Πρόεδρος. – Το επόμενο σημείο στην ημερήσια διάταξη είναι οι δηλώσεις του Συμβουλίου και της Επιτροπής σχετικά με την έκθεση του 2015 για το Μαυροβούνιο (2015/2894(RSP)).
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert,President-in-Office of the Council.– Mr President, let me start by thanking you for the continuous and constructive contribution of the European Parliament to the advancement of Montenegro’s accession process to the European Union and, in particular, your rapporteur Charles Tannock.
Over the past year, relations between the European Union and Montenegro have maintained a positive momentum. In its conclusions adopted in December last year, the Council welcomed the continued progress. It took positive note of improvements in the legal framework in the area of the rule of law and work on the establishment of new institutions.
Now the Council also noted with satisfaction Montenegro’s positive role in further developing regional cooperation and in advancing good neighbourly relations. It also commended Montenegro for its cooperation on foreign policy issues, in particular, for its continued full alignment with the EU’s foreign policy positions. It is furthermore encouraging evidence that two further negotiation chapters could be opened up at the accession conference in December, bringing the total number of chapters now opened to 22 out of 35.
Looking to the future, we need to stress again the importance of the rule of law, which is a fundamental value of the European Union and a cross cutting concern for the enlargement process. As your draft resolution rightly points out, further progress in Montenegro’s accession negotiations continues to depend on progress in this area.
The Council also restated how important it is for the entire rule of law system to deliver concrete results, in particular, by establishing a solid track record in the fight against corruption and organised crime. Further efforts are needed to focus on effective reform implementation, leading to tangible results towards the interim benchmarks. The Council will continue to closely monitor developments in this area.
On a related note, the Council shares the view expressed in your draft resolution that Montenegro should intensify its efforts to guarantee freedom of expression and of the media, to pursue the public administration reform and to strengthen the independence of institutions, as well as to improve the business environment. Your draft resolution spells out many other important concerns to address, which are also highlighted by the findings of the Commission’s progress report.
With the upcoming parliamentary elections in Montenegro this year, I would stress that ensuring the full implementation of the new electoral legislation is crucial. We are well aware that Montenegro currently is facing a difficult political situation and that this could hamper the reform efforts. Therefore, it is important to recall the need for all political parties to show responsibility and to re-engage in constructive dialogue, with parliament being the key forum for political debate.
In this context, we count on the government and on the opposition to work together, not least to meet the expectations of the Montenegrin citizens. This is also important for ensuring public trust in the political process and in the state institutions. Sustainable and constructive cooperation remains essential to maintaining the necessary political commitments to effectively address outstanding challenges, to deliver on the reform agenda and to progress in the accession negotiations. Dialogue and inclusiveness are also key issues raised by your draft resolution, and I would like to stress how valuable it is that this message is passed on to Montenegro. In this respect the European Parliament’s important contribution through its work in the stabilisation and association parliamentary committee is most welcome.
Mr President, let me conclude by saying that, looking ahead, we do hope to see continued progress.
Johannes Hahn,Member of the Commission.– Mr President, thank you for your invitation to the discussion on Parliament’s resolution on Montenegro. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the rapporteur for Montenegro, Charles Tannock, for his balanced and comprehensive draft resolution. It is a text that well reflects the assessment of the Commission’s 2015 Montenegro Report.
This June, we will mark four years since the opening of accession negotiations with Montenegro. As your resolution points out, we have, as was already mentioned by the Minister, to date opened 22 negotiating chapters with Montenegro, of which two are provisionally closed.
Concerning the rule of law, which is, as you know, at the heart of the accession process, over the last few years we have seen the first steps in achieving lasting reforms, through the adoption of legislation and the establishment of institutions.
As you also point out however – and as the Commission stated in its November report – this is not the whole story. Our assessment is, unfortunately, that real progress on the ground on the rule of law remains limited, including in establishing a track record in the fight against corruption and organised crime. This is the message that the Commission is giving to Montenegro at a rule of law meeting in Podgorica today.
When I met Prime Minister Djukanovic last month, I congratulated him on his country’s invitation to join NATO. I also stressed, however, that while the country was moving ahead overall, we were now entering a decisive phase, in particular in the accession negotiations and on the rule of law. We need to see Montenegro making credible progress on Chapters 23 and 24. We must see a tangible track record of implementation.
This is not only for the benefit of the accession negotiations: legal certainty, a functioning independent judicial system, a transparent administration and fundamental rights, such as for instance property rights, are necessary not only for meeting the rule of law criteria; they are preconditions for attracting investment, improving competitiveness and stimulating growth and jobs.
And therefore, as you know, I prefer to talk about the accession process and less about negotiations because it is about the development of a country towards European Union membership.
We are also working very closely with Montenegro on improving the country’s competitiveness through our economic dialogue. The focus is on sectoral reforms, including on education, labour market, infrastructure, and the business environment.
Concerning the other negotiating chapters, we have given Montenegro guidance on what needs to be done, through the opening benchmarks. Meeting them is a challenge for the country, in particular when we talk about alignment with the EU acquis on competition policy, or environment and climate change.
Let me turn now to the political situation in Montenegro. The political dialogue that was launched in December was put on hold, without an agreement, on 19 February. However, despite the fact that there is, to date, no agreement among the political leaders on the establishment of a ‘government of electoral trust’, it is crucial that the dialogue within the parliament continues.
This year, Montenegro will hold local and parliamentary elections. The full implementation of the electoral legislation is crucial for the organisation of these elections so that they are credible. It is the responsibility of Montenegro’s political leaders to ensure this.
Charles Tannock, on behalf of the ECR Group.– Mr President, 2016 is a very important year for Montenegro politically. As it approaches its 10th anniversary since independence, the country is not only going to the polls in parliamentary elections, it is also in the process of crucial negotiations regarding its accession to NATO following its invitation to join the alliance last year.
