WRITTEN QUESTION P-2154/00 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Community funding in northern Cyprus.
Date: 2000-06-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, EU financing arrangements, Türkiye, local government, non-governmental organisation, occupied territory

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/155

(2001/C 89 E/172)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2154/00

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Community funding in northern Cyprus

(22 June 2000)

Could the Commission state whether its departments have looked at
Community funding directly to municipalities,
located in the northern sector of Cyprus, illegally occupied by the Turkish army?

the possibility of providing
local authorities and non-governmental organisations

In the Commission(cid:146)s view, would it be possible for such a practice to be adopted without
the
internationally recognised government of the Republic of Cyprus being asked for its opinion and giving
its consent?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

Since 1974, Cyprus has suffered from a de facto division. This has meant, it has been impossible for the
Commission to finance directly organisations such as those mentioned by the Honourable Member.
However, the Commission has been constantly aware of the need to do all
it can to bring the two
communities closer together and (supported by the Parliament) in its annual budgetary allocations, a
proportion of the financial assistance to Cyprus has regularly been earmarked for bi-communal activities.

The political tension on the island in the period between the Luxembourg and Helsinki European Council
meetings made it very difficult to implement bi-communal schemes under the fourth financial protocol.
Despite this, however two successful conferences were organised outside the island between trade unionists
and womens(cid:146) groups coming from the two communities.

Since the signing of the new financial protocol
in March 2000, € 3 million will be devoted to bi-
communal projects. The money will be used this year to restore part of the architectural and historic
centre of Nicosia on both sides of the (cid:145)green line(cid:146). The money will be channelled through the United
Nations project known as the (cid:145)Nicosia Master Plan(cid:146), which has been running for some years and
has involved the active participation of the Mayor of Nicosia and his counterpart in the northern section
of the city.

(2001/C 89 E/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2161/00

by Marco Cappato (TDI) to the Council

(22 June 2000)

Subject: Religious freedom in Greece

Ms Chara Kalomiri, a Greek citizen, is at the centre of a legal saga which raises disturbing doubts as to
whether freedom of religion is being respected in Greece. She was reported by the Mount Athos
authorities for having led, from September 1994 to March 1995, a (cid:145)centre for practical psychological
philosophy(cid:146) in the Chalkidiki peninsula. She was sentenced by a Greek lower court in 1997; this sentence
was quashed by the Supreme Court, but a retrial led to her being sentenced over again. The judges justified
their verdict on the grounds that the (cid:145)place of Buddhist worship devoted to meditation(cid:146) had not received
the mandatory authorisation of the Ministry for Education and Religion, which is granted after the
Orthodox hierarchy has given its opinion.

Does the Council not consider that, given that respect for religious freedom is a fundamental right of the
individual and a principle common to all the Member States, action should be taken under Articles 6 and
7 of the TEU or Article 13 of the EC Treaty, as a matter of urgency, to put an end to all violations of
human rights and fundamental freedoms and all forms of discrimination related to religious freedom, with
particular attention being paid to Greece?