Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/2021(INI)) 2025-03-28

2023 and 2024 Commission reports on North Macedonia

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX

AM_Com_NonLegReport

Amendment 1

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Citation 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of North Macedonia, of the other part1,

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Skopje1, of the other part1a,

_________________

1 OJ L 84, 20.3.2004, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2004/239(2)/oj.

1a Replacing the words ‘Republic of North Macedonia’ with the word ‘Skopje’ throughout the Resolution.

Or. el

Amendment 2

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, signed on 1 August 2017 and ratified in January 2018

Or. en

Amendment 3

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Sofia Summit of 10 November 2020, including the Declaration on the Common Regional Market and the Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans,

Or. en

Amendment 4

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Brussels declaration of the EU Western Balkans summit of 18 December 2024,

Or. en

Amendment 5

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Citation 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regards to the Joint Staff Working Document, accompanying the Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council “EU Gender Action Plan III An Ambitions Vision for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the EU External Action (2021-2025), as well as the Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) for North Macedonia,

Or. en

Amendment 6

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Final Agreement for the Settlement of the Differences as described in UN Security Council resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Greece and North Macedonia on 17 June 2018, also known as the Prespa Agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the EU-Western Balkans summits held in Sofia, Zagreb and Brdo pri Kranju in 2018, 2020 and 2021, and to their respective declarations,

Or. en

Amendment 8

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– Having regard of the 2023 ECRI Report On North Macedonia adopted on 29 June 2023 and published on 20 September 2023

Or. en

Amendment 9

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the declaration and joint recommendations adopted at the 23rd meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, held on 27 and 28 February 2025 in Skopje;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the EU-Western Balkans summits, held in Sofia, Zagreb and Brdo pri Kranju in 2018, 2020 and 2021, and their declarations,

Or. en

Amendment 11

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Report on North Macedonia, adopted on 29 June 2023;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Council Conclusion on Enlargement of 18 July 2022 and the Council Conclusions on Enlargement of 17 December 2024;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia, notably to its resolution of 24 October 2019 on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania,

Or. en

Amendment 14

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Recommendations from the 23rd Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting of 27-28 February 2025 in Skopje,

Or. en

Amendment 15

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard for the EU's consistent recognition of the Macedonian language and identity;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 18 July 2022;

Or. en

Amendment 17

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– Having regard of the Protocol of the second session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission set up under article 12 of the treaty of friendship, good neighbourly relations and cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the republic of North Macedonia held on 17 July 2022;

Or. en

Amendment 18

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

A. whereas North Macedonia has held EU candidate country status since 2005 and successfully completed the screening process in December 2023;

A. whereas North Macedonia has been granted EU candidate country status since 2005 and has successfully completed the screening process in December 2023;

Or. en

Amendment 19

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to considerable progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms, while the accession process continues to experience blockages for various unwarranted reasons;

B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to considerable progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms, while the EU accession process continues to face obstacles due to the hostile rhetoric of the political leadership in the country and the lack of political will to undertake and implement the necessary reforms required for the continuation of the process;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to considerable progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms;

Or. fi

Amendment 21

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU continues to experience setbacks due to the country's insufficient political will to implement agreed-upon commitments;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 23

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms, while the accession process continues to experience setbacks for various reasons;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B a. Whereas finding a common narrative on the shared history is the necessary foundation on which Bulgaria and North Macedonia should build their relations, and that the relationship between the future generations of North Macedonia and Bulgaria will be a reflection of the education processes in the two countries;

Or. en

Amendment 25

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B a. Whereas the EU has mobilised approximately EUR 210 million in macro-financial assistance loans since 2020, aimed at stabilising the Macedonian economy, aid in its recovery from the pandemic and accelerate its reform progress.

Or. en

Amendment 26

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;

C. whereas North Macedonia’s recent abstention from the UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/7 on Ukraine and its co-sponsorship of an alternative resolution led by the United States indicates an unexpected and regretable shift in its foreign policy alignment, raising concerns about its commitment to EU common foreign and security policy;

Or. en

Amendment 27

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;

C. whereas North Macedonia is a partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy and has played a constructive role in the region;

Or. en

Amendment 28

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;

C. whereas North Macedonia is an important partner;

Or. en

Amendment 29

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;

C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy in the vast majority of cases;

Or. en

Amendment 30

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas North Macedonia has concluded the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation with Bulgaria;

Or. en

Amendment 31

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas North Macedonia participates in EU military crisis management operations, including EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Or. en

Amendment 32

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C b. whereas North Macedonia has duly implemented the Prespa Agreement, including through amending its Constitution, and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation;

Or. en

Amendment 33

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to achieve tangible results in fulfilling its obligations under the EU Negotiating Framework and EU the Council Conclusions of 18 July 2022, including to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

Or. en

Amendment 34

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

D. whereas North Macedonia is required to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms, including the recognition and inclusion of Bulgarians in the preamble of the constitution as an official ethnic group in order to facilitate the swift start of the accession negotiations;

Or. en

Amendment 35

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

D. whereas the European Council has since reached new conclusions in July 2022 which mean that North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that the opening phase of accession negotiations can be completed swiftly;

Or. en

Amendment 36

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional changes, in line with its commitments, so that accession negotiations can start immediately;

Or. en

Amendment 37

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. Whereas the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia agreed that the next Intergovernmental Conference with the EU to close the opening phase of the negotiations for the membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU will take place after the entry into force of the amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia to include those of its citizens who live on the territory of this country and are part of other peoples, such as the Bulgarian people, according to internal procedures, including through a constitutional law for their implementation, as stated in the 2nd Protocol of The Treaty of Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria;

Or. en

Amendment 38

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas North Macedonia remains a target of foreign malign influence operations, particularly from the Russian Federation and, to a lesser extent, the People’s Republic of China, which aim to undermine its democratic institutions, stall its EU integration, and erode trust in the transatlantic community;

Or. en

Amendment 39

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. A. whereas enlargement no longer fully considers the criteria of economic rigor or political stability as stipulated by the Copenhagen Criteria; whereas the Copenhagen Criteria are essential for safeguarding the values, stability, and security of the Union and its citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 40

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. E. new whereas the geopolitical changes, the war in Ukraine, disinformation and misinformation have a strong impact on all the European countries both politically and economically.

Or. en

Amendment 41

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas North Macedonia’s authorities have proposed solutions for constitutional change that did not meet the conditions of the July 2022 Council conclusions;

Or. en

Amendment 42

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas any accession country is expected to respect democratic values, the rule of law and human rights, and to abide by EU law;

Or. en

Amendment 43

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. Whereas currently the accession process and pace thereof is entirely dependent on the Macedonian government and the assembly;

Or. en

Amendment 44

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas the EU has consistently demonstrated its recognition of the Macedonian language and identity;

Or. en

Amendment 45

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas the EU has consistently demonstrated its recognition of the Macedonian language and identity;

Or. en

Amendment 46

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. Whereas the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, in accordance with Art. 11 para. 5 of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria, reaffirmed the commitment that nothing in its constitution can and should not be interpreted as representing or ever will represent a basis for interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria in order to protect the status and rights of non-citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia;

Or. en

Amendment 47

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process founded on democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights; whereas the countries of the Western Balkans are still far from meeting these criteria;

Or. en

Amendment 48

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas between January and September 2023 alone, analysts documented hundreds of online disinformation articles targeting North Macedonia, many echoing Kremlin narratives;

Or. en

Amendment 49

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas the Council has not excluded unequivocally the adoption of further new conditions for the starting of accession negotiations;

Or. en

Amendment 50

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D c. whereas a significant portion of Russian disinformation consumed in North Macedonia is transmitted via Serbian-language tabloids and media outlets, which function as regional amplifiers of Kremlin narratives and enjoy considerable influence over Macedonian audiences due to linguistic and cultural proximity;

Or. en

Amendment 51

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Recital D c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D c. whereas IPA III, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for the period 2021-2027, provides EUR 14.2 billion to support reforms and socio-economic development in the Western Balkans and Turkey;

Or. en

Amendment 52

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D d. whereas China has sought to expand its influence through information control, investment diplomacy and coercive clauses in infrastructure loan agreements; whereas a €580 million highway construction deal financed by a Chinese state bank became entangled in corruption, implicating top former government officials and highlighting the opacity of such investments;

Or. en

Amendment 53

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D e. whereas during the COVID-19 pandemic, China engaged in active vaccine diplomacy in North Macedonia, using online platforms and sponsored media content to project a benevolent image while amplifying narratives portraying EU response efforts as ineffective;

Or. en

Amendment 54

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D f. whereas North Macedonia expelled 13 Russian diplomats between 2018 and 2023 for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, suggesting an ongoing presence of covert influence networks;

Or. en

Amendment 55

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D g. whereas the OSCE Chair-in-Office and North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister in 2024 publicly warned of Moscow’s disinformation efforts to fracture the country’s social fabric and weaponise anti-EU sentiment, stating that malign actors “hijack public frustration” to halt EU enlargement;

Or. en

Amendment 56

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Recital D h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D h. whereas according to the Metamorphosis Foundation, between January and September 2023, over 700 disinformation articles were published in North Macedonia promoting pro-Kremlin narratives, with 60% targeting Ukraine and the EU, and many originating from Serbian-language media acting as regional amplifiers of Russian influence;

Or. en

Amendment 57

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Firmly rejects North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU and any further EU enlargement, as candidate countries, particularly in the Western Balkans, are still far from meeting the political, economic, and social stability criteria outlined in the Copenhagen Criteria, with ongoing political instability, widespread corruption, and persistent organized crime posing significant risks to the safety and security of European citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 58

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU; commends the country's commitment to European integration and encourages continued efforts in advancing EU-aligned reforms, despite the challenges and setbacks that have tested the patience and trust of the Macedonian society;

Or. en

Amendment 59

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU; recalls that EU accession remains a matter of political will in fulfilling the criteria and implementing the commitments undertaken;

Or. en

Amendment 60

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Acknowledges North Macedonia’s aspirations to join the EU and fully supports the continuation of its accession process, as soon as the necessary previously agreed reforms and conditions are met;

Or. en

Amendment 61

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU and for the necessary transformative changes that are required to fulfil the accession criteria;

Or. en

Amendment 62

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s continued and persistent commitment to join the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 63

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

1. Reiterates the importance of suspending accession negotiations with Skopje;

Or. el

Amendment 64

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1 a. Underlines that EU accession remains a matter of political will in fulfilling the criteria and implementing the commitments undertaken, both in terms of making the necessary reforms and also in adopting the necessary constitutional amendments;

Or. en

Amendment 65

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1 a. Recalls that EU accession remains a matter of political will in fulfilling the criteria and implementing the commitments undertaken.