Montenegro continues to progress well, and has now opened 22 chapters including the key ones of 23 and 24, and 2016 will see the opening of further chapters and hopefully the provisional closing of others. As both the Commission report and the resolution as adopted in committee note, corruption and organised crime continue to be of concern, along with some aspects of media freedom, but the situation is generally improving and progress is being made. We are seeing an increased number of charges brought against those involved in high-level corruption, and the work of the Special Prosecutor’s Office is beginning to establish itself. With the launch of the Anti-Corruption Agency on 1 January this year I am encouraged by the increase in state resources that have been made available to tackle these issues. But of course there are some concerns as to the administrative capacity of such institutions in terms of their financing and these need to be addressed. But we must remain conscious of the financial constraints facing a very small country like Montenegro, which already gets some specialist assistance from neighbouring former-Yugoslav countries already in the EU, like Slovenia and Croatia.
Very much to its credit, Montenegro has been a leading example in aligning its foreign policy with that of the EU’s CFSP and its Member States, and it has clearly demonstrated its ability to interact competently with its partners on such issues. Montenegro bravely fully aligned itself with the EU on the sanctions regime against Russia following the annexation of Crimea despite its economic ties with that country, and works in close cooperation with the European Union in tackling international Jihadi terrorism.
There will be much talk in the year ahead of the need for a referendum regarding NATO membership. My position as rapporteur is clear in that I believe this is an internal matter for Montenegro and not something that we in the EU should be interfering with. That being said, however, we should be aware of the wider context of the debate and the external influences that are being brought to bear on tiny Montenegro.
In summary, I am very happy with the resolution before us today and I am pleased that we have been able to work constructively across the political groups to agree to this in the committee. I always say that Montenegro is the good news story of the Western Balkans, but with the added current pressure that the migration crisis has brought to the entire Western Balkans region, Montenegro is increasingly seen as a beacon of stability too.
Președintă: ADINA-IOANA VĂLEAN Vicepreședintă
Андрей Ковачев, от името на групата PPE.– Искам първо да благодаря за доброто сътрудничество на докладчика г-н Танък. Многократно сме определяли Черна гора като „успешния пример“ в Западните Балкани. През последните месеци станахме свидетели на протести и насилие по улиците след вота на недоверие към правителството. Никоя „успешна история“ не е гарантирана – за свободата и демокрацията трябва да се работи всеки ден.
След неуспешния вот на недоверие през последната седмица, опозицията призовава за напускане на парламента и нови избори. Поставят се под съмнение евроатлантическата ориентация на страната и се иска преориентиране към Русия. Докладът подкрепя пълното съответствие на външната политика на страната с Общата политика за сигурност и отбрана. Черна гора може да служи за пример на останалите държави в региона като Македония и Сърбия да работят заедно с Eвропейски съюз в тази посока. Ние трябва да подкрепим европейската ориентация на Черна гора, за да остане тя по пътя на евроатлантическото развитие и да не позволим гражданите да станат жертва на натиска от трети страни.
Νίκος Ανδρουλάκης, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας S&D.– Κύριε Πρόεδρε, το Μαυροβούνιο είναι ο πρωταθλητής των Δυτικών Βαλκανίων στην πορεία προς την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. Τα τελευταία χρόνια έχει σημειωθεί σημαντική πρόοδος, γεγονός που επιβεβαιώνεται με το άνοιγμα 22 κεφαλαίων και το προσωρινό κλείσιμο 2. Η παρούσα έκθεση παρουσιάζεται σε μία κρίσιμη στιγμή για το Μαυροβούνιο. Οι εκλογές που θα διεξαχθούν μέσα στο τρέχον έτος είναι κρίσιμες για τη σταθερότητα και ελπίζουμε ότι θα ολοκληρωθούν στο καλύτερο δυνατόν πολιτικό κλίμα. Η Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα χαιρετίζει τις προσπάθειες τις χώρας όλα αυτά τα χρόνια στην πορεία της για την επιτυχή ολοκλήρωση των διαπραγματεύσεων με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση.
Πρέπει όμως να αποφύγουμε τη μεταρρυθμιστική κόπωση, η οποία μπορεί να δημιουργήσει εμπόδια. Για τον λόγο αυτό, στο ψήφισμα εκτός των σημαντικών μεταρρυθμίσεων που έχουν γίνει τονίζουμε την ανάγκη επιπλέον προσπαθειών στους τομείς της δημόσιας διοίκησης, της ανεξαρτησίας της δικαιοσύνης, της καταπολέμησης της διαφθοράς και του οργανωμένου εγκλήματος. Περιμένουμε ακόμα δράσεις για την αντιμετώπιση της φοροδιαφυγής, των υψηλών κοινωνικών ανισοτήτων, της μακροχρόνιας ανεργίας και της φτώχιας. Η κοινωνική πρόοδος για μας είναι ο σημαντικότερος παράγοντας της ενταξιακής διαδικασίας.
Τέλος, θα ήθελα να αναφερθώ στο ζήτημα της ένταξης του Μαυροβουνίου στο ΝΑΤΟ. Δεν ήμαστε αντίθετοι σε καμία περίπτωση στην ένταξή του στη Συμμαχία, όπως κάποιοι εδώ μέσα θέλουν να παρουσιάσουν. Θεωρούμε όμως ότι είναι μία απόφαση που κάθε χώρα πρέπει να λαμβάνει μόνη της, χωρίς καμία εξωτερική παρέμβαση. Αυτό με το οποίο διαφωνούμε είναι η προσπάθεια σύνδεσης αυτών των δύο διαφορετικών διαδικασιών. Σήμερα εδώ συζητάμε για την ενταξιακή πορεία του Μαυροβουνίου στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και ΝΑΤΟ είναι δύο διαφορετικοί οργανισμοί, με διαφορετικούς στόχους. Οποιαδήποτε σύνδεση μεταξύ των δύο υπονομεύει την αυτονομία του ευρωπαϊκού οράματος. Για τον λόγο αυτό έχουμε καταθέσει μία τροπολογία που κάνει σαφή την παραπάνω θέση.
