WRITTEN QUESTION E-0334/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Special treatment of a Kurdish national imprisoned in Hamburg.
Date: 2000-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, foreign national, hunger strike, prison system, prisoner

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/131

The Commission is not aware of the existence of any private insurance schemes currently operating on the
market and providing farmers with cover against the risks arising from veterinary diseases. However, as the
Commission already indicated in the (cid:145)Report on the situation in the pigmeat sector in the European Union
with a view to possible changes to structural support measures(cid:146) (1), it would welcome the creation of an
insurance scheme for emergencies funded by farm producers(cid:146) contributions.

On the other hand, the financial support from the public authorities should be conditional upon the
disease being notified without delay, and upon the provisions of Community legislation on the eradication
of diseases (cid:129) including Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary
field (2) (cid:129) being implemented effectively.

(1) COM(98) 434 final.
(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.

(2000/C 330 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0334/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Special treatment of a Kurdish national imprisoned in Hamburg

Ilhan Gelkouvan, a Kurdish national imprisoned in Hamburg, has for many days been on a hunger strike
with the intention of starving himself to death, maintaining that, although his case has been tried by the
courts and final judgment delivered, he is being excluded from the schedule applicable to other prisoners,
being given different treatment and being held in solitary confinement. We have now learned that other
prisoners in the EU Member States and in third countries have also commenced hunger strikes in
sympathy.

Is the Council aware of the special treatment being given to Ilhan Gelkouvan by the Hamburg prison

1.
authorities?

2. What measures will
it take to end this and ensure that the prisoner concerned is treated in
accordance with the same criteria applicable to other prisoners, given the fact that he is seeking no more
than his due?

Reply

(2 May 2000)

The Council has no information on the treatment mentioned and has no competence to deal with the
questions raised by the honourable Member of the European Parliament.

(2000/C 330 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0338/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Unemployment figures for Greece

(14 February 2000)

Under the title (cid:145)EUROPE WEEKLY SELECTED STATISTICS No 1128(cid:146),
(cid:145)Europe(cid:146) of 20 December 1999
published information from the Eurostat News Release No 120/99 concerning unemployment figures in
the European Union Member States, Japan and the USA. However, as we have repeatedly pointed out,
these statistics do not include figures for unemployment in Greece. In a previous answer to my Written
Question E-1448/97 (1), the Commission indicated that (cid:145)as from 1998, the National Statistical Service of
Greece is planning to implement a continuous labour force survey which will provide quarterly
unemployment rates(cid:146).