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Zimbabwe Presses Ahead With EU Lawsuit Despite Easing of Sanctions


The EU delisted 51 individuals and 20 companies with links to ZANU-PF, but maintained travel and financial measures on Mr. Mugabe and more than 100 influential party officials accused of perpetuating human rights abuses and resisting democratic reforms

Despite the easing of European Union sanctions on several members of the ZANU-PF party of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Attorney General Johannes Tomana said Thursday he was pushing ahead with a lawsuit against the EU demanding the removal off all restrictions.

Tomana said preparations to file litigation papers with the European Court of Justice were at an advanced stage.

The EU delisted 51 individuals and 20 companies with links to ZANU-PF, but maintained travel and financial measures on Mr. Mugabe and more than 100 influential party officials accused of perpetuating human rights abuses and resisting democratic reforms.

European Union officials noted an improvement in the political situation in Zimbabwe since the formation of the inclusive government in 2008, but insisted they wanted to see more reforms that will lead to a free and fair vote before all the measures are removed.

Tomana told VOA reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that Harare will only rest the case after the EU scraps all sanctions that he says are damaging the economy. "The withdrawal of the sanctions is partial, it should have been complete, then we would have been convinced of their sincerity," he said.

But political analyst Brilliant Mhlanga commented that the litigation was a long shot.

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