Jozo Radoš, u ime kluba ALDE.– Gospođo predsjednice, najprije bih želio čestitati i zahvaliti gospodinu Tannocku na kvalitetnom izvješću koje dobro obrađuje cjelovitu situaciju u Crnoj Gori i na dobroj suradnji za koju se nadam i uvjeren sam da je doprinijela kvaliteti ovog izvješća.
Crna Gora je zemlja koja je najnaprednija na putu od šest zemalja zapadnog Balkana prema Europskoj uniji. Iako je to najmanja zemlja, ona može imati s uspjehom tog procesa veliki pozitivan utjecaj na cijeli prostor zapadnog Balkana, a posebice na dvije susjedne zemlje, a to su Kosovo i Bosna i Hercegovina.
Izvješće vrlo jasno spominje sva otvorena pitanja i slažem se s povjerenikom Hahnom da se integracija Crne Gore nalazi u kritičnoj točki. Vrijeme je da Crna Gora osim formalnih rezultata pokaže i stvarne napretke u nizu područja koja su spomenuta u izvješću kao što su pravosuđe, borba protiv korupcije, sloboda medija, borba protiv organiziranog kriminala, uloga i snaga civilnog društva, manjinska prava, ali ipak bih naglasio jednu najvažniju stvar po mom mišljenju za Crnu Goru, a to su izbori.
Ta zemlja je duboko podijeljena od samog svog nastanka. Jedan dio političkih snaga te zemlje zapravo je protiv nezavisnosti, gotovo i postojanja te zemlje, i zato su izbori koji su pred nama zapravo najvažniji proces. Ukoliko to budu pošteni, jasni i transparentni izbori koje neće ni jedna značajnija politička snaga osporavati, tada će Crna Gora imati demokratsku budućnost i tada će i njen put prema Europskoj uniji biti puno jasniji.
S perpetuiranjem sukoba u Crnoj Gori nakon izbora šanse Crne Gore da bude demokratska zemlja i da bude uspješna na putu u Europsku uniju su znatno manje. Zato pozivam Komisiju da osobito aktivno prati taj proces pripreme i provedbe izbora u Crnoj Gori.
Javier Couso Permuy, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL.– Señora Presidenta, celebramos el esfuerzo hecho por Montenegro en muchas materias importantes, tal y como se señala.
Sin embargo, somos críticos en la insistencia registrada en el texto del informe acerca de interconectar el proceso de adhesión a la Unión Europea con la OTAN. No es posible que la pertenencia a la OTAN refuerce la estabilidad en la región, como se recoge en el informe; por el contrario, creemos que este proceso militariza y crea una mayor desestabilización en la región occidental, en los Balcanes y en el propio país. Además, invitamos al Parlamento a considerar el hecho de que la opinión pública en Montenegro está dividida sobre la posibilidad de unirse a la OTAN, por lo que deberían poder decidir: se llama democracia.
También, como grupo, estamos en contra de las políticas de privatización que se promueven a través del proceso de adhesión, por los problemas sociales que acompañan a estas políticas. Estos modelos económicos han demostrado tener un impacto negativo en los ciudadanos europeos y, en consecuencia, no hay necesidad de imponerlos a los Estados que ahora están tratando de unirse a la Unión Europea.
Profundicemos en nuestra relación, por supuesto, apoyemos al país en los esfuerzos realizados para hacer frente a los graves problemas que tiene. Ayudemos en el fortalecimiento del Estado de Derecho y de la democracia, en la lucha contra la corrupción y el crimen organizado, y reforcemos la protección de la libertad de expresión, los medios de comunicación y los periodistas.
Ulrike Lunacek, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.– Madam President, Montenegro as such is, yes, something of a success story. It is a country which has for quite some time now been in a negotiation process with the European Union, and there has been quite some progress. The report by Mr Tannock – and I would like to thank him for this – is a well drafted and well balanced one, with lots of emphasis on the fight against corruption and organised crime, which is important, the reform of the judiciary, media freedom, threats to critical NGOs, and also the rights of minorities. For example, there has been progress for LGBTI people but also setbacks – for example, no Pride was held in Nikšić last year.
But I would like to refer more to the critical situation at the moment in Montenegro, a crisis that we are seeing, a political crisis. I would like to hail the small sister party of mine, Pozitivna Montenegro, which has made a very constructive proposal in order to make sure that all parties are included in transitional government and that the electoral laws will be improved to make sure that free and fair elections are possible in the autumn. I hope they will be successful because it is important to make sure that this process towards elections is one where the citizens really feel that their vote is going to be listened to and heard and will count.
Fabio Massimo Castaldo, a nome del gruppo EFDD.– Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, desidero ringraziare il relatore Charles Tannock per il suo lavoro su questa relazione, nella quale si vede assolutamente la grande esperienza, la grande conoscenza del Paese. Il Montenegro è, a mio avviso, senz'altro un esempio nei Balcani occidentali e tra i paesi candidati ed è anche quello che, vedendo anche i passi intrapresi nel corso degli ultimi anni, è il più vicino, in questo suo percorso di avvicinamento, all'Unione e all'adesione alla stessa.
Senz'altro deve fare ancora enormi passi in avanti sul tema della corruzione, sul tema anche del funzionamento della pubblica amministrazione, che continua – ma è una piaga comune a tanti paesi candidati di quest'area – ad essere ancora troppo politicizzata e ancora troppo legata all'attività dei partiti.
