Zimbabwe Oct03

In the run-up to next week's ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Rome, it has been revealed that the Italian Government has granted an entry visa to Paul Mangwana, a Zimbabwean Minister banned from entering the EU. 

 

Bashir Khanbhai MEP, Conservative ACP Spokesman in the European Parliament, said:

 

"Mugabe continues to deny democracy and human rights to his people.  He has defied the EU, the UN and the rest of the world.  The ban on Zimbabwean Ministers entering the EU was passed unanimously by the Council of Ministers and supported by the European Parliament, but it was not implemented at last year's ACP meeting in Brussels resulting in the cancellation of the entire conference.

 

Next week's meeting in Rome, where the problems of 77 poor countries will be addressed, must not be jeopardised by the attendance of banned Zimbabweans.  The visa for Mr Mangwana must be revoked so that parliamentarians from all participating countries can work without distraction to solve the problems of the poor.  I urge the Italian Government to act now to ensure this."

 

ENDS