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Photo: EPA-EFE / OLIVIER HOSLET407 MPs voted in favor of the amendment, and 198 of them were against it, and the report as a whole remains to be voted on during the day, European Western Balkans reported. In the report, the European Parliament will ask the Serbian authorities to show results in the investigation of the Krušik, Jovanjica and Telekom Srbija cases, as well as in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
The report on Serbia was drawn up in November by the EP rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilcik, and MEPs tabled almost 400 amendments to it, and it was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in February.
Amendment to CRY adopted
The final text of the European Parliament report on Serbia, on which the members of the European Parliament will vote today in full, includes the condemnation of the attack on the KRIK portal and the non-governmental organization CRTA.
This amendment, tabled last week, was voted on by 560 members of the European Parliament in today’s plenary session, 54 of them were against, while 68 abstained, reports the European Union of the Western Balkans (EWB).
This amendment emphasizes that insulting and intimidating political opponents and media representatives of the Serbian MEPs’ party is a violation of democratic practice and fundamental values, which must be strongly condemned.
The amendment states that the EP is shocked by recent attacks orchestrated by various MPs and pro-government tabloids against investigative journalists and members of civil society, including KRIK and the NGO CRTU and the Open Parliament, in which they present themselves as collaborators of criminal groups. and strikes.
This amendment was tabled by the deputies of the Liberals, Klemen Grošelj, the Green Violas von Kramon Taubadel and the Social Democrats Tonino Picula, Marek Belka and Demetris Papadakis. “The vast majority of MEPs condemn the attacks by Serbian MEPs CRTA and KRIK and other NGOs and the media,” MEP Viola von Cramon said on her Twitter account after the results were announced.
The same deputies presented an amendment stating that the EP regrets that the Serbian authorities have only partially or completely complied with the obligations assumed in the inter-party dialogue related to the Electronic Media Regulatory Body (REM) and the public Radio service. Serbian television. RTS).
“The European Parliament recalls that freedom and independent media play a fundamental role in democracy. We regret that since the end of the first phase of the inter-party dialogue, REM and RTS ‘work has not been able to regain its credibility to inform the the public and opposition parties, ”says the text of the amendment.
The amendment also noted that all associations of journalists and independent media in Serbia withdrew from the government’s Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, because the institutions did not react to attacks by pro-government tabloids against journalists from the Investigation Network of the government. Crime and Corruption KRIK.
In today’s vote in the plenary session of the European Parliament, 399 MEPs voted in favor of this amendment, while 265 opposed. The European Parliament also expressed concern about the level of pollution in Serbia, adopting an amendment that talks about Bor, Kolubara and Smederevo.
It states that the European Parliament, among other things, calls on the authorities to take measures to improve air quality, especially in large cities and industrial areas such as Smederevo, Bor and Kolubara.
For this amendment to be included in the final text of the EP Resolution on Serbia, 562 MEPs voted in favor, while only 67 opposed. The results of the voting as a whole will be known around 7:00 p.m. In previous years, reports of this type were adopted by a large majority.
Bilchik: Economic progress, but it is necessary to achieve political changes in several areas
The European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilčik, said today that Serbia has achieved significant economic progress, but that political change is necessary in several areas, such as freedom of the press and harmonization with the foreign and security policy of the European Union. Union.
It is important that journalists and civil society organizations are protected, because any attack against them is unacceptable, Bilcik told a press conference in the European Parliament.
Fajon: The future of the region is in the EU
There is no doubt that the future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union (EU) and that respect for democracy and the rule of law, as basic European values, is a precondition for membership of the Union, he said. the member of the European Parliament Tanja Fajon. today.
Fajon called on EU member states to immediately start accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, noting that this is one of the biggest problems undermining the credibility of the Union.
Today is an important day for the Western Balkan countries, because the European Parliament assesses the enlargement process and the progress that Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo have made in the last two years, Fajon noted in his speech at the full. session. This time, however, our most important message goes to European governments in the Council of the EU.
We strongly urge the Member States to fulfill their obligations and start negotiations immediately. Enlargement policy should be guided by objective criteria and should not be hampered by unilateral interests, Fajon said, referring to North Macedonia and Albania. Following closely the political situation in Serbia as chairman of the EU-Serbia delegation and one of the representatives in the inter-party dialogue between the Serbian government and the opposition, Fajon assessed that progress has been made in strengthening regional cooperation, but that there remains a lot to do. to do, especially in the fight against corruption and respect for freedom of expression. Fajon pointed out that the inter-party dialogue must conclude well before the announced elections, in order to allow enough time for the application of the necessary legal framework and the improvement of electoral conditions.
The EU is interested in Serbia becoming a member soon, but more reciprocity is needed. It is very important that the Serbian authorities remain committed to EU values and do not contribute to the spread of anti-EU rhetoric in Serbia, Fajon emphasized.
Fajon congratulated Albin Kurti on his election as the new prime minister of Kosovo and stressed the importance of continuing the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. “I am fully committed to fulfilling our promise of visa liberalization for the citizens of Kosovo, and that fight will not end until the Council gives the green light,” Fajon said.
Members of the plenary session have the right to present so-called “oral amendments” to this version of the report, and there are a total of 21.
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