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(2004/C 84 E/0560)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2257/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(8 July 2003)

Subject:   Violations of religious freedom with regard to Pentecostal Church evangelists in Georgia

Knowing that:

In view of the excellent economic and commercial cooperation relations between the European Union and Georgia, can the Commission say:

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2003)

The Commission is concerned by the problem of increased violations of religious freedom in Georgia. The Commission welcomes the participation on 14 March 2003 of President Eduard Shevardnadze in an Ecumenical service in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. At this service, which was also attended by representatives of the Commission's Delegation and Member States, President Shevardnadze said for the first time that violence against religious minorities must be prosecuted. Nevertheless, the Commission regrets that violent incidents continue, including the burning down of the Baptist church in Akhalsopeli, eastern Georgia. On 8 May 2003 the Greek Presidency on behalf of the EU made an official statement to the OSCE deploring the assault on an Organisation on Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observer at the trial of Mkalavishvili on 29 April 2003. The Commission will continue to follow this issue closely.

The Commission would like to reiterate that it attaches great importance to the rights of freedom of religion, belief and expression. The Union has repeatedly affirmed that human rights and democratisation must form an integral part of all political dialogues with third countries. In its regular political dialogue with Georgia, under the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, the Union ‘inter alia’ systematically raises human rights issues, including the question of how to protect religious minorities. The Commission for its part will aim to increase the effectiveness of the dialogue on these issues.

As regards the provision of assistance and as outlined in its May 2001 Communication on the Union's role in the promotion of Democracy and Human Rights in third countries (1), the Commission is committed to mainstreaming Human Rights and democratisation issues in all Community assistance programmes. Country Strategy Papers are used as a tool to take a more coherent and consistent approach to the promotion of human rights and democratisation, using the various financial instruments available to third countries, in addition to the assistance that is being provided through the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

Moreover, the Commission has prepared a new Country Strategy for the Union's relations with Georgia and, in this context, is currently redirecting its technical assistance towards the strengthening of governance and the promotion of human rights and civil society there. This should help to create better conditions for the respect of religious freedom. The new Tacis Indicative Programme 2004-2006 for Georgia in particular proposes co-operation to support institutional, legal and administrative reform and addresses the social consequences of transition and assistance to social reconstruction.

Georgia is also one of 31 ‘focus countries’ of the ‘European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights’ (EIDHR) for the period 2002-2004. One of the four thematic priorities of the EIDHR is the combating of racism and xenophobia and discrimination against minorities and indigenous peoples. On 11 July 2003 the Commission launched a new Call for Proposals for microprojects under EIDHR for projects to be implemented by Georgian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a budget of between EUR 3 000 and EUR 50 000. One of the priority themes of this call will be ‘Support for measures to combat racism and xenophobia and to protect religious and ethnic minorities’. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2003.

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(1)  COM(2001) 252 final.

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