WRITTEN QUESTION E-3458/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Special regional planning studies for the Cyclades.
Date: 2000-11-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, administrative formalities, environmental protection, littoral, operational programme, town and country planning

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/129

On the question of the management and the organisation of the Commission(cid:146)s Representation in Sweden,
it should first of all be pointed out that the Stockholm Representation has an acting head for the time
being and that this person has performed very creditably in a job which is particularly difficult given the
present circumstances. Furthermore, as the Commission has already informed the Honourable Members in
its answer to Oral Question H-741/00 by Mr Sj(cid:246)stedt at the October I part-session (2), the procedure for
recruitment of a new Head of Representation is currently in its closing stages. The Commission will
appoint an official to the post before the end of 2000, strictly in accordance with the rules applicable in
this matter, and will at all events ensure that the forthcoming Swedish Presidency of the Union will be able
to rely fully on the contribution of the Commission(cid:146)s Representation in Sweden.

(1) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999.
(2) Debates of the European Parliament (October I 2000).

(2001/C 163 E/143)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3458/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Special regional planning studies for the Cyclades

(8 November 2000)

At the end of the 1980s, special teams of scientists were given the task, under the Envireg and MOP
(multifund operational programme) Community programmes, of drafting (cid:145)special regional planning studies(cid:146)
on the development, land use and environmental protection of the Cyclades islands. However, allegations
and protests have revealed that some of these studies have not yet been completed, and many others
which have been completed have not been legally ratified by the publication of presidential decrees to
enable them to be used.

It is clear from communication 1037/18.7.2000 by the State Secretary for the Environment, Regional
Planning and Public Works that Greece seems to be making choices that are at odds with the legal
provisions of the special regional planning studies. One direct result of this obstructionism is that the
major problems concerning the environment, development and the economy faced on a daily basis by the
sensitive island ecosystems of the Cyclades have not been solved and are in fact worsening, while land
development is increasing apace.

In view of the particular wish of both the Commission and the Council for a Community strategy for the
integrated management and development of coastal areas, based on the principles of long-term sustain-
ability and sound environmental practice, could the Commission say, since it has co-financed the studies,
why the studies have not been legally ratified by the publication of corresponding presidential decrees,
although many of them have already been completed, why Greece is making choices other than those put
forward by the special regional planning studies, as demonstrated by the replies of the Ministry of the
Environment, Regional Planning and Public Works, and whether the relevant sanctions have been imposed
on all those who have not completed the studies within the required time, as has emerged from various
allegations?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2000)

The Commission is aware of the slowness with which the Greek authorities have been implementing the
(cid:145)special regional planning studies(cid:146) and has raised this point on several occasions within the Monitoring
Committees supervising the operational programmes under which they have been part-financed.

The Greek authorities have made no secret of the delays in practical application of these studies, the
explanation repeatedly given being the complexity of the legal and administrative procedures for their
implementation.

C 163 E/130

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

One of the goals of the Community Initiative (cid:145)Envireg(cid:146) in 1990-1993 was to prepare these studies but,
because of the subsidiarity principle, no time limit was put on their application on the ground, this being
left to the discretion of the Member State. This is why, when the Initiative was wound up and the final
balance paid, the Commission did not refuse money for these studies; the Greek authorities continued to
express their intention of completing the procedure for their implementation. The same situation arose
over similar studies of this kind part-financed under regional operational programmes in 1989-1993.

In the 1994-1999 programming period, more studies of this kind were part-financed mainly under
measure 4.2 of the operational programme entitled (cid:145)Environment(cid:146). Similar problems with slow procedures
arose. Accordingly, at the 9th meeting of the Monitoring Committee held in Athens on 15 December
1999, it was decided that part-financing under this OP would be limited to the 25 studies which could be
implemented on the ground by the end of 2001. In the case of the other studies, which are generally being
conducted in four phases, the only eligible expenditure under this programme would be spending on the
phase already started.

The other points raised by the Honourable Member, such as the choices made by the national authorities
and possible penalties for delays, fall solely within the competence of the Member State.

(2001/C 163 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3465/00

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 November 2000)

Subject: Respect for civil rights in Romania

In 1992 two Italian citizens, Mr Matar and Mrs Quinci, decided to move to Romania to set up a
wholesaling business. Within a few years this business was becoming increasingly profitable, and various
sales points were opened in Bucharest and Constanta.

In June 1999 Mr Matar received a deportation order and was forced to leave Romania within 48 hours,
abandoning his house and all his property, without being informed of the reason for this measure. The
same thing happened to Mrs Quinci, who received a deportation order for five years while she was in Italy
for reasons connected with her daughters(cid:146) studies.

Following legal action against this unjustified procedure, the Matar-Quinci spouses learnt, after consider-
able opposition from the Romanian Ministry of the Interior, that the reason for Mr Matar(cid:146)s deportation
was the activities of his wife, who was wrongly accused of being a journalist who had worked in Lebanon
during the civil war, having become a supporter of Islamic Hezbollah, having written and published daily
Italian articles supporting Hezbollah and having continued these journalistic activities in Bucharest, holding
conferences, of which no further details were given, and creating (cid:145)cover(cid:146) companies. These assertions were
untrue, since no trace of the articles or other activities attributed to the Italian couple was found.

The Romanian supreme court, to whom the case was referred, allowed Mr Matar(cid:146)s appeal of unconstitu-
tionality on grounds of abuse of power, in judgement No 299 of 5 May 2000 concerning the legislation
making provision for the issuing of deportation orders without the normal procedures having been
followed. In fact, in the case of Mr Matar the order had been issued directly by the immigration authorities
and not by a magistrate.

In view of these facts, does the Commission not consider that the current lack of respect for civil rights in
Romania is a factor which must be taken into consideration in the negotiations underway with a view to
Romania joining the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

In order to join the Community, Romania like any other candidate country has to fulfil the accession
criteria established by the European Council at its meeting in Copenhagen in 1993. In particular, the