WRITTEN QUESTION E-1657/01 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Delay in building the Egnatia Highway under the second CSF and its completion under the third CSF.
Date: 2001-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, EU financing, European Regional Development Fund, Greece, road building

C 40 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

At its 57th session, the UNCHR adopted its resolution number 2001/24. In this, it noted (cid:145)the establishment
of the National Public Commission on Investigation of Violations and Respect for Human Rights in the
Northern Caucasus (the Krasheninnikov Commission).(cid:146)

It is perhaps worth recalling that it was the EU which presented resolution 2000/58 to the UNCHR. Again,
this year, it was the EU which sponsored resolution 2001/24. Indeed, the EU has spoken out steadfastly
against all attacks on human rights and dignity in Chechnya, whoever may be the authors. Time and again,
the EU has used every available forum to raise this issue at the very highest level with the Russian
authorities. The EU expects that these will live up fully to their commitments. It looks forward to receiving
the first report of the Krasheninnikov Commission, which it helped to bring into existence.

(2002/C 40 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1652/01

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Council

(12 June 2001)

Subject: 2008 Olympic Games

What is the Council(cid:146)s opinion on China(cid:146)s offer to host the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing? Will the
Council encourage Member State governments to seek assurances on major improvements in China(cid:146)s
record on human rights and press freedom, etc. before supporting such a proposal?

Reply

(8 October 2001)

The Council has not discussed China(cid:146)s or other countries(cid:146) candidature to host the Olympic Games in 2008.
The Council has, however,
in the framework of its political dialogue and human rights dialogue with
China, expressed its concern about ongoing human rights violations and has urged the Chinese authorities
to take positive measures to improve the situation on the ground.

(2002/C 40 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1657/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 June 2001)

Subject: Delay in building the Egnatia Highway under the second CSF and its completion under the third

CSF

According to information published concerning the progress of work on the Egnatia Highway,
in the
period up to 1994, 18 % of the work was completed, and between 1994 and mid-2001 20 % was
completed, i.e. a total of only 38 %. As regards Community funding, a total of GRD 1 100 billion will be
provided under the second and third CSFs for construction of the New Egnatia Highway and GRD 300
billion for the construction of perpendicular roads, though that will not complete the project. Moreover,
according to official figures from the contractor, Egnatia Odos A. E., GRD 521 billion, i.e. only 35 % of the
total estimated cost of the project, has been used so far and, therefore, even if the annual take-up rate is as
much as GRD 200 billion, it will take another five years to complete the project, without taking account
of perpendicular roads and any problem areas.

Finally, according to the latest information bulletin from Egnatia A. E.
(March 2001), the project is
scheduled to run through to 2004, whereas the minister responsible stated that the Egnatia Highway was
under development and would be operational much earlier than the end of 2003, i.e. several months
before the opening of the Olympic Games.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/75

Given that the work is proceeding at a snail(cid:146)s pace, despite the fact that its funding is guaranteed by
Community appropriations, the take-up rate of which is not consistent with their investment in the
construction of the Egnatia Highway, will the Commission say:

1. what the cause of the delay to the project is, the precise stage reached in implementing the project

and when exactly completion is expected,

2. whether the amounts earmarked under the second CSF for completion of the project have been fully
used up and, if so, whether the project has been included for funding under the third CSF, and

3. what the total cost of completion of the project is, and what precisely Community funding provided
for that purpose has been spent on, given that only 20 % of that sum has been invested in the
implementation of the project?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

From the port of Igoumenitsa to Kipi, at the border of Greece with Turkey, the Egnatia motorway has a
total length of 680 kilometres (km).

Already before the beginning of the 1994-1999 programming period, a two lane road of a total length of
120 km has been constructed and will be used provisionally as part of the new motorway.

Under the 1994-1999 and 2000-2006 Objective 1 programmes,
the Greek authorities propose to
construct 560 km of this motorway. Within this total, 455 km are already under construction with a
completion schedule according to the Greek authorities, as follows: 155 km completed by April 2001;
69 km to be completed by end 2001; 78 km to be completed by end 2002; 153 km to be completed in
the years 2003-2004. The remaining 105 km are under study and should be constructed either as public
works or under concession schemes, also during the 2000-2006 programming period.

According to the Greek authorities, progress has been affected by the fact that the motorway is a very
large scale project, presenting difficulties mainly due to adverse geological conditions, especially in its
western part, while there have been other challenges linked to the need to ensure the compatibility of the
route with environmental protection and to avoid the destruction of the archaeological heritage.

Total public expenditure provided for this project under the 1994-1999 programme amounted to € 691
million, of which € 470 million from the ERDF. On the basis of information provided by the Greek
authorities, the whole amount had been spent by the end of the year 2000. Public expenditure provided
under the Greek CSF during the 2000-2006 programming period is estimated at € 1 325 million, of which
€ 663 million from the ERDF.

In addition, € 283 million was granted from the Cohesion fund during the 1994-1999 programming
period for a total public expenditure of € 466 million. For the 2000-2006 programming period, the
Cohesion fund is expected to contribute € 411 million for a total public expenditure of € 746 million.

The cost of completing the project (560 km of motorway) is estimated by the Greek authorities at some
€ 2 billion, of which € 691 million had been spent by the end of 2000.

(2002/C 40 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1670/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: Respect for the cultural identity of Pomaks and Roma

(15 June 2001)

Approximately 120 000 Greek Muslims live in Greek Thrace. 50 % of those are ethnic Turks and the other
50 % consists of Pomaks and Roma. They exercise their religious rights unimpeded, there are numerous