Mi preme sottolineare il problema dell'alta disoccupazione soprattutto giovanile, che affligge il Paese. Purtroppo non posso concordare nella parte in cui saluta con grande positività l'adesione alla NATO, specie nella sua tempistica, che a mio avviso rischia di alimentare tensioni e divisioni, molto profonde con i paesi limitrofi, ma ancor di più sta dividendo e contribuendo a spaccare il panorama politico interno.
C'è invece bisogno di grande coesione per continuare il cammino verso l'adesione e c'è bisogno quindi di un Montenegro forte e democratico, capace di fare le riforme che lo possano portare poi a entrare nella famiglia europea.
Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, au nom du groupe ENF.– Madame la Présidente, votre politique d'élargissement dresse toujours l'Ouest contre l'Est. À chaque fois qu'un problème se présente, c'est la fuite en avant et les problèmes restent entiers, comme c'est le cas, par exemple, avec les filières d'immigration gérées par la criminalité organisée au Monténégro. Votre politique occidentale, c'est l'Anschluβ permanent au nom du peuple européen, qui n'existe pas, en faveur d'une oligarchie pro-US, pro-OTAN – qui, elle, existe –, contre les peuples européens et contre l'Europe continentale unie.
Juste retour des choses, la fracture, la rupture est désormais là, chez nous, contre cette Europe: référendum danois où le non l'emporte, référendum hollandais sur l'Ukraine, référendum hongrois, futur référendum sur le Brexit et, demain, la France. Votre Europe, ceux qui veulent y entrer, c'est la Turquie despotique, le narco-État kosovar, la kleptocratie monténégrine. Les États historiques et démocratiques, eux, se posent des questions et veulent même en sortir. Votre Europe, des réseaux criminels organisés en prennent le contrôle avec la Turquie, qui vous a déjà soumis. Votre Europe? Un champ de ruines, car au nom de l'Europe, vous avez trahi l'Europe, la pire des trahisons.
Dubravka Šuica (PPE).– Gospođo predsjednice, kad je Crna Gora u pitanju onda mogu reći da je solidan napredak postignut kad govorimo o integracijama i sigurno da treba podržati napredak Crne Gore u smislu integracija. Za svaku pohvalu je napredak u vanjskoj politici i obrambenoj politici gdje je došlo do usklađivanja s politikom Europske unije. Međutim, puno je još posla da bi Crna Gora došla u situaciju, bez obzira što je već 22 poglavlja otvorila i bez obzira na sve ono što je dosad učinjeno, ja bih željela neke moje amandmane koji su prošli, neke koji nisu, napomenuti.
Zahvaljujem se gospodinu Tannocku na izvrsnom izvješću s njegove strane no ipak želim napomenuti u vidu dobrosusjedskih odnosa da je postignut napredak vezano za Bosnu i Hercegovinu, ali u odnosu na Hrvatsku još nismo riješili pitanje Prevlake. Također želim spomenuti pitanje sukcesije vojne imovine bivše Socijalističke Federativne Republike Jugoslavije. Također je za napomenuti ovdje i pravičnu odštetu za žrtve crnogorskih logora, prisjećajući se nedavnog domovinskog rata, što još nismo riješili i mislim da je moment za to ovdje spomenuti. Tu je također i Boka Kotorska kao jedna posebna regija, smatram da je treba uzeti u obzir i da treba njegovati njezin identitet.
U svakom slučaju, za ovo sam izvješće, ali sam imala potrebu spomenuti ove specifičnosti.
Tonino Picula (S&D).– Gospođo predsjedavajuća, izvješće gospodina Charlesa Tannocka je iscrpan i uravnotežen dokument jer jasno obrazlaže područja u kojima je Crna Gora prošle godine ostvarila jasan napredak, ali i probleme poput, recimo, visoke razine korupcije koji su očito otporniji na reforme.
Mjerljiv su napredak dvadeset i dva otvorena poglavlja u pregovorima o članstvu, uključujući poglavlja 23. i 24. Također, čestitao bih Crnoj Gori na nedavnom pozivu da se priključi NATO savezu. Kao zastupnika iz Hrvatske raduje me geopolitička činjenica da na našu kopnenu i morsku granicu dolazi nova članica Saveza. Prije dvadeset i pet godina s tog prostora je nastupila agresija na moju zemlju, a u budućnosti ćemo sigurnosna pitanja zajednički rješavati s novim saveznikom.
Otvorenih pitanja je preostalo još nekoliko – granična demarkacija, sukcesija bivše Jugoslavije, reparacija žrtvama rata su samo neka od njih. Pored toga zaštita multietničkog karaktera Boke Kotorske mora biti jedan od prioriteta. Unatoč napretku, do članstva u Europskoj uniji Crnu Goru dijeli period u kojem će morati riješiti cijeli niz unutrašnjih blokada prilagodbama europskim standardima. Zato je važno uspostaviti i održati otvoren dijalog s domaćom javnosti o socijalnim cijenama reformi. Osim toga na ritam i kvalitetu posla koji zemlja treba obaviti sigurno utječu odnosi vlasti i oporbe, a oni su ovoga trenutka, nažalost, ozbiljno narušeni.
Ruža Tomašić (ECR).– Gospođo predsjednice, Crna Gora proživljava veliku političku krizu pa mislim da je u ovom trenutku preoptimistično očekivati istinsku posvećenost reformama.
No, mene prije svega zabrinjava činjenica da Crna Gora nedovoljno radi na poboljšanju odnosa sa susjedima. Granični spor s Hrvatskom nije se ni počeo rješavati, a Crna Gora unatoč tome kreće s istraživanjem i eksploatacijom ugljikovodika u Jadranskom moru, računajući pritom na gotovo 2000 kvadratnih kilometara hrvatskog mora i odstupajući od Protokola o privremenom režimu uz južnu granicu iz 2002.
