WRITTEN QUESTION E-1984/03 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Turkish violations of Greek airspace.
Date: 2003-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Greece, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, air law, air safety, air space, air traffic, fighter aircraft

C 88 E/54

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) is a financing mechanism to support
projects by non-governmental organisations worldwide. Georgia is one of 31 EIDHR ‘focus countries’
under this programme. One of the four thematic areas of the EIDHR is support to combat racism and
xenophobia and discrimination against minorities and indigenous peoples. Ongoing activities in Georgia
under the EIDHR include a recent project (cid:1) implemented by World Vision Deutschland e. V. (cid:1) to combat
the ethnicisation of conflicts among Georgian citizens in the Georgian regions of Samskhe-Javakheti and
Kvemo Kartli, where many Yezidi live. In addition, the Commission’s Delegation in Georgia is about to
launch a new Call for Proposals for microprojects, under the EIDHR for projects implemented by Georgian
non-governmental organisations. One of the priority themes foreseen to be included in this is ‘Support for
measures to combat racism and xenophobia and to protect religious and ethnic minorities’. The Call will
most likely be published in early July 2003 and the deadline for applications will be September 2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0057)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1984/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 June 2003)

Subject: Turkish violations of Greek airspace

Turkish warplanes, often fully armed, are continually violating the rules of air traffic and Greek airspace,
and there are frequent interceptions and mock dogfights over the Aegean. These incidents occur on a daily
basis: they severely threaten peace in the region, constitute a threat against a Member State and certainly
violate the principles of good-neighbourly relations to which Turkey is supposed to have committed itself.
On 26 May 2003 General Hilmi Özkök, Chief of the Turkish General Staff, stated that Turkish warplanes
this would not constitute a violation, since it was
would move freely in Greek airspace and that
international airspace.

Has the Commission intervened with the Turkish authorities to put an end to these provocative actions
which pose a serious threat to a Member State of the European Union? What else does it intend to do to
persuade Turkey to apply the principles of good-neighbourly relations vis-à-vis Greece and other
neighbouring countries, a policy to which it has committed itself?

(2004/C 88 E/0058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2050/03

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: Harassment of a Greek passenger plane by Turkish warplanes

On Monday, 9 June, Turkish warplanes harassed an Olympic Airways passenger plane on flight 321 from
Athens to Istanbul. This incident
took place in international airspace, but within Greece’s area of
responsibility, the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR).

How does the Commission view these actions, and how may they affect Turkey’s prospects of EU

1.
membership?

2. What kind of initiatives will the Commission take to prevent any recurrence of such incidents which
jeopardise the safety of passengers?