Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/2020(INI)) 2025-03-19

2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Montenegro

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Amendment 1

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Sofia declaration of the EU-Western Balkans summit of 17 May 2018 and the Sofia Declaration, annexed thereto,

Or. en

Amendment 2

Hana Jalloul Muro

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), ratified by Montenegro in 2013, and the recommendations of the European Commission on gender equality and combating gender-based violence,

Or. en

Amendment 3

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the World Press Freedom Index report published annually by Reporters Without Borders,

Or. en

Amendment 4

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to UNHCR Ukraine Refugee Situation data as of March 2025

Or. en

Amendment 5

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Citation 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to its resolution of 29 February 2024 on deepening EU integration in view of the future enlargement. 1b
	_________________
	1b Texts adopted, P9_TA(2024)0120

Or. en

Amendment 6

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	A a. whereas the new enlargement momentum sparked by the changed geopolitical reality and the applications for EU membership by some Eastern Partnership countries have prompted the EU to accelerate taking action on its long-overdue deliverables to the Western Balkans; whereas the future of the Western Balkan countries lies in the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits;	B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits, that includes respect and unwavering commitment for European shared rights and values and alignment with EU’s foreign and security policy;

Or. en

Amendment 8

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits;	B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits in fulfilling Copenhagen criteria, including full respect of democracy, the rule of law, and the fundamental values of the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 9

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits;	B. whereas each country is judged on its own merits; whereas the fulfilment of the enlargement criteria, the implementation of necessary reforms, in particular in the area of ‘fundamentals’, adherence to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and good governance, as well as the allignment to the EU acquis and its common foreign policy, determine the timetable and progress in the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	B a. whereas human rights, democracy and the rule of law are the fundamental values on which the EU is founded;

Or. en

Amendment 11

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
C. whereas Montenegro has gone furthest in the accession process and has significant public support therefor;	C. whereas Montenegro has gone furthest in the accession process, having opened all 33 chapters of the EU acquis and provisionally closed six, and has significant public support therefor;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas the EU is Montenegro's biggest trading partner and investor;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas the EU continues to be the biggest trading partner and largest provider of investment and financial assistance to Montenegro;

Or. en

Amendment 14

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C b. whereas Montenegro remains a critical battleground for foreign disinformation campaigns and other forms of influence, including investments from non-EU actors, particularly China and Russia, which have the potential to influence Montenegro’s political, economic, and strategic trajectory;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas the persistence and scale of foreign malign influence, election meddling, and hybrid warfare strategies, threatens Montenegro’s democratic processes, media integrity, and jeopardize Montenegro’s prospects for EU accession;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas Montenegro is exposed to foreign interference and malicious disinformation campaigns originating from Russia;

Or. en

Amendment 17

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas on the 8th of June 2024 an “All-Serb Assembly” took place in Belgrade with the participation of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić under the slogan “One people, one Assembly”.

Or. en

Amendment 18

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C b. whereas Mr Ivan Vuković, President of the Committee for European Integration of the Parliament of Montenegro and Vice-President of Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) was detained in Belgrade on the 15th of March 2025

Or. en

Amendment 19

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital C c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C c. whereas in 2014, Exim Bank provided a loan to Montenegro for the construction of a 41 km-long highway that links the Adriatic port of Bar to Serbia and the project was seen as a key part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Firmly opposes further enlargement of the EU, as the candidate countries remain far from meeting the political and social stability criteria stipulated by the Copenhagen criteria;

Or. en

Amendment 21

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession, particularly the continuous and strong backing of its citizens for EU integration, and reaffirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership, still achievable during current EP mandate;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession, particularly the continuous and strong backing of its citizens for EU integration, and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 23

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership; welcomes the statement by the President of Montenegro in which he stated that Montenegro aims to become the 28th Member State by 2028;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Dan Barna, Lucia Yar, Marjan Šarec, Malik Azmani, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership; welcomes the overwhelming support of Montenegro's citizens and majority of political actors for joining the EU in 2028;

Or. en

Amendment 25

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership;	1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and confirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership; welcomes Montenegro's leading regional position in the EU accession process and encourages Montenegro to continue delivering on EU-related reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 26

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;	2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and calls for collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;

Or. en

Amendment 27

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;	2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; expresses, nonetheless, its concerns over controversial ideas for legislative proposals on citizenship and foreign agents floated in public; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;

Or. en

Amendment 28

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;	2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks, which continue to determine the overall pace of the negotiations, for Chapters 23 and 24 and receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;

Or. en

Amendment 29

Dan Barna, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;	3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; regrets changes in the adopted reform legislation shortly after it received positive opinion from the EU (in particular, the 'IBAR' set of laws) and stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively and consistently implemented to ensure genuine progress and full alignment with European legislation;

Or. en

Amendment 30

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;	3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters still in 2025, with a view to achieving the country´s ambitious goal of concluding its accession negotiations by the end of 2026; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;

Or. en

Amendment 31

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;	3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; deplores that a political crises erupted in the country taking away attention from the accession process; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;

Or. en

Amendment 32

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;	3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines, in order to move more effectively and quickly towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;

Or. en

Amendment 33

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;	3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement in consensus building across party lines to move towards closing additional chapters; stresses that adopted reforms must be effectively implemented to ensure genuine progress;

Or. en

Amendment 34

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	3 a. Underlines that the credibility of the European Union, including its enlargement policy as a whole, risks significant erosion if tangible progress achieved by certain Western Balkan countries does not translate in clear advancements on the EU accession path; emphasizes the urgency of ensuring that the enlargement process objectively and transparently reflects the genuine achievements and reforms undertaken by candidate states in order not to jeopardise public trust in the EU accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 35

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;	deleted

Or. en

Amendment 36

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;	4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention; calls for the seizure of the assets of the sanctioned persons by Montenegrin authorities; encourages the Commission to consider further EU economic and financial assistance for Western Balkans countries that have joined all the EU sanctions against Russia, aimed at mitigating consequences of the arising crisis as result of Russian invasion of Ukraine;

Or. en

Amendment 37

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;	4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as for its support for the international rules-based order at the level of the United Nations; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;

Or. en

Amendment 38

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;	4. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, inter alia those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as well as in the aftermath of cyber attacks in 2023 and 2024; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention;

Or. en

Amendment 39

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4 a. Welcomes Montenegro’s active involvement in EU common security and defence policy missions and operations, such as the European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta, and in NATO and other international and multilateral missions;

Or. en

Amendment 40

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4 a. Welcomes Montenegro's participation in EU common security and defence policy missions and operations, as well as in NATO and other international multilateral missions;

Or. en

Amendment 41

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4 a. Underlines that the CFSP alignment, commitment to EU values and to Montenegro’s independence should be respected and promoted by all state representatives; is in this context highly concerned by the statements of public high officials in support of the President of Republika Srspska (RS) entity, Milorad Dodik, who is undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BIH, as well as their attendance at the All-Serbian assembly; underlines that the members of the ruling coalition and government representatives should refrain from any activities that may threaten Montenegro's strategic path towards EU membership and the country's sovereignty;

Or. en

Amendment 42

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
5. Commends Montenegro for its humanitarian and material support to Ukraine; recalls that Montenegro hosts a large number of Ukrainian refugees;	5. Commends Montenegro for its humanitarian and material support to Ukraine; as well as for extending the temporary protection mechanism, which grants people fleeing from Ukraine the right to stay in Montenegro for one year; notes that over 18,800 refugees from Ukraine were registered in Montenegro as of 31 January 2025 according to UNHCR statistics, thus recalls that Montenegro is among the Western Balkan countries hosting the highest number of Ukrainian refugees;

Or. en

Amendment 43

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	5 a. Welcomes Montenegro’s Council for Defence and Security decision to approve the Armed Forces’ participation in both the EU Military Assistance Mission and NATO's Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine. Calls for Montenegrin Parliament to adopt these critical decisions, reinforcing the country’s commitment to collective security.

