On Wednesday 28 February, MEPs called on the EU to reaffirm its firm support for Syria’s democratic aspirations, which Syria continues to express despite total repression by the regime since the peaceful demonstrations of 2011.
In adopting the resolution by Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, French) (428 votes in favour, 35 against and 43 abstentions), MEPs believe that the EU must provide “flexible and fundamental long term” support to Syrian civil society that shares democratic values.
In their view, alongside armed and terrorist groups, the regime is personally responsible for the deaths of half a million civilians, the destruction of the country, the displacement of the majority of the population, the torture and enforced disappearance of over 100,000 people, the use of chemical weapons against civilians and the “systematic crushing” of all democratic and peaceful opposition. They are calling for targeted sanctions to be stepped up under the EU’s comprehensive human rights sanctions regime, and for the leaders of the Syrian regime to be brought to justice.
The European Parliament is opposed to any normalisation of relations with the Assad regime if it does not properly implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254. It believes that the fight against impunity is a prerequisite for any future resolution of the current crisis, as well as a moral and political imperative for Europe and the international community.
MEPs are calling for continued EU political, financial, operational and logistical support for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State.
They also urge the international community to urgently increase its humanitarian aid to the 15.3 million Syrians who depend on it every day. They also call on the Member States to continue to repatriate their nationals from the al-Hol and Roj jihadist prison camps and to try them in fair trials for all the crimes they have committed.
See the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/b2m (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)