WRITTEN QUESTION E-2170/00 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council. Stability of FYROM.
Date: 2000-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kosovo, North Macedonia, common foreign and security policy, peacekeeping, threat to national security

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/79

from Kosovo, are engaged in drugs trafficking, smuggling, illegal arms shipments and the illegal trade in
people and recently have sought to acquire a political facade, involving themselves in plots to undermine
efforts to normalise the situation in Kosovo. However,
it is necessary and politically indispensable to
ensure the stability, peace and security of a state such as FYROM which has repeatedly acted responsibly in
the Kosovo crisis, and in the region in general. Furthermore, it is assumed that the bodies responsible for
the administration of Kosovo are answerable for their actions to the European Union.

What measures does the Commission intend to take to put an end to the efforts by these circles to
destabilise FYROM?

Has the Commission checked whether (cid:145)cooperation(cid:146) ties have been established between these groups and
the peculiar (cid:145)authority(cid:146) which has been established in Kosovo?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Commission is not aware of the specific incidents to which the Honourable Member refers. It would,
however, observe that
the UCK/KLA was demilitarised and disbanded in September 1999 to the
satisfaction of the international military administration in Kosovo.

The (cid:145)bodies responsible for the administration of Kosovo(cid:146) to which the Honourable Member refers are, as
regards the international civil administration, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMiK) and, as
regards the international military administration, KFOR. These are established under United Nations (UN)
Security Council Resolution 1244 and are, contrary to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s assumption, answerable
not to the Union but to the United Nations. Obviously, those parts of the international civil administration
which are in receipt of Community funds are answerable to the appropriate Union authorities as regards
the use of such funds.

As regards the (cid:145)cooperation ties(cid:146) which the Honourable Member alleges to have been established between
the groupings to which he refers and the (cid:145)peculiar authority which has been established in Kosovo(cid:146), the
Commission would like to recall that the authority in Kosovo (cid:129) as described above (cid:129) is based on a UN
the
Security Council Resolution and is in no way (cid:145)peculiar(cid:146). The Commission is equally sure that
Honourable Member is not implying that this international civil administration is engaged in illegal or
questionable activities.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns about the importance of the stability, peace
and security of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and is currently engaged in negotiations with
that state on the establishment of the first of the new stabilisation and association agreements.

(2001/C 103 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2170/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(30 June 2000)

Subject: Stability of FYROM

According to press reports, there have recently been attempts to infiltrate groups of persons into FYROM
with the aim of destabilising the country. These groups come from Kosovo, consist of UCK units, are
engaged in drugs trafficking, smuggling, illegal arms shipments and the illegal trade in people and recently
have sought to acquire a political facade, involving themselves in plots to undermine efforts to normalise
the situation in Kosovo. However, it is necessary and politically indispensable to ensure the stability, peace
and security of a state such as FYROM which has repeatedly acted responsibly in the Kosovo crisis, and in
the region in general. Furthermore, it is assumed that the bodies responsible for the administration of
Kosovo are answerable for their actions to the European Union.

C 103 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

What measures does the Council intend to take to put an end to the efforts by these circles to destabilise
FYROM?

Has the Council checked whether (cid:145)cooperation(cid:146) ties have been established between these groups and the
peculiar (cid:145)authority(cid:146) which has been established in Kosovo?

Reply

(9 November 2000)

The Feira European Council confirmed that its objective remained the fullest possible integration of the
countries of the Western Balkans into the political and economic mainstream of Europe, including the
prospect of accession once all of the conditions had been met. Furthermore, at France(cid:146)s initiative, a summit
meeting will be held in the autumn between the European Union and the Balkan States to assure these
countries of Europe(cid:146)s solidarity and to study together the means to accelerate the process of democratic
and economic reform.

The FYROM is fully involved in the Stabilisation and Association Process for the Western Balkans. This
Process aims to bring about stability in the region and includes Stabilisation and Association Agreements,
the liberalisation of trade, political dialogue, substantial economic and financial aid and cooperation in the
field of Justice and Home Affairs. The future Stabilisation and Association Agreement that the EU is
currently negotiating with the FYROM will in point of fact entail closer cooperation, including financial
aid, in the field of Justice and Home Affairs. The Council welcomes the progress made thus far in the
negotiations and hopes that they will be concluded as soon as possible.

The Feira European Council also underlined the importance it attaches to the inviolability of frontiers, and
in particular to the territorial integrity of FYROM; it also reaffirmed its support for the full implementation
of Security Council Resolution 1244.

In this context, the Council fully supports the efforts deployed by UNMIK in Kosovo, in particular in the
fields of border controls and emigration, drug and arms trafficking and the smuggling of contraband
goods. In this respect the Honourable Member is no doubt aware that the EU is the largest contributor to
UNMIK in terms of financial and staff resources, including police forces.

The Council has started to reflect on a coordinated approach to combating organised crime in the Western
Balkans, taking into account the relevant conclusions from the Ancona Conference, the Adriatic and Ionian
Cooperation Process and the work achieved at Table 3 of the Stability Pact.

(2001/C 103 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2174/00

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Improving the living conditions of country women in the mountainous areas of MÆlaga province

(Spain)

The experience of many country women living in mountainous areas in MÆlaga province (Spain) is one of
total isolation which in certain cases stems from a lack of information.

Efforts are therefore being made by the local authorities to overcome such women(cid:146)s isolation and lack of
information by dispatching local multi-disciplinary teams whose job is to alleviate unemployment amongst
women (which is much higher than the corresponding figure for men) and, in short, to improve the living
conditions of women who, on account of extensive shortages and poverty, survive in an environment of
permanent hostility.