92003E0641

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0641/03

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 March 2003)

Subject: Closing of a Basque daily newspaper

The only daily newspaper published in the Basque language was closed down in Bilbao on the night of 19 to 20 February 2003, and eleven senior members of its staff were arrested. Hundreds of heavily armed, masked police seized advertising and administrative material, as well as personal documents and items belonging to staff working for the paper.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

Does it intend to verify these facts?

Is it permissible and proportionate that a daily newspaper should have to close down completely on suspicion of aiding and abetting terrorist activities?

Is this acceptable according to principles based on political democracy and freedom?

Does this not require a special evaluation?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-0641/03, E-0672/03 and E-0801/03given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2003)

The Egunkaria newspaper was closed down by court order. In our democratic States based on respect for the law, the judicial power is independent of the executive and the decisions of the courts cannot be overruled by political pressure. The Commission cannot comment on decisions given by a judicial authority.

All the judicial systems of the Member States of the Union provide the procedural guarantees for legal or natural persons prosecuted or sued in the courts as required by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Anybody who considers that his fundamental rights have been breached can bring an action in the European Court of Human Rights after all domestic legal remedies have been exhausted.