WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1955/97 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Visit to the EU by Yugoslav opposition leader Zoran Djindjic
Date: 1997-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN BLADEL
Subjects: Netherlands, Yugoslavia, democracy, democratisation, leader of the opposition, official visit

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/21

(98/C 82/28)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1928/97

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE) to the Council

(5 June 1997)

Subject: Enlargement of the European Union

Is  it  consistent  with  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  signed  by  the  15  Member  States  to  put  the  objective  of
enlargement of the European Union ahead of the goal of achieving economic and social cohesion in the European
Union?

Answer

(17 October 1997)

The  Copenhagen  European  Council  in  June  1993  confirmed  that  the  countries  of  central  and  eastern  Europe
could become members of the European Union. No order of priority was established in that context between the
goal of enlargement and that of achieving economic and social cohesion in the European Union.

The Amsterdam European Council on 16 and 17 June 1997 noted that, with the successful conclusion of the
Intergovernmental Conference, the way was open for launching the enlargement process in accordance with the
conclusions of the Madrid European Council.

On 16 July 1997 the Commission presented its opinions on the accession applications as well as a comprehensive
communication ((cid:147)Agenda 2000(cid:148)) covering the development of the Community, including the main conclusions
and recommendations deriving from the opinions.

The  Council  (General  Affairs)  will  examine  the  Commission(cid:146)s  opinions  and  Agenda  2000  in  depth  and  will
present a comprehensive report to the December meeting of the European Council in Luxembourg, which will
take the necessary decisions on the overall enlargement process.

(98/C 82/29)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1955/97

by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council

(5 June 1997)

Subject: Visit to the EU by Yugoslav opposition leader Zoran Djindjic

In  the  past  the  European  Union  has  said  that  it  would  support  the  development  of  democracy  in  the  Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia

1.  Can  the  Presidency  explain  why  on  22  April  an  important  opposition  leader  such  as  Zoran  Djindjic,  the
present Mayor of Belgrade, was not given a top-level reception by the Netherlands when he stopped off on
the way from Sweden?

2.  Can  the  Presidency  say  why  this  opportunity  was  not  seized  to  find  out  about  the  latest  political  and

democratic developments in Belgrade?

3.  Can the Presidency say why it passed over this opportunity to discuss effective support for the democratic

process with one of the main leaders of the Yugoslav opposition?

4.  Can the Presidency say why the opposition leader did not receive appropriate diplomatic support during his
brief stay in the Netherlands, despite the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware of his visit, and
why there was no official welcome on his arrival at Schiphol airport where a NOS camera team eventually
offered him transport and booked a hotel room for him?

5.  Does the Presidency feel that this attitude accords with the line to be pursued by the European Union, given
the fact that other European Member States such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria,
Sweden and Denmark, as well as the United States, have received Zoran Djindjic at the appropriate level?