Watson Calls for urgent action on Hungarian Detainees

10.03.00am GMT Wed 20th Jan 2010

Speaking in a debate on an Oral Question secured by the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament last night, Graham Watson MEP said:

"The European Arrest Warrant procedure has vastly enhanced the rule of law across our continent. But it relies on mutual trust between member states; and there are too many cases where such trust is not shared by our citizens.

Two of my constituents are currently in detention in Hungary awaiting trial. Though their extradition was requested over a year ago and they have been there for over two months, they have not yet been indicted and their trial may yet be months away.

Cases like this give European judicial co-operation a bad name. They pour shame on the inaction of governments when it comes to agreeing minimum standards for defendants. They require Europe's urgent attention."

Mr Watson is in contact with the Hungarian authorities to speed up the trial of Michael Turner and Jason McGoldrick.