WRITTEN QUESTION E-2574/00 by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Accident involving a UN jet in Kosovo.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, Kosovo, World Food Programme, aircraft, common foreign and security policy, judicial inquiry, powers of the institutions (EU), transport accident

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/187

Does it not consider that the property and activities of the Serb inhabitants of Kosovo should be
2.
protected and efforts made to ensure that correct legal and administrative procedures are observed in the
region?

3. What measures will
destroyed by pillaging?

it take to prevent the historical and artistic heritage of Kosovo from being

Reply

(10 November 2000)

The Council deplores the continuing ethnic violence against non-Albanian minorities in Kosovo. Accord-
ing to the Council(cid:146)s information, the destruction of Orthodox churches and monasteries is not primarily
due to the fact that documents are being stored there, although the Serb community does seem to have
used certain sites to keep important documents safe. Reference might be made to the Patriarchate of Pec.
In this case, however, information has reached the Council to the effect that most of the documents which
were being kept there have meanwhile been transferred to the municipal authorities in Pec, under
Albanian majority administration, after having been copied onto microfilm with assistance from Belgrade.
These copies are said to have remained in the hands of the Patriarchate.

The Honourable Member will certainly be aware that the Union is not responsible for maintaining public
order and security in Kosovo. That is the task of the UNMIK Police Force and KFOR on the basis of the
mandate they received under Security Council Resolution 1244. However, the Council welcomes KFOR(cid:146)s
efforts to provide round-the-clock protection for the most important religious sites, to patrol secondary
sites and to establish checkpoints throughout the whole province in order to control access to areas
inhabited by Serbs.

The Commission has already had occasion in the past to draw the European Parliament(cid:146)s attention to the
fact that it does not have the necessary powers to protect Kosovo(cid:146)s civil and religious heritage, but that it is
of course willing to cooperate with other organisations (Reply to Written Question E-1587/99). The
Commission(cid:146)s projects include a joint study with the Council of Europe to define conservation needs
regarding Kosovo(cid:146)s cultural heritage and the creation, together with the Council of Europe, of a high-level
expert group to suggest ways of solving the problems resulting from the damage to, and in some cases,
destruction of, Kosovo(cid:146)s cultural heritage. Once the findings of the study are available, which should be
towards the end of the year, it will be possible to have an overall view of the problem.

(2001/C 103 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2574/00

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Accident involving a UN jet in Kosovo

On 12 November 1999 an ATR jet rented by the United Nations World Food Programme crashed into
Mount Picelli, killing the three crew members together with 21 volunteers from Rome who had come to
Kosovo to help a country torn by hatred and misery. According to reports in the European press, the
officer in charge of the control tower was a British soldier who did not have sufficient training to carry out
the duties entrusted to him, having only followed a five-hour course.

1. What steps will the Council take to assist the inquiries being conducted by the Italian authorities into
this accident, which cost 24 lives?

Should it not seek the cooperation of the British Government in an effort to shed light on these

2.
events?

3. With the same end in view, should it not also seek to secure the cooperation of the United Nations,
which also has responsibility for the administration of Kosovo?

C 103 E/188

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Reply

(9 November 2000)

On 15 November 1999 the Council expressed its condolences and deepest sympathy to the families
and friends of
the
the
World Food Programme (WFP), which had crashed on landing at Pristina three days before. The aircraft
in question, an ATR 42-300, was registered in France and operated by the Italian airline Si Fly.

chartered by

twenty-four

victims of

accident

to the

aircraft

the

However, the Council would point out to the Honourable Member that it has no jurisdiction when it
comes to inquiries.

(2001/C 103 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2577/00

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Council

(26 July 2000)

Subject: Use of rectified concentrated grape must to the detriment of the Sicilian wine-producing sector

The Sicilian wine-producing sector is going through a significant process of expansion and improving the
quality of its products, as recognised throughout the world. The relevant Community authorities are about
to adopt provisions allowing the use of rectified concentrated grape must, produced from grapes picked
outside the wine-growing areas of zones C III A and C III B. These provisions are likely to have an adverse
effect on the whole wine-producing sector in Sicily and other Mediterranean regions.

Can the Council say:

1. whether it can confirm that the above-mentioned provisions are soon to be adopted?

2.

if so, whether it can endeavour to ensure that the provisions are revised to prevent adverse economic
effects on Sicilian wine producers?

Reply

(10 November 2000)

The common organisation of the wine-producing market does not contain rules limiting the use of
rectified concentrated grape must to grapes picked in certain wine-growing areas. Council Regulation (EC)
No 1493/99 on the common organisation of the market in wine (1) provides specific aid inter alia for
rectified concentrated grape musts (Article 34(b), Title III, Chapter III,
(cid:145)Aids for specific uses(cid:146)). That
provision also lays down that (cid:145)The grant of aid may be reserved for products coming from wine-growing
zone C III if the trade patterns in must and coupage wines cannot be guaranteed without this measure(cid:146).

The new Regulation took effect on 1 August 2000 and,
implementing rules, the Commission adopted Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 of 25 July 2000 (2).

in accordance with its powers to establish

Given that the Commission has jurisdiction for this area, it is not for the Council to issue an opinion on
the scope of this implementing Regulation.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 45.