Mr President, I would also like to start by offering my condolences to the family of the murdered councillor and to the Members from the Popular Party, and I wish to reject this fascist barbarity of ETA and of the groups which support it. I would like to stress the warranted importance of the pact against terrorism agreed between the Popular Party and the Socialist Party, and I believe it is important that, from the European Union’s point of view, progress is made in this direction. With regard to the issue we are dealing with – the anomalous situation of the British submarine Tireless in the only British colony in the Mediterranean, Gibraltar – on 7 September I asked an oral question about it. In this, I pointed out that the fault with the submarine which, since 12 May, had been in Sicilian waters, could not be repaired in the port of Gibraltar, since the Italian and NATO authorities had refused to receive the submarine in its ports. In that intervention I also pointed out the lack of seriousness and respect shown by the British authorities in reclassifying the role of the port of Gibraltar, moving it in the best colonial fashion from category Z to X for the purposes of being able to carry out repairs. I also pointed out the alarm amongst the 200 000 people who live in the area, within a radius of 10 kilometres. The evasive response that I received from the Commission on that occasion forced me to ask a second question, on 21 September, urging the Commission to ask the British Government to remove the Tireless to a British port, and also to monitor this issue. The reply received from the Commission was disappointing and unsatisfactory. I hope that that feeling of dissatisfaction with the reply has nothing to do with the fact that Commissioner Patten is British, but, on the other hand, on the most important issue – the repair of the submarine in a European Union port which does not meet the minimum requirements – he said that this was an internal issue for the United Kingdom, when, according to the Euratom Treaty, this is not the case; and, on the other hand, he simply said that he would keep Parliament informed. Nevertheless, since that moment the European Parliament has received no information from the Commission, despite the fact that it has promised to provide it. So, over these months, we have been on a wild goose chase. We have had statements from the responsible parties in the British army to the effect that the fault was not significant, and others saying the complete opposite, that it was serious and required long and difficult repairs. We have heard statements from the Spanish Government to the effect that there was no cause for alarm, and others, recent ones fortunately, from Minister Piqué, urging that the submarine be taken away as soon as possible – although they have given a time period of three months – so that it may be repaired in the United Kingdom. After visits to the submarine by Spanish nuclear safety experts, we have heard that there is no danger, but we have had later statements indicating that they were not allowed to see, observe or inspect the actual site of the fault. For all these reasons, I believe the Commission must be aware of what an anomalous situation we are dealing with and that, firstly, it must demand an immediate halt to any repairs taking place in Gibraltar. Secondly, it must demand that all possible information be given to the population, as laid down in the Euratom Treaty. Thirdly, I believe that the British Government should be taken to task for the irresponsibility and flippancy it showed in carrying out this reclassification, so that the port of Gibraltar may return to its original category. I also believe that the submarine Tireless should be taken to Great Britain to be repaired as soon as possible, as soon as the weather conditions are suitable. I believe that we can reach the conclusion that there is general alarm about this type of atomic submarine in all the countries of the European Union and throughout the whole world and, therefore, I believe we should recommend that this type of nuclear submarine disappear from the map and from the oceans. I would also like to point out, given that the Commission has been so ineffective, that a delegation of experts should be sent to view the situation on the ground, since so far we cannot have confidence in what the government has done. Lastly, I believe that the British Government should compensate the area economically, since there have been losses in terms of tourism and fishing for which the British Government is responsible.

Political group: GUE-NGL