semitic propaganda has been a key feature of Bashar Al- Assad's family’s overall messaging;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas the UN warns that 90% of the Syrian population lives below the poverty line, with many Syrians now eking out an existence in conditions that are even worse than those that existed during the years of conflict; whereas the World Food Programme estimates that 12.4 million Syrians are suffering from food insecurity, representing nearly 60% of the population;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas the responsibility for the current dire situation lies mainly with the Assad regime;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the Syrian state is not sufficiently addressing the basic needs of the Syrian people, the country’s economic situation is extremely precarious and Syria has turned into a narco-state; whereas humanitarian advocates and practitioners continue to raise concerns about the security and protection of the returnees and displaced individuals in the light of the conditions in many areas of the country and, raise questions about the Syrian Government’s approach to political reconciliation; whereas this hinders Syria's social and economic progress, as well as their way out of the crisis;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas public education is under pressure across the region, with around half of Syria’s school-aged population (nearly 2.4 million pupils) not receiving any form of education, resulting in many children suffering from the psycho-social impacts of prolonged conflict and displacement; whereas according to UNESCO only around half of the youth aged 15-24 in Syria meet the minimum expected competency levels in literacy, numeracy and life skills;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J c (new)
Recital J c (new)
Jc. whereas according to UNHCR a majority of Syrian refugees would like to return to Syria but have legitimate security concerns; whereas this means that for the current situation resettlement and complementary pathways remain the most viable durable solution for Syrian refugees; whereas the EU and its Member States have to increase their efforts to contribute to establishing decent and safe living standards for Syrians returning home;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) stress that the repression, negligence and corruption on the part of the regime are responsible for the economic situation, not the targeted sanctions from the EU against individuals and entities involved in the repression; underline, however, that EU restrictive measures need to be accurate, local and must foresee exemptions for humanitarian aid;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) salute the courage of all demonstrators, in particular recently the demonstrators in the towns of Souweïda and Deraa who have once again been rising up peacefully against the Assad regime since August 2023;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) commend the efforts for stabilisation and cooperation in the region undertaken through the Abraham Accords and promote the idea that Syria would also benefit from this development one day in the future;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q b (new)
(qb) strongly condemn all forms of religious discrimination and insist on respect by all for the rights of ethnic and religious groups and minorities in Syria, including Christians; make sure that education and educational materials are in line with these principles; call for anyone who has been displaced, to continue to live in or return to their historical and traditional homelands in dignity, equality and safety, and to be able to freely practise their religion and beliefs without being subjected to any kind of coercion, violence or discrimination; support interreligious dialogue in order to promote mutual understanding and counter violent extremism or any attempt to supress freedom of speech or of religion;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q c (new)
(qc) urge the EU and its Member States to condemn and fight any form of religious hatred, anti-Semitic propaganda, and anti-Zionism in Syria;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) condemn the attacks by Turkish forces and their occupation of Syrian territories in the north; express their deep concern about the persistence of radical Islamist opposition in Idlib province; call on Türkiye to refrain from acting as a silent partner along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the provision of direct and indirect financial assistance to Islamist armed opposition groups; support the continuation of the international coalition against the Islamic State, which remains active in Syria despite significant defeats, in order to prevent the regrouping of this terrorist organisation;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
(la) condemn the Assad regime’s permissive attitude towards Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, especially with regards to facilitation efforts in the Iraq conflict, as it has fed the growth of Al- Qaeda, ISIS, and affiliated terrorist networks inside Syria;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l b (new)
(lb) stress the need for close cooperation with our transatlantic partners and Israel on fighting terrorist groups in Syria and beyond; underline its full support for Israel on fighting terrorist groups in Syria and Iran’s supplies of missiles to Hezbollah and its attempts to establish a military front on Israel’s border;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
(qa) urge the EU and its Member States to expand the list of those subject to targeted sanctions under the so-called EU Magnitsky Act, including the Syrian and Russian civilian and military commanders who have been credibly implicated in war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations committed in north-west Syria, including those falling within command responsibility;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) invite the international community, at the 2024 Brussels Conference, to increase urgently its humanitarian assistance to the 15.3 million Syrians who depend on it on a daily basis; insist on access to clean water, educationincluding drinking water, sanitary water and water for agricultural purposes, formal education, also for girls and women, energy supply, affordable motor fuels and long- term budget support tailored to women’s needs; point out that the EU is the biggest contributor in this regard; welcome the continued efforts of Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye and Iraq to host 6 million refugees while facing difficult economic conditionfocus on directing humanitarian aid especially towards clean water, affordable energy, heating, health care and health products; point out that the EU is the biggest contributor in this regard; take note of the efforts of neighbouring countries who fulfil their responsibility to host refugees;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
(ra) step up efforts in order to make education for all a priority; in this regard, increase support for the creation of SMEs and local businesses;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
(rb) recognise the huge cultural heritage of Syria as a major part of cultural world heritage and as a source for resolving some problems of the country;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u
Paragraph 1 – point u
(u) recall that Syria cannot be regarded, in whole or in part, as a safe country for the return of its nationals living as refugees in Europe, people who have fled the crimes of the regime and risk torture and enforced disappearance if they return to Syria; recall that this huge wave of emigration, especially of young people, cannot be a long-term solution; recall therefore the need of solutions for detained people and prisoners;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point u a (new)
(ua) demand that restrictive measures against the Syrian regime do not impede the delivery of humanitarian aid and therefore, make sure that they do not penalise the export of food, medicine or medical equipment;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point u b (new)
(ub) strive for new approaches and solutions that allow for reconciliation of former Daesh fighters, Kurds, Christians and Muslims of different denominations, which would finally allow the return of refugees to their home in Syria; recall that this does not exclude punitive measures for criminals;