EU Presidency declaration on closure of Tribune newspaper, Zimbabwe

The European Union condemns the closure of the Tribune newspaper by Zimbabwe's Media and Information Commission (MIC). The EU reiterates its call on the Government of Zimbabwe to suspend the implementation of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), under which the MIC took this action, so as to ensure full freedom of expression and the removal of unnecessary restrictions on accreditation.

The EU views this action as a further attack on freedom of expression and democratic space in Zimbabwe. This is of particular importance in the context of approaching elections - free press being a necessary prerequisite of a democratic society.

The EU calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the freedom of the media and to desist from using repressive legislation, such as the AIPPA, to silence critical voices.

The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

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