Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 4 July 2013 - Strasbourg

13.1. Further macro-financial assistance for Georgia (A7-0244/2013 - Vital Moreira) (vote)

– Nach der Abstimmung:

  Anni Podimata (S&D). - Mr President, since yesterday we have all been following the news on the situation in Egypt. This is not the point of my intervention: I know that we all wish violence to be avoided and the rights of the Egyptian people to be fully respected. I would like to draw your attention to a dimension that, I believe, requires our full and direct involvement.

According to the NGO Human Rights Watch, during the last four days alone almost 100 women – protesters or journalists, locals or foreigners – have been raped or sexually assaulted in Cairo. This is totally and completely intolerable. Unfortunately, we do not have time for a proper debate or for a proper resolution, but I believe that as an institution and as a European Union we have to be adamant. We have to make it absolutely clear that, no matter who is in charge in Egypt, the EU will not establish proper and normal relations until we are sure that any kind of aggression against women is duly prosecuted and punished.

(Applause)