Publication time: 2 August 2011, 19:50
Lithuanian foreign minister Audronius Azubalis received a letter from Bulgarian foreign minister Nikolay Mladenov, condemning Austria for promotion of Russian terrorism.
The letter expresses support for Lithuania by condemnation of Austria in the case of the release of the Vilnius Butcher, FSB general Golovatov, and states that the law system, currently in effect in the EU, is not conducive to this goal.
“14 brave men and women, who lost their lives during winter 1991, should not be forgotten. Their families and the whole Lithuanian society are entitled to demand justice. We, the Democratic states, are responsible for achieving this goal”, said the letter that was also addressed to the Austrian foreign minister Michael Spindelegger.
Copies of the letter were sent to foreign ministers of other EU countries and the European commissioner for justice Viviane Reding.
Mladenov said that the decision by the Austrian justice, foreign and interior ministies as well by the prosecutor’s office to release the Russian gang leader Golovatov revealed a need to strengthen consultations between the EU member states on the practice of the implementation of the European arrest warrant and the 1955 convention on simplified extradition procedures between EU member states, and also the1957 European convention on the application of extradition.
“I hope that the working group created by the foreign ministers of Austria and Lithuania will successfully clarify the detention and release of Mikhail Golovatov and will remove all misunderstandings”, said the letter of the Bulgarian foreign minister.
Latvia, the Czech Republic and Poland had earlier condemned Austria for promotion of Russian terrorism.
It is to be recalled that, according to unofficial sources, Russia and Austria offended and made a fool of Bulgaria in Europe with their possible secret deal, behind Bulgaria’s back, on the exchange of a Chechen refugee, Chatayev, arrested in Bulgaria at the request of the FSB, for FSB general Golovatov. Scolding for that at great and powerful Russia would be politically incorrect to Bulgaria, but won’t be so in case of small and weak Austria.
Department of Monitoring
Kavkaz Center
http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2011/08/02/14862.shtml
