WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3535/97 by Yiannis ROUBATIS to the Council. Hazard caused by a tank containing arsenic in Albania
Date: 1997-11-14
Institutions: European Parliament, ROUBATIS
Subjects: Albania, EU aid, EU financing, ecological balance, economic cooperation, public health, semi-metal, storage, technical cooperation, toxic substance

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/143

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 1997)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that, in the framework of European social fund (ESF)
programmes, the management of individual projects is under responsibility of the national administration in each
Member State.

The Commission has asked the Greek ministry of Labour to supply the relevant information. According to the
information transmitted, one training action was financed in 1995 for 28 people of the (cid:145)Labour Bank(cid:146) managing
staff, of whom 3 were women. The total cost was 20 400 000 Drs (approximately 60 000 ECU) and the ESF
participation amounted 7 650 000 Drs (approximately 25 000 ECU).

There  is  no  evidence  of  irregularities  in  the  way  this  action  has  been  implemented,  or  of  infringement  of
Community law.

(98/C 158/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3535/97

by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Council

(14 November 1997)

Subject: Hazard caused by a tank containing arsenic in Albania

During an official visit to Albania, the chairman of the Italian Senate Health Committee, Mr Francesco Carella,
learned of the existence of a tank containing 800 cubic metres of arsenic at a chemical plant in Fier. The tank is on
the point of disintegrating, which would cause a major ecological disaster and create a public health hazard in
Albania, Greece and Italy.

Will the Council provide technical and financial assistance for the Albanian Government to have this dangerous
tank repaired and removed?

Answer

(12 February 1998)

Since Albania emerged from isolation, it has benefited from substantial Community assistance, amounting to
ECU  557  million  between  1991  and  1996.  Since  the  eruption  of  the  recent  crisis  in  Albania  the  Council  has
repeatedly  stated,  most  recently  at  its  meeting  on  10  November  1997,  that  the  Community  is  determined  to
continue providing aid. It is clear, however, that good governance in Albania is first and foremost the sovereign
responsibility of the Albanian authorities.

The  Council  shares  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  concern  about  the  specific  case  of  arsenic  stored  at  the  Fier
chemical plant. Aid programmes, including PHARE, are managed by the Commission, which is aware of the
facts described by the Honourable Member and is assessing the situation; it will thus be for the Commission to
arrange for the assistance necessary to contribute, together with the Albanian authorities, towards solving the
problems involved.

(98/C 158/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3536/97

by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Commission

(12 November 1997)

Subject: Hazard caused by a tank containing arsenic in Albania

During an official visit to Albania, the chairman of the Italian Senate Health Committee, Mr Francesco Carella,
learned of the existence of a tank containing 800 cubic metres of arsenic at a chemical plant in Fier. The tank is on
the point of disintegrating, which would cause a major ecological disaster and create a public health hazard in
Albania, Greece and Italy.

Will  the  Commission  provide  technical  and  financial  assistance  for  the  Albanian  Government  to  have  this
dangerous tank repaired and removed?