EU protest turns violent

MALMO, Sweden -- Bottles and smoke bombs were hurled at police who arrested 225 demonstrators during an anti-European Union protest in Sweden.

The 1,000-strong crowd staged their protest in the southern city of Malmo, which was hosting a two-day meeting of European Union finance ministers and central bankers.

Malmo police said officers had to step in after the initially peaceful demonstration became violent.

Those detained were taken to a nearby police station and released soon afterwards. Three were charged with public order offences.

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"First one policeman and his horse were hurt and then the whole demonstration slipped out of control," a spokeswoman said.

"The demonstrators were disturbing the general order and the police were afraid some children and old people at the demonstration would get hurt."

At the summit, European Union finance ministers said they will keep a closer eye on the finances of countries trying to join the group.

Swedish Finance Minister Bosse Ringholm, the meeting's chairman, said Eastern European nations have a long way to go toward crafting sound economic policies.

"Existing membership criteria have to be taken seriously (or) there will be consequences for the timetable" for joining the group, said German Finance Minister Hans Eichel.

The European Union could absorb the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Cyprus, Slovenia and Malta as early as 2004. Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia are in a much slower group.

Trailing them is Turkey, which is in the midst of an economic crisis. Turkey has put forward plans to slash state spending, reform its debt-ridden banking system and privatise companies. But it has yet to open membership talks.

The ministers urged international financial institutions to offer "exceptional external assistance" to end Turkey's economic crisis, but they offered no money. Turkey seeks up to $12 billion in assistance.

Germany, Turkey's biggest creditor, has signalled it is ready to give money, but wants other members of the Group of Seven industrialised countries to donate as well.

EU officials reiterated their view that the U.S. economic slowdown will not significantly erode EU growth this year.

Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg said because the United States accounts for only 3 percent of external trade of the EU - a market of 374 million people -- a U.S. slowdown would have "limited" effect.

EU ministers sign Treaty of Nice
February 26, 2001
EU deal paves expansion path
December 11, 2000
EU leaders clash at Nice summit
December 9, 2000
Violence flares at EU summit
December 7, 2000

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