Or. en

Amendment 66

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

2. Recalls the need for both the European Union and North Macedonia to make every effort to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the constitutional amendments; urges the European Council to provide public and unequivocal support to North Macedonia that it intends to swiftly and unconditionally take a positive decision on the start of accession negotiations upon the fulfilment of the conditions of its Conclusions of 18 July 2022; while fully respecting the Macedonian language and identity, encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership; asks, in particular, the governments of the Member States that insisted on the new conditions of July 2022 to do their utmost to support these efforts; recalls that the accession process should remain a merit-based process and should not be misused to settle bilateral disputes especially at this critical geopolitical moment; calls on the governments of North Macedonia and of the neighbouring countries to work constructively together to resolve remaining bilateral disputes; calls on EU Member States, the Council and the Commission to safeguard the predictability and credibility of the accession process, also a with a view to maintaining popular support for accession in enlargement countries;

Or. en

Amendment 67

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process, emphasizing that accession is a merit-based process, where each country is assessed on its own progress and achievements, and that membership is not an automatic entitlement but the result of fulfilling the required criteria; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies, although recent actions, such as its co-sponsorship of an alternative UN resolution led by the United States, raises concerns regarding its consistency with EU foreign policy; calls on the government of North Macedonia to work for swift advancement of accession negotiations, by fulfilling the country’s obligation of adopting the constitutional reforms, including the recognitions of Bulgarians as an official ethnic group; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on the required reforms, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 68

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Notes that Skopje has not, in any way, taken the necessary steps to join the EU and align itself with European foreign policy; calls for the immediate cessation of accession negotiations;

Or. el

Amendment 69

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; recalls that all countries aspiring to become a Member State will be judged on their own progress and merits in terms of fulfilment, implementation and compliance with the set of criteria and common European values; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the requirement of achieving tangible results in fulfilling its obligations under the EU Negotiating Framework and the EU Council Conclusions of 18 July 2022, including by adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 70

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Warns against a blind promotion of multiculturalism in North Macedonia that would contribute to the fragmentation of the country with border minorities being empowered to form a continuity of their homeland; reiterates that the unitary form of the North Macedonian State must remain unchallenged;

Or. en

Amendment 71

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character; belives that strengthening the links between the multiple ethnicities is essential for improving social cohesion, ensuring more effective governance and, in turn accelerating the countries progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 72

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process, based on own merits principle; notes that North Macedonia continues to declare commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, based on own merits, while noting the need of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments concerning the Bulgarian minority; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 73

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, and while fully acknowledging the Macedonian identity and language stresses the need of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 74

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the constitutional amendments and while fully respecting the Macedonian language and identity; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. en

Amendment 75

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the necessity of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Or. fi

Amendment 76

Andrey Kovatchev, Ivaylo Valchev, Emil Radev, Eva Maydell, Radan Kanev, Kristian Vigenin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Ilia Lazarov, Andrey Novakov, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Recalls that the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia agrees that the next Intergovernmental Conference with the EU to close the opening phase of the negotiations for the membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU will take place after the entry into force of the amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia to include those of its citizens who live on the territory of this country and are part of other peoples, such as the Bulgarian people, according to internal procedures, including through a constitutional law for their implementation;

Or. en

Amendment 77

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Commends the commitment of the Macedonian people to EU integration and the support they show to this project two decades after having begun the proccess; urges the European Commission to do the utmost to help North Macedonian authorities accomplish the necessary steps before starting the negotiations and further into the negotiation phase, to help deliver on the expectations of the Macedonian people and to explore all measures of gradual integration in the EU structures;

Or. en

Amendment 78

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Stresses that existing bilateral issues should never obstruct merit-based progress on the European path or outweigh the broader strategic interests of the Union, but they must rather be addressed through open dialogue and genuine cooperation; underlines that accession negotiations should follow a clear path, guided by objective criteria and solely based on merit;

Or. en

Amendment 79

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Reiterates that EU membership is contingent on fulfilling the accession (Copenhagen) criteria, which require stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and the protection of minorities;

Or. en

Amendment 80

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Welcomes the successful finalisation of the screening process for North Macedonia at the end of 2023; calls for entering into the next phase of negotiations without further delay;

Or. en

Amendment 81

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2a. Notes that the words ‘Macedonia’, ‘Macedonian’ and their derivatives have been part of Greek history for over two millennia.

Or. el

Amendment 82

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 b. Affirms the importance of unequivocally recognising and respecting the Macedonian language and identity as an integral part of the country's heritage, constitutional order, but also of European values; notes that the European institutions, in its country reports and official documents, consistently refer to the Macedonian language in line with international recognition and the implementation of the Prespa Agreement; reaffirms that the respect for linguistic, cultural and national identity is a fundamental component of the EU accession process and a cornerstone of democratic societies which will be further affirmed with the accession within the family of European nations;

Or. en

Amendment 83

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 b. Recalls that progress in accession negotiations under the revised enlargement methodology continues to depend on persistent and in-depth reforms across fundamental areas.

Or. en

Amendment 84

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia; Underlines the need to focus on the priorities under public administration, rule of law and anti-corruption, decarbonisation and digitalisation, connectivity and human capital development while addresing social challenges, implement quality employment policies, foster upward social cohesion and convergence towards the Union standards and support progress towards the European Pillar of Social Rights;

Or. en

Amendment 85

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia, when it meets the conditions set out in its Reform Agenda; welcomes in this context the excellent and ambitious Reform Agenda, which sets clear, transparent goals and targets and calls on the authorities to focus on its rigorous implementation;

Or. en

Amendment 86

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia; notes that these funds will accelerate reforms in the priority areas of rule of law and other fundamentals, governance, the digital and green transition, human capital development and the business environment;

Or. en

Amendment 87

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia, incentivizing reforms, strengthening ties with the EU, and reinforcing economic stability while unlocking investment opportunities and boosting employment;

Or. en

Amendment 88

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

3. Rejects the EU’s new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, which allocates EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia, and questions the appropriateness of the European Union financing third countries while facing its own economic and geopolitical crises;

Or. en

Amendment 89

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Welcomes the alignment of North Macedonia with the common foreign policy of the European Union and the support for Ukraine; notes however with concern the vote of North Macedonia on the 25th of February 2025 on the resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations expressing its support for Ukraine, where the country deviated from the position of the European Union;

Or. en

Amendment 90

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 b. Notes the financial support the country is receiving from individual Member States and the good cooperation between them; warns however about strengthening alliances with illiberal regimes;

Or. en

Amendment 91

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

4. Commends North Macedonia on its continued commitment to the EU integration process and regrets the delays in the accession process; welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 92

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

4. Observes the ongoing stability of interethnic relations and calls for the full implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 93

Emmanouil Kefalogiannis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

4. Encourages the efforts to secure interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 94

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

4. Encourages the efforts to secure interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 95

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Notes with concern the lack of tangible results in fulfilling its obligations under the EU Council Conclusions and the EU negotiating framework of 18 July 2022, including relevant constitutional changes, in line with the country's commitments:

Or. en

Amendment 96

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 b. Calls on the political elite in North Macedonia to swiftly proceed with the implementation of previously assumed obligations; recalls that currently the process is entirely dependent on the government and the assembly;

Or. en

Amendment 97

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership; calls for improved enforcement of anti-corruption measures by enhancing institutional capacity, proactively identifying wrongdoing, and ensuring adequate financial and human resources; stresses the need for a more committed implementation of the national strategy for the prevention of corruption and conflict of interest (2021-2025); encourages further reforms in public administration and greater transparency in media ownership concentration;

Or. en

Amendment 98

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership; welcomes North Macedonia’s efforts to enhance judicial independence and counter corruption, including the adoption of the 2024-2028 Judicial Reform Strategy, and encourages further implementation of systemic measures to ensure transparency and efficiency in governance;

Or. en

Amendment 99

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership; underlines the lack of progress in the implementation of the 2020 strategies for human resources management in the courts and in the public prosecutor’s office;

Or. en

Amendment 100

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence including in judicial appointments and the functioning of the Judicial Council, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership;

Or. en

Amendment 101

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Repeats its calls to enhance the EU’s capacity to act by reforming its decision-making, including through the introduction of qualified majority voting on the intermediate steps in the accession process, in particular on the start of negotiations and the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters;

Or. en

Amendment 102

Davor Ivo Stier, Karlo Ressler

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Expresses its heartfelt solidarity with the people of North Macedonia following the tragic nightclub incident on March 16, 2025, offering condolences to the victims and their families, and extending support to the nation during this difficult time;

Or. en

Amendment 103

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms;

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms; welcomes the work of political stakeholders to overcome this excessive political polarisation that slows down the delivery of reforms that benefit the country’s citizens and the European integration path;

Or. en

Amendment 104

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms;

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms; calls on the political parties represented in the Parliament to work together to reach an agreement on those reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 105

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms;

6. Notes that, while the functioning of democratic institutions in North Macedonia has improved, political polarisation remains a major stumbling block to necessary for the European integration reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 106

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms;

6. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a major stumbling block to necessary reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 107

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6 a. urges all political parties and representatives to abstain from exploiting ethnic divisions for political or electoral ends; recalls that this practice jeopardizes the strengthening of democracy and national unity; emphasizes the value of inclusive governance, which ensures that all communities are fairly represented and patricipating in the decision-making processes.