Hrvatska je još 2011. uputila prosvjednu notu Crnoj Gori zbog određivanja blokova za istraživanje i proizvodnju ugljikovodika, čija je lateralna granica prema Hrvatskoj značajno odstupala od crte razgraničenja prema protokolu iz 2002.
Crnogorci imaju pravo na eksploataciju nafte i plina iz Jadrana, ali samo u svojim vodama, čije konačne dimenzije nećemo znati dok se ne sredi pitanje granica.
Илхан Кючюк (ALDE).– Черна гора е ярък пример за успешно реализирани реформи и макроикономическа стабилност. Прогресът, който постигна страната през миналата година, е лъч светлина за развитието на региона. Не случайно вече 22 преговорни глави са отворени, включително главите 23 и 24, отнасящи се до основните права и правосъдието, а две бяха своевременно затворени.
Черна гора е стожер на регионалната стабилност, като отношенията ѝ със съседите заслужават нашите адмирации. Външната ѝ политика е в пълно съответствие с външната и отбранителната политика на Европейския съюз, и напълно логично, НАТО покани страната да се присъедини към алианса. Разбира се, постигнатият напредък носи допълнителни отговорности. Правителството трябва да засили ролята на националния парламент и да продължи с борбата с корупцията. Необходимо е да се приемат нови закони по европейските стандарти за малцинствата и за правния статут на религиозните общности, за да се гарантира тяхното участие в обществено-политическия живот на страната.
James Carver (EFDD).– Madam President, NATO’s contribution to the safety and security of Europe has been immeasurable, when their principles of collective security secured the West against Soviet oppression and nuclear war. I have, and always will, stand against the EU’s attempts to piggyback onto these achievements.
It is NATO that secured peace on this continent, not the European Union. However, what honest friend to NATO would I be if I did not offer criticism when I believed it necessary. I have misgivings over the accession of Montenegro to the alliance. Europe is in the middle of its most insecure time since Glasnost. Whilst we must not bow down to pressure from Putin, we must also not needlessly provoke further potential for conflict.
Realistically, what can Montenegro contribute to the alliance in military terms? The great strength of NATO is that it is a military alliance, and, unlike the European Union, not a political union. But it would seem in this case that political posturing has trumped military sense.
Edouard Ferrand (ENF).– Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, nous avons le plus grand respect pour le peuple monténégrin qui, en 1912, osa déclarer la guerre à l'Empire ottoman et bouta ce dernier de notre continent. Néanmoins, nous regrettons sa décision, prise à la marge et dans des conditions contestables, de se séparer d'un autre peuple, le peuple serbe.
Quant à ce rapport, en plus de ses formules lénifiantes habituelles, il comporte des insertions douteuses visant à reconnaître l'indépendance de ce pseudo-État qu'est le Kosovo ou à dicter au Monténégro sa politique étrangère, à lui interdire tout lien privilégié avec la Russie et, surtout, à avaliser son entrée, des plus contestables, dans cette machine à broyer les peuples qu'est l'OTAN. Ce rapport est intrinsèquement pervers, et nous le dénonçons.
David McAllister (PPE).– Madam President, first of all I would like to thank our rapporteur, Charles Tannock. I believe his resolution draws a realistic picture of Montenegro’s path towards the European Union. As we have already heard, progress in the alignment with and implementation of the EU acquis has been achieved: out of a total of 35 negotiation chapters, 22 chapters have now been opened, while two chapters have already been provisionally closed. In particular, I welcome NATO’s decision to invite Montenegro to join the alliance. I hope that efficient and successful accession negotiations will follow.
As the standing rapporteur for Serbia, I would like to highlight that ten years after Montenegro declared its independence the two countries maintain a good relationship. A protocol on cooperation and European integration was signed in July 2015 and a number of high-level meetings between Serbian and Montenegrin officials contribute to the overall stability in the region. The role of both countries is a good example of how regional issues in the Western Balkans need to be dealt with.
Goffredo Maria Bettini (S&D).– Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, la risoluzione sul Montenegro mi sembra equilibrata e utile per il cammino di questo strategico paese verso l'Unione europea. C'è tuttavia una questione delicata, che riguarda il punto delle richieste del Montenegro di adesione alla NATO. Il gruppo S&D ha presentato un emendamento molto chiaro, logico e inoppugnabile. Non si può sovrapporre, come fa il testo della risoluzione, il percorso di adesione alla UE con quello della NATO.
La UE è un organismo politico, culturale, economico e sociale. La NATO è un'alleanza militare. Non si può snaturare l'Europa e fraintendere la NATO. Sono cose diverse e debbono restare tali. Altrimenti avrebbe ragione la Russia a denunciare i nostri accordi di associazione e stabilizzazione con i Paesi ad essa limitrofi, come un cavallo di Troia, per aprire la strada all'Alleanza atlantica a ridosso dei suoi confini.
Non abbiamo bisogno di insospettire qualcuno, di favorire incomprensioni, di mostrare inutilmente i muscoli. Mi pare che c'è già tanta tensione nei rapporti internazionali e certamente l'Europa dimostra di non venirne a capo facilmente. La Russia è un alleato indispensabile per combattere l'ISIS, fosse anche solo per un senso diplomatico e tattico. Evitiamo parole inutili e non tocchiamo malamente comprensibili suscettibilità.
Eduard Kukan (PPE).– Madam President, thanks to Mr Tannock we have a very good report. I am glad that it is focused on priorities, such as the judiciary, the fight against corruption, but also on such critical issues as media freedom in the country. Montenegro advanced in the accession process and deserves our continued support. I think it is important to mark this progress with closing negotiating chapters which are already finalised.
