Strasbourg - THE European Parliament awarded its Sakharov Prize yesterday to Basta Ya!, a citizens' group opposed to political bloodshed in Spain's Basque country.
It is the first time the EU's top human rights laurel has gone to a cause being fought in one of the 15 EU member-states. In selecting Basta Ya! (That's Enough) for the #50,000 award, leaders of EU political groups reasserted their condemnation of violence by the separatist group, ETA.
"The awarding of the Sakharov Prize to Basta Ya! must be seen as encouragement to Basque civil society - and to all Spanish democrats - in their democratic quest to say No to those who kill freedom," said Ms Nicole Fontaine, president of the European Parliament.