Or. en

Amendment 44

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 45

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 46

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns, including attempts to influence political processes and public opinion by third country actors, such as China, Russia and Serbia and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; condemns attempts by Russia and neighbouring countries to exploit ethnic tensions in Montenegro in order to inflame conflicts and divide communities; notes the use of the Serbian Orthodox Church as an instrument of external influence and condemns its interference in this respect; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership; urges Montenegrin authorities to strengthen resilience against such interference by enhancing cybersecurity measures and promoting media literacy among citizens; calls for the strengthening of European cooperation with Montenegro on addressing disinformation, foreign interference and cyber and hybrid threats that seek to undermine the European perspective of the country and the region;

Or. en

Amendment 47

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; notes that religious institutions can be used as a tool for external influence and condemns any undue interference by the Serbian Orthodox Church in this regard; calls on Montenegro to make significant and systemic efforts towards identifying and dismantling disinformation factories and underlines the importance of media freedom and independence, quality reporting and improving media literacy as key to fighting disinformation; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 48

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats, and disinformation campaigns by third-country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; recommends that Montenegro establish a dedicated hybrid threats task force to coordinate responses to election interference and disinformation; further encourages Montenegro to strengthen cyber defences by leveraging intelligence-sharing and capacity-building programs under NATO’s Counter-Hybrid Support Team framework; stresses the importance of public-awareness campaigns and media literacy programs to bolster societal resilience to malign narratives; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership; calls for the European Commission to further support the efforts of the EEAS and Task Force Western Balkans to expand their outreach activities by increasing visibility in local media, publishing frequent fact-checking reports, and partnering with civil society organisations to counter false narratives more effectively;

Or. en

Amendment 49

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; calls to enforce greater oversight of the media landscape in order to tackle fake news and other disinformation activities, in particular those orchestrated by harmful foreign influences; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to enhance strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens regarding the substance of the enlargement process and the benefits of EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 50

Dan Barna, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership as well as on the concrete criteria that remain to be fulfilled for Montenegro's alignment with EU requirements;

Or. en

Amendment 51

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors that are distorting European role and undermining Montenegro's progress on its European path; urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 52

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, cyber attacks, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors, notably from Russia and Serbia, and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to enhance strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the substance of the enlargement process and on benefits of EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 53

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors, such as Russia, and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. fi

Amendment 54

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership; reiterates the importance of building up resilience capabilities against foreign information manipulation and interference;

Or. en

Amendment 55

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;	6. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns by third country actors, underlines the strategic importance of Montenegro's NATO membership, and urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in cooperation with the EU and NATO; urges the EU and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 56

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Calls for the strengthening of European cooperation with Montenegro on addressing disinformation, and cyber and hybrid threats that seek to undermine the European perspective of the region;

Or. en

Amendment 57

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Delegation of the EU to Montenegro to intensify their efforts to improve the EU’s visibility in the country and pursue an active and effective communication campaign on the importance and benefits of a close partnership between Montenegro and the EU, including EU-funded projects and Montenegro’s European future; calls for expanding StratCom monitoring to concentrate on cross-border disinformation threats in the Western Balkan countries and their neighbours;

Or. en

Amendment 58

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Welcomes the Montenegrin Parliament’s renewed engagement in the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee;	7. Welcomes the Montenegrin Parliament’s renewed engagement in the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee; notes the key role of the Montenegrin parliament in passing accession-related legislation; underlines the importance of parliamentary cooperation with regards to Montenegro's EU accession process; reiterates the European Parliament's readiness to use its political and technical resources to advance EU-related reform agenda, including through the facilitation of democracy support activities;

Or. en

Amendment 59

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;	8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;

Or. en

Amendment 60

Dan Barna, Lucia Yar, Marjan Šarec, Malik Azmani

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;	8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;

Or. en

Amendment 61

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;	8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions between and within the executive and legislative powers, which continues to slow down the reform process, and ethnic polarisation; welcomes the agreement between Prime Minister and opposition leaders to request an opinion from the Venice Commission regarding the termination of the mandate of Constitutional Court judge Dragana DJURANOVIC and the opposition to return to the parliament; reiterates that a cross-party political commitment and functioning parliament are necessary for achieving substantial progress in key EU-related reforms, in particular the electoral and judicial reforms and fight against organised crime and corruption; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages Parliament to exercise its oversight role effectively and the parliamentary majority to demonstrate greater openness towards the opposition and its initiatives; further urges inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular meaningful engagement with civil society in decision-making;

Or. en

Amendment 62

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;	8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and polarisation; strongly urges both, the ruling majority and the opposition parties, to prioritise finding the adequate solution for the constitutional crisis through parliamentary dialogue; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular and meaningful engagement with civil society in decision-making, from an early stage in the legislative process onwards, notably for key legislation in the EU reform process;

Or. en

Amendment 63

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; notes with concern political boycotts and blockades, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;	8. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process; takes note of the efforts made so far with resolving the political crises, however observes with concern the political boycotts and blockades still ongoing, and calls all parties to make every effort in order to overcome this crises, as well as re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality; strongly encourages inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular engagement with civil society in decision-making;

Or. en

Amendment 64

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 a. Urges the Montenegrin Parliament and Government to prevent identity politics from diverting attention from the EU agenda or straining relations with its neighbours, ensuring Montenegro remains firmly on the EU path, while emphasizing that any discussions on identity politics must be handled with the utmost sensitivity to avoid further polarization and should aim for broad societal consensus; expresses against this background its serious concerns over controversial proposals on citizenship and language;

Or. en

Amendment 65

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 a. Emphasises that the proposed Law on Foreign Agents in Montenegro is inconsistent with the values and standards of the European Union and NATO; notes that such laws, mirroring restrictive laws in countries like Russia and Georgia, have the potential to undermine fundamental freedoms such as expression, association, and the functioning of a vibrant civil society; calls on Montenegro to ensure that its policies and legislation are fully in line with EU acquis and international standards;