Or. en

Amendment 108

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6 a. Calls for more efficient planning and coordination of the parliamentary work between the ruling coalition and the opposition, in particular with a view to the conclusions of the Jean Monnet Dialogue;

Or. en

Amendment 109

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Welcomes the adoption of new rules of procedure by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (Sobranie),facilitated by the European Parliament within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue; emphasises that cross-party collaboration remains vital to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms and strengthen democratic institutions;

7. Welcomes the adoption of new rules of procedure by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (Sobranie),facilitated by the European Parliament within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue; stresses, however, that persistent political polarisation continues to delay important reforms and appointments; emphasises that cross-party collaboration remains vital to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms and strengthen democratic institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 110

Matthieu Valet, Jordan Bardella, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Welcomes the adoption of new rules of procedure by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (Sobranie); emphasises that cross-party collaboration remains vital to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms and strengthen democratic institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 111

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Welcomes the adoption of new rules of procedure by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (Sobranie),facilitated by the European Parliament within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue; emphasises that cross-party collaboration and an improved political climate remains vital to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms and strengthen democratic institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 112

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7 a. Notes with concern that about half of all laws enacted by the Sobranie in 2023 were approved through shortened procedures; calls on the Parliament to improve its legislative planning and quality through proper consultation procedures and parliamentary oversight and to avoid fast-track procedures;

Or. en

Amendment 113

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Stresses that, while amendments to the Electoral Code have been made, comprehensive electoral reform is still needed; calls strongly for the implementation of the outstanding recommendations made by the ODIHR and the Venice Commission; welcomes the competitive nature of the 2024 elections as assessed by international observers, while underlining the importance of insulating future electoral processes from malign foreign interference and information manipulation, including through the adoption of robust cybersecurity and online campaign transparency rules, as recommended by the OSCE/ODIHR;

Or. en

Amendment 114

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Stresses that, while the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections were competitive and democratic and amendments to the Electoral Code have been made, comprehensive electoral reform is still needed; underlines that the recommendations made by the ODIHR and the Venice Commission shall serve as guidelines in this regard;

Or. en

Amendment 115

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 116

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency;

9. Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency; urges a revision of rules on state advertising in commercial media and paid political advertisement; emphasises the need for functioning oversight mechanisms to ensure integrity in party financing;

Or. en

Amendment 117

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency;

9. Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency regarding funds and expenses of the political parties and to ensure equitable state funding and equal and adequate access of the political parties and independent candidates to the media;

Or. en

Amendment 118

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency;

9. Calls for improved transparency and regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 119

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes;

10. Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes; commends the 2023-2030 public administration strategy and the related action plan for 2023-2026 adopted in July 2023; acknowledges that all relevant reform areas are covered and that it sets out a clear baseline, objectives and targets, thus identifying crucial policy challenges;

Or. en

Amendment 120

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes;

10. Calls for the continuation of the reform of the local financial self-government that would enable local administration to provide better social services to citizens and to elaborate tailored made local and regional development strategies; emphasisez the need for continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes;

Or. en

Amendment 121

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes;

10. Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation and strengthening transparent recruitment processes, and reforming local self-government; urges the authorities to step up their efforts, and adopt and implement the necessary legislation with a view to improving public trust in the administration;

Or. en

Amendment 122

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10 a. Call on the necessity to tackle systemic challenges related to politicization. This effort includes enhancing transparent recruitment processes, which are essential for building a robust meritocracy. Reinforcing meritocratic principles can enhance the effectiveness and integrity of public administration, ultimately leading to improved governance and public trust. This modernization effort is crucial for fostering a resilient and capable public service that can effectively respond to contemporary challenges and serve the needs of the community.

Or. en

Amendment 123

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Calls for further steps to ensure the systemic accountability of public institutions through meaningful and public stakeholder consultations;

11. Calls for further steps to ensure the systemic accountability of public institutions through meaningful and public stakeholder consultations; commends the law on general administrative procedures that is providing for simplification, but strongly recommends that it is implemented systematically across the administration;

Or. en

Amendment 124

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Calls for further steps to ensure the systemic accountability of public institutions through meaningful and public stakeholder consultations;

11. Calls for further steps to ensure the systemic accountability of public institutions through meaningful and public stakeholder consultations, including with regard to the implementation of the Reform Agenda, and to provide feedback from the conducted consultations;

Or. en

Amendment 125

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Urges the authorities of North Macedonia to refrain from opaque, politicised dismissals from, and appointments to, positions within independent bodies and agencies, as well as to ensure that the organisations are adequately funded and that decisions and recommendations are implemented consistently;

12. Urges the authorities of North Macedonia to refrain from opaque, politicised dismissals from, and appointments to, positions within independent bodies and agencies, as well as to ensure that the institutions are adequately funded and that decisions and recommendations are implemented consistently, such as of the Ombudsman; notes with regret the continued lack of progress in strengthening the Ombudsman's Office;

Or. en

Amendment 126

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ;

13. Welcomes the assignment of special prosecutor to monitor attacks on journalists recalls however, the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 and Anti Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, SLAPP, Directive (EU) 2024/1069 as well as to put in place support mechanisms for SLAPP ;

_________________

4 Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act), OJ L, 2024/1083, 17.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1083/oj.

Or. en

Amendment 127

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ;

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ; emphasises the urgent need to counter malign foreign influence in the media landscape, including disinformation disseminated by actors linked to Russia and China, often through proxy outlets or unregulated online platforms;

_________________

Or. en

Amendment 128

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ;

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 , addressing persistent challenges in media ownership transparency, digital media disclosure, and media concentration; underlines the need to include and regulate online media in the Law on Media;

_________________

Or. en

Amendment 129

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ;

13. Welcomes North Macedonia’s steady progress in assuring media freedoms; Recalls the need to reform the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act4 ;

_________________

Or. en

Amendment 130

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13 a. Recalls that a 2023 analysis found that Russian state-affiliated actors used Serbian media proxies to disseminate narratives hostile to NATO, and that the EU is pressuring North Macedonia to “abandon its identity”;

Or. en

Amendment 131

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13 a. Urges authorities to ensure full transparency and unimpeded access to information for citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 132

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Reiterates its calls for the comprehensive reform of the rules governing state financing and political party advertising in the media;

14. Reiterates its calls for the comprehensive reform of the rules governing state financing and political party advertising in the media, noting the lack of transparency, the ongoing misuse of state funds for political advertising, and the continued risk of compromising media independence through opaque funding mechanisms; urges for these reforms to be adopted and implemented before the local elections foreseen for autumn 2025;

Or. en

Amendment 133

Hristo Petrov, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Reiterates its calls for the comprehensive reform of the rules governing state financing and political party advertising in the media;

14. Notes with concern the reinstatement of government advertising in commercial media in North Macedonia; stresses the hightened risk of this measure opening the media market to disruptions and undue political influences, thus endangering media independence and media pluralism; Reiterates its calls for the comprehensive reform of the rules governing state financing and political party advertising in the media;

Or. en

Amendment 134

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14 a. Underlines the need to strengthen the independence and capacity of the media regulator, the Public Service Broadcaster and the regulator on electronic communication;

Or. en

Amendment 135

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators;

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators; calls for stricter transparency and ownership rules to expose covert influence, including foreign-sponsored media content, and for the establishment of mechanisms to identify and disrupt coordinated foreign disinformation networks;

Or. en

Amendment 136

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators;

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators, while noting the continued delay in appointing key oversight bodies and the need for comprehensive modernisation efforts;

Or. en

Amendment 137

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators;

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators; urges North Macedonia to take specific actions to enhance transparency of media ownership;

Or. en

Amendment 138

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Encourages actions to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators;

15. Encourages actions to enhance transparency of media ownership, the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators;

Or. en

Amendment 139

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 a. Expresses concerns over the strategic acquisition of key television stations and news portals by Hungarian media executives, close to the ruling party in Budapest, allowing anti-European narratives to permeate public discourse in North Macedonia on a daily basis; regrets allegations that media outlets have received indirect financial support through advertising from Hungarian businesses;

Or. en

Amendment 140

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 a. Acknowledges the steady improvement in media freedoms, as evidenced by its rise in international rankings, and encourages continued reforms to ensure an independent and resilient media landscape;

Or. en

Amendment 141

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Notes, with concern, the continued threats and attacks against journalists; welcomes the assignment of a dedicated prosecutor to monitor attacks on journalists and the establishment of cyberbullying reporting mechanisms;

16. Notes, with concern, the continued threats and attacks against independent journalists and media professionals, including misogynistic online harassment targeting women journalists, often targeting those reporting on the rule of law, corruption and justice; welcomes the assignment of a dedicated prosecutor to monitor attacks on journalists and the establishment of cyberbullying reporting mechanisms; calls for stronger measures to protect media professionals from physical and non-physical threats, harassment, and inappropriate language from public figures;

Or. en

Amendment 142

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Expresses concern over the ongoing threats and attacks against journalists; welcomes the assignment of a dedicated prosecutor to oversee these attacks on journalists and the establishment of cyberbullying reporting mechanisms. Additionally, emphasizes the need for media reform that prioritizes anti-concentration measures to safeguard journalistic integrity.

