WRITTEN QUESTION E-1213/01 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Council. Protection of Orthodox Christian monasteries in Kosovo.
Date: 2001-04-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kosovo, NATO, UNO, cultural heritage, paramilitary force

C 364 E/62

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

In the first instance, it is for the judicial and social structures of the Member States concerned to resolve
any disputes between employees and employers in cases of restructuring and to establish whether the
undertakings have acted in accordance with national legislation and practices, including those based on
Community law (for example,
the Directive on collective dismissals (98/59/EC) and the Directive
concerning a European Works Council or a procedure for informing and consulting employees in
Community-scale undertakings (94/45/EC)).

The Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention is drawn to the fact that the Council is continuing to adapt and
supplement the existing legislation. The proposal for a Directive on a European Company (cid:129) which
regulates the involvement of employees (cid:129) will be adopted in the near future. Furthermore, on ll June 2001
the Council reached political agreement on the Directive on the informing and consulting of employees at
national level.

(2001/C 364 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1213/01

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Council

(24 April 2001)

Subject: Protection of Orthodox Christian monasteries in Kosovo

Many monasteries and orthodox churches in Kosovo are being threatened with destruction by Muslim
extremists and being targeted in the inter-ethnic conflict on the pretext of being a (cid:145)vestige of Serb
presence(cid:146).

The Holy Trinity Monastery in Musutiste has already been completely destroyed, while the following are
seriously at risk: the Orthodox Monastery of Gracanica, the Mother of God Cathedral
in Ljevisa, the
Church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Lipljan, the Monastery of the Pec Patriarchate together with the
churches of the Holy Apostles, Saint Mary Hodegetria and St Dominic, and the Decani Monastery.

In the light of the above, what measures does the Council intend to take to protect the monasteries and
orthodox churches in Kosovo, which are part of the heritage of European and Christian civilisation?

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council deplores the persistence of episodes of ethnic and religious intolerance in Kosovo and in
particular the continuing threats to the integrity of Orthodox Christian monasteries in Serb areas. It
reaffirms that it is strongly committed to an open, democratic, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Kosovo that
including the
upholds tolerance and respect
destruction of monuments that are part of the cultural heritage.

the Council condemns all

forms of violence,

for all;

The Honourable Member is certainly aware that, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
the EU is not responsible for security and public order in Kosovo, this being the task of UNMIK (United
Nations Mission in Kosovo) police forces as well as KFOR (NATO force in Kosovo). The Council welcomes
and applauds KFOR efforts to ensure permanent protection of the main religious monuments in Kosovo as
well as regular patrolling of (cid:145)secondary(cid:146) religious sites.