WRITTEN QUESTION P-1494/99 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission. Albania ‐ corridors 8 and 10.
Date: 1999-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe, EU aid, EU programme, Greece, Western Balkans, trans-European network, transport network

20.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 170 E/23

The Council has repeatedly stressed to Turkey, and will continue to do so, the need for Turkey(cid:146)s positive
contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem. The Council expects countries with a European
vocation to cooperate with it over its major priorities, one of them being the accession of Cyprus to the
EU and a solution to the Cyprus question. Unfortunately Turkey has been blocking the political dialogue
with the Union on some sensitive questions, including Cyprus, since the European Council in Luxembourg.
However, following the earthquakes in Turkey and Greece and improving bilateral Greek-Turkish relations
the atmosphere in EU-Turkey relations has improved, hopefully paving the way for dialogue also on
Cyprus.

The Council does not share the view expressed by the Honourable Member that an international
conference on the Middle East could be beneficial in the case of Cyprus.

(2000/C 170 E/023)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1494/99

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Albania (cid:129) corridors 8 and 10

Information from Albania seems to confirm a plan giving preference to the completion of (cid:145)corridor 10(cid:146), a
road link between Greece and Montenegro via Albania, at the expense of the completion of what has until
now been regarded as a priority, namely (cid:145)corridor 8(cid:146), a link between southern Italy, Durres, Pristina, Skopje
and Sofia, i.e. between Albania and Kosovo and between Albania and Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania.

Has the Commission any further information on this matter? Is it aware of the grave risks which the
carrying through of such a plan would entail for the stability of the entire region, the internal stability of
Albania and the comprehensive development of relations between, one the one hand, the European Union
and, on the other, Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo?

Can the Commission also provide information concerning the stage reached (including any delays and the
reasons for them) in the completion of corridors 8 and 10 and the Union(cid:146)s contribution thereto?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 1999)

Pan-European transport corridors VIII and X are two of six corridors, which cross the Balkan region and
connect to the Trans-European networks (TENs) and the South-East Europe area.

Corridor VII runs from East to West in the Balkan area. It links the south of Italy and the Adriatic Sea with
the Black Sea. It runs via the ports of D(cid:252)rres/Flores, Tirana (Albania) and Skopje (the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)), further to Sofia (Bulgaria) and to the Bulgarian ports of Burgas and
Varna of the Black Sea.

Corridor X runs from North-West to South-East. It connects Salzburg (Austria) via Ljubljana (Slovenia),
Zagreb (Croatia), Belgrade (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)), Skopje (FYROM), with Thessaloniki
(Greece). Besides this main link, there are four additional branches: (1) a branch from Graz (Austria) via
Maribor (Slovenia) to Zagreb (Croatia); (2) a branch from Budapest (Hungary) to Belgrade (FRY), both
connecting to Corridor V; (3) a branch from Nis (FRY) to Sofia (Bulgaria) and further on corridor IV to
Istanbul; (4) a branch from Veles (Fyrom) via Florina (Greece) to the Via Egnatia.

Connections between Albania and Romania are thus ensured through the links of corridor IV to corridor
VIII. In a similar way, Albania is also connected to the FRY through the links of corridor VIII to corridor X.
Albania is not therefore affected negatively by the development of corridor X.

The development of these corridors is organised through memoranda of understanding (MoU) between the
countries crossed and the Commission. Concrete improvements on each corridor remain in the hands of

C 170 E/24

Official Journal of the European Communities

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20.6.2000

participants of the MoU. A draft MoU for corridor VIII is near completion and will be signed in autumn
1999. Preparatory work for a MoU for corridor X has been held up for several months, due to the
politically difficult situation prevailing in the region and because of the Kosovo crisis. The Commission has
no information which might confirm any attempt to foster the development of corridor X to the detriment
of corridor VIII.

In the very near future the corridors(cid:146) development in the Balkan area, including also corridors VIII and X is
likely to be implemented in the framework of the stability pact for South eastern Europe endorsed on
10 June 1999, to which the Commission will also actively contribute.

Developing corridors serving to integrate the countries concerned into the enlarged TENs is part of the
current Community strategy for the stabilisation and association process in the area. So far, financial
support from the Community for the promotion of corridors VIII and X has been granted under the
PHARE programme, for which however Croatia and the FRY are not at present eligible in the Balkan
region.

In Albania on road corridor VIII, between 1994 and 1997, PHARE has supported (for an amount of
€ 60,6 million) the upgrading of a number of sections, including the widening of roads, the provision of
new bridges and the laying of new pavements. At the same time, the PHARE contribution to the
rehabilitation of the port of Durrºs amounted to € 3,6 million.

In Bulgaria, various sections of the national road network were rehabilitated, including some stretches
along corridor VIII, for a total PHARE contribution amounting to € 40 million.

In FYROM on road corridor X, the 1996 and 1997 PHARE programmes funded the Bogorodica and
Medzitlija border station projects with a contribution of € 6 million. In addition, the modernisation of the
Demir Kapija-Greek border road segment was supported under PHARE with a grant of € 11 million. An
European Investment Bank (EIB) loan of € 70 million with Community interest rate subsidy of € 12 million
has also been made available to improve road sectors on corridors VIII and X.

(2000/C 170 E/024)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1498/99

by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Groups hiring out mercenaries

There have recently been increasingly frequent reports of groups hiring out mercenaries, usually from
Europe and mainly to Africa, but also to other theatres of war.

Is the Commission aware of these activities?

Does the Commission see action to combat such groups as a task to be performed at Union level?

Has the Commission already taken steps to prevent such machinations? If so, what steps? If not, why

1.

2.

3.
not?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 1999)

The Commission is aware of reports of groups hiring out mercenaries to countries in Africa and to other
theatres of war and is concerned about these developments. The Commission is of the view that the
international community should consider effective measures in response to this phenomenon and notes
with interest the work undertaken by the United Nations in this field.

The Commission considers that where such groups are established in Member States or hire nationals of
Member States, responsibility for policy vis-(cid:224)-vis their actions, which might include combating them, lies
primarily with the authorities of the Member States concerned.