We have to see Montenegro’s accession process in a broader, regional context. We should welcome its cooperation and constructive role in the region and also its 100% alignment with the EU’s foreign policy. As in many countries of the region, Montenegro too has internal political fights between the government and the opposition. It is always important to remind politicians to fight these battles in the parliament and avoid violence on the streets.
Elena Gentile (S&D).– Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, prendo atto, non nascondendo le tante perplessità, del confronto positivo sull'accordo di stabilizzazione con il Montenegro. Appare fondamentale produrre ogni sforzo utile per garantire la partecipazione libera e democratica alle prossime consultazioni elettorali. Così come continuo a porre l'accento sulla necessità di un pieno riconoscimento dei diritti e della tutela dei lavoratori e delle lavoratrici. Perché siano garantite la sicurezza sui luoghi di lavoro e l'adeguata protezione sociale per i lavoratori in quiescenza.
Sollevo infine la mia preoccupazione sui limiti finora riscontrati rispetto al livello di tutela delle minoranze, sia religiose che etniche e politiche della comunità LGBT. Un'ultima raccomandazione ritengo vada estesa nei confronti della promozione del diritto di partecipazione delle donne alla vita politica, alla vita istituzionale e al mercato del lavoro.
Andrej Plenković (PPE).– Gospođo potpredsjednice, najprije čestitam kolegi Tannocku na pripremi izvješća. Jasno je da je Crna Gora na svom europskom putu otišla najdalje od svih zemalja jugoistoka Europe s dvadeset i dva privremeno otvorena poglavlja i nekoliko zatvorenih. Sada je ključno pristupiti sistemskim reformama koje se nameću poglavljima 23. i 24., a to su neovisnost pravosuđa, borba protiv korupcije i organiziranog kriminala te vladavina prava.
Nakon ozbiljne političke krize kojoj smo svjedočili proteklih mjeseci mislim da je postizanje širokog međustranačkog konsenzusa u procesu europskih integracija kapitalno pitanje za daljnju stabilnosti i kulturu dijaloga u Crnoj Gori.
Također, čestitam na pozivnici za priključenje Sjevernoatlantskom savezu – to će stabilizirati Crnu Goru, ali i čitav jadranski bazen. Očekujem od Crne Gore da poštuje prava manjina, osobito prava hrvatske manjine, da riješi preostala pitanja koja se odnose na raspad bivše SFRJ, da procesuira ratne zločine te da se također riješi pitanje školskog broda Jadran.
Neena Gill (S&D).– Madam President, Montenegro is a key example of how the EU is able to push for positive reform in third countries, using its collective weight to promote stability, prosperity and human rights in its neighbourhood to benefit us all in a way a single Member State would be unable to do. Close cooperation with Montenegro is not just key in view of its position on the migration route running through the Western Balkans – it is also a transit country for trafficking of illegal weapons that could end up in Europe.
I applaud the increased cooperation with the EU under the action plan against illicit arms trafficking that was adopted by the Commission in the wake of the Paris attacks. I also welcome the recent opening of two negotiation chapters with the EU on transport and energy, giving a new boost to our relations with this important neighbour.
Yet some important concerns remain: further progress has to be made on strengthening the rule of law, reforming the judiciary and fighting corruption. The elections this year will be another key test. In order for them to be free and fair, implementing the new electoral legislation will be vital, as will making sure that the media are able to operate freely and independently.
Alojz Peterle (PPE).– Kolegu Charlesu Tannocku čestitam k novemu dobremu poročilu, Črni gori pa k pomembnemu napredku z odpiranjem in zapiranjem pogajalskih poglavij v zadnjem letu. Hkrati želim, da etapna zmaga države kandidatke z odprtjem pogajanj ne bi zmanjšala njene dinamike in ambicije po napredku na široki fronti znanih vprašanj, pri katerih so reforme nujne.
Ob nujnem povečanju pozornosti najprej pri izgradnji delujoče pravne države se mi zdi ključno, da se Črna gora ne priključi državam, katerih notranji razvoj in evropsko perspektivo hromijo ... hromi notranja politična polarizacija.
Politične sile Črne gore imajo odgovornost za iskanje skupnih imenovalcev, ki so nujni za okrepitev politične stabilnosti ter verodostojnosti in dinamike evropske perspektive.
Andi Cristea (S&D).– Madam President, I would like to congratulate Mr Tannock for the substance of this report.
Listening to our debate and looking at the report, it is crystal clear where Montenegro stands today on the accession path. I think we can all agree that further efforts are needed in a number of areas. I am referring to an effective, transparent and accountable public administration, an independent and efficient judiciary, and a credible and bold fight against corruption and organised crime.
But Montenegro, since the start of the accession negotiations, has come a long way. A total of 22 chapters were opened, two have been provisionally closed. Needless to say, Montenegro is in the lead in the enlargement process.
The progress of Montenegro goes well beyond its borders. Its success demonstrates that the accession process is still credible and predictable. It shows that EU enlargement is still able to deliver.
Catch-the-eye procedure
Jiří Pospíšil (PPE).– Paní předsedající, já chci také pogratulovat panu zpravodaji k předložené zprávě. Nejvíce jsem studoval tu část, která se týká justice a boje proti korupci. Tomuto tématu se věnuji více než deset let a musím říci, že Černou Horu čeká ambiciózní program, jak zlepšit fungování domácí justice, otázky zavedení etického kodexu pro soudce nebo nového disciplinárního řízení a stejně tak posílení soudcovských rad. To jsou nezbytné předpoklady, ale nesmí zůstat pouze u zavedení zákonů, je třeba ty zákony také v praxi naplnit.