Or. en

Amendment 143

Andrey Kovatchev, Ivaylo Valchev, Emil Radev, Eva Maydell, Radan Kanev, Kristian Vigenin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Ilia Lazarov, Andrey Novakov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 a. Urges the relevant bodies to proactively prevent and systematically prosecute all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation, to thoroughly investigate related attacks and to ensure the safety and security of their targets, such as journalists, people belonging to minorities, communities and other vulnerable groups; condemns media outlets selectively promoting negative coverage, hate speech and ethnic prejudices against Bulgarians; strongly urges the media outlets and the authorities of the Republic of North Macedonia to deter from utilizing and publicizing hate speech against EU Member States and neighbouring countries; urges the authorities to effectively fight hate motivated crimes through coordinated investigations and prosecutions leading to final convictions;

Or. en

Amendment 144

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

17. Expresses concern about the rise in hate speech and growing threats from disinformation in online media; calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism, fact-checking capabilities and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference; is concerned by widespread disinformation campaigns which put into question democratic values and the country’s goal towards EU membership; in this regard, calls for support of the EU institutions to help the country mitigate these malicious effects;

Or. en

Amendment 145

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference; welcomes civil society initiatives promoting media fact-checking and notes that nearly 50% of North Macedonian citizens have adopted false narratives about international events, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine, underscoring the urgency of reinforcing societal resilience against malign information manipulation;

Or. en

Amendment 146

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy and to improve the legal framework and interinstitutional capacity in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

Or. en

Amendment 147

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism and media literacy in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

17. Calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism, media literacy and improving the legal framework and interinstitutional capacity to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference;

Or. en

Amendment 148

Hristo Petrov, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 a. Notes with concern that hate speech has signifigantly shifted from the traditional media towards the Internet, over which the national Agency for Audio-visual Media Services has no regulatory authority; welcomes the initiatives aimed at promoting digital litaracy in schools and combatting the spread of hate speech; encourages North Macedonia to intensify the efforts to combat hate speech in all of its forms, and targeting all groups;

Or. en

Amendment 149

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 a. Notes with the concern the public statements made by government representatives and officials inciting violence, discrimination and hate crimes against citizens of North Macedonia identifying as Bulgarians; Underlines the role of media regarding interethnic relations and good neighbourly relations;

Or. en

Amendment 150

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 b. Deplores the legislative amendments to the Law on Foundations and Associations overturning the legal registration of Bulgarian cultural institutions; reiterates the discriminatory nature of the law which was enforced retroactively and targeted Bulgarian cultural institutions; calls on North Macedonia to recall the said legislative amendments and protect the existence of the institutions of Macedonian citizens self-identifying as Bulgarians;

Or. en

Amendment 151

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Welcomes the country’s vibrant and constructive civil society, which plays a very crucial and positive role in the reform process; notes that, while civil society organisations operate in an overall enabling environment, legal and financial frameworks need to be implemented to ensure transparent public funding mechanisms;

18. Underlines that civil society is vital in fostering democracy and pluralism and promoting good governance and social progress; welcomes the country’s vibrant and constructive civil society, which plays a very crucial and positive role in the reform process and reminds that further efforts are needed to ensure inclusive, timely and meaningful consultations and transparency, as well as formal mechanisms for cooperation; welcomes against this backdrop the recent initiation of the process for re-establishing the Council for cooperation between the Government and the civil society sector and calls for enhanced cooperation, especially in the mitigation of the implications of the recent “freeze” of the USAID funds on the civil society sector; notes that, while civil society organisations operate in an overall enabling environment, legal and financial frameworks need to be implemented to ensure increased public funding for CSOs, as well as transparent public funding mechanisms; is concerned about reports of an increase in hostile statements towards civil society and encourages the Ministry of Interior Affairs to develop a Security Protocol for Human Rights Defenders with civil society organizations to ensure their protection against threats from non-state actors;

Or. en

Amendment 152

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Welcomes the country’s vibrant civil society, which plays a positive role in the reform process; notes that, while civil society organisations operate in an overall enabling environment, legal and financial frameworks need to be implemented to ensure transparent public funding mechanisms; notes the Government of North Macedonia’s engagement with civil society, and underlines the importance of ensuring inclusive consultations and transparency; however notes with concern the lack of engagement with civil society representing and defending the rights of the various ethnic communities in the country;

Or. en

Amendment 153

Andrey Kovatchev, Ivaylo Valchev, Emil Radev, Eva Maydell, Radan Kanev, Kristian Vigenin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Ilia Lazarov, Andrey Novakov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Deplores the increasing discrimination against citizens of North Macedonia who identify as Bulgarian, which includes, among others, the arson of the NGO Bulgarian cultural club “Ivan Mihaylov” in Bitola in June 2022, the shooting against the NGO Bulgarian cultural club “Tsar Boris III” in Ohrid in November 2022, the attack against the Bulgarian State Cultural and Information Center in Skopje, which was broken into in March 2023, and most of all, the severe beating of Christian Pendikov in January 2023 who was attacked because of his Bulgarian self-identification as noted by the Prosecutor’s Office in Ohrid, North Macedonia; condemns in the strongest terms such acts of hate crimes violence;

Or. en

Amendment 154

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Recalls the need for urgent legislative action to ensure transparency in media ownership and foreign sponsorship; notes that certain Chinese diplomatic entities have financed paid content and opinion pieces in Macedonian outlets without clear labeling; calls for mandatory disclosures on foreign-sourced media content, including online platforms, and recommends the creation of a national media influence registry;

Or. en

Amendment 155

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Urges further enhancement of the role of civil society by ensuring their continuous meaningful inclusion in the decision-making process and by consulting the Venice Commission before adopting future legislation in the field.

Or. en

Amendment 156

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Calls on the authorities to adopt a legal framework that efficiently protects journalists, human rights defenders, environmental activists and other stakeholders from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs);

Or. en

Amendment 157

Andrey Kovatchev, Ivaylo Valchev, Emil Radev, Eva Maydell, Radan Kanev, Kristian Vigenin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Ilia Lazarov, Andrey Novakov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 b. Is deeply concerned by the ongoing legal process against Ljupco Georgievski, former head of the Bitola-based Bulgarian association named after Vancho Mihailov in connection with charges for spreading racist and xenophobic materials; regrets that Ljupco Georgievski faces 3-5 years in prison upon fabricated charges without any evidence of wrongdoing; strongly condemns the use of repressive tactics and the persecution of individuals based on their ethnic identity and right to self-determination; calls for the immediate dismissal of all charges against Ljupco Georgievski;

Or. en

Amendment 158

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Strongly urges that the work on school history textbooks in Bulgaria and North Macedonia be resumed; stresses that the texts should reflect the interpretation of historical facts and figures from the common history of both peoples, based on authentic historical documents and sources as agreed in the Protocol of the second session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission set up under article 12 of the treaty of friendship, good neighbourly relations and cooperation with Bulgaria;

Or. en

Amendment 159

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Expresses concern about the lack of progress in gender equality and the rise of anti-gender movements; urges the country’s authorities to improve access to services for victims of gender-based violence;

19. Expresses concern about the lack of progress in gender equality and the rise of anti-gender movements and increase in their influence which negatively impacts legislative and policy-making processes; Calls on the authorities to strengthen the implementation of the national strategy for gender equality (2022-2027) by ensuring adequate funding, enhancing cross-institutional coordination, and aligning national policies with the EU acquis; Urges the government to fully implement the Istanbul Convention; urges the country’s authorities to improve access to services for victims of gender-based violence;

Or. en

Amendment 160

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Expresses concern about the lack of progress in gender equality and the rise of anti-gender movements; calls on the Government to adopt the new Law on Gender Equality to strengthen formal government structures assigned to promote gender equality and improve the status and rights of women at all levels and ensure the effective implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy and the National Action Plan;

Or. en

Amendment 161

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Commands North Macedonia for ratifying most international human rights instruments, however expresses concern about the level of implementation, the lack of progress in gender equality and the rise of anti-gender movements; urges the country’s authorities to improve access to services for victims of gender-based violence;

Or. en

Amendment 162

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Expresses concern about the lack of progress in gender equality; urges the country’s authorities to improve access to services for victims of gender-based violence;

Or. en

Amendment 163

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 a. Urges the authorities to ensure the full and effective implementation of the existing legal framework for the protection of victims of gender-based and domestic violence, by allocating sufficient budgetary resources for prevention, and by improving access to support services, protection mechanisms, and the enforcement of legally guaranteed social and economic rights of survivors; encourages authorities against this background to increase shelter capacity and personnel, as well as the number of well-trained and gender-sensitive law enforcement officers and judges, medical personnel and social workers;

Or. en

Amendment 164

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 a. Regrets the climate of hostility towards Bulgaria; reminds the fact that hate speech directed to the Bulgarian community by politicians has led to violent attacks against the citizens of North Macedonia who identify as Bulgarians as well as Bulgarian cultural institutions in North Macedonia; urges therefore the Macedonian political elite to refrain from using hate-speech directed at Bulgaria as it can lead to harassment, physical abuse, and violence;

Or. en

Amendment 165

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 a. Notes, with concern the dire situation of young women in prisons and juvenile girls ages 14 to 16 who lack education and job skills training and are often overmedicated, with insufficient health care; urges the North Macedonian authorities to take urgent measures to improve the detention situation of all inmates, to reduce corruption and stop inhuman treatment;

Or. en

Amendment 166

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 b. Calls on North Macedonia to implement the recommendations of the 2023 European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Report On North Macedonia, in order to urgently address human rights violations targetting the Bulgarian community in the country; calls on North Macedonia to comprehensively follow up on ECRI’s General Policy Recommendation on combating hate speech and fully address the findings and recommendations set out in its report;

Or. en

Amendment 167

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 b. Notes the adoption of the Law on Payment of Monetary Compensation to Victims of Violent Crimes in 2023, which integrates the standards of the Istanbul Convention to provide better protections for victims of gender-based violence; urges the authorities strengthen its efforts to reduce and mitigate gender-based violence and domestic violence;

Or. en

Amendment 168

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 b. Calls on the authorities of North Macedonia to urgently improve the situation in detention facilities and to enhance the probation and re-integration of ex-prisoners in the society;

Or. en

Amendment 169

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; urges North Macedonia to fully implement the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as regards the Strategy "One Society for All and Interculturalism"; calls on North Macedonia to provide for sufficient funding and staff to the Language Implementation Agency and the Agency for Community Rights Realisation;

Or. en

Amendment 170

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; expresses concerns over the abolition, by a decision of the Constitutional Court, of the quotas introduced by the Ohrid Agreement for quotas of Albanian and other communities’ representatives in the administration; underlines that the administration of the country should reflect the multi-ethnic composition of the country; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities;

Or. en

Amendment 171

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes the continued stability of interethnic relations and that the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; commends North Macedonia’s efforts in strengthening minority rights protections, while encouraging further financial support and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; calls on political representatives of minority communities to avoid promoting divisive ethnic narratives echoing policies that caused profound suffering and wars in the region's recent past;

Or. en

Amendment 172

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes that interethnic relations remain stable; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; calls on North Macedonia to comprehensively follow up on ECRI's General Policy Recommendation No 15 on combating hate speech and fully address the findings and recommendations set out in ECRI's report of September 2023.

