Verbatim report of proceedings

Monday, 10 March 2003 - Strasbourg

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

  Souladakis (PSE). – (EL) Mr President, about two weeks ago, the British authorities arrested a Greek student because, according to press reports, he was collating material for a dissertation on terrorism. I realise it is up to the British authorities to decide on what criteria they arrest students, but they had a duty, which they failed to honour, to tell the authorities in Greece, as another Member State of the European Union.

This is intolerable and must not happen again. We are not living in an era of autocratic regimes. We cooperate within a framework and countries have to tell other countries if for any reason they arrest their citizens.