To coincide with the European Parliament's plenary session debate and vote on progress in Turkey's accession negotiations, the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats invited Turkish journalist, Ahmed Sik to discuss press freedom in Turkey.  Ahmed Sik was one of several journalists imprisoned over a year ago in a move which was widely condemned as being politically motivated.

Alexander Graf Lambsdorff  (FDP, Germany) ALDE Spokesman on Turkey said:

"The Commission says it is going to fight for the food aid programme and will produce a legislative proposal on how to implement it - we need to assume our joint responsibility to ensure that this is achieved," said GUE/NGL Chair Gabi Zimmer responding to Commissioner Rehn's statement on the food for the needy programme in the European Parliament this morning.

ELDR Party president Sir Graham Watson MEP has welcomed the news that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has backed the need for immediate medical treatment to be given to imprisoned former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and that the Court will treat Tymoshenko’s appeal against here conviction as a priority case.

Tymoshenko is currently set to face seven years in prison as a result of charges of allegedly taking decisions against Ukraine’s national interest in relation to gas supply contracts with Russia.

ENISA launches two reports with recommendations on personal data protection.