The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the military coup in Guinea-Bissau.

The resolution was tabled by the ECR, ALDE, EPP, S&D, GUE/NGL and Greens/EFA groups.

It condemns in the strongest terms the unconstitutional seizure of power by the armed forces of Guinea-Bissau on 12 April 2012, which occurred the day before the beginning of the electoral campaign for the second round of the presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau. It notes that the interim President and the Prime Minister were forced to leave the country and demands that both be allowed freely to resume the full exercise of their civil and political rights, as well as the absolute respect for the physical integrity of all public officials and other citizens being held by the military rebels. Parliament further condemns the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations calling for the restoration of the rule of law, in particular that which took place on 25 May 2012 in Bissau.

Members recall that military leaders and certain opposition parties have agreed to the establishment of a Transitional National Council and a Transitional Government without the free consent of the country's legitimate political institutions, and they reject the establishment of the self-styled ‘Military Command’, ‘Transitional National Council’ and ‘Transitional Government’, urging the international community o do the same. Parliament demands the immediate reinstatement of the constitutional order and the rule of law and the conclusion of the electoral process, including the legislative elections, and the full restoration and guarantee of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and the press, freedom of assembly and association and freedom of movement.

The resolution welcomes the unfortunate but necessary diplomatic, economic and financial sanctions imposed on Guinea-Bissau by ECOWAS, the restrictive measures adopted by the Council of the European Union and the travel ban against certain individuals imposed by the UN Security Council. It calls for the EU to be involved in the ‘Crisis Contact Group’ for Guinea-Bissau, which has been established under the coordination of the UN, with representatives of the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and the CPLP. 

Parliament calls on the Council to provide advice and assistance in support of the urgent defence and security sectors reform in Guinea-Bissau and to consider effectively supporting the deployment of an international stabilisation operation within the framework of the CSDP.

Referring to the EU's security sector reform (SSR) mission in Guinea-Bissau launched in June 2008, Parliament regrets the termination of the SSR mission in 2010 and invites the HR/VP and the Council to study the possibility of sending a new SSR mission to Guinea-Bissau, with a strengthened mandate to help reform the security and defence sectors, promote capacity-building, reform public administration and support the rule of law, as soon as the legitimate authorities recover the full exercise of governance in Guinea-Bissau and request such a mission.

Parliament again urges the Council and the VP/HR to consider new ways to help the legitimate government of Guinea-Bissau to fight drug trafficking and organised crime, thereby preventing that country from becoming another failed narco-state.

Noting that the current political situation in the country diverts attention from the needs of the population and from the growth of the humanitarian crisis, Parliament draws attention to the particular situation of internally-displaced people and refugees and to the risk of epidemics and the danger to food security and health care and asks the EU and the international community to promptly take concrete and adequate aid measures. It asks the Commission to continue its humanitarian aid and direct support to the population.

Lastly, Members call on the EU to request the authorities of those countries providing military and security forces – all ACP partners – to ensure that they will not be used to support the illegitimate order sought by the authors of the coup and the self-styled transitional authorities or to perpetrate abuses of human rights against the people of Guinea-Bissau.