WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3390/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS Health hazards for the population of Northern Greece
Date: 1998-11-17
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Greece, North Macedonia, Türkiye, environmental protection, frontier region, nuclear safety, public health, radioactive pollution, radioactive waste, underground storage of waste













EUR-Lex - 91998E3390 - EN






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91998E3390

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3390/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS Health hazards for the population of Northern Greece  


Official Journal C 289 , 11/10/1999 P. 0044 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3390/98by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission(17 November 1998)Subject: Health hazards for the population of Northern GreeceThe implementation of an agreement between FYROM and Turkey on the burial of nuclear and toxic waste next to the FYROM-Greek border poses a horrendous health hazard for the population of Northern Greece. More specifically, Greek press reports (based on foreign diplomatic sources) state that during the recent visit of Turkish President Suleyman Demirel to Skopje discussions were held on the burial of waste on FYROM territory, and it was agreed that Turkey would pay 200 million dollars to FYROM in exchange for burying Turkish and French nuclear and toxic waste in the Morichovou region which lies on the FYROM-Greek border.Geological studies have found that the storage of toxic waste on FYROM territory would lead to the pollution of the Thermaic Gulf, since 98 % of this waste would be transported there by underground streams.Will the Commission say whether it is aware of the above matter and what action it intends to take in order effectively to protect the health of the inhabitants of Northern Greece and the ecosystem of the Thermaic Gulf from dangerous actions by the two countries in question (Turkey and FYROM) which both receive economic assistance from the EU?Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission(6 January 1999)The Commission is not aware of the specific arrangements between Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia concerning nuclear waste disposal on the territory of the latter close to the border of Greece, but has taken due note of what the Honourable Member says.The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey are both parties to the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal which entered into force in 1992. According to Article 1, paragraph 3 of this Convention, radioactive wastes subject to other international control systems, including international instruments, applying specifically to radioactive materials, are excluded from the scope of this Convention. The disposal in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia of nuclear waste originating in Turkey and any possible impact on the Greek population, may be, therefore, subject of other international arrangements. In any case, this clearly is a matter between the countries concerned and does not fall under the responsibility of the Community.According to the second report(1) on the application in 1994 and 1995 of Council Directive 92/3/Euratom of 3 February 1992 on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste between Member States and into and out of the Community(2) France has not shipped any radioactive waste towards the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Article 11.2 of this Directive says that shipments towards a third country cannot be authorized if the Member State of origin is of the opinion that the third country does not have the technical, legal or administrative resources to manage the radioactive waste safety.(1) COM(95) 192 final.(2) OJ L 35, 12.2.1992.