91999E0362

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0362/99

by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 March 1999)

Subject: Human rights in Latvia

I have been informed that, on 15 February 1999, the civil rights activist Tatyana Zhdanok of Riga, Latvia, will be prosecuted in the Riga Appeal Court on the grounds of her membership of the Communist Party and that she may well be dismissed from her post of City Councillor in Riga. Will the Commission study the case and draw the Latvian Government's attention to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, in particular, Article 25 thereof?

In the Commission's opinion, can such a country be allowed to accede to the European Union when it cannot guarantee respect for the human rights of all the people living on its territory?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 1999)

The Commission has studied the case of Riga city council deputy Ms Tatyana Zhdanok.

On 15 February 1999, the Riga regional court concluded that Ms Shdanok was active in the Communist party after 13 January 1991. Since people active in the Communist party after this date are not eligible accoding to Latvian election laws, Ms.Shdanok's mandate will be revoked.

The Office for democratic institutions and human rights (ODIHR) of Organisation for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) expressed concern at the parliamentary elections in 1995 that "aspects of the election contravene Article 7.5 guaranteeing to respect the right of citizens to seek political or public office, individually or as representatives of political parties or organisations, without discrimination" of the OSCE commitments of the Copenhagen document 1990. Article 7.5 of the Copenhagen document corresponds to the provisions in article 25 of the International covenant on civil and political rights mentioned by the Honourable Member.

At the parliamentary elections in Latvia in 1998, the ODIHR concluded that "in general the various legal and administrative provisions provide the necessary framework for participation in the electoral process and for their proper conduct and administration". It was,however, pointed out that the restrictive provisions as regards eligibility to stand and be elected on people who took part in support of the Communist party and related structures after 13 January 1991 were still applicable, meaning the spirit of the OSCE commitments "is still not fully upheld".

A candidate country should fulfil the political criteria as defined in Copenhagen as a precondition for the opening of negotiations. In its regular report the Commission concluded that Latvia meets the political criteria, though there remain some issues where further work is required. As part of the assessment of the progress made by the candidate countries towards membership of the Community, the Commission will continue to monitor the human rights situation in Latvia. It will continue its dialogue with the Latvian authorities on human rights.