WRITTEN QUESTION E-0399/02 by Feleknas Uca (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Proceedings to ban HADEP — wave of arrests in Turkey.
Date: 2002-02-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kurdistan question, Türkiye, constitutional revision, linguistic discrimination, political rights, political violence

C 301 E/38

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.12.2002

The Commission does not dispose currently of any statistical data concerning inquiries on similar decisions
that have been taken by local and regional political bodies.

(1)

Judgment of the Court of 14 October 1987, Federal Republic of Germany v Commission, Case 248/84, ECR (1987)
p. 4013).

(2) OJ L 10, 13.1.2001.

(2002/C 301 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0313/02

by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 February 2002)

Subject: ACP resolution on the rights of disabled people and older people in the ACP States

What action has the Commission taken on the resolution on the rights of disabled people and older people
the ACP-EU Joint
(ACP-EU/3313/01/fin.) which was adopted unanimously at
Parliamentary Assembly in October 2001? Has the Commission now appointed a specialist officer in that
area?

the third session of

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 2002)

The general objective of
sustainable development leading to a reduction of poverty in developing countries.

the Development Co-operation Policy of

the Community is to encourage

The Commission sees social policies and improved access to, and quality of, basic social infrastructures and
services (health and education in particular) as one of the best means to take account of specific demands
of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

The Commission considers that the rights of disabled people and older people should be taken in
consideration in this context. However, it does not specifically target these groups as beneficiaries from
development co-operation activities. The Commission has nevertheless financed specific programmes for
the benefit of handicapped people, especially in post-conflict situations and countries.

The Commission does not intend to appoint a specialist officer in this area.

(2002/C 301 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0399/02

by Feleknas Uca (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 February 2002)

Subject: Proceedings to ban HADEP (cid:1) wave of arrests in Turkey

The proceedings to ban HADEP, instituted in 1999 by the Turkish public prosecutor, have started. HADEP
is charged with wanting to destroy the unity of the country. The court delayed the proceedings for one
month to allow the HADEP President, Murat Bozlak, time to prepare a defence statement. The proceedings
to ban HADEP will resume on 1 March.

Resumption of the legal proceedings has sparked off a new wave of repression against Kurds. Members and
staff of HADEP have been arrested. The Kurdish Institute in Istanbul was placed under official seal without
a court order. 500 students at the University of Van were arrested at the beginning of January 2002 when
they wanted to hand the Rector of the University a petition in connection with a country-wide campaign
for voluntary Kurdish courses at universities. As a result, other students who had signed the petition were
detained throughout the country. According to some leading politicians, the students were accused of
terrorism and charged.

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/39

1. What is the Commission’s view of the proceedings to ban the pro-Kurdish HADEP party?

2. What is the Commission’s assessment of the constitutional amendments in Turkey, which are
supposed to make it more difficult to ban parties in Turkey?

3.

Is the Commission aware of the arrest of the students?

4. What is the Commission’s assessment of the constitutional amendments on the use of the Kurdish
language?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(22 March 2002)

1.
Like the Parliament, the Commission is monitoring closely the developments related to the judicial
proceedings against the Halkin Demokrasi Partisi (HADEP) party in the Constitutional Court. A hearing
took place on 1 March 2002. During this hearing, HADEP presented its defence. In spite of several
attempts it proved impossible for the Commission to attend this hearing as the session was entirely behind
closed doors.

In 2001, the Turkish Parliament amended the constitution to strengthen human rights in Turkey.
2.
However, it left the grounds for closure of political parties unchanged. The current provisions are not in
line with Union standards.

The Commission has been monitoring the activity of certain students about receiving education in
3.
their mother tongue.
In this context, the Commission is concerned by the reaction of the Turkish
authorities with respect to the exercise of the right of petition by the students, especially as the right of
petition has been broadened by a recent amendment of Article 74 of the Turkish constitution.

As regards cultural rights, the Commission noted in its Regular Report of 13 November 2001 (1) that
4.
the amendment to Articles 26 and 28 of the Constitution can be considered as progress. The constitutional
provisions forbidding the use of languages prohibited by law has now been abolished. As a next step,
changes in restrictive legislation will be needed to ensure these rights can be enjoyed in practice.

(1) COM(2001) 700 final.

(2002/C 301 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0436/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(12 February 2002)

Subject: Tax on cars in Denmark

Denmark maintains a very high level of tax on cars and motorbikes, resulting in an approximately 200 %
increase in dealers’ selling prices which consists partly of registration tax and partly of VAT.

It therefore has a higher proportion of small and older cars than comparable countries. It is a well-known
fact that old and smaller cars present a higher risk of accident than new and larger cars, and that older cars
cause more pollution.

The Commission has presumably noted the effects its proposal for new rules on selling cars in Europe will
have on the car trade in Denmark and on Danish consumers. If the proposal is implemented, the selling
price of a medium-sized car in Denmark will typically rise by 37 %, thus adding to the problems faced by
Danish consumers.

The Commission is presumably also aware that imports of second-hand cars into Denmark from other EU
Members States are limited by a tax which always brings the consumer’s total expenditure up to the price