Egypt

In the context of the violent repression of peaceful opposition protests and democratic restrictions by the Mubarak regime in Egypt, the Greens have condemned the ongoing violence and called on the EU to reverse its policy towards the Mubarak regime and support a peaceful democratic transformation. Commenting on the situation, and against the background of today's council of EU foreign ministers, Greens/EFA co-president Dany Cohn-Bendit said:

"Once again we are witnessing the violent repression of peaceful democratic protests by an untenable dictatorship and once again the EU is dragging its heels with its response. The EU needs to unequivocally condemn the violent response by the Mubarak regime and move swiftly to support a democratic transition in Egypt.

"This is the latest case underlining how EU foreign policy is at odds with the democratic values the Union purports to defend. As was the case in Tunisia, the EU has continually turned a blind eye to political repression and the absence of basic democratic rights in its eagerness to establish closer economic relations with Egypt. The failure by the EU to criticise the recent parliamentary elections in Egypt, which were fundamentally flawed and rigged by the Mubarak regime, is a case in point."

Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms added:

"The priority must be an immediate end to the violent repression by the regime in Egypt and the EU must clearly call for this. The EU must exert pressure on the regime to immediately lift the restrictions on the media and internet in Egypt and to release any protesters and political prisoners. However, the EU must also support the will for democratic transformation being expressed by the Egyptian people. EU funding to Egypt must be redirected to supporting the democratic transition without delay."

* The Greens/EFA group has called for an EP debate with EU foreign policy high representative Cathy Ashton at this week's plenary session.

** Green MEPs and members of the EP foreign affairs committee Franziska Brantner, Hélène Flautre and Judith Sargentini have tabled a question to the European Commission on the beneficiaries of EU financial aid in Egypt and Tunisia, and calling for this aid to be swiftly reoriented to support democratic and human rights reforms and away from supporting repressive regimes in those countries.

Question available at: