WRITTEN QUESTION E-2256/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Violations of religious freedom with regard to Pentecostal Church evangelists in Belarus.
Date: 2003-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belarus, EU relations, church-State relations, freedom of religious beliefs

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/395

the Commission remains open to continuing discussions with the South African Authorities for the
extension of projects that have experienced difficulties in implementation. Some 14 projects have been
identified for extensions and adjustments during 2003. The fact is that the Commission is trying to cope
with the problem that too many earlier commitments and projects were launched without meeting the
same standards in relation to quality and implementability as the Commission is insisting on today, (cid:1) even
if the objectives of these were, and are, good and valid.

Following criticism from the Parliament and Council, the Commission has undertaken to find a better
balance between budgetary commitments made and funds actually spent. Moreover, as part of the effort to
improve budget implementation, Parliament and Council agreed in the Financial Regulation that a final
date for implementation should be fixed in compliance with the principle of sound financial management.
Thus each individual request for project extension must be carefully assessed and extension may be granted
only if duly justified by the relevance of the project and in terms of sound financial management.

(1) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the

general budget of the European Communities, OJ L 248, 16.9.2002. See Article 77 (3).

(2004/C 88 E/0401)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2256/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(8 July 2003)

Subject: Violations of religious freedom with regard to Pentecostal Church evangelists in Belarus

Knowing that:

(cid:1) in the context of the new wave of restrictions on religious meetings in the private homes of
Pentecostal evangelists in town and villages in western Belarus, Aleksandr Tolochko was fined in
accordance with Article 193 of the Civil Code, which condemns unregistered religious activities;

(cid:1) individuals fined in Baranovichi, in the Brest region, include two women, one an invalid, the other a
pensioner. Bishop Nikolai Kurkaev has denounced the new law on religion, which came into force last
November;

(cid:1) the government signed an agreement with the Orthodox Church on 12 June which, according to a

number of other religious communities, will further reduce their rights;

(cid:1) according to Bishop Khomich, police raids in the middle of the night are illegal, since religious

services in the village of Zheludok have not yet begun;

(cid:1) an official, Sergei Kasperchuk, has erroneously claimed that in every European country church
members must be registered in order to hold meetings (Belarus is the only European country to
impose this requirement, contrary to international laws on human rights).

In view of the excellent economic and commercial cooperation relations between the European Union and
Belarus, can the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether it is aware of the facts outlined above;

(cid:1) what measures,

in the context of cooperation, might constitute a serious and effective way of

persuading Belarus to respect religious freedom?

C 88 E/396

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 August 2003)

The September 1997 Council Resolution on Belarus concluded that the EC and their Member States would
conclude neither the interim agreement nor the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement with Belarus and
that implementation of Community and Member states technical assistance programmes would be halted,
except
the
democratisation process.

in the case of humanitarian or

those which directly support

regional projects or

The Commission is certainly concerned by the application of the law ‘On liberty of conscience and
religious organisations’ in Belarus. The Union has expressed these concerns in the Organisation on Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The Commission would like to reiterate that it attaches great importance to the rights of freedom of
religion, belief and expression. The Union has repeatedly affirmed that human rights and democratisation
must form an integral part of all political dialogues with third countries. Religious freedom, as one of the
fundamental human rights, as well as the rights of religious minorities are thus addressed through the EUs
bilateral political dialogues, and, when appropriate, through démarches and public declarations, as well as
through Union action in fora such as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights or the Third
Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Commission remains committed to supporting freedom of religion and Human Rights in Belarus, in
close co-operation with Member States, the Council of Europe, OSCE and the United Nations and will
continue to raise the issue with Belarus in all possible fora.

(2004/C 88 E/0402)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2262/03

by Mario Mastella (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 July 2003)

Subject: Serious political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela

Considering that:

(cid:1) the political crisis in Venezuela is dragging that country into a very serious economic and social crisis.
On top of a two-month old general strike, imports to a country reliant on the outside world for
almost all types of good have been paralysed for over 130 days now, and the government has adopted
exchange rate control as a political weapon to punish everyone participating in the strike;

(cid:1) thousands of companies have closed down and unemployment has increased to 26 %, to add to a rate

of 56 % employment in the hidden economy;

(cid:1) as from 19 August 2003, it will be possible for a recall referendum to be held, on the basis of the
Venezuelan constitution and the agreement signed between the government and the Democratic
Coordination, and with mediation by the OAS, to end the President’s term of office. The Venezuelan
Government is contriving to delay and delegitimize this by every means possible;

(cid:1) moreover, with a view to forthcoming elections, the government is granting citizenship to Cubans,

Chinese, and Colombians;

(cid:1) venezuela is home to millions of EU citizens and their descendants, who are the lifeblood of the SME
sector that has been throttled by economic measures and whose safety is endangered by the increase
in violence that has resulted in 50 deaths during demonstrations and in 25 murders a day owing to
the general chaos and absence of the rule of law.