The economic collapse and the disastrous humanitarian crisis in the country is deeply worrying, with 90% of the population living under poverty line, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) say, in a resolution on the Syrian conflict ten years after the uprising. They call on the EU to increase its financial and political response.

A sustainable solution to the Syrian conflict cannot be achieved through military means, they stress, criticising the Syrian regime’s lack of willingness to negotiate in drafting a new Syrian Constitution, despite the Syrian opposition being ready to cooperate.

As long as there is no fundamental progress on the ground with clear, sustained and credible engagement in an inclusive political process, MEPs oppose any normalisation of diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime. Given the current context, the upcoming 2021 Syrian Presidential elections are completely lacking in credibility in the eyes of the international community, they stress.

Parliament strongly condemns all atrocities and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Syria and urge the Syrian regime to immediately release the 130 000 political prisoners unjustly detained.

Reaffirming that those responsible for core international crimes must be duly prosecuted, MEPs call on the European Commission to present an EU Action Plan on Impunity, with a specific chapter on Syria. This action plan should seek to better coordinate and harmonise member states’ efforts and resources to prosecute war criminals in the EU.

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Press release