WRITTEN QUESTION E-1671/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 June 2001)

Subject: Respect for the cultural identity of Pomaks and Roma

Approximately 120 000 Greek Muslims live in Greek Thrace. 50 % of those are ethnic Turks and the other 50 % consists of Pomaks and Roma. They exercise their religious rights unimpeded, there are numerous mosques and a large body of clergymen, and the Greek State completely fulfills its obligations in that area, in total contrast to Turkey, which has wiped out the Christians of Istanbul, Imbros and Tenedos, and constantly obstructs religious worship in the few remaining churches in that country.

The Greek State, however, for some totally inexplicable reason, refuses to allow the Pomaks and Roma to be taught at school the languages which they themselves have spoken for hundreds of years. While it is compulsory for Pomak and Roma children to be taught Turkish in schools in Greek Thrace, they attempt by every possible means to assert their own identity and their wish to be taught their own languages. In the case of the Pomak language, in particular, it is in widespread everyday use, has an alphabet and grammatical rules but, although reading material has been compiled for pupils by Pomak teachers, it remains unused because the Greek State insists on teaching only Turkish to young Pomaks.

In the Commission's view, to what extent is the Greek authorities' policy of eradicating the Pomak and Roma languages in Greek Thrace and replacing them with Turkish consistent with the principles and objectives of the EU concerning respect for the linguistic and cultural diversity of minorities living on its territory? What practical measures could the Commission take to persuade the Greek authorities to respect the linguistic identity of the Pomaks and Roma of Greek Thrace?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

Respect for linguistic and cultural diversity is one of the foundation stones of the Union, recently enshrined in Article 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Commission takes note of the information provided by the Honourable Member on the situation of the Pomak and Rom speaking communities in Greece.

The Commission has taken action within its field of competence in the area of regional and minority languages by drafting a report on the situation of such languages in the Union (the Euromosaic study) and providing financial support for safeguarding and promoting regional and minority languages,

as well as supporting the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages and the Mercator information network. One of the objectives of the European Year of Languages 2001 is to draw attention to the value of the rich variety of languages that exists in Europe. The Commission has also, where applicable, financed initiatives involving regional and minority languages under other Community programmes.

However, the principle of subsidiarity means that the legal status of languages within national boundaries is the competence of the individual Member States, with due regard to their obligations under international treaties. Moreover, Article 149 (ex Article 126) of the EC Treaty clearly states that the Member States are responsible for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.