Brussels, 10/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The vice-chair of the EP-Mashreq parliamentary delegation, Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL, Portugal), criticised, on 9 July, the proposal to include the Hezbollah movement on the EU's list of terrorist organisations. “The proposal to put Hezbollah on this so-called 'blacklist' is not acceptable and is based on unconvincing evidence of its alleged involvement in terrorist acts”, Matias states in a press release, referring to declarations by the Bulgarian police on the vague and “uncertain” elements concerning the presumed perpetrators of the Burgas attack in July 2012.
In Matias' view, the suggestion that Hezbollah should be put on the blacklist “risks further isolation of the EU and will do nothing to improve the situation or change the regional geopolitical balance”. It would be a “geostrategic error”, she pointed out, saying that the EU must have diplomatic contacts with all the players in the region.
The proposal to include Hezbollah's military arm on the European list of terrorist organisations is still under discussion as there is no consensus among member states and unanimity is required before there can be inclusion on the list. (CG/transl.jl)