Or. en

Amendment 173

Emmanouil Kefalogiannis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; awaits a final decision on the contested Law on the Use of Languages which may have an impact on interethnic relations.

Or. en

Amendment 174

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Notes that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; awaits a final decision on the contested Law on the Use of Languages which may have an impact on interethnic relations;

Or. en

Amendment 175

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Welcomes that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities;

Or. en

Amendment 176

Hristo Petrov, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 a. Welcomes the progress the country has achieved in aligning its legislative and institutional framework for the rights of the child with EU acquis and international human rights standards; notes with concern, however, the continued instances of child violence and discrimination, including against Roma children; calls, therefore, for the country to set up a national body responsible for coordinating all policies relating to implementation of the UN Convention on Child Rights and the Optional Protocols;

Or. en

Amendment 177

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 a. Calls on the Republic of North Macedonia to fully guarantee equal rights and opportunities for all ethnic communities in the country, including through appropriate constitutional and legislative amendments and in all relevant legislation, and ensure that no disadvantage shall result for citizens from the exercise of their right to identify themselves as belonging to any ethnic group;

Or. en

Amendment 178

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 a. Regrets that North Macedonia did not ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages that was signed in 1996;

Or. en

Amendment 179

Andrey Kovatchev, Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 b. Calls on the Republic of North Macedonia to amend its Constitution to include the ethnic communities with Montenegrin, Croatian and Bulgarian identity both in the preamble and all other relevant internal parts, related to the rights of communities;

Or. en

Amendment 180

Hristo Petrov, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 b. Notes the progress in implementing the Strategy for de-institutionalisation; welcomes the successful relocation of children from institutions to foster care or small group homes;

Or. en

Amendment 181

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 c. Regrets the continuous lack of progress in implementing the previous European Parliament recommendations regarding discrimination, hate speech, threats and intimidation against citizens openly expressing their Bulgarian identity and/ or ethnic background;

Or. en

Amendment 182

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21. Notes that persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers as the country’s legislation is still not aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

21. Notes that persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers as the country’s legislation is still not aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; welcomes the national strategy for rights of persons with disabilities for 2023-2030 and urges for its proper implementation, including in regard to ensuring a sufficient number of educational assistants, in order to effectively and smoothly include children with disabilities in the educational process;

Or. en

Amendment 183

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21. Notes that persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers as the country’s legislation is still not aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

Or. en

Amendment 184

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 a. Notes with concern the widespread hate speech on social media, particularly towards Roma, LGBTI+ persons and other marginalised groups;

Or. en

Amendment 185

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Welcomes the first court ruling on hate speech against the LGBTIQ community, but calls strongly for the systematic prosecution of all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation;

22. Welcomes the first court ruling on hate speech against the LGBTIQ community, but calls strongly for the systematic prosecution of all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation, for the inclusion of hate speech in the Criminal Code and for the competent state institutions to keep adequate statistics on cases of hate speech and hate crimes;

Or. en

Amendment 186

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Welcomes the first court ruling on hate speech against the LGBTIQ community, but calls strongly for the systematic prosecution of all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation;

22. Welcomes the first court ruling on hate speech against the LGBTIQ community, but calls strongly for the systematic prosecution of all kinds of discrimination, all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation;

Or. en

Amendment 187

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Calls on North Macedonia to further strengthen fundamental rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities or communities, media freedom and freedom of expression; deeply regrets the continued violent attacks and anti-Bulgarian public discourse and hate speech against people self-identifying as Bulgarians, especially inflammatory statements targeting Bulgaria, the Bulgarian people and the Bulgarian political elite by government officials;

Or. en

Amendment 188

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Nikola Minchev, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Calls on North Macedonia to comprehensively follow up on the General Policy Recommendation No 15 of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance on combating hate speech and fully address the findings and recommendations set out in ECRI's report of September 2023;

Or. en

Amendment 189

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Encourages the Parliament to promptly establish and activate an inter-party, inter-parliamentary LGBTIQ+ group to support and advance LGBTIQ+ rights;

Or. en

Amendment 190

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 b. Urges all political actors to amend the Law on Civil Registry and ensure swift and unimpeded legal gender recognition on the basis of self-determination, to uphold human rights, ensure dignity, and establish a clear and accessible legal process in line with international standards;

Or. en

Amendment 191

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 c. Recommends that the new Law on Primary Education maintains explicit anti-discrimination protections for gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, ensuring alignment with national and international commitments;

Or. en

Amendment 192

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23. Calls on North Macedonia to strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and irregular migration;

23. Calls on North Macedonia to strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and irregular migration; welcomes the recent Status Agreement with Frontex, which enhances cooperation on border management and strengthens the country’s capacity to combat irregular migration, human trafficking, and organized crime. Encourages the continued development of asylum procedures, reception conditions, and integration policies in alignment with EU migration frameworks; stresses the importance of regional cooperation in migration management and urges further support from the EU in terms of resources, technical assistance, and capacity-building to address migration challenges effectively;

Or. en

Amendment 193

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23. Calls on North Macedonia to strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and irregular migration;

Or. en

Amendment 194

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23. Calls on North Macedonia to strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and irregular migration;

23. Insists that North Macedonia should strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and illegal migration;

Or. fi

Amendment 195

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23 a. Notes the importance of cooperating with the EU in the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling through the ‘Balkan route’; calls for further alignment of the Criminal Code with the EU acquis in the area of human trafficking, notably regarding penalties of certain offences; calls for strengthening of the capacities of law enforcement services in order to further allow proactive investigations;

Or. en

Amendment 196

Davor Ivo Stier, Karlo Ressler

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23 a. Encourages North Macedonia to take meaningful steps toward recognizing and incorporating national minorities into its Constitution, fostering inclusivity, protecting diversity, and strengthening social cohesion in line with European values and democratic principles;

Or. en

Amendment 197

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23 a. calls on North Macedonia to cease automatically granting citizenship for special economic interest pursuant to a law adopted in 2012; recalls that the provisions of this law causes security and migratory risks;

Or. en

Amendment 198

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23 b. Underlines the role of FRONTEX in migration management; Notes that since FRONTEX became operational at the southern border, the registration of apprehended illegal migrants has improved significantly. The fight against migrant smuggling needs to be stepped up by targeting individual members of migrant smuggling groups, including through international cooperation

Or. en

Amendment 199

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24. Notes, with serious concern, that the country’s track record in fighting corruption has worsened, particularly owing to Criminal Code amendments that have weakened the legal framework, resulting in the termination of many ongoing cases; urges recent amendments to the Criminal Code in relation to sentencing standards and the statute of limitations to be reviewed to ensure that the prosecution of corruption, especially complex and high level cases, is not negatively affected;

Or. en

Amendment 200

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24. Notes, with serious concern, that the country’s track record in fighting corruption, including high-level corruption, has worsened, particularly owing to Criminal Code amendments that have weakened the legal framework, resulting in the termination of many ongoing cases; urges strengthening of the anti-corruption framework and ensuring effective accountability, in particular in high-level corruption cases, through proper investigation, prosecution and final convictions;

Or. en

Amendment 201

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24 a. Expresses concern over the escalating corruption in North Macedonia, as evidenced by its decline in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Notes that in 2024, North Macedonia's CPI score dropped to 40, ranking 88th out of 180 countries, a decrease from its 2023 score of 42 and 76th place ranking. Reiterates that this decline underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to strengthen judicial independence, enhance transparency, and combat high-level corruption;

Or. en

Amendment 202

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24 a. Condemns the discriminatory legislative amendments to the Law on Foundations and Associations, which restricts and controls the naming of NGOs, overturning the legal registration of Bulgarian civil society organisations; reminds that those amendments have been implemented retroactively for all 17000 already existing organisations, and have been selectively used to close down the two NGO Bulgarian cultural centres in the country;

Or. en

Amendment 203

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24 a. Recalls that sufficient financial and human resources are needed to ensure an effective and consistent application of dissuasion, prevention, detection, investigation and sanction mechanisms for public office holders through broad measures covering conflicts of interest, lobbying, codes of ethics and whistleblower protection;

Or. en

Amendment 204

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24 b. Notes, with concern, North Macedonia’s partial alignment with the EU acquis in the fight against organised crime; reiterates its call to further align with the EU acquis and conduct systematic financial investigations, stepping up freezing, confiscation and management of illegally acquired assets;

Or. en

Amendment 205

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24 b. Urges North Macedonia to implement the 2023 ECRI Report On North Macedonia recommendations to address these human rights violations; calls on North Macedonia to recall the legislative amendments and safeguard the existence of associations of persons self-identifying as Bulgarians in North Macedonia;

Or. en

Amendment 206

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low; calls for the independence, transparency and effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened;

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low and further efforts are needed to prevent undue influence and intimidation; urges addressing the critical shortage of judges and prosecutors that impacts quality and efficiency of justice; calls for the independence, transparency and effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened;

Or. en

Amendment 207

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low; calls for the independence, transparency and effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened;

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low; calls for the independence, transparency and effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened; including in judicial appointments and the functioning of the Judicial Council; urges all relevant stakeholders to fully respect the independence of the judiciary;

Or. en

Amendment 208

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low; calls for the independence, transparency and effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened;

25. Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low; calls for the independence, transparency and allocation of necessary funds for the effective functioning of judicial bodies to be strengthened;

Or. en

Amendment 209

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25 a. Commends the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Ombudsman office and urges the authorities to continue on the path of effectively implementing their recommendations;

Or. en

Amendment 210

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25 a. Calls for the strengthening of the Judicial Council and the Council of Prosecutors while ensuring their independence; strongly urges political actors to cease interfering in judicial institutions