A já chci tady požádat a vyzvat Komisi, aby Černé Hoře v této věci byla maximálně nápomocna. Nám jako České republice v době přistupování pomohlo, když experti, soudci z členských států jezdili do České republiky a tam pomáhali zavádět nepsaná pravidla, ale i psané zákony do praxe. Takže prosím, pane komisaři, pomozme Černé Hoře, nezůstaňme pouze u toho, že konstatujeme, co je třeba zavést, ale pojďme se pokusit právní stát v Černé Hoře také posílit vlastní aktivitou.
Ivana Maletić (PPE).– Gospođo predsjedavajuća, slažem se potpuno s povjerenikom da je proces ulaska u Europsku uniju puno više od samih pregovora. Riječ je o demokratizaciji društva i usvajanju vrijednosti partnerstva, konkurentnosti i otvorenog jedinstvenog tržišta zajedničkih europskih politika.
Zato mi je drago da smo u raspravi posebno istaknuli uspostavu povoljnog poslovnog okruženja koje znači efikasno pravosuđe te brzu i jednostavnu javnu upravu. Meni su posebno zanimljiva poglavlja 22. i 32. i tu je napredak nažalost skroman, a ova poglavlja ukazuju na spremnost Crne Gore za uspostavom kvalitetnog i transparentnog upravljanja javnim financijama.
Smatram da je potrebno pojačati tehničku pomoć kako bi se Crnoj Gori pomoglo u svim promjenama koje su pred njom. Na kraju ističem kako je u procesu ulaska u Europsku uniju važno riješiti otvorena pitanja sa susjednim državama, a za Hrvatsku su jako bitna pitanja granice, sukcesije imovine i odštete za žrtve crnogorskih logora.
Tibor Szanyi (S&D).– Elnök Asszony, a jelentés alapján örömmel állapíthatjuk meg, Montenegró minden politikai megosztottsága, demokratizálódásának még élő ellentmondásai ellenére a nyugat-balkáni csatlakozási folyamatban élen járó, a felzárkózásban rendre jó eredményeket felmutató partnerünk. Felhívom a Bizottság figyelmét, ez önmagában olyan érték, amelyet az EU-nak egy aktívabb és rugalmasabb csatlakozási tárgyalási stratégia révén ki kellene használni az ország és az egész térség európai értékekre való motiválására és stabilizálására. Ezzel persze mindenek előtt saját bővítési politikánk hitelének visszanyerésére, majd újradinamizálására. Lépjünk végre túl a bővítési politika másodrangúként kezelésén, hiszen az Unió jelenlegi helyzetében minden pozitív integrációs impulzusra szükségünk van.
Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE).– Gospođo predsjedavajuća, Crna Gora je odličan primjer po kojem se vidi kada krenu pregovori kako se zemlja može brzo demokratizirati, kako nastaju promjene i kako se vlast počinje prilagođavati onome što znače europski standardi. To je, dakle, dobar primjer i za susjede Crne Gore, a tu prvenstveno mislim na Albaniju koja nikako da zaista započne pregovore s Europskom unijom, a znamo koliko je bitno da se to dogodi i u Albaniji, a naravno i u Bosni i Hercegovini i Makedoniji, o kojoj smo ranije govorili.
Ono što, kao prijatelj Crne Gore, kao osoba koja je često u toj državi, želim posebno naglasiti je moj poziv i vlastima i opoziciji u Crnoj Gori, želim zaista pozvati na iskreni dijalog, na otvoreni razgovor i vlast i opoziciju u Crnoj Gori pa i izvanparlamentarnu opoziciju, kako bi se održali pravedni izbori i kako bismo zaista nakon ovih izbora ubrzali ulazak i približavanje Crne Gore Europskoj uniji.
Stanislav Polčák (PPE).– Paní předsedající, zatímco v minulém případě u Makedonie jsme, myslím, že všichni poměrně zvedali obočí nad zadrhnutím toho procesu přístupu této země, tak v případě Černé Hory i já bych chtěl ocenit pokrok, který tato země učinila. Skutečností je, že Černá Hora je v tuto chvíli skutečně na špici států, které směřují do Evropské unie, a chci této zemi samozřejmě k tomuto pogratulovat.
Pan kolega Pospíšil zde hovořil o poli vnitřní bezpečnosti a justice. Já bych rovněž chtěl pohovořit o otázce depolitizace státní správy, to znamená státní služba, která by měla být skutečně podle pravidel odpolitizována. Toto je velmi důležité, aby Černá Hora rovněž splnila jako přístupový požadavek pro rozhovory s Evropskou unií. No a závěrem bych chtěl podotknout, že byť nyní Černá Hora prochází jistými vnitřními problémy politickými, tak nepochybně její lid směřuje do Evropské unie.
Igor Šoltes (Verts/ALE).– Želel bi poudariti, da je Črna gora država, ki je na zahodnem Balkanu izmed vseh držav naredila največji napredek v pristopnih pogajanjih. Odprla je dvaindvajset poglavij in mislim da, vsi si seveda želimo, da z enako vnemo in zavzetostjo nadaljuje tudi naprej.
Je pa seveda še kar veliko število vprašanj, do katerih se mora opredeliti bolj konkretno, tudi vprašanja korupcije na nekaterih področjih. Na področju pravosodja si seveda želimo, da bi bile volitve, ki bodo letos, čimbolj svobodne in demokratične.
Bi pa seveda kot predstavnik Zelenih omenil še eno stvar. Črna gora ima čudovito naravo in tudi kot poslanec Zelenih bi želel izpostaviti in seveda pozvati predstavnike oblasti, da naj za božjo voljo ne pozidajo celotne Črne gore in naj zavarujejo pomembna krajinska področja, posebej še soline v Ulcinju in pa Buljarico, ker na ta način lahko ohranijo habitat tudi za prihodnje generacije.
