WRITTEN QUESTION E-0487/01 by Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) and Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Minority languages and freedom of expression in Greece.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, freedom of expression, linguistic discrimination, minority language

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/125

A 25 % correction was made to expenditure under budget heading 1052 (ESP 3 283 310 250),
ESP 820 827 563.

i.e.

A 5 % correction was made to expenditure declared under the arable crops scheme in Andalusia (1996 and
1997 harvests) in respect of the following budget headings:

(cid:129) 1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, 1050, 1051, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055 and 1060:

i.e.

ESP 585 106 511 (1996) and ESP 2 668 866 704 (1997).

The failure to meet deadlines for payment relates to the following budget headings:

(cid:129) 1053-004, 1210-063, 1210-064, 1210-074, 1858-001, 2540-001, 3100-054, 3100-114, i.e. a total

of ESP 718 317 392.

These corrections are given in detail in Summary Report AGRI-24491-2000 of 16 October 2000, which
was forwarded to Parliament on 19 February 2001.

(2001/C 261 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0487/01

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

Subject: Minority languages and freedom of expression in Greece

(22 February 2001)

Mr Sotiris Bletsas, a member of the Society for Aromanian (Vlach) Culture, was sentenced on 2 February
2000 to fifteen months in prison and a GRD 500 000 fine for dissemination of false information (under
Article 191 of the Penal Code). The charges were based on the fact that, in July 1995, he had distributed at
the Aromanian Festival a publication of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages which referred to
languages in Greece.

Does the Commission consider this attitude compatible with the European values of freedom of expression
and opinion and cultural and linguistic diversity? Has it asked the Greek authorities for any formal or
informal information on this issue?

Could the Commission(cid:146)s Legal Services review Article 191 of the Greek penal code for compatibility with
the spirit of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and
the rule of law recognised by the Treaties?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 2001)

The Commission takes a keen interest in this case and has been following it closely. However, on the basis
of the information currently available to it, the Commission cannot give a full answer to this question. It
has therefore asked the Greek government to communicate a copy of the judgement as soon as it becomes
available, together with any other relevant information on the case.

(2001/C 261 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0492/01

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Specific measures for transport for the Ultra-peripheral Regions

Given that the Community guidelines for implementing the Trans-European Transport Networks need to
be revised, in order adequately to integrate the ports and airports of the ultra-peripheral regions into these