EU ready for further action against Mali’s junta – EURACTIV.com

The European Union warned on Thursday (3 February) that it will take further action should members of the military regime in Mali obstruct the transition back to democracy.

“If there is any obstruction to transition, we have always been very clear, there is a framework that has been set up by the council, voted unanimously by the member states, to take action against anyone holding up transition in Mali,” said European Commission spokesperson Nabila Massrali on Thursday.

Relations between the EU and Mali have been badly damaged by a series of events in recent weeks after the military junta in Bamako abandoned plans to hold elections in February, and said that polls would have to be delayed until 2025 because of the volatile security situation in the country.

In the last week, the Malian government has expelled France’s ambassador and ordered Denmark’s military deployment to return home.