By Martin Banks - 20th February 2012
Until Mugabe and his cronies step aside and there is real evidence of change, including free elections and an end to harassment of the opposition and journalists alike, the EU is right to keep its measures in place
Geoffrey Van Orden MEP
Senior MEP Geoffrey Van Orden has welcomed the EU's decision to renew its "restrictive measures" against Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his inner circle for another year.
However, the EU lifted some of its sanctions against top officials and institutions in Zimbabwe.
It ended measures against 20 entities and 51 people, including travel bans on justice minister Patrick Chinamasa and foreign minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi so they could visit Brussels for talks, but their assets will still remain frozen.
But restrictions, including asset freezes and bans on travelling to European countries, on Mugabe and 100 key members of his inner circle will continue.
The EU lifted 35 sanctions last year, noting that the power-sharing government was making "significant progress" in addressing its economic crisis.
The EU, however, remains concerned that pledges made after violent elections in 2008, including promises to reform the police and security services, are not being honoured.
The campaign group Human Rights Watch had called on the EU not to lift its sanctions but, reacting to the news, Van Orden, an ECR member who spearheads parliament's campaign for freedom and democratic change in Zimbabwe, welcomed the EU decision.
He said, "While there has been some progress in Zimbabwe, not enough has changed in the political situation and basic democratic freedoms continue to be seriously abused.
"Mugabe and Zanu-PF continue to flout the key terms of the 'Global Political Agreement' they signed with Tsvangirai's MDC party more than three years ago.
"A visibly ailing Mugabe, ever more dependent on his security service chiefs, still clings on to the levers of power and manages to trample on the basic rights of the Zimbabwean people.
"In the run-up to future elections, which must be held before April 2013, attacks on journalists, MDC supporters and civil society activists at the hands of Zanu-PF and security service personnel have worryingly increased.
"Key elements of the economy - diamond mining in particular - are still controlled by the Mugabe clique."
The UK Tory deputy went on, "Until Mugabe and his cronies step aside and there is real evidence of change, including free elections and an end to harassment of the opposition and journalists alike, the EU is right to keep its measures in place.
"Contrary to the false claims by Mugabe's Zanu-PF loyalists, these are not 'sanctions' against the Zimbabwean people but carefully targeted measures against 112 individuals and 11 companies that have directly supported Mugabe and his oppressive agenda."
