WRITTEN QUESTION P-1390/97 by Antonio Tajani (UPE) to the Commission (10 April 1997)

Subject: The Albanian crisis

The crisis in Albania has highlighted once again the impossibility of concrete political intervention by the European Union in areas of great instability on the continent.

Will the Commission therefore say:

1. What political and humanitarian initiatives it intends to adopt in practice to order contribute to a resolution of the Albanian crisis?

2. Whether the European Union intends to make a financial contribution to the efforts being undertaken by the Member States, starting with Italy, to take in the refugees?

3. Whether the governments of the EU Member States with diplomatic representation in Tirana informed the EU institutions early enough of the social and political unrest which led to the conflict in Albania?

4. Whether, in its view, the Italian government took all the necessary initiatives, in the form of economic and social assistance in Albanian territory, in an attempt to anticipate the exodus of thousands of Albanian citizens?

5. Whether any delays, inattention, heedlessness or under-estimation of the first signs of the Albanian crisis might have played a part in exacerbating it?

6. Whether the agents of the secret services of some EU Member States were amongst the first to leave Albania instead of continuing to send reports on the unfolding of the crisis to their governments?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (6 May 1997)

1. The Community has responded quickly to the Albanian crisis. Following its high-level mission to Albania on 17-19 March 1997, the Council decided on 24 March 1997 to take the initiative to set up an advisory mission to Albania to advise on humanitarian, economic, political and security related developments within the co-ordinating framework of the Organisation on security and cooperation in Europe. The Community, and the Commission in particular, fully participate in this advisory mission and will play the leading role in the areas of humanitarian aid and economic and financial assistance, but will also be involved in the preparation and organisation of elections and the assistance to be provided to the Albanian police.

Several missions to Albania confirmed that although there is clearly individual hardship in the country and a need for immediate humanitarian aid to specific groups, there is as yet no widespread and general humanitarian disaster. At the present stage, the Commission provides humanitarian aid in the form of limited food and medical supplies distributed by the International Red Cross (2 MECU) to certain public institutions such as orphanages, old people's homes and hospitals. In addition, it will re-route to Albania food stocks already positioned in or purchased for shipment to other countries in the region (1000 tons of wheat flour). Several Commission experts on humanitarian aid participate already in the advisory mission.

The Commission intends to restart the Phare programme as soon as the security situation has improved. Specific consideration will be given to speeding up activities aiming at a relaunch of the economy and job creation as well as to technical assistance to the ministry of Finance and to the customs administration. To the extent necessary, funds will be reoriented towards rehabilitation of crucial public infrastructures (schools, prisons, border posts). Possible macro-financial assistance remains dependent upon a stabilisation arrangement between Albania and the International monetary fund (IMF).

2. There will be no funds from the Community budget to cover the costs of Member States admitting refugees from Albania.

3. The Commission is regularly informed about developments in Albania by its own delegation in Tirana as well as within the common and foreign security policy.

4. The Commission is not in a position to judge the policy of the Italian government. Albania has received massive Community assistance over the past five years during which there has been nevertheless continuous emigration into Member States and elsewhere.

5. In 1996 the IMF had warned about the dangers inherent in the pyramid schemes operating in Albania and the Commission offered technical assistance to the Albanian government with a view to controlling the situation. The offer was declined and in November 1996 the first schemes broke down. The Albanian government carries the main responsibility for the recent developments.

6. The Commission has no information about the activities of the secret services of Member States.