Or. en

Amendment 66

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 b. Expresses concern that any amendments to the Law on Nationality, particularly those allowing for dual citizenship, could have serious and long-term implications for the country’s decision-making processes and national identity; underlines that as a candidate country, Montenegro should refrain from any measure that could jeopardise the country’s EU strategic path or the security of the EU, including when using its prerogatives to confer nationality; urges Montenegro to ensure that any new legislation fully aligns with EU acquis and upholds fundamental rights;

Or. en

Amendment 67

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 a. Regrets the participation of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić to the All-Serb Assembly in Belgrade and his support to the declaration adopted on that occasion undermining of the sovereignty of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo;

Or. en

Amendment 68

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 b. Expresses its concern for the support given by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić and other members of the ruling coalition to the secessionist and destabilising policies of the President of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, after his trial in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Or. en

Amendment 69

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 b. Encourages a more active role of the Parliamentary Women’s Club following the positive example from the previous legislature, when they demonstrated unifying power in advocating for issues of common good that go beyond party interests;

Or. en

Amendment 70

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;	9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5, as well as the recommendations of the UN CEDAW Committee on gender parity on electoral lists (through a 50-50 ‘zipper system’) prior to the 2027 parliamentary elections; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and control of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards, starting by imposing misdemeanour responsibility over political parties, that misuse the budget allocations for their women’s associations;
_________________	_________________
5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.	5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.

Or. en

Amendment 71

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;	9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, notably as regards harmonising election legislation, voting and candidacy rights restrictions, transparency, dispute resolution mechanism and the oversight of campaign and media, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources by bringing the relevant legislation in line with EU standards;
_________________	_________________
5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.	5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.

Or. en

Amendment 72

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;	9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and control of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;
_________________	_________________
5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.	5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.

Or. en

Amendment 73

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;	9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards; calls for a review of the Law on the financing of political entities and elections campaigns to reach full alignment with European standards;
_________________	_________________
5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.	5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.

Or. en

Amendment 74

Dan Barna, Marjan Šarec, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards;	9. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, and implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights5 ; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards; express its concern about attempts to amend the Law on Montenegrin citizenship in Parliament.
_________________	_________________
5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.	5 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro/542637.

Or. en

Amendment 75

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 a. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards and implement the recommendations of the OSCE-ODIHR; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and oversight of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources in line with EU standards; highlights the role of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (APC) in monitoring political finance; recommends that Montenegro enhance enforcement of third-party financing rules, strengthen sanctions for violations, and improve the transparency of online political advertising; calls for increased cooperation between the APC and financial intelligence authorities to detect and prevent foreign influence in political campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 76

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;	10. Recommends on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 77

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;	10. Urges the Montenegrin authorities again to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions; recalls that this reform step is a condition for future disbursements of funds under the Reform and Growth Facility and it should be pursued as a matter of highest priority;

Or. en

Amendment 78

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;	10. Reiterates its call on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day as foreseen in the Law on Local Self Government, already amended in 2022, which stipulates that local elections in 14 municipalities are to be held on the same date, in order to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 79

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions;	10. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions; welcomes the fact that elections in 14 municipalities were held on the same day in October 2022; calls for a robust legislative framework in this regard;

Or. en

Amendment 80

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 a. Is seriously concerned with the misconduct of the electoral process in the Municipality of Šavnik which saw the election repetition for more than two and a half years without the final outcome; regrets the electoral irregularities, including the change of voters’ legal addresses to vote in Šavnik and organised “busing” by DPS of the voters to vote on the election day; calls on the Montenegrin state electoral commission and government to ensure that the electoral process is finalised;

Or. en

Amendment 81

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 b. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to adopt the Law on Government that has been prepared in cooperation with the Council of Europe and aligned with the European Commission’s guidance; reminds that this law will enable a better governing framework, better optimisation of the public administration and would allow for a smaller number of ministries, less fractionated policy portfolios, more transparency and would be a prevention mechanism for these positions to be used as a political bargaining tool;

Or. en

Amendment 82

Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation;	11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation, including the procedural safeguards against politically-motivated decisions on appointments and dismissals; regrets the absence of significant progress in adopting and effectively implementing such legislation and highlights that this allows for recruitment for public service to remain subject to political influence;

Or. en

Amendment 83

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation;	11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation to provide a framework for the professionalisation, optimisation, and rationalisation of the state administration; further emphasizes the need to establish high standards for managerial positions to ensure competence and accountability in public service;

Or. en

Amendment 84

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation;	11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation to provide a framework for the professionalisation, optimisation, and rationalisation of the state administration;

Or. en

Amendment 85

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation;	11. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based and transparent civil service, and the importance of depoliticization of the civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation;

Or. en

Amendment 86

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
12. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report;	12. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report; notes with concern the identified deficiencies, including the judicial appointments and the independence of prosecutor’s office;

Or. en

Amendment 87

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments;	13. Notes the efforts made in implementing key judicial reforms; is seriously concerned with the Constitutional Court appointment process and urges the Montenegrin authorities to accept the Venice Commission mediation in order to ensure clarity and legal certainty of the process;

Or. en

Amendment 88

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments;	13. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments; calls on Montenegro to appoint remaining high-level judicial positions;

Or. en

Amendment 89

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments;	13. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments; calls on Montenegro to appoint remaining judicial positions;

Or. en

Amendment 90

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards;	14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards; recommends adopting the amendments to the Constitution in the final stage of the country’s EU accession negotiations;

Or. en

Amendment 91

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards;	14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, in particular on the composition and decision making process of the Judicial Council, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards;

Or. en

Amendment 92

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards;	14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, including on further depoliticising appointments to bolster independence, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards and in full compliance with the constitution;

Or. en

Amendment 93

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards;	14. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards; regrets the pending case backlog and calls on Montenegro to take measures to reduce the duration of legal proceedings, particularly for serious and organised crime cases, notably on those related to money-laundering;

Or. en

Amendment 94

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	14 a. Regrets the pending case backlog and calls on Montenegro to take measures to cut the time for legal proceedings, in particular for serious and organised crime cases, notably on money-laundering;

Or. en

Amendment 95

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	14 b. Calls for strengthening the functioning and coordination between state institutions in order to achieve political stability and continue its substantial progress in key EU-related reforms, in particular electoral and judicial reforms and the fight against organised crime and corruption;

Or. en

Amendment 96

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistle-blowers; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO;	15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO;

Or. en

Amendment 97

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistle-blowers; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO;	15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption within strategic and legislative framework, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistle-blowers; urges Montenegro to step up criminal justice response to high-level corruption and to create the conditions for judicial institutions and independent bodies dealing with corruption to function effectively free from political influence; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO; encourages Montenegrin authorities to continue to address the existing deficiencies in the handling of organised crime cases and the seizure and confiscation of criminal assets;

Or. en

Amendment 98

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistle-blowers; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO;	15. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistle-blowers, the creation of a new National Council for the fight against Corruption and a new strategy for 2024-2028; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and GRECO;

