The Liberal Initiative on Wednesday pushed for the suspension of extradition agreements with the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, criticizing Portugal’s “lack of courage” for being the “only country in the European Union” to uphold both agreements.
On the day when the Prime Minister, António Costa, will be in Parliament for the preparatory debate for the European Council, the Liberals again present a draft resolution on this subject, explaining to the agency Lusa the parliamentary leader of IL, Rodrigo Saraiva , that the European Union “asks the member states to strengthen their relationship and better protect themselves in their relations with China”.
“We are the only EU country that still has these extradition agreements with the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong”criticized.
The deputy of the Liberal Initiative recalled that, when the motion for a resolution with the same aim was rejected in 2020, the PS “claimed to vote against because Portugal’s diplomacy policy had to be in line with the European Union”.
“Later, the European Parliament already passed a resolution calling for the suspension of its request to suspend the remaining 10 extradition treaties of Member States with China. After this resolution, we have already resubmitted this project and the PS failed again.”convicted.
According to Rodrigo Saraiva, the liberals’ insistence on this issue – the intention of which was announced in the parliamentary days earlier this month – is related to the “growing from attacks on what human rights are in China”.
“While it is clear in the context of human rights that it is not possible for a democratic country, a country based on the values and principles of a democracy, to conclude extradition agreements with states such as the People’s Republic of China, there is also a very political framework that justifies and demonstrates, not only today but for quite some time, that it is not possible for a country of the European Union to maintain extradition agreements with China and Hong Kong.”justified.
The “only reason” the IL finds for this position of Portugal is “lack of courage”, the liberal pointed out.
“Again, the PS falsifies the truth and does not admit the reasons. We cannot agree with the reasons they announce, but at least accept what it is, because although they do not accept them, the only thing that is clear is that the Portuguese state is subordinate to the People’s Republic of China”accused.
Assuming, “on this topic or many others”, the hope that the prime minister is “always low”, Rodrigo Saraiva guarantees that the IL will push.
“In these rare appearances that the Prime Minister deigns to make in the Assembly of the Republic, we will always question him, even if he doesn’t like it, even if he gets angry. When human rights are at stake, the Liberal Initiative does don’t cringe”he assured.
Source: DN
