WRITTEN QUESTION P-1848/99 by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Commission. Imprisonment of opposition figures by the government of Equatorial Guinea.
C 203 E/66 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 7. 2000 (2000/C 203 E/080) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1848/99 by Carlos Carnero GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Commission (11 October 1999) Subject: Imprisonment of opposition figures by the government of Equatorial Guinea On 9 September 1999, Mr PlÆcido Micó, the President of the Convergence for Social Democracy party (CPDS), a member party of the Socialist International, who became a member of the national parliament following the áelectionsí of 7 March 1999 but resigned his seat in protest at the totally undemocratic circumstances in which they were held, was arbitrarily arrested by the authorities of Equatorial Guinea, and was kept in prison for almost one week. This is one, particularly serious, example among many of the failure of the Malabo regime to keep the promises of democratisation made by it to the international community ü including, in the past, to the President of the European Commission. What action has the Commission taken to condemn this act, and what measures does it intend to take to call on President Teodoro Obiang to ensure full respect for human rights and, as a matter of urgency, to establish democracy in Equatorial Guinea, a country which is a signatory to the LomØ Convention? Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission (12 November 1999) The Commission is aware of the difficulties connected with the process of democratisation, especially as regards the exercise of fundamental freedoms by the opposition in Equatorial Guinea. With regard to the arrest of Mr Placido Mico, the President of the Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) and leader of the opposition in Equatorial Guinea, the Commission, together with the locally represented Member States (Spain and France), has sought explanations from the national authorities for the arrest and detention of Mr Mico. Mr Mico was conditionally released on 16 September 1999. The Commission is following developments in the country very closely and continuing the dialogue with the national authorities with a view to advancing and consolidating the fragile process of democratisation. In this connection, the Commission is studying the possibility of supporting the process under way by adopting positive measures including aid for the organisation of municipal elections in early 2000, on condition that the electoral process takes place in acceptable conditions of transparency and fairness, and by drawing up an overall programme of support for the consolidation of the democratisation process, improvements in human rights and the construction of a State based on the rule of law in Equatorial Guinea. (2000/C 203 E/081) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1849/99 by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission (13 October 1999) Subject: Misleading advertising in the European Union Is the Commission aware of the growing incidence of firms writing to elderly people about money to be won in games of chance, which in fact is never paid out? The responses must be accompanied by a átest orderí, which is executed and payment for which is demanded. Many of these letters come from Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria, making recourse to the law difficult. By what means does the Commission believe these practices might be combated? A letter in the possession of the questioner proves that the firms concerned operate on a Europe-wide basis. In this case the letter was stamped in the Netherlands, and a Belgian car dealer and a Belgian mail order firm are involved. The addressee is resident in Germany. As a rule, the goods are dispatched from a German supply depot. The German supplier thus has no problem in taking legal action in Germany to obtain the purchase price