Or. en

Amendment 211

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26. Notes, with concern, the lack of progress in preventing and fighting corruption and that financial investigations remain an area of weakness; calls for the operational capacity and cooperation of structures responsible for fighting organised crime and financial crime to be strengthened;

26. Notes, with concern, the lack of progress in preventing and fighting corruption and that financial investigations remain problematic; calls for the operational capacity and cooperation of agencies responsible for fighting organised crime and financial crime to be strengthened; encourages to improve the fight against organised, economic- and cyber-crimes through a strengthened partnership with Europol, the European Cybercrime Centre and Eurojust;

Or. en

Amendment 212

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26. Notes, with concern, the lack of progress in preventing and fighting corruption and that financial investigations remain an area of weakness; underlines how corruption continues to severely affect crucial policy areas; calls for the operational capacity and cooperation of structures responsible for fighting organised crime and financial crime to be strengthened;

Or. en

Amendment 213

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 214

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 215

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 216

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26 a. Calls for all necessary measures to be put in place to effectively counter organised crime; urges the authorities to improve coordination through the National Coordination Centre for the Fight Against Organized Crime as well as to allocate the necessary funds and staffing to the Office of the Basic Public Prosecutor for Organised Crime and Corruption; underlines the need to direct particular attention and resources towards uncovering money laundering schemes;

Or. en

Amendment 217

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26 a. Calls on North Macedonia to step up its efforts in the fight against human trafficking, notably by further aligning the Criminal Code with the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 218

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26 b. Calls on North Macedonia to align its legislation on drugs with the EU acquis;

Or. en

Amendment 219

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

27. Calls for the independence of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through appropriate regulatory frameworks;

27. Calls for the strengthening of the independence of security and intelligence bodies through the establishment of appropriate regulatory frameworks, while also enhancing oversight mechanisms. Fortifying oversight mechanisms fosters public trust, mitigates the risks of abuse of power, and ensures that security and intelligence operations are conducted with integrity and respect for democratic principles. This comprehensive approach will not only bolster national security but also safeguard the rights of citizens.

Or. en

Amendment 220

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

27. Calls for the independence of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through appropriate regulatory frameworks;

27. Calls for the swift implementation of the ongoing reforms in the security and intelligence sectors and the independence of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through appropriate regulatory frameworks; notes, with concern, that the National Security Agency is still located on the premises of the Ministry of the Interior, calling into question its status as an independent state administration body;

Or. en

Amendment 221

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

27. Calls for the independence of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through appropriate regulatory frameworks;

27. Calls for the independence and democratic oversight of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through appropriate regulatory frameworks;

Or. en

Amendment 222

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation; notes with concern that foreign actors, particularly from Russia and China, continue to exert malign influence through disinformation, hybrid threats and strategic corruption, including via opaque financial flows and coercive investment practices;

Or. en

Amendment 223

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Commends North Macedonia's strong determination to counter hybrid threats; welcomes the government's initiative to create a national strategic framework to counter disinformation; calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

Or. en

Amendment 224

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation; expresses concern about the loan of 500 million dollars granted by the Hungarian government immediately after receiving a 1 billion dollar loan from China;

Or. en

Amendment 225

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation; underlines the need to work on a national strategy to build resilience against disinformation as a security threat to the state;

Or. en

Amendment 226

Ioan-Rareş Bogdan

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation, including through enhanced cybersecurity measures and strategic communication;

Or. en

Amendment 227

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation;

28. Calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation including through legislative proposals, education and media literacy;

Or. en

Amendment 228

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 a. Expresses its profound sorrow and solidarity with the people of North Macedonia following the devastating fire at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani on 16 March 2025, which claimed 59 lives and injured over 150 individuals. This tragic event has underscored critical issues regarding public safety and regulatory compliance. We acknowledge the swift actions taken by North Macedonian authorities, including the detention of individuals suspected of corruption and the initiation of nationwide inspections of entertainment venues to ensure adherence to safety standards;

Or. en

Amendment 229

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 a. Notes with deep sorrow the tragic Kočani nightclub fire that led to the death of more than 50 young people while more than 150 others were injured; commends the rapid use of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the help provided by the Member States for saving as many lives as possible; calls on the Macedonian authorities to make all the necessary inquiries and procedures to bring to justice the responsible persons and also to up-date and thoroughly implement the legislation to prevent similar tragedies and ensure the safety of the citizens.

Or. en

Amendment 230

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 a. Is deeply concerned that North Macedonia and other EU accession countries in the Western Balkans are being particularly hard-hit by foreign interference and disinformation campaigns originating from Russia and China; is alarmed by Hungary and Serbia’s role in advancing China and Russia’s geopolitical objectives; in this context, notes the risk of dependence on China due to asymmetrical loan agreements, as well as the recent loan from Hungary, which is apparently sourced from China;

Or. en

Amendment 231

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 a. Notes that illicit financial flows from Russian sources into North Macedonia, estimated to total over USD 6 billion between 2000 and 2022, have been linked to efforts to capture political influence and media ownership, with a view to undermining democratic governance and EU integration; urges authorities to strengthen enforcement of anti-money laundering legislation and enhance transparency around foreign donations to political parties, NGOs and media outlets;

Or. en

Amendment 232

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 a. Expresses concern about the role of media funded by a Hungarian network, including major outlets such as TV Alpha, the portals 'Republika', 'Kurir', 'Lider', 'Denesen', 'Ekonomki', 'Vistina', and 'Netpres';

Or. en

Amendment 233

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

28 b. Welcomes North Macedonia’s expulsion of 13 Russian diplomats between 2018 and 2023 for suspected subversive activity; encourages the country to continue applying counterintelligence and due diligence tools to detect undeclared foreign agents operating through diplomatic or soft-power channels; recommends adopting national security screening for high-level appointments, especially where sensitive information or strategic policy areas are involved;

Or. en

Amendment 234

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

29. Recommends that North Macedonia continue to pursue steps to improve the business climate and infrastructure, strengthen education and digital infrastructure, and enhance social protection systems; welcomes the inclusion of human capital related reforms in the Growth Plan Reform Agenda and calls on North Macedonia to dedicate sufficient effort to implement these reforms to achieve sustainable results in the development of human capital for children and young people, as the foundation of resilient societies and sustainable growth;

Or. en

Amendment 235

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 236

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

29 a. Takes note of the long term improvement in unemployment rates. Notes however that this must be accompanied with a rise of real wages, improvement of working conditions and ensuring working rights including trade union rights;

Or. en

Amendment 237

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

29 b. Calls for the full implementation of The Law on the peaceful settlement of labour disputes;

Or. en

Amendment 238

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

29 c. Encourages labour market activation strategies for young people, the long-term unemployed and low-skilled individuals, as well as for women, persons with disabilities, and Roma, and ensure that these measures are properly evaluated;

Or. en

Amendment 239

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation; underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially of medical and young professionals;

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation; recognizes the demographic challenges faced by North Macedonia, including population decline, emigration of young professionals, and an aging workforce and underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially in the medical, technological, and educational fields; calls on the implementation of targeted policies to reverse brain drain, enhance family-friendly social policies, and attract return migration; encourages cooperation with the EU on demographic resilience strategies, including labor market incentives, housing support for young families, and investment in education and skills development to align with future job market needs;

Or. en

Amendment 240

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation; underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially of medical and young professionals;

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation, particularly in improving digital skills of all citizens and by providing online access to public services; underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially of medical and young professionals, calls for increased support for innovation and competitiveness;

Or. en

Amendment 241

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation; underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially of medical and young professionals;

30. Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation; underlines the need to focus attention on the brain drain, especially of medical and young professionals;

Or. fi

Amendment 242

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 a. Warns that certain foreign investment agreements, particularly with state-affiliated Chinese companies, have included coercive clauses and been linked to high-level corruption cases; recalls that a €580 million highway construction deal financed by the Chinese Exim Bank resulted in indictments of senior officials, including a former prime minister, for bribery; calls for greater scrutiny of strategic foreign investments, particularly in infrastructure, energy and media sectors, to ensure alignment with EU rules and avoid undue political influence;

Or. en

Amendment 243

Andrey Kovatchev, Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol, Ondřej Kolář

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 a. Expresses concern about the €500 million loan from the Hungarian government, which is part of a €1 billion loan Hungary obtained from China; expresses concerns regarding North Macedonia's growing alignment with countries like China, Hungary, Russia, and Serbia;

Or. en

Amendment 244

Davor Ivo Stier, Karlo Ressler

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 a. Commends North Macedonia for joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), recognizing this as an important step toward deeper financial integration with the European market and the facilitation of faster, more efficient cross-border transactions

Or. en

Amendment 245

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 a. welcomes the positive effects of the Youth Guarantee on the reduction of youth unemployment; calls on North Macedonia to intensify its efforts to reduce the unemployment rate of young people aged from 15 to 24 years that remains high at 29.3%;

Or. en

Amendment 246

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 a. Underlines the need to address social challenges, ensure quality employment policies, foster upward social cohesion and convergence towards the Union standards and support progress towards the European Pillar of Social Rights;

Or. en

Amendment 247

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 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;

Or. en

Amendment 248

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30a. Urges North Macedonia to introduce structural reforms to strengthen the economy and secure the country’s debt sustainability;

Or. fi

Amendment 249

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 b. Welcomes the efforts to amend the labour law; urges full alignment of the Law on Working Relations with EU directives to effectively guarantee the right to equal pay for equal work, ensure pay transparency, enhance protection against discrimination based on pregnancy and maternity; insists on the need to strengthen the competencies and capacities of the State Labor Inspectorate to ensure effective protection of workers' rights, including safeguards against labour discrimination;

Or. en

Amendment 250

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 c. Urges the authorities to fully implement existing legal provisions to ensure access to primary healthcare services, with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health for women, mothers, and children, eliminating barriers related to geography, finances, or other hardships; calls for targeted measures to support vulnerable groups of women in access to health care, including Roma women, rural women, and those living in poverty;

