”Paul Murphy MEP speaks on our behalf in Kazakhstan” – Statement from GUE / NGL

For the past number of days, I have been taking part in a GUE / NGL Group delegation to Kazakhstan to meet with trade unionists, community activists, striking workers, opposition parties and human rights organisations. Early today, the Kazakh national press agency released a press statement in an attempt to undermine the purpose of my visit, falsely claiming that I was in Kazakhstan in a personal capacity. Below is the Press Release from the GUE / NGL rejecting this false claims of the Kazakh authorities:

Confirming that Irish MEP Paul Murphy is on an official group delegation to Kazakhstan, the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group (GUE/NGL) in the European Parliament today reiterated its support for Murphy’s statements on the situation in the country in light of false claims from the Kazakhstan national press agency that he is there only in a personal capacity.

Paul Murphy is in Kazakhstan to meet with trade union representatives and activists to discuss ongoing human and workers’ rights abuses in the country. He will report back to the group on the visit when he returns.

Marie-Christine Vergiat, an MEP specialising in human rights issues, said:
“My colleague Paul Murphy is currently in Kazakhstan as part of an official mission that we support, he as our full backing and I am convinced that just as in the previous group delegation in which Joe Higgins took part, this delegation will allow members of the European Parliament to be better informed on the situation in Kazakhstan.”

Speaking from Kazakhstan, Paul Murphy said:
“I have always been very clear about the fact that we are on a delegation from the GUE/NGL group. We made this clear to the Kazakhstan embassy in Belgium prior to our visit and we have re-stated this in our meetings with the governor of Mangistau and with the Deputy of the Kazakhstan Parliament, Satybaldy Ibragimov. I have never claimed to represent the European Parliament as a whole or the European Parliament delegation to Kazakhstan, but have always explained that I’m on a delegation from the GUE/NGL group, which consists of 34 Members of the European Parliament.”