WRITTEN QUESTION E-1149/03 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Seychelles.
Date: 2003-04-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, Seychelles, physical aggression, public safety, tourism

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/63

(2004/C 51 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1149/03

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 April 2003)

Subject: Seychelles

Recently, an Italian businessman was the victim of a violent aggression on the island of Mahé by a colonel
in the Seychelles armed forces.

Such violence is particularly harmful to the image of the islands.

As the Seychelles are a favourite destination for many European tourists, what measures is the European
Union willing to take to better protect its citizens?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(29 April 2003)

Unfortunately, violent aggressions towards tourists happen in tourist destinations all around the world and
even inside Europe. The Commission does not possess any evidence that attacks on tourists in the
Seychelles occurs regularly or are even driven by the Government. On the contrary, the Government
Tourism board is probably deeply embarrassed by the incident, since the man in question was involved in
promoting tourism in Seychelles. This isolated incident of ‘road rage’ is not an issue where the Commission
can usefully intervene.

(2004/C 51 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1152/03

by Joke Swiebel (PSE) to the Council

(1 April 2003)

Subject: Extortion against holidaymakers travelling through Bulgaria

In recent years, Netherlands residents have very regularly been the victims of extortion and other
fraudulent practices by government officials while in transit through Bulgaria on the way to Turkey during
the summer holidays. Sums of money are taken from them in various ways, including in the guise of tolls
or fines, or for ‘visas’ at the border. A file containing accounts confirming the existence of such practices,
compiled by the Netherlands Foundation entitled ‘Participation Body for Turks in the Netherlands’, will be
forwarded to you.

I believe that the Council is sufficiently aware of this problem, since the Spanish Presidency brought it to
the attention of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry in May 2002. I also gather that EU countries’ consuls in
Bulgaria are holding or have held consultations to raise this problem with the Bulgarian authorities.

In a few months it will be the summer holidays again and many people will be wanting to travel to Turkey
via Bulgaria and the Balkans. Can the Council state what the outcome has been of the above-mentioned
consultations? What measures has the Council taken since then to bring the problem of extortion against
holiday-makers in Bulgaria to the attention of the relevant Bulgarian authorities? What solution has been
found to prevent yet more holidaymakers being the victim of such practices in future? What channels are
offered by the embassies and consulates of the EU countries in Bulgaria for hearing complaints and
referring people who have been cheated in this way to the Bulgarian courts where they may be able to
enter a claim for the money they have lost?