WRITTEN QUESTION No. 231/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Dam on the River Arachthos
Date: 1998-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: Epirus, engineering structure, environmental impact, environmental protection, hydraulic works, impact study, lake, power plant, protected area, protected species

C 304/58

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

(98/C 304/80)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0230/98

by Panayotis Lambrias (PPE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: Under-performance and downgrading of the National School for Public Administration in Greece

According to allegations made by the students(cid:146) association of the National School for Public Administration
(ESDD) in Greece, the ESDD is under-performing and is being downgraded. Given that the ESDD is funded by
the European Union and that funding covers the construction of a building (75%) and its operational costs (90%
from the Kleisthenis Programme), will the Commission say what measures it intends to take to ensure that the
ESDD  functions  efficiently  and  that  the  funds  which  the  European  Union  has  allocated  ›  and  continues  to
allocate › for this purpose are well used?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1998)

The National school for public administration is indeed supported by the structural funds through the operational
programme (cid:145)Modernisation of the public service(cid:146) (Kleisthenis). More specifically, for the second Community
structural funds (CSF) programming period 1994-1999, 8.3 MECU have been allocated by the European social
fund (ESF) for the introductory training of public officials, whereas the European regional development fund
(ERDF) has committed 0,55 MECU for the development of databases and network infrastructures for the above
school. No funds have been allocated towards buildings for this school.

Through  its  participation  in  the  programme(cid:146)s  monitoring  committee,  the  Commission  aims  to  influence  the
quality  of  training  offered  by  the  National  school  for  public  administration.  It  is  worth  mentioning  that  the
monitoring committee has decided to launch studies for the modernisation and up-grading of the school, as well
as the evaluation of the training offered to civil servants. On the basis of the conclusions of the studies, measures
should be planned to improve the operation of the school and the quality of services it gives. The execution of the
studies has however been seriously delayed.

As the Honourable Member knows, the implementation of operations supported by the structural funds lies with
the  national  authorities.  The  Commission  will  continue  its  efforts  as  regards  the  up-grading  of  the  National
school for public administration, and, in the framework of the mid-term review exercise which is under way, will
pay particular attention to the quality of action already agreed.

(98/C 304/81)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0231/98

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: Dam on the River Arachthos

It  is  planned  to  build  a  hydroelectric  dam  on  the  River  Arachthos  in  the  region  of  Aghios  Nikolaos  in  the
municipality of Daphnotis. This dam will create a reservoir of five km2.

According  to  allegations  by  ecological  associations  and  local  inhabitants,  this  project  is  not  needed  to  meet
energy requirements, since more economical alternatives exist (natural gas-fired combined cycle plants). Given
that: the dam and reservoir will raise the groundwater level, causing greater subsidence and creating the potential
for major disasters; the reservoir will cover two local monuments of historical and cultural interest, the Bridge of
Plaka  and  the  customs  building;  the  special  environmental  impact  assessment  commissioned  by  the  Epirus
region is opposed to the project and proposes that the river bed be declared a nature protection area and that all
projects be ruled out;

will the Commission say:

1. 

Is it aware of these allegations?

2.  Does  an  environmental  impact  assessment  exist  for  this  project,  and  have  the  alternative  solutions  been

studied?

3. 

Is there a comprehensive proposal for the protection of the region which is already burdened by other similar
projects?