Brussels, 10/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - Edward Snowden, the whistleblower on NSA activities, has confirmed in writing that he is willing to answer questions from MEPs, as part of the investigation into mass surveillance and phone tapping by the US secret services. On Friday 7 February, the Greens/EFA at the European Parliament indicated that he would answer these questions, certainly in writing or, if possible, by way of a recorded video message. In a press release, the Greens welcomed this confirmation and called on the European Parliament to do all it could to facilitate this exchange.
The press release explains that the agreement by Snowden to answer questions in the European Parliament investigation “is a significant and positive development. To conclude the enquiry without testimony from its key witness would render the process clearly incomplete. We would urge those centre-right MEPs that have hitherto resisted giving Snowden a hearing to drop their resistance. We will request an additional, extraordinary meeting of the EP inquiry before a vote is taken on its final report, with a view to ensuring the testimony can be taken into account”. The report by Claude Moraes (S&D, United Kingdom) is due to be voted on in the civil liberties committee meeting this Wednesday 12 February.
The committee coordinators therefore have to make a decision on the date and on how Edward Snowden will make his contribution to the debate. The idea was to have already received his contribution by the time of the vote on the Moraes report during the March plenary. The S&D, Greens/EFA, ALDE and the GUE/NGL are in favour of a recorded video message, whereas the EPP would like it to be live. The coordinators will attempt to reach an agreement by 20 February, according to a source. (SP/transl.fl)