WRITTEN QUESTION E-0673/03 by Marco Pannella (NI)and Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Serious and persistent violation of religious freedom by the Russian authorities.
Date: 2003-03-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Russia, freedom of religious beliefs, human rights, removal, residence permit

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/67

(2004/C 33 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0673/03

by Marco Pannella (NI)
and Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(7 March 2003)

Subject: Serious and persistent violation of religious freedom by the Russian authorities

On 21 February this year Bronislav Czaplicki, a Polish Catholic priest working in Pushkin, a town near
St Petersburg, was asked by the Russian authorities to leave the country because his residence permit had
been withdrawn.

This is the latest in a series of moves on the part of the Russian authorities to expel ministers of religion.
The following are examples from 2002:

(cid:1) in September Leo Martensson, a Swedish Evangelical minister working in the Krasnodar area, had his
residence permit withdrawn; on 12 September Jaroslaw Wisniewski, a Polish Catholic minister
working in the Sakhalin area, was stopped on his arrival in Khabarovsk (in the far east of Russia) and
deported to Japan, from where he had arrived by air; on 10 September the residence permit of Eduard
Mackiewicz, a Polish Catholic working in the Rostov-on-Don area, was withdrawn;

(cid:1) in August Stanislav Krajnak, a Slovakian Catholic working in the Yaroslavl area, was refused a
residence permit; Chalyshan Seidi, a Turkish Muslim working in the Bashkortostan area, was expelled;
Victor Barousse, an American Pentecostal minister working in the Irkutsk area, was refused a residence
permit;

(cid:1) in June the residence permit of Aleksei Ledyayev, a Lithuanian Pentecostal minister was withdrawn;
Ronald Cook, Virginia Cook and Jeffrey, Susan and Jordan Wollman, American Evangelicals working
in the Kostroma area, were refused residence permits; the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, a Tibetan
refugee, was refused a visa;

(cid:1) on 19 April the residence permit of Monsignor Jerzy Mazur, a Polish Catholic bishop in the diocese of
San Giuseppe in Irkutsk (southern Siberia), was withdrawn; on 15 April the residence permit of Don
Stefano Caprio, an Italian Catholic working in the Vladimir area, who had been resident in Russia for
12 years, was withdrawn;

(cid:1) in February the residence permit of Paul Kim, a South Korean Evangelical working in the Kalmykia
area, was withdrawn; Autumn Newson, Matthew Crain and Weston Pope, US citizens and Mormons,
working in the Pskov area, were expelled.

Can the Commission answer the following questions:

(cid:1) Does it know about these incidents? What steps has it taken or does it intend to take vis-à-vis the
authorities of Russia, a signatory to the International Declaration of Human Rights, which it is
seriously and persistently violating by virtue of these actions?

(cid:1) What steps has it taken or will it take regarding the motion for a resolution signed by 133 MEPs
calling for respect for religious freedom to be included among the priorities for action in the EU’s
relations with third countries and to make provision, in the event of violations, for sanctions similar to
those envisaged since 1988 by the US law on religious freedom in the world (Public Law 105-292/
105th Congress)?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

The Commission is aware of the refusal to provide and/or withdrawal of residence permits from a number
of persons seeking to practice religion in Russia. The Commission is conscious of the difficult situation in
which religions other than Russian orthodoxy find themselves in Russia. Indeed, several expulsions have
taken place since April 2002, following the decision by the Vatican to seek to upgrade the four temporary
church structures in Russia to permanent Roman catholic dioceses. Other churches have also been the
target of expulsions.

C 33 E/68

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

It is for this reason that the Commission (cid:1) in the context of Union/Russia political dialogue (cid:1) has on a
number of occasions underlined that the Union/Russia partnership is based on fundamental core values,
among which is full respect of human rights.

It is to be recalled that each State enjoys discretion whether to allow for the presence of foreigners within
its territory or not. Therefore, in general, a revocation of a residence permit cannot be deemed to be
incompatible with the major international and European Human Rights conventions that Russia has
ratified. On the other hand, revocation of a residence permit for the sole reason to undermine the exercise
of religion or belief might well constitute an indirect sanction contrary to the freedom of religion or belief,
depending on the circumstances in each case. The Commission will continue to impress upon the Russian
authorities on this issue

In parallel, the promotion of human rights in Russia will continue to be a priority in the framework of the
European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), Russia being a focus country under this
programme.

(2004/C 33 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0675/03

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Green gene technology (cid:1) developing countries

(3 March 2003)

In 1999 the German NGO ‘Internationaler Landvolkdienst der Katholischen Landvolkbewegung’ (Inter-
national Rural Service of the Catholic Rural Movement (cid:1) ILD) was asked to consider the extent to which
green gene technology might help improve food security in developing countries. Together with other
non-governmental organisations, the ILD held an international hearing and two international congresses to
create a broad platform for a public debate with representatives from the world of science, industry and
organisations working in the field of agricultural development. The ensuing publications provide a detailed
picture of
the various aspects of green gene technology and also demonstrate the great need for
information among the various players. This applies in particular to the ILD’s project partners in the
developing countries concerned. In order to continue the debate at European level, the ILD submitted its
first application for funding together with a French and a Belgian partner in 2000. This application was
rejected on the grounds that, firstly, the French partner was not a purely development-oriented NGO and,
secondly, the ILD’s annual budget of around EUR 500 000 meant that it did not have the required financial
capacity. The ILD then submitted a fresh application (cid:1) taking account of the Commission’s criticisms (cid:1) in
2002, but this application was also refused, for reasons which had not been cited previously.

1. Why is nothing being done to promote a broad grass-roots debate on green gene technology,
particularly given that none of the approved projects tackles this issue?

2.

Once it has been initiated, how can the discussion process be continued in an efficient way?

3.
Can the Commission envisage a better way of cooperating with applicants so that any uncertainties
which emerge can be clarified from the outset and projects which have been approved in principle can
also meet the Commission’s requirements as regards form and content?

4.

Is there a country-based key for the approval of projects? If so, what form does it take?

How many projects have been approved during the past two years (2001/2002), and for which

5.
Member States?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2003)

The Commission’s funding of projects through budget line B7-6000 is based on published invitations for
eligible non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
to present proposals for co-financing, which must
conform to the criteria spelt out in the invitation. It is up to the NGOs to identify the issues they consider