Ondanks EU-sancties is Mugabe aanwezig bij begraving Johannes Paulus II (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has arrived in Rome in order to attend Pope John Paul II's funeral on Friday (8 April), despite EU travel restrictions banning him from entering the Union.

The measures were put in place in 2002, after EU observers were not allowed to watch over dubious Zimbabwean elections. They restrict the travel of 72 Zimbabwean government officials and people close to them, in retaliation for human rights abuses in the country.

However, the sanctions have a clause specifying that if an EU member state has an obligation under international law, the EU cannot request it from infringing its commitment.

And Italy has a legally binding arrangement with the independent city-state of the Vatican, which is not an EU member, saying it should not obstruct people transiting the country in order to visit the Pope - or to attend his funeral.

Mr Mugabe arrived at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport on Thursday (7 April).

Reacting to Zimbabwean President's visit, Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden said "Mugabe's presence at the Pope's funeral is an insult to the memory of the pontiff and to the people of Zimbabwe".

"Mugabe is being allowed to use this sombre occasion to defy international condemnation of his regime", he has added.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, a human rights defender, has also reacted by saying that "that man will use any opportunity to fly to Europe to promote himself. The man is shameless'', according to the Guardian.

After Friday's funeral, Mr Mugabe will make courtesy calls on various officials, according to Zimbabwe Broadcasting. It is not specified which country the officials will be from.

Not a precedent

This is not the first time that the EU travel ban on the Zimbabwean President has been contravened.

In 2003, Mr Mugabe went to Paris for a Franco-African summit, following France's insistent requests the President be granted a waiver allowing him to attend the event.

Robert Mugabe has been in power in Zimbabwe since the country's independence in 1980.