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European Parliamentarians Support EU Sanctions Against Zimbabwe

By Teri Schultz
Brussels
27 April 2007

European foreign ministers voted earlier in the week to expand sanctions against the government of Zimbabwe; now the European Parliament (EP) has urged the member-states to carry out the measures to force President Robert Mugabe to change his authoritarian policy. Teri Schultz reports from Brussels, the EP leaders accused president Mugabe for his violent action against the country's political opposition.

By 68 votes to one, the European Parliament approved Thursday a strong condemnation of the actions of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his ruling party, the African Union- Patriotic Front.

European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia says the new sanctions,"consist of a visa ban and freeze of assets of the leadership as well as an arms embargo."

Officials say programs that go to help the Zimbabwean people directly will not be affected by the sanctions.

The European Union is traditionally the largest donor to Zimbabwe. But some parliamentarians, like British MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Geoffrey Van Orden, are taking issue not just with the Mugabe government but also those of the EU member states, whom they accuse of being lax in enforcing sanctions already in order.

"There must be no let up on the pressure on the regime," said Van Orden. "Too often European governments on spurious grounds have failed enough to apply the EU's own travel ban and other restrictive measures."

The government of Belgium last month granted a visa - reportedly by mistake - to a Zimbabwean official that was already on the earlier travel ban list. Van Orden asserts there's one positive thing to come out the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe.

"Mugabe's latest brutality has at last provoked a response from neighboring African countries," he said. "This must be encouraged."

As part of the effort to further isolate the regime, EU parliamentarians insist no blacklisted Zimbabwean officials will be invited to the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December.