Or. en

Amendment 99

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Notes the work of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;	16. Notes the efforts of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; stresses the urgent need for the depolitisation of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption; expects the Agency to deliver tangible results and act non-selectively to strengthen its integrity and enhance its authority in carrying out its competences effectively; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;

Or. en

Amendment 100

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Notes the work of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;	16. Notes the work of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; urges Montenegro to further improve the track record on corruption, including high-level corruption, by strengthening the effective enforcement of the existing criminal legislation by the prosecution and courts, including by imposing effective and deterrent penalties; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;

Or. en

Amendment 101

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Notes the work of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;	16. Notes the work of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework; expects the Agency to deliver tangible results and act non-selectively to strengthen its integrity and enhance its authority in carrying out its competences effectively; urges Montenegro to take more action to prevent money laundering;

Or. en

Amendment 102

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families;	17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and take measures against illegally owned weapons according to international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families;

Or. en

Amendment 103

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families;	17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people, including two children and express its condolences to the victims' families; expresses concern over the exploitation of this tragedy for disinformation and ethnic polarization; notes the role of certain regional media in spreading divisive narratives and calls for greater regulatory oversight of hate speech and inflammatory content; urges Montenegro to strengthen crisis communication strategies to counter disinformation and ensure responsible media reporting in the aftermath of violent incidents;

Or. en

Amendment 104

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families;	17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families; calls for the investigation of the security and police system management that operated in and around Cetinje following the previous tragedy in 2022; calls for systematic actions in the areas of security, mental health, and institutional transparency, as well as the reaffirmation of civic education, in line with citizens’ expectations and societal needs;

Or. en

Amendment 105

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families;	17. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and express its condolences to the victims’ families; calls for systematic actions in the areas of security, mental health, and institutional transparency, as well as the reaffirmation of civic education, in line with citizens’ expectations and societal needs;

Or. en

Amendment 106

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17 a. Welcomes the adoption by Montenegro in December 2023 of amendments to its Criminal Code, notably aligning it with the UN Firearms Protocol by explicitly criminalising illicit firearms trafficking, unlawful carrying of firearms, and tampering with firearms markings; urges Montenegro to swiftly amend its Law on Weapons to fully align with the EU acquis, particularly regarding technical standards for firearm marking, firearm deactivation procedures, and regulations for alarm and signal weapons.

Or. en

Amendment 107

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17 b. Calls on Montenegro to establish a standardised and effective data collection and reporting system for firearms; stresses the necessity of enhancing efforts related to public awareness, outreach, and educational initiatives highlighting the dangers and risks associated with firearms misuse, illicit possession, and trafficking; emphasizes the need to implement concrete measures for reducing illicit firearms through legalisation schemes, voluntary surrender programs, and systematic deactivation and destruction processes, consistent with the EU Action Plan on firearms trafficking.

Or. en

Amendment 108

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;	18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 109

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;	18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries presenting irregular migration or posing security risks;

Or. en

Amendment 110

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;	18. Insists that Montenegro fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;

Or. fi

Amendment 111

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;	18. Calls on Montenegro to urgently and fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks; deplores that Russian and Belarussian passport holders can still travel visa-free to Montenegro, thus posing a substantial security risk for the country and the whole region; expresses concern that, contrary to expectations, two countries have been added to the list, and notes the lack of clarity regarding the dynamics and methodology that will govern the process of removing countries from the visa-free regime; notes that the harmonisation of the visa policy with the EU is also one condition to fulfil this year in order to receive further funds from the Growth Facility;

Or. en

Amendment 112

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks;	18. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing security risks; expresses concern that, contrary to expectations, two additional countries have been added to the list of visa-free regime, and notes the lack of clarity regarding the dynamics and methodology that will govern the process of removing countries from the visa-free regime.

Or. en

Amendment 113

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 a. Calls on Montenegro to fully aligns its Visa Policy with that of the EU, especially with regards to countries posing security risks;

Or. en

Amendment 114

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 a. Welcomes the entry into force of the upgraded agreement on operational cooperation in border management with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) on 1 July 2023;

Or. en

Amendment 115

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 b. Encourages further cooperation between Montenegro and Frontex in order to strengthen border management, support asylum procedures, fight smuggling and enhance readmission;

Or. en

Amendment 116

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 a. Welcomes the ongoing cooperation of Montenegro with Frontex, Europol, Eurojust and CEPOL and notes the importance of this cooperation in tackling cross-border crime, including trafficking of weapons, drugs and human beings and combat terrorism and extremism; emphasizes the need to reinforce cooperation in the area of drugs;

Or. en

Amendment 117

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;	19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups and minorities in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ and minorities’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 118

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;	19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law, through an inclusive, transparent and meaningful process that actively involves those most affected, to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 119

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;	19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights through an inclusive process that actively involves those most affected; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 120

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;	19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of all national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis; calls for enhanced respect for all languages, traditions and cultural heritage of local communities and national minorities;

Or. en

Amendment 121

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;	19. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law and relevant strategies to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 122

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Calls for stronger implementation of equal treatment for minorities, ensuring that all ethnic, religious, and social groups are guaranteed equal rights and opportunities, and can fully and effectively participate in social, political, and economic life; recognizes that safeguarding minority rights is fundamental to fostering social cohesion, democratic governance, and upholding European values; urges Montenegro to adopt and enforce comprehensive legislation and policies that prevent discrimination and promote inclusivity across all sectors of society;

Or. en

Amendment 123

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the difficult living conditions of Roma in Montenegro and the discrimination they face in society; calls for more measures to promote intercultural understanding at schools;

Or. en

Amendment 124

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 b. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to continue to improve the climate of societal inclusion and tolerance and to take effective measures against hate speech, social exclusion and the discrimination of minorities, including LGBTI people;

Or. en

Amendment 125

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Welcomes the country’s multi-ethnic identity and calls for the further promotion of and respect for all languages, cultural heritage and traditions of local communities and national minorities; regrets the fact that societal polarisation and divisions have intensified; emphasises the need to protect the rights of all national minorities, including their political, social and economic rights, and urges for strengthened, applied and implemented institutional and legal frameworks in this regard, including a new anti-discrimination law;

Or. en

Amendment 126

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Calls for the respect of the multi-ethnic identity of the Bay of Kotor; stresses that the European perspective of Montenegro is closely intertwined with protection of minorities and their cultural heritage; calls on the Monenegrin authorities to acknowledge the tradition and cultural heritage of the Croatian community in the Bay of Kotor;

Or. en

Amendment 127

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 b. Underlines the multi-ethnic identity of the Bay of Kotor; stresses that Montenegro’s European perspective is closely entwined with the protection of minorities and their cultural heritage; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to nurture the multi-ethnic nature of the state, including the traditions and cultural heritage of the Croatian community in the Bay of Kotor;

Or. en

Amendment 128

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 b. Calls on Montenegro to intensify efforts for non-discriminatory use of minority languages in education, in dedicated media space in the state and in local outlets; stresses the importance of equal representation of national minorities in media, judiciary, law enforcement and public institutions; emphasises the need to protect all of the national minorities' political rights;

