WRITTEN QUESTION E-3954/00 by Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Minority languages in Slovakia.
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Slovakia, anti-discriminatory measure, minority language, protection of minorities

C 187 E/90

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

(2001/C 187 E/097)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3953/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Decentralisation process in Slovakia

In its reply to my Written Question E-1924/00 (1) on decentralisation and regionalisation the Commission
stated that it had asked the applicant countries to draw up a provisional NUTS classification reflecting their
administrative structure as soon as possible.

Can the Commission say what progress Slovakia has made in drawing up such a classification? What stage
has been reached as regards the decentralisation process in this applicant country?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 150.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 2001)

The Slovak Government approved in March 2000 a (cid:145)Concept for decentralisation and modernisation of
public administration(cid:146), aiming at institutionally separating state administration from self-government, local
as well as regional.

Candidate countries are asked by the Commission and in the context of negotiations to draw up in close
co-operation with Eurostat
the
Community (NUTS) classification. The creation of NUTS in candidate countries is based on the same
principles as apply to Member States and which can be found in the Commission Publication (cid:145)Regions (cid:129)
Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (cid:129) NUTS(cid:146) (1).

their provisional nomenclature of

the territorial statistical units of

In Slovakia a provisional NUTS has been established. However the Commission is aware of the discussion
concerning the public administration reform which is taking place in Slovakia. It seems that the reform
will also result in the changing of administrative borders. The Slovak authorities have informed the
Commission of their plans.

The planned decentralisation comprises the decentralisation of functional responsibilities, of finances and
of political power. According to the above-mentioned concept, the territorial self-governments shall exert
all competencies that are not exclusive competencies of
the state or (cid:129) although remaining state
responsibilities (cid:129) are delegated to them. The Government has elaborated a detailed package of laws to
be adopted or amended (mostly in 2001) as well as a timetable for implementing the reform.

(1)

ISBN 92-829-7575-0.

(2001/C 187 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3954/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Minority languages in Slovakia

According to the 1997 Commission opinion on Slovakia(cid:146)s application for membership of the EU, the
various minorities represent between 18 % and 23 % of the population.

The current law on minority languages requires that minorities must represent more than 20 % of the
population in the administrative capital of the region concerned for those languages to be treated as joint
official languages. Does the Commission take the view that linguistic minorities may be discriminated
against as long as they remain below 20 % in an administrative capital?

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/91

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2001)

The Commission has noted in its two latest Regular Reports (1) that there has been considerable progress in
Slovakia in developing a good minority policy, in setting up the appropriate legislation and in establishing
and supporting the relevant institutions.

The Law on Minority Language can be seen in this context as an important step forward, bringing back
national legislation into conformity with applicable international standards and specific recommendations
from the Organisation for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the
Commission. The Commission also welcomes the adoption of the Slovak action plan to prevent all forms
of discrimination as well as the initiative of the Slovak government to draft a specific Anti-Discrimination
Act.

However, the Commission has remarked a remaining gap between good policy formulation and imple-
mentation on the ground. In its last Regular Report, it has called Slovakia on increasing its efforts in
implementing legislation in various sectors as well as strengthening budgetary means and on paying more
attention to the protection of minorities at the local level.

(1) COM(2000) 711 final, COM(1999) 511 final.

(2001/C 187 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3960/00

by Ioannis Averoff (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Subject: Implementation of Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/11/EC, and a project in the

Prefecture of Ioannina, Epirus

Hydroelectricity Ltd, a subsidiary of TERNA Ltd.,
four
hydroelectric plants with a total generating capacity of 19,6 MW at a cost of GRD 13 billion at Tzoumerka
in the south-eastern part of the Prefecture of Ioannina between the traditional villages of Kalarrytes,
Syrrakos and Matsouki which were designated areas of outstanding natural beauty by the Ministry of
Culture in 1975. The village councils of the three communities unanimously expressed their opposition to
the company(cid:146)s plans.

intends to build and operate a complex of

However, despite the fact that they had not received the opinion of the prefectural council on this matter
and despite the unanimous decisions by the village councils,
the Ministries for the Environment,
Development and Agriculture approved the environmental conditions for the project, without taking into
account the opinions of these bodies, thereby violating national and Community law.

Council Directive 85/337/EEC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on
the environment specifically provides in Article 6(2)
the public concerned must be given the
opportunity to express its opinion before the project is initiated. Article 8 of the same Directive also
to Articles 5, 6 and 7 must be taken into
specifically states that
consideration in the development consent procedure.

information gathered pursuant

that

Given that Member States are obliged to comply with the above provisions, will the Commission say:

1. What measures has it taken to ensure that the above Directive, and especially Articles 6 and 8 thereof,
is implemented in Greece to the letter, and what action does it intend to take to address the violation
referred to above?

2.

If it has noticed the faulty transposition of the Directive which occurred in 1990 by Ministerial
Decision 69269/5387/90, why has it failed to take action for a decade, and will it say what progress
has been made in transposing Directive 97/11/EC (2)?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.