WRITTEN QUESTION E-1343/00 by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Turkmenistan.
Date: 2000-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Christianity, Turkmenistan, common foreign and security policy, freedom of religious beliefs

C 53 E/130

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

The Commission has authorised a number of state aid schemes in Saxony, including a fiscal aid scheme
called the (cid:145)Investitionszulage(cid:146) which allows tax credits for investments made. Unlike Cheltenham, Saxony is
an area where the standard of living is abnormally low and which is therefore eligible for such regional
state aid under Article 87(3)(a) (ex Article 92) of the EC Treaty. The Commission is not currently in
possession of any information which would suggest that Community state aid rules have been breached in
this case.

The Commission believes that it is important not to overestimate the importance of aid in firms(cid:146) decisions.
Although aid may affect the choice of a new location, it is much more doubtful that it has a decisive
influence on a decision to close or reduce the existing one. Other internal and external elements such as
the firm(cid:146)s overall strategy, availability of manpower, wage levels and infrastructure play an important role.

That said, the Commission has already taken action which will reduce the level of incentives which
Member States can give companies to close down in one place and open up in another.

In particular, the Commission reduced levels of regional aid which Member States can grant in the new
regional aid guidelines (1). The multisectoral framework on regional aid for large investment projects (2) can
further reduce these levels for large projects.

The Commission has also adopted a notice on the application of the state aid rules to measures relating to
direct business taxation (3), explaining how state aid rules can apply to fiscal incentives.

(1) OJ C 74, 10.3.1998.
(2) OJ C 107, 7.4.1998.
(3) OJ C 384, 10.12.1998.

(2001/C 53 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1343/00

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Turkmenistan

Will the Commission inquire about the fate of Mrs Artykgul Atakova of Turkmenistan, a young woman
with five children who is under serious threat on account of her conversion to Christianity?

Is the Commission aware that, although the Constitution of Turkmenistan provides for freedom of religion
and freedom of expression, Christian evangelists are deported from there, gatherings of Christians are
disrupted, and Christians are threatened, arrested and sentenced to prison or labour camps?

What are the European Union(cid:146)s relations with Turkmenistan, and what can the Commission do to bring
pressure to bear to guarantee freedom of religion for Christians in Turkmenistan?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2000)

The Commission has been informed that Mrs Artygul Atakova, a mother of five children, has been
harassed by the authorities because she protested to her children(cid:146)s school about the requirement for all
pupils to bow to the portrait of President Nyazov. No charges have been made against her but she has
been questioned by the komitet nasionalniy bezopastniy (KNB) and her movements have been restricted.

20.2.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/131

Mrs Atakov is the wife of Shagildy Atakova who is at present in prison, serving a four year sentence on a
charge of fraud. The true reason for the conviction is, however, believed to be that he has been a religious
activist. Other relatives are reported to have been harassed in order to put pressure on the Atakov family.
The Commission is seeking to check this information which has been reported by Amnesty International.

As for the government(cid:146)s general position on religion, although the constitution permits freedom of
worship, in practice religious groups need to register. Under Turkmen rule, the official religions have
flourished with their houses of worship increasing from two mosques in 1991 to 268 mosques and
11 Russian Orthodox churches today, but only the Sunni Moslem and Russian Orthodox religions have
been allowed to operate unhindered. No other groups have been allowed to register and Christian
Protestant groups, as well as Jehovah(cid:146)s Witnesses and others, have been harassed. The Roman Catholic
church is allowed to have services only in the Apostolic Nunciature premises. President Nyazov has stated
that (cid:145)in Turkmenistan, there never were nor will be fanatics(cid:146). Therefore a number of pastors holding other
nationalities have been deported. The destruction of the Seventh Day Adventist Church which took place
in November 1999 in Ashgabat shows Turkmenistan(cid:146)s policy towards religion. The Commission is aware
that there are increasing reports of confiscated religious literature, arrests, mistreatment in prison and of
foreign missionaries being forced out of the country.

The Commission is taking into account these elements in its bilateral relations with Turkmenistan. The
Union has concluded a partnership cooperation agreement (PCA) with Turkmenistan which is now subject
to ratification in the parliaments of the Member States and the Parliament. As long as this PCA has not
entered into force, bilateral relations are covered by a trade and cooperation agreement. Although this
agreement does not allow for political dialogue, Union representatives used the last joint committee
in November 1999 in Ashgabat to raise issues on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. A Union
statement on Turkmenistan was made on 9 March 2000 in the Organization for security and cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) permanent council stating that (cid:145)the EU urges the (Turkmen) authorities to reconsider the
case of prisoners being in custody solely on political grounds(cid:146).

(2001/C 53 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1355/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Need for accurate diagnosis of the technology gap between Europe and America

A recent report claims that the rapid growth of certain information technology industries hides the fact
that, overall, Europe(cid:146)s competitiveness is continuing to fall vis-(cid:224)-vis other regions, such as North America
and Japan.

The widening gap between the New World and Europe, and the splits which the new economics are
creating within Europe itself is frankly alarming.

Does the Commission believe that it should therefore propose setting up a Committee of Wise Men who
could establish an accurate diagnosis of just how far behind Europe is actually lagging, and put forward a
range of proposals for overcoming the technology gap, which is unquestionably the major challenge facing
Europe today?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

The competitiveness of the European industries making up the information society is of prime importance
for the whole of Europe(cid:146)s economy. Indeed, those individual components are responsible for a large
proportion of economic growth and thus in the current rise in the number of jobs.

It is against this backdrop that the Commission has launched the eEurope initiative and the jobs strategies
within the information society which have,
in particular, succeeded in drawing the attention of the
political decision-makers to this matter. Owing to that initiative the Lisbon European Council noted the
changes taking place and asked for appropriate action in order to promote the expansion of the new
economy.