Or. en

Amendment 129

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Encourages the authorities to consult and coordinate with the EU any possible changes to the law on citizenship, stresses the importance of achieving consensus among ruling and opposition parties on this subject of crucial relevance for the identity and independence of Montenegro;

Or. en

Amendment 130

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
20. Condemns all hate speech and hate crimes; welcomes the criminalisation of racism and hate speech;	20. Condemns all hate speech, including gender-based hate speech, including online, and hate crimes; welcomes the criminalisation of racism and hate speech;

Or. en

Amendment 131

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20 a. Notes the rise of intolerant and hate speech, notably online, which sharpens divisions along ethnic, religious and political lines and affects particularly negatively several social groups, notably Roma, LGBTI people and women in public positions;

Or. en

Amendment 132

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20 a. Welcomes Montenegro's significant alignment of its legislative and institutional framework with the EU acquis and international human rights standards regarding the compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols; underlines, however, serious concerns about the persistent challenges regarding the effective implementation of this framework; urges the competent authorities to address the shortcomings related to accountability mechanisms, strengthen institutional and administrative capacities, implement robust and systematic monitoring procedures, allocate adequate and sustainable funding, and ensure thorough quality assurance in the enforcement of existing laws, strategies, and action plans in order to best protect children and have their rights respected;

Or. en

Amendment 133

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence;	21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence; calls on Montenegro to fully align the definitions of gender-based violence and domestic violence with the Istanbul Convention, set up effective protection mechanism, support centres and ensure effective judicial follow up for victims of domestic and sexual violence;

Or. en

Amendment 134

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence;	21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, to improve women’s participation in decision-making, both on public level and in business entities, and to combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence, including domestic violence and femicides; encourages the introduction of more robust penal policy that would deter perpetrators from repeating violent behaviour and encourages victims to seek justice;

Or. en

Amendment 135

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence;	21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence; calls on the authorities to ensure a thorough implementation of the standards against gender-based violence as set out in the recommendations of the international bodies;

Or. en

Amendment 136

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence;	21. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, improve women’s participation in decision-making and combat gender stereotypes; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence and calls for more vigilance and establishing support systems for victims of gender-based violence as well as domestic violence; ;

Or. en

Amendment 137

Hana Jalloul Muro

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Emphasises the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms for gender equality in Montenegro, ensuring the full and effective implementation of existing laws and strategies; calls on Montenegro to enhance legal protections for victims of gender-based violence and to increase funding for shelters, support services, and preventive measures; underlines the importance of integrating gender perspectives into all policy areas, particularly in public administration, the judiciary, and security sectors; calls for the collection of disaggregated data on gender-based violence and gender disparities to improve policy responses;

Or. en

Amendment 138

Hana Jalloul Muro

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 b. Calls on Montenegro to further align its gender equality policies with EU standards, addressing gender imbalances in political and economic participation; encourages the adoption of policies that promote work-life balance and equal opportunities in leadership positions; urges Montenegro to strengthen efforts to combat discrimination against women, particularly in rural areas, and to implement awareness campaigns on gender equality and women’s rights;

Or. en

Amendment 139

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Encourage Montenegro to finally adopt amendments to the Law on Protection from domestic violence and further harmonise the legal and policy framework with the Istanbul Convention and the 2024 CoE GREVIO Report;

Or. en

Amendment 140

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure increased political participation of women:

Or. en

Amendment 141

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 b. Regrets that the Law on Budget and Fiscal Responsibility was once again adopted without the introduction of gender responsive budgeting;

Or. en

Amendment 142

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the pay gap between men and women, and to improve women’s participation in decision-making; is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence; welcomes recent initiatives aimed at boosting women’s representation in STEM fields and encourages further efforts, including mentorship programs, targeted grants for female entrepreneurs in technology sectors, and institutional gender equality plans to ensure balanced participation in research and innovation;

Or. en

Amendment 143

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 c. Regrets that the draft law on legal gender recognition was not adopted in 2024, despite being a measure under Montenegro’s EU Accession Program 2023 and 2024; urges Montenegro to adopt the law without delay, in full respect for the ECtHR jurisprudence and the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), as a condition for the closing of Chapter 23;

Or. en

Amendment 144

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Regrets that the draft legal gender recognition law was not adopted in 2024, despite being a measure under Montenegro’s EU Accession Program; urges Montenegro to adopt the law without delay, in line with the need for respect of ECtHR jurisprudence and recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), as a condition for the closing of Chapter 23.

Or. en

Amendment 145

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 b. Calls on the effective implementation of strategies to tackle gaps in upholding the rights of persons with disabilities across sectors and policies;

Or. en

Amendment 146

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases;	22. Notes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases;

Or. en

Amendment 147

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases;	22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy strengthening of the legal framework to protect effectively journalists and other media workers; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, particularly by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases; stresses the need to ensure journalists' right to access information and maintain critical stance;

Or. en

Amendment 148

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases;	22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases; is concerned by the reported increasing use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs); calls on the Montenegrin authorities to take concrete measures to prevent vexatious complaints against journalists, human rights defenders, writers and activists;

Or. en

Amendment 149

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on or harassment of journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases;	22. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on, harassment of or violence against journalists, including by public figures; underlines the need for effective follow-up of past cases; notes a significant improvement in Montenegro's press freedom, as evidenced by its advancement in the World Press Freedom Index rankings.

Or. en

Amendment 150

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Expresses concern over cases where journalists, academics, and CSOs have faced pressure for exercising free speech, including instances where the police have initiated misdemeanour proceedings against them; calls on the authorities to investigate and prosecute all instances of hate speech, smear campaigns and strategic lawsuits against journalists;

Or. en

Amendment 151

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Expresses concern over cases where journalists, academics, and CSOs have faced pressure for exercising free speech, including instances where the police have initiated misdemeanour proceedings against them;

Or. en

Amendment 152

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 b. Regrets the continuing impunity in the case of the murder of Duško Jovanović, prominent journalist and editor in chief of DAN; reiterates its call to review the investigation and to engage with foreign experts to secure a full and effective investigation of the case;

Or. en

Amendment 153

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 c. Urges Montenegrin authorities to respect the freedom of expression and refrain from smear campaigns against the student protest group “Kamo śutra” , to stop prosecuting journalists and ensure their safety, in particular of women journalists;

Or. en

Amendment 154

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 155

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence as well as foreign and domestic disinformation campaigns spreading ethno-nationalist narratives that negatively impact democratic processes in the country thus endangering its European perspective; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 156

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster RTCG, as well the legality of the appointment of its management and full respect for final court rulings concerning RTCG; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 157

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster RTCG, as well legality of appointment of its management and full respect for final court rulings concerning RTCG; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 158

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; recalls that it needs to comply with the law and highest standards of accountability and integrity; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 159

Dan Barna, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Lucia Yar, Marjan Šarec

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;	23. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political and foreign influence; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster; regrets that the independence of public media is sufficiently weakened and undermined; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 160