Or. en

Amendment 251

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30 d. Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Roma Strategy 2022-2030, regrets, however, that the strategy lacks a clear approach to participation, empowerment and capacity building; calls on the authorities to implement the respective action plans, ensuring proper monitoring, and meaningful and transparent participation of the civil society organisations, notably from the Roma community;

Or. en

Amendment 252

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Environment, energy and transport

Environment, biodiversity, energy and transport

Or. en

Amendment 253

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31. Recalls that additional efforts are needed to meet the targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of supply and emissions reductions; urges the country’s authorities to align its environment and climate change legislation with the EU acquis and to ensure its enforcement; notes with concern the lack of progress on climate action and the pending adoption of key legislation; stresses the need to integrate gender equality and social inclusion into climate action planning so that women, low-income households and marginalised communities are actively consulted and benefit equitably from the transition;

Or. en

Amendment 254

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31. Welcomes the adoption of the “Energy Law” in 2024 and underscores its importance for guaranteeing safe, secure and high quality supply of energy as well as the creation of an efficient, competitive and financially sustainable energy sector; encourages the authorities to continue on this ambitious path and recalls that additional efforts are needed to fully meet the targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of supply and emissions reductions; urges the country’s authorities to align their environment and climate change legislation with the EU acquis and to ensure its enforcement;

Or. en

Amendment 255

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Notes with concern that air and water quality, and waste water management, remain particularly challenging issues for the country; urges the central government and local authorities to step up their efforts in order to improve air quality and reduce the potentially lethal pollution; recalls that the situation is particularly alarming in Skopje, which has consistently been one of the most polluted cities in Europe;

Or. en

Amendment 256

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Calls for an accelerated and sustainable green transition -while protecting the socially vulnerable- in line with the 2020 Green Agenda and Paris Agreement; stresses the need to address the problem of lack of specialised staff and weak institutional and administrative capacity, which undermines quality control and adequate performance of environmental impact assessments;

Or. en

Amendment 257

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Welcomes the European Investment Bank’s continued financial and technical support in North Macedonia, including strategic infrastructure projects such as Rail Corridor VIII, the Skopje Wastewater Treatment Plant, and municipal water infrastructure development;

Or. en

Amendment 258

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Welcomes the signing of the Reform Agenda and the multiannual work programme under the Reform and Growth Facility for North Macedonia, that will provide support for the SMEs, cutting red tape and digitalizing the public system.

Or. en

Amendment 259

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Calls for an inclusive and just transition by mobilising public and private financing for the green transition, fully operationalising dedicated funding mechanisms and leveraging EU and international support;

Or. en

Amendment 260

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 a. Recognizes North Macedonia`s great potential as a regional hub with regard to the use of renewable energy sources;

Or. en

Amendment 261

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 b. Welcomes the steps foreseen in the Reform Agenda regarding the digital infrastructure rollout and the new Law on Electronic Communications, aligning the national legislation with the relevant EU Acquis keeping up with the Digital transition worldwide.

Or. en

Amendment 262

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31 b. Urges North Macedonia to fully align the environmental impact assessment (EIA) with the EU acquis, with a particular focus on secondary legislation concerning small hydropower projects;

Or. en

Amendment 263

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32. Stresses the urgent need to improve air quality; strongly urges the authorities to step up measures on biodiversity, water, air and climate protection, and regional waste management;

32. Stresses the urgent need to prioritise environmental protection; strongly urges the authorities to adopt the necessary legislation and to step up measures on biodiversity, water, air and climate action, and regional waste management, including through comprehensive impact assessments, rigorous prosecution of environmental crime and proper public consultations, that allow for a meaningful and transparent involvement of local communities, NGOs, and scientific institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 264

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32 a. Calls upon North Macedonia to establish legal protections for Emerald Sites designated under the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) to safeguard them from environmentally harmful projects; encourages the country to to expand its protected areas, with view to fulfilling the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets; reiterates the urgent need to adopt the Law on the re-proclamation of Mavrovo National Park to ensure the continuation and completion of its essential conservation efforts; encourages North Macedonia to include Jablanica in its list of protected areas, thus ensuring the conservation of habitats critical to the survival of species;

Or. en

Amendment 265

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32 b. Encourages Macedonian authorities to implement stricter protection and management strategies for the habitats of endangered species, as well as for the species themselves, particularly the Balkan lynx, including rigorous enforcement against wildlife crimes, specifically illegal killing and poaching, to safeguard biodiversity;

Or. en

Amendment 266

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32 c. Welcomes North Macedonia's continued cooperation with Kosovo and Albania regarding the transboundary Sharr Mountains national park; encourages North Macedonia to intensify and speed up collaborative efforts with its neighbouring countries to designate transboundary protected areas and establish coherent transboundary management plans;

Or. en

Amendment 267

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32 d. Stresses the necessity of tackling financial challenges of National Parks to improve various aspects, including human resources and overall management, with the aim of strengthening their role in biodiversity conservation, providing recreational opportunities, and supporting local economies;

Or. en

Amendment 268

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33. Urges the country’s authorities to step up efforts to upgrade transport and energy infrastructure and regional connectivity and to address persistent delays in critical infrastructure development; calls for intensified efforts to accelerate the development of rail Corridor VIII to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration; urges swift measures to resume work on Phase III of Corridor VIII, from Kriva Palanka to the Bulgarian border, interrupted by the North Macedonian authorities;

Or. en

Amendment 269

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33. Welcomes the progress made in the construction of the Corridor VIII of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T); urges however, the North Macedonian authorities to step up efforts to upgrade transport and energy infrastructure, the integration into the European network and regional connectivity and to address persistent delays in critical infrastructure development including through bilateral negotiations; calls on the European Commission to assist in these efforts where needed.

Or. en

Amendment 270

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33. Urges the country’s authorities to step up their efforts to upgrade transport and energy infrastructure and regional connectivity as well as to address persistent delays in the development of critical infrastructure; commends the completion of the “Kriva Palanka - Dlabochica - Stracin Expressway” and stresses the crucial importance of further initiatives as the “Western Balkans - Eastern Mediterranean Rail Corridor VIII” in fostering regional connectivity;

Or. en

Amendment 271

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33. Urges the country’s authorities to step up efforts to prioritise sustainable transport and energy infrastructure and regional connectivity and to address persistent delays in critical infrastructure development;

Or. en

Amendment 272

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33 a. Regrets the limited progress from Bulgaria and North Macedonia on the development of the rail Corridor VIII; calls for additional efforts to accelerate progress on all priority sections of the core network for both rail and road and for establishment of new and re-opening of existing border-crossings with neigbouring countries; notes that favouring Corridor X, linking the country to Serbia, in detriment of the commissioning of Corridor VIII, linking the country to Albania and Bulgaria is counterproductive to good neighbourly relations and risks undermining NATO's collective security; notes the strategic importance of Corridor VIII for EU and NATO’s geostrategic autonomy, serving as a key logistics route along NATO's southern flank;

Or. en

Amendment 273

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives; acknowledges North Macedonia’s NATO membership as a significant contribution to regional security and Euro-Atlantic stability; recognizes the country’s active participation in NATO missions and its strategic role in fostering peace and cooperation in the Western Balkans; highlights that NATO membership strengthens North Macedonia’s defense capabilities, enhances security coordination with EU and NATO allies, and serves as a deterrent against external destabilization efforts; encourages continued investments in defense modernization and alignment with NATO strategic priorities to further solidify its role as a reliable security partner;

Or. en

Amendment 274

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Notes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives; acknowledges the progress made, while recognizing that further efforts are needed to fully realize the potential of these initiatives, including infrastructure developments with neighbouring countries, for regional growth and cooperation.

Or. en

Amendment 275

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional economic and diplomatic initiatives; notes North Macedonia’s contribution to the NATO KFOR missions in Kosovo since 1999, which has contributed to regional stability in the Western Balcans;

Or. en

Amendment 276

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives, such as the Berlin Process, the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and implementation of Common Regional Market agreements, underlining the importance of their inclusiveness;

Or. en

Amendment 277

Ioan-Rareş Bogdan

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable and significant contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement and active participation in regional initiatives aimed at fostering political dialogue, economic integration and security cooperation;

Or. en

Amendment 278

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional initiatives;

34. Notes the importance of the participation of all Balkan states, including Skopje, in regional stability and cooperation initiatives on issues such as the environment and transport;

Or. el

Amendment 279

Andrey Kovatchev, Sunčana Glavak, Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol, Ondřej Kolář

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34 a. Expresses deep concern by the so called “Serbian world” project and that representatives of the government of North Macedonia have been openly advocating, promoting and working towards implementation of this concept; condemns in this regard that a meeting promoting that concept was held in January 2025 on St Sava’s day in Skopje in the presence of government officials of Serbia, Republika Srpska in BiH and North Macedonia; condemns the participation of North Macedonia's government in the "All-Serb Assembly" under the slogan “One people, one assembly” in Belgrade on 8 June 2024, and the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Stoilkovic at the "Commemorative gathering for NATO victims" in Belgrade on March 25; condemns participation in meetings that attempt to establish a sphere of influence undermining the sovereignty of the country and the stability of the region;

Or. en

Amendment 280

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34 a. Urges the government of North Macedonia to swiftly publish all texts, already agreed by the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission, to be published in the respective languages of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, and in English as agreed under the Second Protocol of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness, where the countries committed to publish, within a period of one month upon signing the Protocol on 17 July 2022 on the websites of the two governments all the results and recommendations of the work of the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Issues to date;

Or. en

Amendment 281

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Praises the country’s commitment to nurturing good neighbourly relations and its role as a model for the peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding; recalls, in that sense, that bilateral agreements should be implemented with tangible results in good faith by all sides, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria; calls for consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to foster mutual trust;

35. calls for consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to foster mutual trust;

Or. el

Amendment 282

Ioan-Rareş Bogdan

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Praises the country’s sustained commitment to nurturing good neighbourly relations and acknowledges its role as a model for the peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding; emphasizes in this regard the importance of fully implementing bilateral agreements with tangible results in good faith by all sides, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria; calls for a continued and consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to strengthen regional stability and foster mutual trust;

