# CE2004088EN.01021401.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/214 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/214

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(2004/C 88 E/0221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0774/04

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject:   Violation of religious freedom in Cyprus

Subject:

In view of the following:

| — | Article 6 of the EU Treaty; |
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Article 6 of the EU Treaty;

| — | Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU concerning religious freedom and cultural and religious diversity; |
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Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU concerning religious freedom and cultural and religious diversity;

| — | the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 (in particular Article 9); |
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the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 (in particular Article 9);

| — | the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State; |
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the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State;

| — | the Commission's report of 19 February 2003 on the application for accession to the EU submitted by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia; |
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the Commission's report of 19 February 2003 on the application for accession to the EU submitted by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia;

| — | the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘The Commission's Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 (1); |
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the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘The Commission's Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 (1);

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| — | the Copenhagen political criteria regarding the right to religious freedom; |
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the Copenhagen political criteria regarding the right to religious freedom;

and the fact that:

| — | in Cyprus members of Jehovah's Witnesses have reported encountering difficulties in being recognised as conscientious objectors and being exempted from military service in the Greek Cypriot National Guard; |
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in Cyprus members of Jehovah's Witnesses have reported encountering difficulties in being recognised as conscientious objectors and being exempted from military service in the Greek Cypriot National Guard;

| — | in the north of the island, on the basis of the 1960 Constitution the Vakf (Muslim institution regulating the religious acitivty of Turkish Cypriots) pays the cost of the activities and salaries of Muslim religious leaders, is exempted from tax on its religious activities and receives official subsidies, whilst no other religious organisation is exempted from paying tax or is subsidised; |
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in the north of the island, on the basis of the 1960 Constitution the Vakf (Muslim institution regulating the religious acitivty of Turkish Cypriots) pays the cost of the activities and salaries of Muslim religious leaders, is exempted from tax on its religious activities and receives official subsidies, whilst no other religious organisation is exempted from paying tax or is subsidised;

| — | Turkish Cypriot citizens have reported the slowness of procedures at border-crossing points, which have limited the number of people who can cross the border to visit religious sites during the holidays; |
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Turkish Cypriot citizens have reported the slowness of procedures at border-crossing points, which have limited the number of people who can cross the border to visit religious sites during the holidays;

Cyprus is one of the countries due to join the EU on 1 May 2004:

| — | can the Commission say whether it is fully aware of all these facts and, if so, what view it takes of them; |
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can the Commission say whether it is fully aware of all these facts and, if so, what view it takes of them;

| — | since religious freedom and freedom of association are among the priority issues for the Union and since the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘The Commission's Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 states that the legal obligations of the European Union and the new Member States vis-à-vis the ‘acquis communautaire’ must be fulfilled from the first day of accession, can the Commission say whether it intends to inform the authorities of these countries of its intentions to this effect? In other words, how will the Commission ensure that these countries comply with the ‘acquis’ from the first day of their membership of the EU if at the same time there is an infringement of the very rights respect for which is strictly necessary for their accession; |
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since religious freedom and freedom of association are among the priority issues for the Union and since the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘The Commission's Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 states that the legal obligations of the European Union and the new Member States vis-à-vis the ‘acquis communautaire’ must be fulfilled from the first day of accession, can the Commission say whether it intends to inform the authorities of these countries of its intentions to this effect? In other words, how will the Commission ensure that these countries comply with the ‘acquis’ from the first day of their membership of the EU if at the same time there is an infringement of the very rights respect for which is strictly necessary for their accession;

| — | since the political criteria laid down in the Commission's report of 19 February 2003 require the applicant States to ensure the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, does the Commission not consider the facts mentioned above as an obstacle in the context of these countries' accession to the EU and hence contrary to the acquis, and that the countries where these events have occurred are totally failing to comply with the criteria; |
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since the political criteria laid down in the Commission's report of 19 February 2003 require the applicant States to ensure the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, does the Commission not consider the facts mentioned above as an obstacle in the context of these countries' accession to the EU and hence contrary to the acquis, and that the countries where these events have occurred are totally failing to comply with the criteria;

| — | will the Commission consider using all the means at its disposal to put an end to this infringement of religious freedom and freedom of worship? |
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will the Commission consider using all the means at its disposal to put an end to this infringement of religious freedom and freedom of worship?

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(1)  COM(2003) 645 final.

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