The EPP Group strongly condemns the shoot-to-kill activity by forces under the control and commanded by Colonel Gadaffi against his own people and deplores the many lives which have been lost in clashes over the weekend.

"Libya is becoming the bloodiest and deadliest of any of the early-2011 uprisings in the Arab world so far. This is the sole responsibility of the country's leader, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, who is leading the army against his own people. The EPP Group strongly condemns Mr Gadaffi's attempts to quench the popular protest movement against his government by using lethal violence and deliberate killing demonstrators. We deplore the many lost lives over this tragic weekend", said Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, and Ioannis Kasoulides MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group.

"We call on Mr Gadaffi to order his forces to refrain from shooting at the Libyan people and to stop using force against the protesters. The use of brutal violence will serve no purpose. Like protest movements elsewhere in the Arab world, the one in Libya demands that the totalitarian and monocratic rule which they have endured for several decades, be replaced by a free, pluralist and accountable democracy where fundamental civic and human rights are respected. It seems unlikely that Colonel Gadaffi can become part of that process. His continued use of violent repression, however, makes it impossible", said the two leading Members of the largest and most influential Group in the European Parliament.

For further information:

Joseph DAUL MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +32-2-2847525

Ioannis KASOULIDES MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845155

Peter Adler, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-474-203005

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 265 Members.