Or. en

Amendment 283

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 284

Andrey Kovatchev, Sunčana Glavak, Emil Radev, Eva Maydell, Radan Kanev, Kristian Vigenin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Nikola Minchev, Ilia Lazarov, Andrey Novakov, Tomislav Sokol

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Reminds that good neighbourly relations are one of the key criteria for evaluating progress in the accession process of North Macedonia; recalls the importance of achieving tangible results and implementing in good faith bilateral agreements, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria and its Protocols in line with the EU Negotiating Framework and the EU Council Conclusions of 18 July 2022; calls for consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to foster mutual trust;

Or. en

Amendment 285

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Stresses the importance of the country’s commitment to nurturing good neighbourly relations and peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding; recalls the importance of achieving tangible results and implementing bilateral agreements in good faith, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria and its Protocols; calls for responsible political discourse and consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to foster mutual trust;

Or. en

Amendment 286

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Acknowledges the country’s efforts to nurture good neighbourly relations; recalls, however, that the full implementation of bilateral agreements, such as the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria in line with the Negotiating Framework requires tangible results and consistent good faith; stresses the importance of sustained commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries in order to build lasting mutual trust;

Or. en

Amendment 287

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 a. Expresses its deep condolences to the victims and their families of the tragedy in Kočani, where 59 lives were lost and over 150 people, mostly teenagers and young adults, were injured in a nightclub fire on 15 March 2025; calls for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable to ensure meaningful accountability; urges all political actors to refrain from exploiting this tragedy for political gain and warmly welcomes the immediate support and solidarity shown by neighbouring and EU countries, notably Greece and Bulgaria, for providing medical treatment to victims;

Or. en

Amendment 288

Andrey Kovatchev, Sunčana Glavak

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 a. Expresses strong concern that the last Session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission, set up under art 12 of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation was held on 17 July 2022 and no new session has been held since then; urges the governments of Bulgaria and North Macedonia to swiftly organise the Third Session of JIC to continue towards the implementation of the Treaty and its Protocols;

Or. en

Amendment 289

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 a. Calls on the European Commission and the Council to start the accession negotiations immediately after North Macedonia has made the necessary constitutional amendments and fulfiled the first chapters of the European aquis;

Or. en

Amendment 290

Giorgos Georgiou

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 a. Encourages Bulgaria and North Macedonia to find a mutually acceptable solution to pending bilateral issues;

Or. en

Amendment 291

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 b. Strongly urges the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Issues of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, established as a result of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation, to achieve clear and tangible results; the texts should reflect the interpretation of historical facts and figures from the common history of both peoples based on objective, based on authentic and evidence-based historical sources, scientific interpretation and historical events, as stipulated in the second protocol of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness with Bulgaria; regrets the recent changes in the entire composition of the historical commission with individuals known for their politicized, radical and nationalistic views being appointed, de facto blocking any further process of reconciliation and undermining its intended purpose;

Or. en

Amendment 292

Dan Barna, Urmas Paet, Petras Auštrevičius

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 b. Urges the European Commission to come up with an enlargement strategy that gradually integrates candidate states based on their progress in the negotiation process, delivering on the expectations of the citizens and the candidate countries increasing trust in the European Union and the democratic values;

Or. en

Amendment 293

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 c. Urges the government of North Macedonia, through the competent ministries and local self-government bodies to publish and include the long overdue already agreed results of the Commission's work in accordance with Art. 8 para. 2 of the Treaty with Bulgaria and its Second Protocol in the curricula, textbooks and relevant teaching materials, with the same results being taken into account and the content of the inscriptions on monuments, signs, information materials in museums and other objects with educational and cultural significance, as well as the relevant information in public domain electronic data sets;

Or. en

Amendment 294

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 d. Condemns the fact that apart from few sporadic instances the two countries have failed to jointly commemorate and/or celebrate shared historical figures/dates in the past years in a consistent manner, mostly due to the reluctance of the North Macedonian side, regardless of the fact that pursuant to Art. 8 para. 3 of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness, the two countries agreed to jointly celebrate in 2022 and 2023 all common historical events and persons that have already been agreed upon by the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Matters; strongly condemns the vandalistic attack against the tricolour ribbons and the wreaths laid by a Bulgarian delegation in Skopje on Gotse Delchev’s grave in the recent celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the prominent revolutionary; the relations between RNM and Bulgaria should be based on deep, mutual respect and appreciation for each other consideration and preservation of the common historical heritage;

Or. en

Amendment 295

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 e. Condemns any attempt to replace historical monuments and/or artefacts, including the destruction of authentic cultural heritage or any attempts to rewrite history; regrets the falsification of inscriptions and names on graves; condemns hate speech manifestations towards Bulgarians identified in inscriptions and signs on public buildings and monuments, texts in textbooks and teaching materials, as well as in public spaces; regrets that not a single inflammatory inscription or sign has been removed in spite of the agreement under the Second Protocol; such incidents raise serious concerns, including in the context of the lack of implementation of the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation and its Protocols;

Or. en

Amendment 296

Andrey Kovatchev, Sunčana Glavak, Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol, Ondřej Kolář

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 f. Recalls the need to open up Yugoslav secret service archives (UDBA and KOS), kept both in Skopje and in Belgrade; urges the government to request the archives from Belgrade in order to vigorously address communist-era crimes across the region; takes the view that transparent handling of the totalitarian past is a step towards further democratization, accountability and institutional strength in both the country and the Western Balkan region as a whole;emphasizes 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 297

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35 g. Urges the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia to fulfil its long overdue commitment to prepare and present a sample lesson for the 7th grade of the educational programme of the Republic of North Macedonia on the subject of King Samuel, in accordance with the recommendations of the Commission and in accordance with Art. 8 paragraph 2 of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness and its Second Protocol;

Or. en

Amendment 298

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends the country’s full and consistent alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, including its clear-cut response to the Russia’s war of aggression by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus and providing support to Ukraine, thus fully confirming the country's strategic choice and its steady commitment to Euro-Atlantic security framework; regrets, however, the recent vote in the United Nations General Assembly on Ukraine, where the country deviated from the EU position; calls upon the EU to involve the country in schemes mitigating negative economic effects arising from applying EU restrictive measures;

Or. en

Amendment 299

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends North Macedonia’s active role in the OSCE, in particular its Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2023 in a complex geopolitical environment, and substantial contributions to EU crisis management missions and military operations; commends the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, as well as its full compliance hitherto with restrictive measures related to Russia; regrets, however, that North Macedonia has - as the only country in the Western Balkans - abstained on the European resolution on Ukraine in the UN General Assembly in February 2025 and instead co-sponsored the U.S. resolution;

Or. en

Amendment 300

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; notes with concern the country’s recent withdrawal of support from the EU resolution on Ukraine and its co-sponsorship of the U.S.-led resolution, which raises questions about its alignment with the EU’s foreign, security, and defense policy; acknowledges its previous compliance with EU restrictive measures related to Russia, but stresses the importance of maintaining consistency with EU positions in future foreign policy actions;

Or. en

Amendment 301

Karlo Ressler, Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, as well as its full compliance hitherto with restrictive measures related to Russia; welcomes the adoption of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025–2028 as an important step in strengthening North Macedonia’s resilience against cyber threats and hybrid attacks, ensuring a safer digital environment;

Or. en

Amendment 302

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, as well as its full compliance hitherto with restrictive measures related to Russia; recognises the strategic significance of maintaining such alignment in the face of persistent disinformation, coercive diplomacy and hybrid threats orchestrated by authoritarian third countries;

Or. en

Amendment 303

Emmanouil Fragkos, Galato Alexandraki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Notes the country’s full identification with the Anglo-Saxon pro-war stance on Ukraine;

Or. el

Amendment 304

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, as well as its full compliance hitherto with restrictive measures related to Russia; welcomes the opening of negotiations in 2024 on a Security and Defence Partnership with the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 305

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. Encourages North Macedonia to deepen cooperation with EU and NATO partners on countering hybrid threats, including through cybersecurity coordination, joint disinformation tracking, and resilience-building; calls for the full operationalisation of EU mechanisms such as the Rapid Alert System to detect malign foreign influence in real-time during key democratic processes, including elections;

Or. en

Amendment 306

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. Regrets that North Macedonia co-sponsored the US resolution on Ukraine at the UN on 24 February 2025, alongside countries such as Georgia and Hungary; regrets North Macedonia’s abstention on both the EU-sponsored and US-sponsored resolutions; underlines that this stance undermines the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy;

Or. en

Amendment 307

Davor Ivo Stier, Karlo Ressler

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. Regrets that North Macedonia chose to abstain from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian aggression against Ukraine, a stance that reflects a missed opportunity to fully align with the collective European commitment to upholding peace, international law, and democratic principles.

Or. en

Amendment 308

Thijs Reuten

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued active participation in the EU and NATO-led missions and operations and the ongoing modernization of armed forces and reforms in the fields of crisis management, the critical infrastructure and cyber defence;

Or. en

Amendment 309

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. commends North Macedonia’s continued contributions to EU crisis management missions and NATO-led operations

Or. en

Amendment 310

Matej Tonin

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 a. Underlines the geostrategic significance of North Macedonia and its important role as a member of NATO;

Or. en

Amendment 311

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 b. Urges the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, in accordance with the "Declaration of Apology to the Victims of the Repressions of the Regime in the Period 1945-1990", adopted in 2006 by the Assembly of the then Republic of Macedonia and in the spirit of the European Parliament's Resolution on European Conscience and Totalitarianism since 2009 and the report on European historical consciousness from 2023, to reaffirm that it condemns and apologizes for the injustices and repressions committed in the past, directly or indirectly, by the totalitarian socialist Yugoslav regime against citizens based on their ethno-political self-determination, incl. regarding the Bulgarians;

Or. en

Amendment 312

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 b. 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;

Or. en

Amendment 313

Eszter Lakos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

36 b. 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