WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3718/97 by Stelios ARGYROS to the Commission. Preservation of the ancient temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae (Phigaleia)
Date: 1997-11-19
Institutions: ARGYROS, European Parliament
Subjects: Community support framework, EU financing, Greece, architectural heritage, building industry, cultural heritage, heritage protection, museum, operational programme

C 187/46

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

(98/C 187/74)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3718/97

by Stelios Argyros (PPE) to the Commission

(19 November 1997)

Subject: Preservation of the ancient temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae (Phigaleia)

Bassae in Phigaleia (in the Prefecture of Ileia in the Peloponnese in Greece) is the site of the ancient temple of
Apollo Epikourios which unquestionably constitutes an important part of Europe(cid:146)s cultural heritage.

However, this temple is now badly damaged, and immediate action is needed if it is to be saved. Its frieze is
exhibited in the British Museum.

Does the Commission share this concern for the survival of this temple, and can it say:

1.  whether the Greek Government has shown any interest in, or set in motion any procedure for, the return of

the frieze to its place of origin, so that it can be exhibited in its natural setting?

2.  whether the Greek Government has submitted › or intends to submit in the immediate future › within the
framework of the Community Support Framework (either in the Regional Operational Programme for the
Peloponnese  or  as  part  of  section  3  of  the  Regional  Operational  Programme  for  Tourism  and  Culture)  a
proposal for funding the construction of a museum next to the temple to house all or part of the frieze and
other architectural features which are at present scattered over the surrounding area?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 1998)

The Commission acknowledges the importance of the protection conservation of the ancient temple of Apollo
Epikourios at Bassae, Greece. It is with this preoccupation in mind that in the framework of its action in favour of
the European architectural heritage in 1984, the Commission supported with ECU 33 000 conservation works
carried out at the temple in the period 1984-1985.

Furthermore,  and  in  the  context  of  the  framework  Community  support  (CCA)  1994-1999  and  under  the
operational programme (0P) for western Greece (sub programme 2, measure 3) the Regional development fund
cofinances the project (cid:145)Protection of the temple of Epikourios Apollon(cid:146) with the amount of 1.6 MECU. However,
no request has been submitted for the construction of a museum either under the regional operational programme
or under the CCA operational programme for (cid:145)Tourism-culture(cid:146).

As to whether the Greek authorities have shown any interest or set in motion any procedures for the return of the
temple(cid:146)s frieze by the British museum to its place of origin, the Commission has no competence to intervene. It is
the exclusive responsibity of the two Member States concerned to deal with the issue. However, the Commission
is not aware of any motion or request on behalf of the Greek authorities for the return of the temple(cid:146)s frieze by the
British museum.

(98/C 187/75)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3722/97

by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission

(21 November 1997)

Subject: Law on environmental impact assessment in the Province of Bolzano, Italy

The  Commission  has  had  to  call  Italy  to  account  on  a  number  of  occasions  for  failure  to  comply  with  the
European Directive on environmental impact assessment in the law of the province of Bolzano. This dispute has
still not been settled.

In the province attention is currently focused on the Bolzano provincial council(cid:146)s decision to carry out substantial
rebuilding work on the airport of Bolzano, which until now has been used only for small private planes, in order
to turn it into a regional airport handling scheduled flights linking Bolzano its catchment area with a number of
important  Italian  and  European  cities  and  open  it  up  to  the  profitable  charter  flight  market,  in  view  of  the
development of tourism, which is now extremely important for the economy of the whole region.