WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1155/98 by Concepció FERRER to the Council. Detainees in Equatorial Guinea
C 304/164 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 Answer (8 June 1998) The proposal for a regulation on olive oil referred to by the Honorable Member was presented by the Commission on 20 February 1998 and adopted by the Council on 27 April 1998. The Council also wishes to inform the Honorable Member that, following the entry into force of the Association Agreement, the first meeting of the EC/Tunisia Association Council is foreseen to take place during the second semester of 1998. (98/C 304/251) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1098/98 by Olivier Dupuis (ARE) to the Council (31 March 1998) Subject: The case of Mr Ukshin Hoti Mr Ukshin Hoti, a lecturer in political science at the University of Pristina (Kosovo), has been in prison since 1994 following a trial in what were, to say the least, dubious circumstances and at the end of which he was found guilty of áhaving threatened the constitutional orderí and of áundermining the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslaviaí. Mr Hoti had previously been arrested in 1981 for ácounter-revolutionary crimesí and again in 1993. He has already spent eight years of his life in prison for his beliefs, linked to his activism in favour of a non-violent, negotiated solution to the problem of Kosovo. What action has the Council taken and what steps does it intend to take to secure Mr Hotiís release by the Serbian authorities, and what steps does it intend to take to secure the support of the Kosovar authorities for his release? Answer (4 June 1998) The Council deeply regrets the sentence imposed on Mr Ukshin Hoti and the circumstances of his condemnation. The Council points out that freedom of expression is a universal fundamental right that every democratic country has the duty to guarantee, as is the right to a free and fair trial. Respect for human rights and democratic principles are basic elements of the Unionís regional approach and pillars of the conditionality policy towards the Federal Republic of Yougoslavia (FRY). It is precisely because of dissatisfaction on the issue of Kosovo and on the FRYís record on human rights that the Union withdrew, at the end of 1997, the Autonomous Trade Measures granted to the FRY on 29 April 1997. A lasting solution to the Kosovo issue and a full respect of human rights and democratic principles remain in the forefront of EU requests in dealing with the FRY, and a condition for improving bilateral relations. Action in favour of the release of Mr Hoti must be seen within the overall EU action in favour of respect of human rights and democratic standards in the FRY. In this framework, the EU will continue to press the Serb authorities on all cases similar to that raised by the Honourable Member. (98/C 304/252) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1155/98 by Concepcio· Ferrer (PPE) to the Council (3 April 1998) Subject: Detainees in Equatorial Guinea Four Spanish citizens could be sentenced to death by the Equato-Guinean courts if the Public Prosecutor succeeds with his application, lodged in Malabo yesterday, at the beginning of the political trial of 90 people who are alleged to be activists for the Bubi minority people and are accused of fomenting the rebellion on the island of Bioko at the end of January this year with the aim of winning self-determination for the island