WRITTEN QUESTION E-1141/03 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Infrastructural damage caused by landslides in Greece.
Date: 2003-04-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, civil engineering, engineering structure, geology, natural disaster

C 78 E/360

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(17 June 2003)

The respect of fundamental freedoms and political rights in Cuba remains a cause of serious concern for
the Union. Some positive signs were noted by the Member States during the 11th and 12th evaluations of
the Common Position last year, but major changes to promote respect for human rights and real progress
towards pluralist democracy were still lacking.

Developments in Cuba have since taken a very negative turn with the large scale arrest of dissidents
between 18 and 25 March, the unfair trials and the arbitrary and excessive sentences imposed on them, as
well as, with the end of the ‘de facto’ moratorium on the death penalty, the execution of three people
convicted of hijacking a Cuban ferry in the beginning of April.

Those events have prompted a swift reaction from the Union. The Parliament, the Council and the
Commission strongly condemned the situation. The European Parliament, in its resolution of 10 April, as
well as the Council in its resolutions of 26 March and 14 April, have established a link between the
prisoners’ release and Cuban accession to Cotonou.

The Commission decided on 30 April to defer the examination of the Cuban application for accession of
the Cotonou Agreement, signalling that these recent developments are not conducive to co-operation
between the European Union and Cuba.

The Cuban authorities decided on 16 May to withdraw their application.

As far as the last question is concerned, the Commission considers that the current regime in Cuba (cid:1) one
of the world’s last Communist states- is not a democratic one nor does it promote a market-based
economy. It is, therefore, a regime with which a reinforced dialogue needs to be pursued, in order to
encourage a process of peaceful
for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, as well as a sustainable economy and improvement in the living standards of the
Cuban people.

transition to pluralist democracy, respect

(2004/C 78 E/0379)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1141/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Infrastructural damage caused by landslides in Greece

(1 April 2003)

Enormous infrastructural damage has been caused recently by widespread landslides in different parts of
Greece, including the large scale destruction of homes and farmland, together with unexpectedly severe
damage to recently constructed roads (for example, the new Corinth-Tripoli motorway).

The landslides could be connected with geological shifts affecting Greece as a whole, resulting from a
number of
factors, possibly including intense seismic activity. Has the Commission received any
information from the Greek authorities regarding these landslides? What measures will the Commission
take to establish the reasons for the continuing damage to infrastructural projects co-funded by the EU in
Greece?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

The Commission refers the Honourable Member to its responses to written questions E-0492/03 by
Mr Hatzidakis (1), E-0657/03 by Mr Alavanos (2) and E-0910/03 by Mr Trakatellis (3).

(1) OJ C 242 E, 9.10.2003, p. 136.
(2) OJ C 268 E, 7.11.2003, p. 116.
(3) OJ C 11 E, 15.1.2004, p. 154.