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 a. Is deeply concerned that the media landscape in Montenegro is heavily influenced by political interests with right-wing tabloid portals acting as mouthpieces for both the ruling coalition and opposition parties;

Or. en

Amendment 161

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 a. Expresses concern over foreign actors, such as Russia, spreading disinformation campaigns and hybrid threats, thus, endangering Montenegro on its European path; underlines the importance of media freedom and independence, quality of reporting, and improving media literacy and education, as key in fighting manipulative disinformation;

Or. en

Amendment 162

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 a. Reiterates the need to develop comprehensive and integrated media literacy programs across all levels of education rather than isolated interventions; urges Montenegro to expand media literacy as a core subject in school curricula while ensuring that teachers receive dedicated training and modern resources to deliver high-quality programs; encourages collaboration with EU educational initiatives and regional networks such as the Western Balkans Media Literacy Observatory to implement best practices in critical thinking and digital literacy education;

Or. en

Amendment 163

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Welcomes the publication of the 2023 population census results; encourages stakeholders to use them in a non-discriminatory manner;	24. Welcomes the publication of the 2023 population census results; calls on the authorities to avoid any politicisation of the process; encourages stakeholders to use them in a non-discriminatory manner;

Or. en

Amendment 164

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Welcomes the publication of the 2023 population census results; encourages stakeholders to use them in a non-discriminatory manner;	24. Welcomes the publication of the 2023 population census results; encourages stakeholders to use them in a non-discriminatory manner and to continue collecting sex disaggregated data in accordance with the Gender Equality Law;

Or. en

Amendment 165

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 a. Recognises the positive perception of Montenegro’s civil society sector, with citizens expecting CSOs to be vocal critics and drivers of democratization; expresses concern over the shrinking space for critically oriented CSOs, particularly in light of the proposed "foreign agents" law and attempts to discredit U.S.-funded organizations; calls for a supportive legal framework, including key laws on free access to information, volunteering, social entrepreneurship, whistleblowing, and NGOs to strengthen their role; stresses the need for CSOs to be meaningfully involved in policymaking, particularly in European integration, and urges the government to conduct inclusive consultations with them;

Or. en

Amendment 166

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Calls for the Council for Cooperation between the Government and NGOs to resume work;	25. Welcomes Montenegro’s vibrant and constructive civil society which plays a crucial and positive role in the reform process; encourages the government to enhance its cooperation with civil society, in particular also with women’s rights organisations, on decision-making and calls for the Council for Cooperation between the Government and NGOs to resume work with a view to building collaborative relationships and genuinely implicating civil society in a transparent legislative process from an early stage onwards; underlines that civil society is vital in fostering democracy and pluralism and promoting good governance and social progress; encourages the authorities to introduce clear and fair selection criteria in relation to public funding for civil society organisations;

Or. en

Amendment 167

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Calls for the Council for Cooperation between the Government and NGOs to resume work;	25. Calls for the Council for Cooperation between the Government and NGOs to resume work; underlines the importance of consulting civil society on draft legislation;

Or. en

Amendment 168

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 a. Calls for a comprehensive supportive legal framework, including key laws on free access to information, volunteering, social entrepreneurship, whistleblowing, and NGOs to strengthen their role;

Or. en

Amendment 169

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 b. Strongly condemns persistent smearing campaigns, intimidation and attacks against civil society organisations by ruling coalition officials using hostile rhetoric to delegitimize activists portraying them as traitors and enemies of the state; is highly alerted by the idea for a legislative proposal on “Foreign Agent Law” put forward by the “Za Budućnost Crne Gore” (ZBCG) coalition led by Speaker of Parliament, Andrija Mandić, and expects the Montenegrin Government to clearly distance themselves and not follow up on these proposals; urges Montenegro to ensure that any new legislation is fully aligned with EU acquis and respects fundamental rights, including freedom of association and expression;

Or. en

Amendment 170

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 c. Expresses grave concern over the endangered heritage sites such as the Bay of Kotor and Sveti Stefan; stresses that Sveti Stefan, with Miločer Park, was enlisted among the “7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe” for 2023; urges the Government of Montenegro to urgently ensure the adequate legal and environmental protection of the cultural landscape of the Bay of Kotor as well as Sveti Stefan with Miločer Park from overdevelopment; urges the Government of Montenegro to ensure the access to Sveti Stefan island for Montenegro and EU citizens, visiting Montenegro as tourists, in accordance with the basic human rights related to participation in cultural heritage proclaimed in UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Faro framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, and many others; expresses concern over ancient olive trees in Montenegro that are being massively illegally removed and hence destroyed due to overdevelopment and lack of inspection control;

Or. en

Amendment 171

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Reconciliation and good neighbourly relations	Reconciliation, good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation

Or. en

Amendment 172

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
26. Recalls that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation are essential elements of the enlargement process; commends Montenegro’s active involvement in regional cooperation initiatives;	26. Recalls that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation are essential elements of the enlargement process; reminds that good neighbourly relations are one of the key criteria for evaluating progress in the accession process of Montenegro, in accordance with the EU Negotiating Framework; strongly believes that unilateral actions and the politicization of historical issues are incompatible with Montenegro's EU integration efforts; commends Montenegro’s active involvement in regional cooperation initiatives;

Or. en

Amendment 173

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26 a. Advocates for increased regional cooperation among Western Balkan countries to share best practices and develop joint strategies in combating disinformation and foreign interference; emphasizes the role of the European Union in facilitating such collaborative efforts; calls for the continuation and further reinforcement of the IPA regional cybersecurity programme;

Or. en

Amendment 174

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided;	27. Welcomes the dialogue opened by the Government with EU Member States, in particular with regard to the closing of Chapter 31, and encourages the authorities to continue pursuing confidence building measures.

Or. en

Amendment 175

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided;	27. Notes that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; is concerned about negative rhetoric used by some members of ruling coalition towards neighbouring countries; condemns the politicisation of historical events and adoption of resolutions that increase the polarisation within the country and are not contributing to good neighbourly relations; calls on Montenegro to comply with provisions on succession to the former Social Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, especially as regards military assets; calls for concrete steps to be taken by Montenegro and its neighbours to resolve long-standing bilateral disputes in a constructive and neighbourly manner, including the unresolved border demarcation issues, as early as possible during the accession process, thus prioritising the interests of their citizens; in that context, welcomes bilateral consultations between the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro, held on 27 January 2025, on the status of unresolved billateral issues;

Or. en

Amendment 176

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided;	27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans, including as regards the unresolved border demarcation issues with Croatia as early as possible during the accession process; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided;

Or. en

Amendment 177

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided;	27. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided; nevertheless underlines, that a unanimous decision on the actual accession of Montenegro by all Member States shall remain a key element in the enlargement procedure according to Article 49 of TFEU.