(End of catch-the-eye procedure)
Johannes Hahn,Member of the Commission.– Madam President, let me conclude my presentation today by reiterating my appreciation to the Members of the European Parliament, and in particular to rapporteur Tannock for your work in helping Montenegro to move closer to the European Union. Your resolution captures the basic elements of our policy towards the country, acknowledging progress achieved but setting out clearly the challenges for the future.
Joining the European Union is a key foreign policy priority for the country and it enjoys strong cross-party support. Montenegro is actively pursuing the goal of EU integration and the support of this Parliament is crucial in ensuring the transformative power of enlargement for the country.
In May, Montenegro will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its independence. It has already achieved a lot in the past 10 years. Starting negotiations for accession to the European Union and receiving an invitation to join NATO can be counted amongst these achievements. However, as it has already been said several times by many of the speakers, important challenges remain. In the short term, these include the full implementation of the new electoral legislation that will ensure credible local and parliamentary elections in 2016. They also include making tangible progress on the rule of law, delivering on the commitments of its economic reform programme and ensuring a depoliticised and effective public administration.
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, we see 2016 as the year of tangible results, especially on the rule of law issues. We expect Montenegro to achieve results and we count on the support of this House in helping Montenegro reach its goal.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert,President-in-Office of the Council.– Madam President, as many Members noted during this debate, the UN and Montenegro have maintained a positive momentum in relations. And many of you noted as well that Montenegro still has work to do in the field of the rule of law.
The EU’s fundamental values, and notably the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights make us unique in the world, and we should be proud of that. Therefore it is important and it will continue to be important that Montenegro’s rule-of-law system delivers concrete results and establishes a solid track record in, for example, the fight against corruption and organised crime.
Many of you also commented on Montenegro’s relationship with NATO. I consider Montenegro a partner country that contributes towards the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations. Montenegro’s positive role in further developing regional cooperation and advancing good neighbourly relations is also noted. So, the invitation for Montenegro is also an important contribution to stability in the region. That does not mean that no further efforts on reforms on rule-of-law issues are needed – they are needed.
Madam President, to conclude, when moving ahead in the accession process I would like to assure Parliament that we will closely monitor the progress made, paying particular attention to the area of the rule of law and the other important issues also mentioned here today.
President. – I have received one motion for a resolution tabled in accordance with Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure.
The debate is closed.
The vote will take place on Thursday, 10 March 2016.
Written statements (Rule 162)
Andrea Bocskor (PPE), írásban.– Az Európai Parlament előtt lévő jelentéssel összhangban üdvözlöm a Montenegróval folytatott csatlakozási tárgyalásokon elért eredményeket és a jogszabályok végrehajtása érdekében tett erőfeszítéseket. A 2015. évi országjelentés kiegyensúlyozott, objektív dokumentum, amely említi az elmúlt évben elért eredményeket, de felhívja a figyelmet az ország hiányosságaira is, ahol jelentősebb eredményeket kell felmutatnia.
Montenegró külügyi politikája dicséretes, ugyanis az ország sikeresen összehangolja külpolitikáját az Európai Unióval. Tekintve, hogy a NATO és az EU csatlakozási feltételei hasonlóak, az ország NATO-tagsága jobb felkészültséget eredményez a csatlakozási tárgyalások során. A parlamenti jelentés azonban arra is rámutat, hogy Montenegrónak erőteljesebben fel kell vennie a harcot a korrupció ellen, az ugyanis megingatja az ország demokratikus alapjait, valamint társadalmi és gazdasági fejlődését.
A jelentésben idén is fontos helyet kapott a médiaszabadság kérdése, a pártok médiához való igazságos és egyenlő hozzáférése és a média önszerveződése. A magam szakterületén fontos, hogy a jelentés elismerően nyilatkozik a kormány elkötelezettségéről, hogy kiterjessze a minőségi kisgyerekkori oktatást, és üdvözli az óvodai beiratkozások számának a célzott kampány nyomán tapasztalt növekedését.
Meglátásom szerint általában jó irányban halad az oktatás és különösen a kisgyermekkori nevelés színvonalának javítása, a nevelők képességeinek fokozása. Mivel a jelentés reálisan mutatja be Montenegró jelenlegi helyzetét és az elmúlt egy évben elért eredményeit, javaslom annak elfogadását.
Milan Zver (PPE), pisno.– Kolegu Tannocku se zahvaljujem za dobro resolucijo o napredku Črne gore v letu 2015. Vesel sem, da je Črna gora ob deseti obletnici osamosvojitve dobro napredovala v pristopnih pogajanjih z EU, odprla je 22 poglavij (tudi 23. in 24., ki zadevata delovanje pravne države). Kljub temu jo čaka še veliko dela, odpravljanje korupcije, izboljšave v volilnem sistemu, zagotavljanje svobode medijev, boj proti organiziranemu kriminalu.
Črni gori čestitam za začetek pogajanj o članstvu v Natu in si želim, da bi čim prej postala njegova 29. članica. Približevanje Natu ni enako kot približevanje Evropski uniji, a pogoji za vstop so si podobni. V procesu pristopa k Natu bo morala Črna gora izpeljati reforme, s katerimi bo zagotovila, da spoštuje določene demokratične in civilnodružbene norme. Verjamem, da ji bo vstop v Nato prinesel tudi večjo pripravljenost za vstop v EU in stabilnost širši regiji.
Črna gora se je izkazala kot dober partner EU na področju zunanje politike, tako pri sankcijah proti Rusiji zaradi Krima, kot v boju proti skrajnemu islamskemu radikalizmu. Žal mi je, da nekatere struje v državi predlagajo zaustavitev sankcij proti Rusiji in da se pojavljajo zunanji pritiski, ki želijo zaustavit približevanje Črne gore k evroatlantskim organizacijam.