March 14, 2006, Press declaration 

Position asked on the US-Macedonian Treaty 

By André Brie

 

The European deputy André Brie (Left Party) has demanded from the EU Commission a position on the agreement existing between the USA and Macedonia on the extradition of criminals. In an urgent written demand handed in on Tuesday, the parliamentary deputy asks for information, whether the content of the treaty is known to the Commission and whether it actually makes possible an extradition of suspects without order by a judge. Brie refers in this context to the answer of the commission to his preceding inquiry on the arbitrary abduction of the German citizen Khaled al-Masri by US Special Forces in Macedonia. Brussels had referred there to the treaty and admitted that it had satisfied itself without further questions with the statements by the Macedonian authorities on the kidnapping.

The politician raised the question whether the Macedonian behaviour in the al-Masri case is in harmony with the Copenhagen criteria for an EU entry that explicitly foresee the observance of state of law principles. In the case of violation of these criteria, there needed to be thought about consequences. Brie also criticised the fact that the Macedonian authorities apparently already for a longer time have not been prepared to provide concrete information on the circumstances of the abduction. The EU Commission had to explain, whether it held this behaviour to be acceptable.