Or. en

Amendment 178

Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27 a. Considers that President Jakov Milatović’s statement regretting the participation of Montenegrin forces in the bombardment of the city of Dubrovnik was a valuable contribution to regional peace and reconciliation;

Or. en

Amendment 179

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27 a. Condemns the adoption by the Montenegrin Parliament in June 2024 of a resolution on Jasenovac, Mauthausen and Dachau and underlines that it harms Montenegro’s relation with Croatia;

Or. en

Amendment 180

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Urges Montenegro to step up efforts to identify, prosecute and punish war crimes and their glorification while also clarifying the fate of missing persons; calls on Montenegro to proactively investigate all war crime allegations and raise issues of command responsibility; calls, in this context, for effective regional cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of persons indicted for war crimes; urges the authorities to review old cases that were not prosecuted in line with international humanitarian law or domestic law and ensure that all victims and their family members obtain redress and/or administrative compensation for their suffering;

Or. en

Amendment 181

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Calls on Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases, to prosecute the perpetrators and to deliver justice and ensure reparations for the victims, notably in the cases of Bukovica, Kaluđerski Laz, Morinj detention camp, and the illegal deportation; strongly condemns the glorification of war criminals and widespread public denials of international verdicts for war crimes, including the denial of the Srebrenica genocide, including by members of the ZBCG ruling coalition led by Speaker of Parliament, Andrija Mandić;

Or. en

Amendment 182

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Notes Montenegro's amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code to address legal and practical obstacles to effective investigation, prosecution, trial and punishment of war crimes in line with relevant recommendations; encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases in line with international law and standards and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;

Or. en

Amendment 183

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims; emphasises the need for effective investigations and prosecutions to deliver justice, promote healing, establish accountability, and prevent impunity for serious human rights violations; calls on Montenegro to allocate sufficient resources to specialised prosecutors and courts, and to enhance regional cooperation in tackling impunity; stresses the importance of providing fair compensation to war victims as a step toward reconciliation and lasting peace in the region; urges Montenegro to resolve outstanding issues, including missing persons cases, war crimes prosecutions, fair compensation, border disputes, stronger implementation of equal treatment of minorities, and fulfilling existing treaties in constructive dialogue and good faith; recognises that addressing these issues is key to building trust, fostering reconciliation, and strengthening bilateral relations with neighbouring countries;

Or. en

Amendment 184

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims; urges Montenegro to intensify its efforts in punishing war crimes and condemns their glorification, and work on clarifying the fate of missing persons; calls on Montenegro to fight Russian narrative and local radical organisations supporting it;

Or. en

Amendment 185

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims; calls on Montenegrin authorities to refrain from glorifying individuals involved in war crimes in 1990s;

Or. en

Amendment 186

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims;	28. Encourages Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases and ensure access to justice and reparations for victims; encourages Montenegro to step up its reconciliation efforts and seek solutions to past disputes;

Or. en

Amendment 187

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 a. Warns against the dangers of political revisionism, which distorts historical facts for political purposes, undermines accountability, and deepens societal divisions; stresses the importance of safeguarding historical truth as a foundation for democratic values and reconciliation.

Or. en

Amendment 188

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 b. Reiterates its support for the initiative to establish the Regional Commission for the establishment of facts about war crimes and other gross human rights violations on the territory of the former Yugoslavia (RECOM);

Or. en

Amendment 189

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 a. Warns against the dangers of political revisionism, which distorts historical facts for political purposes, undermines accountability, and deepens societal divisions; stresses the importance of safeguarding court-based facts as a foundation for reconciliation;

Or. en

Amendment 190

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 a. Reiterates its call to open the archives that concern the former republics of Yugoslavia and for access to be granted to the files of the former Yugoslav Secret Service (UDBA) and the Yugoslav People’s Army Secret Service (KOS) in order to thoroughly research and address communist era crimes;

Or. en

Amendment 191

Andrey Kovatchev, Tomislav Sokol, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 a. Calls on Serbia to open all wartime archives and grant access to the former Yugoslav Secret Service (UDBA) and Yugoslav People’s Army Secret Service (KOS) files, ensuring their return to respective governments upon request; emphasises the need to open these archives region-wide to investigate communist-era crimes and strengthen democracy, accountability, and institutions in the Western Balkans;

Or. en

Amendment 192

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
29. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in SEPA payment schemes, lowering costs for citizens and businesses;	29. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in SEPA payment schemes, lowering costs for citizens and businesses; underlines that this opens up opportunities for business expansion, increased competitiveness, innovation, and improved access to foreign direct investments;

Or. en

Amendment 193

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;	30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to integrate the region into the EU's single market, promote regional economic cooperation, deepen EU-related reforms, and includes the EUR 6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;

Or. en

Amendment 194

Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Malik Azmani, Marjan Šarec, Ľubica Karvašová, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;	30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; notes that the implementation of the defined reform measures under Montenegro’s Reform Agenda for the Growth Plan would provide access to over EUR 380 million in grants and favourable loans, subject to successful implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;

Or. en

Amendment 195

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;	30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; encourages Montenegro to make the best use of the EU funds available under the IPA III and Western Balkan Facility; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;

Or. en

Amendment 196

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;	30. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder, including local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society, consultations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;

Or. en

Amendment 197

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding;	31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention and money laundering; recalls the conditionality of EU funding; underlines that the use of EU funds shall be properly monitored and effectively evaluated to prevent their misuse.

Or. en

Amendment 198

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding;	31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding available under the Pre-Accession Instrument (IPA III), the Economic and Investment plan for the Western Balkans, the IPARD programme, and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, to accelerate socio-economic convergence with the EU, and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding;

Or. en

Amendment 199

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding;	31. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding; which may be modulated or suspended in the event of significant regression or persistent lack of progress on fundamentals;

Or. en

Amendment 200

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31 a. Calls for the EU and accession countries to establish a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and the accession countries; encourages Montenegro to fully implement working arrangements with the EPPO in order to facilitate close cooperation and the prosecution of the misuse of EU funds;

Or. en

Amendment 201

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31 a. Calls on the EU and the Western Balkan countries to establish a framework for effective cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO); calls on the Commission to make the necessary legal and political arrangements to extend the jurisdiction of the EPPO to EU funds devoted to Montenegro as a candidate country; encourages the Western Balkan countries to swiftly conclude bilateral working arrangements with the EPPO in order to facilitate close cooperation and prosecution for the misuse of EU funds, including through the secondment of national liaison officers to the EPPO;

Or. en

Amendment 202

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31 a. Calls for the EU and the Western Balkan countries to establish a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the accession countries with a view to facilitating close cooperation and the prosecution of misuse of EU funds; welcomes that Montenegro has concluded a bilateral working arrangement with the EPPO;

Or. en

Amendment 203

Jaroslav Bžoch, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis;	32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis; and to effectively combat tax fraud, evasion and avoidance in order to increase budget revenues.

