WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 February 2003)

Subject: Suspension of work on biological sewage treatment plant in Mitilini (Greece)

According to Greek press reports, the Greek Government suspended work on a EUR 100 million (GRD 3,5 billion) biological sewage treatment project in Mitilini on 20 January 2003 following a decision by Mr Paxtas, Deputy Finance Minister, despite the fact that a few months previously (on 6 March 2002) Mr Paxtas himself had described the project as first rate and had publicly undertaken to ensure proper funding.

Lesbos, an island situated on the confines of Greek territory (the second largest in Greece) has enormous tourist potential, given its infrastructures (its airport caters for international charter flights) and its rich cultural heritage. It is the site of major museums, monuments and buildings (for example the Teriade museum, neo-classical houses, numerous frescoes by the great popular painter Theofilos etc.), in addition to which it is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Despite this, the island does not yet have a biological sewage treatment plant, which is bound to affect further tourist development and, following the above Government decision, the project no longer appears feasible.

Does the Commission know the reasons for this sudden change of heart by the Greek Government, given that nothing appears to have changed in the intervening ten months aside from the election of a new municipal authority? Does the Commission regard as acceptable decisions to commence or cancel necessary infrastructural projects, particularly in outlying tourist areas of the EU, in accordance with the political ambitions and designs of the Member State governments concerned?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2003)

The Cohesion Fund contributed EUR 35 179 980 in part-finance to a project including the Mitilini sewage treatment plant and a drainage and river water grid costing a total of EUR 42 286 533. The Mitilini sewage treatment plant began to operate in 2002. This means that it is incorrect to say that the town of Mitilini on Lesbos has no sewage treatment plant or that its construction has been halted.

The Commission believes that the Honourable Member is referring to a project from the Mitilini town council to extend the present sewerage network. The Commission has no official information from the Greek authorities on this point but it believes that, like any other system for the collection and treatment of waste water, the one in Mitilini could be extended and improved by further work.

The decision to finance projects of this type is a matter for the Greek authorities, within the legal framework of the Structural Funds. However, the Commission hopes that the choice of projects part-financed by the Community Funds will take account of the strategy devised by the Commission with the Greek authorities, as set out in a separate chapter of the Operational Programme for the environment 2000-2006. This seeks to encourage the concentration of financial effort on towns in Greece which, unlike Mitilini, do not yet have a municipal sewage plant and so do not comply with Council Directive 91/271/EC concerning urban waste-water treatment(1).

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.