WRITTEN QUESTION E-2513/02 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Pollution in the vicinity of a steam power plant at Keratsini.
Date: 2002-09-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Greece, environmental protection, soil pollution, underground storage of waste, water pollution

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

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liberalisation of

trade with the Union, coupled with enhanced regional
Commission believes that
integration in the Balkans and WTO membership, will have a lasting beneficial effect on its partners in
south-eastern Europe. This policy was launched by the Cologne European Council
in June 1999 and
extended at the end of 2000 to the whole region after the lifting of sanctions against the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (FRY).

(1) OJ L 240, 23.9.2000.
(2) OJ L 295, 23.11.2000.

(2004/C 11 E/003)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2453/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 August 2002)

Subject: Release from prison of the Turkish Cypriot journalists Sener Levent and Memduh Ener

The Turkish Cypriots Sener Levent and Memduh Ener, the former the editor and the latter a journalist, of
the Turkish Cypriot newspaper ‘Africa’ (who aroused the wrath of the regime for supporting a peaceful
solution to the problem of Cyprus and the accession of Cyprus to the European Union), have been given a
six-month jail sentence for publishing an article criticising Rauf Denktash and the Turkish army of
occupation. Given that the situation as regards human rights and freedom of expression is steadily
deteriorating in the occupied territories, will the Commission say what measures it intends to take to
secure the release of these two journalists and ensure that the above rights are respected?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2002)

The Commission regrets the fact that, on 8 August 2002, the editor and a journalist of the newspaper
‘Africa’ were sentenced to six months in prison for an article published in July 1999 that was said to have
contained an ‘insult against the President’.

It believes that the right to free speech constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society.
Free speech, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, and interpreted by the
European Court of Human Rights, does not only encompass value judgements that are favourably received
or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also those that offend, shock or disturb. Such
are the demands of pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness without which there is no ‘democratic
society’.

These principles are of particular importance as far as the press is concerned.

On 9 October 2002, the Commission will present this year’s Regular Report of Cyprus Progress towards
Accession to the Union. The report will contain a section dealing with the situation in the northern parts
of Cyprus, and will take into account the events to which the Honourable Member refers.

(2004/C 11 E/004)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2513/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Pollution in the vicinity of a steam power plant at Keratsini

(9 September 2002)

A study carried out by the port police of the Ministry of Merchant Shipping (reference number 2412 of
2 April 2002) and the Central Port Authority of Piraeus has identified pollution in the fishing port of
Keratsini and in the adjoining land and sea areas close to the steam power plant at Keratsini belonging to
DEH (the Greek Public Power Corporation).

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Official Journal of the European Union

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15.1.2004

The pollution, which is creating serious environmental problems in the surrounding region, is caused by
the presence of petroleum (fuel oil)
in the stony subsoil beneath the power plant at Keratsini. The
abovementioned study reports that there are serious indications that the phenomenon is due to the leakage
of petroleum from the concrete containers used to store fuel at the plant up until the 1970s, which has
now formed pockets in the subsoil and the water table. Furthermore, document No 112822 of
19 December 2001 drawn up by the Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Public Works notes that
DEH is not authorised to dispose of liquid waste in the area concerned.

What measures will the Commission take to protect the environment in this specific area?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2002)

Pollution of soil and groundwater in the vicinity of storage depots for fuel is quite frequent throughout the
world, in particular due to technology on storage and handling of fuels used in the past. Whilst technology
has changed and is not contributing any more to pollution of the environment, many regions in Europe
face the challenge of past pollution. According to the question, the water pollution in this location was
caused by installations and handling phased out in the 1970s, i.e. before the accession of Greece to the
Union.

including the 1980 Groundwater Directive (1), did
Community environmental
neither provide for an environmental quality objective for groundwaters, nor for retroactive obligations for
such remedial action. This legislation therefore does not provide for a legal basis for the Commission to
intervene.

legislation until 2000,

However, the Community has a comprehensive new water policy in the form of the Water Framework
Directive adopted in 2000 (2):

(cid:1) protecting all waters, groundwaters and surface waters;

(cid:1) addressing all sources of pollution including those from past industrial activities;

(cid:1) obliging Member States to provide for good water quality (‘good status’) for all their waters (including

(cid:1) as described in the question (cid:1) groundwaters and coastal waters) by a set deadline;

(cid:1) obliging Member States to do an analysis of impacts and pressures on all their waters by the end of
2004, followed by a full elaboration of the necessary measures to achieve the environmental objective
of ‘good status’ for all their waters.

The Commission therefore considers the report by Greek authorities on soil and groundwater pollution a
first step in the context of its obligations under the Water Framework Directive. It will be the responsibility
of the Greek authorities to take the necessary planning and remediation steps in line with the deadlines set
out in the Directive. Certain remediation efforts might be subject to Community funding in the framework
of relevant Regulations and the provisions on State Aid.

The Commission will:

(cid:1) in general, in its role as Guardian of the Treaty, follow up on the issue of timely and appropriate
implementation of this Directive, and use the informal cooperation between Member States and
Commission on implementation as well;

(cid:1) carefully assess the annual monitoring results under the Bathing Water Quality Directive (3) with
regard to the water quality at beaches in the vicinity; the 2001 monitoring results show very good
water quality for the Keratsini beach; the 2002 monitoring results will be available in early 2003.

(1) Council Directive 80/68/EEC of 17 December 1979, on the protection of groundwater against pollution by certain

dangerous substances, OJ L 20, 16.1.1980.

(2) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for

Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(3) Council Directive 76/160/EEC of 8 December 1975 concerning the quality of bathing waters, OJ L 31, 5.2.1976.