WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4004/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Bomb attack against the Oecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Türkiye, civil defence, freedom of religious beliefs, protection of minorities, public safety, religion, religious group

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/53

›  pay a licence fee in the case of agreements on access to an area in exchange for financial compensation.
Agreements with financial compensation are those under which a third country grants fishing opportunities
to Community vessels in exchange for financial compensation paid by the Commission and for a fee charged
to the owner of the vessel requesting the licence. That fee is paid in its entirety by the vessel(cid:146)s owner to the
third country. Such agreements have been concluded with South Atlantic and Indian Ocean countries and
members of the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP).

Thus, a vessel owner requesting a fishing licence for his vessel does not pay money to the Commission and no
amount of that nature therefore appears in the Community budget.

(98/C 196/72)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4004/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Bomb attack against the Oecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul

On 3 December 1997 a bomb attack took place against the Oecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, exploding on
the roof of the Chapel of Saint George. It was thrown from the area north of the Patriarchal Gardens, and Turkish
officials consider that it came from the minaret of a mosque located directly behind the Patriarchal Residence.

In  this  bomb  attack  the  deacon  of  the  Oecumenical  Patriarchate,  Mr  Nektarios,  was  wounded  in  the
shoulder-blade: he was forced to undergo a number of operations in order to remove the shrapnel. It should be
noted that, despite repeated attacks against the Oecumenical Patriarchate, security is still insignificant.

Will the Commission say what measures it intends to take to persuade the Turkish authorities finally to provide
effective security for the Oecumenical Patriarchate in order to prevent any such incidents occurring in future?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 1998)

The  Turkish  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  (MFA)  officially  condemned  in  December  1997  the  attack  on  the
Orthodox  Patriarchate  in  Istanbul.  At  that  point  the  MFA  emphasised  that  everything  would  be  done  for  the
culprits to be arrested and brought before the courts, and to avoid any recurrence. Enquiries are still in progress.

On the subject of security measures taken since the attack, information obtained by the Commission from the
Oecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul tells of armed police constantly stationed to protect the Patriarchate, and of
continuous patrolling by gendarmes in the approaches to the building. The Patriarchate has said it is satisfied
with the steps taken by the Turkish authorities.

(98/C 196/73)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4006/97

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Community production of slate and the environment

Can the Commission provide information concerning present levels of EC aid to the production of slate in the
Community, in the context of the high environmental costs which the sector has to support and which reduce its
competitiveness on the market?