Brussels, 07/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Parliament and European Commission demonstrated their solidarity with the McCartney sisters who had come to Brussels as part of their campaign to lift the veil of silence over those responsible for the death of their brother Robert, killed on 30 January in Belfast. None of the many witnesses had so far collaborated with the police although the presumed killers were members of the IRA. Speaking in Brussels, Catherine McCartney said that they regarded it as an “issue of justice”.
At the European Parliament the McCartney sisters met president Borrell and the Socialist, Greens/EFA and European United Left groups. Josep Borrell declared in a press release that he was “deeply impressed by the bravery” shown by Catherine, Paula and Gemma McCartney. The European Parliament president said that violence had to be fought in all EU countries, adding that he was pleased at the support shown for the three sisters by the US authorities, particularly by president Bush, the US Congress, as well as by the Irish authorities.
The Commission does not intend getting involved in a legal matter in another Member State “but the courage, dignity and quest for truth and for justice which the McCartney family embodies deserves to succeed” remarked José Manuel Barroso who also met the three sisters. President Barroso gave assurances that the Commission would continue to support the efforts of the British and Irish governments to push forward reconciliation in Northern Ireland and pointed out that it has in fact already done so through the PEACE programme, which will receive around EUR 760 million for 2000-06.