Or. en

Amendment 204

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis;	32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis; ; reiterates the need for increased public investments of the education system for sustainable social and economic development;

Or. en

Amendment 205

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis;	32. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis; welcomes efforts made towards decreasing these fiscal vulnerabilities, including those related to China;

Or. en

Amendment 206

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32 a. Notes Montenegro’s public debt to foreign financial institutions and companies that can be used as a tool to influence its foreign policy decisions, in particular those related to China; calls on the authorities to further reduce economic dependence on China; calls on Montenegro to continue making use of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, EU Global Gateway Initiative and Western Balkan Facility with a view to finding greener and more transparent alternatives for financing infrastructure projects;

Or. en

Amendment 207

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32 a. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to take measures to counter depopulation and emigration, in particular through investments in education and healthcare in the north of the country, as well as through the decentralisation of the country by investing in medium-sized cities;

Or. en

Amendment 208

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32 a. Expresses its concern about the persistently high unemployment rate, in particular among women and young people, and urges the authorities to increase efforts in improving the participation of these groups in the labour market and to address brain drain as a matter of urgency; welcomes the process to design the Youth Guarantee scheme;

Or. en

Amendment 209

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies;	33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies, while bolstering institutional capacity and enhancing the underlying digital policy framework ;

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Amendment 210

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies;	33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies; encourages development of targeted preventive measures and incentives to legalise informal businesses and employees as large informal sector continues to hinder economic and social development in Montenegro;

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Amendment 211

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies;	33. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies; effectively implement the Youth Guarantee and the New Youth Strategy;

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Amendment 212

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 a. Welcomes the calls for the prompt integration of all Western Balkans into the EU’s Digital Single Market before the actual EU membership, which would crucially benefit the creation of digitally safe environment;

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Amendment 213

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
34. Calls for more transparency in public procurement, notably for procedures via intergovernmental agreements, and for full compliance with EU rules and principles;	34. Calls for more transparency in public procurement, notably for procedures via intergovernmental agreements, and for full compliance with EU rules and principles; expresses concern over the financial burden and lack of transparency surrounding the construction of Montenegro’s Bar–Boljare highway financed by a Chinese loan; stresses that the secrecy surrounding loan agreements and construction contracts raises accountability concerns; calls on Montenegro to increase transparency in future infrastructure projects, ensure competitive bidding, and avoid excessive debt dependence on foreign creditors;

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Amendment 214

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
34. Calls for more transparency in public procurement, notably for procedures via intergovernmental agreements, and for full compliance with EU rules and principles;	34. Calls for more transparency in public procurement, notably for procedures via intergovernmental agreements, and for full compliance with EU rules and principles; calls on Montenegro to reduce the number of public procurement procedures without notices;

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Amendment 215

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34 a. Is deeply concerned about all the investments in strategic sectors in Montenegro by malign third countries, including by Russia;

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Amendment 216

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Energy, environment and connectivity	Energy, environment, biodiversity and connectivity

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Amendment 217

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;	35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, with the support of EU funding, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;

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Amendment 218

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;	35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by finally adopting and implementing the long-delayed National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;

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Amendment 219

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;	35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets; calls on all new green transition projects to be in line with the EU’s standards on the environment, state aid, and concessions;

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Amendment 220

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets;	35. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by adopting and implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets; in this context, welcomes the recently passed Energy Law;

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Amendment 221

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	35 a. Urges Montenegro to step up the efforts towards the closure of the Pljevlja coal power plant to meet EU emission standards;

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Amendment 222

Jaroslav Bžoch, Kinga Gál, António Tânger Corrêa

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	35 a. Notes the importance of moving ahead with the financing of infrastructure projects in order to develop the connectivity of Montenegro as well as strengthen and further develop the energy, tourism and industry sectors of the country;

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Amendment 223

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	35 a. Calls on Montenegrin authorities to align its transport development with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy for the Western Balkans, focusing on railways, multimodality and reducing CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts;

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Amendment 224

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	35 a. Regrets the lack of progress on key sector reforms in the area of transport policy; calls on Montenegro to further implement its Transport Development Strategy and strengthen administrative capacities for the implementation of trans-European transport networks; underlines that infrastructure investments need to comply with EU standards and cost-benefit analyses;

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Amendment 225

Costas Mavrides

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
36. Encourages the adoption of sectoral strategies for waste management, air and water quality, nature protection and climate change, ensuring strategic planning for investments;	36. Encourages the adoption of sectoral strategies for waste management, air and water quality, nature protection and climate change, ensuring strategic planning for investments; notes the lack of progress and associated rising costs in building essential wastewater treatment plants to prevent sewage pollution in rivers and the sea in seven municipalities;

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Amendment 226

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 a. Calls on Montenegro to enforce the mandatory 'acceptability assessment' for ecological network areas in line with the Law on Nature Protection, to evaluate the impacts of planned infrastructure projects on protected species and habitats with a view to ensuring that they do not undermine conservation objectives or the ecological integrity of these areas;

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Amendment 227

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 b. Urges Montenegro to immediately halt all hydropower projects, especially those within protected areas, including for Komarnica and Kruševo rivers; highlights the case of Komarnica, which is under consideration for UNESCO Natural Heritage status;

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Amendment 228

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 c. Calls upon Montenegro to finalize the legal protections for areas designated as Emerald Sites under the Bern Convention, thereby ensuring these ecologically critical regions are shielded from environmentally detrimental developments; encourages Montenegro to significantly expand its network of protected areas with a view to meeting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's target;

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Amendment 229

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 d. Underlines the necessity for Montenegro to fully comply with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, including designating Solana Ulcinj as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the Birds Directive and as a Site of Community Importance (SCI) under the Habitats Directive, given its extraordinary biodiversity value;

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Amendment 230

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 e. Calls for the urgent establishment of the planned dedicated management entity for Solana Ulcinj, as previously envisaged by Montenegrin authorities following its declaration as a Nature Park in 2019;

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Amendment 231

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 f. Urges the Commission to closely monitor Montenegro’s progress on the protection and management of Solana Ulcinj as part of the EU accession negotiations and to take tangible conservation outcomes on Solana Ulcinj as a prerequisite for closing Chapter 27, in line with the agreed benchmarks;

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Amendment 232

Vladimir Prebilič

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 g. Welcomes the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, and Sustainable Development to advance the work against wildlife crime; encourages the Montenegrin authorities to enforce effective, dissuasive and proportionate penalties for all environmental offences and to root out corruption in this sector;

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Amendment 233

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 a. Welcomes the agreement at the Tirana Summit on reduced roaming costs; in this respect calls on the authorities, private actors and all stakeholders to facilitate reaching the agreed targets to achieve a substantial reduction of roaming charges for data and further reductions leading to prices close to the domestic prices between the Western Balkans and the EU by 2027; welcomes the entering into force of the first phase of implementation of the roadmap for roaming between the Western Balkans and the EU;

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Amendment 234

Marjan Šarec, Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 a. Welcomes the reduction of roaming charges between the EU and Western Balkans countries and calls for all necessary steps to be taken towards the goal of bringing data roaming prices close to domestic prices by 2028;

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Amendment 235

Reinhold Lopatka

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 37

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
37. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and to the President, Government and Parliament of Montenegro.	37. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commissioner for Enlargement, the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and to the President, Government and Parliament of Montenegro, and to have it translated and published in Montenegrin.

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