WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1477/98 by Lis JENSEN to the Commission. Sofia International Airport Upgrade and Extension Project
Date: 1998-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, JENSEN LIS
Subjects: Bulgaria, EU financing, European Investment Bank, International Civil Aviation Organisation, airport, environmental impact, impact study, noise pollution

22.12.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 402/137

(98/C 402/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1469/98

by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Commission

(13 May 1998)

Subject: Staffing levels in DG VI

Would the Commission please give a breakdown of the number of A category staff employed by DG VI on a full-
time basis for the following areas of responsibility:

› animal welfare (farming, transport and slaughter)

› residues in food (including hormones and antibiotics)

› zoonotic diseases (Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, etc.)?

Would it also state whether they are permanent officials, temporary staff or seconded national experts and, for the
latter two categories, the date when their employment at the Commission will end?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 1998)

The unit responsible in the Directorate General for Agriculture for these issues is unit VI/B.II.2 (cid:145)LØgislation
vØtØrinaire et zootechnique(cid:146). This unit employs 22 category A staff.

In the area of animal welfare (farming, transport and slaughter) one A category temporary agent (AT) is
employed, whose contract will end on 15 July 1998 and one A category national expert (END) whose contract
will end on 31 January 1999.

In the area of residues in food (including hormones and antibiotics) one A category temporary agent (AT) is
employed, whose contract will end on 31 August 1998.

In the area of zoonotic diseases (salmonella, campylobacter, listeria) one A category national expert (END) is
employed, whose contract will end on 31 January 2001.

(98/C 402/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1477/98

by Lis Jensen (I-EDN) to the Commission

(13 May 1998)

Subject: Sofia International Airport Upgrade and Extension Project

The Sofia International Airport Upgrade and Extension Project is funded by the EIB for an amount of
ECU 60 million. That amount is earmarked for the extension of the runway and the construction of a passenger
terminal. The contract is already signed. However, no definitive project has been drawn up and no EIA has been
carried out.

Only a general Master Plan for the Reconstruction of the Sofia Airport exists, drawn up by a British company,
Halcrow and Partners. There is no specific project.

In the Master Plan several variants are proposed for the extension of the runway. Construction is bound to begin
without proper assessment of the variants and the project. An EIA on the specific project should be carried out,
not only an EIA on the general plan. At the public meeting devoted to the EIA on the general plan, arguments
were raised against the current plan and alternative sites for the airport were proposed. None of these were taken
into account.

The airport is situated unacceptably close to the city of Sofia. The noise and emission levels are higher than the
relevant standards. There have been numerous protests and petitions against the further expansion of the airport
by local people.

Why is the EIB continuing to finance a project which has not been actually specified, designed and on which no
EIA has been carried out?