WRITTEN QUESTION E-2257/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Violations of religious freedom with regard to Pentecostal Church evangelists in Georgia.
Date: 2003-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Georgia, cooperation policy, freedom of religious beliefs, religious conflict, religious group

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/483

for the current programming period 2000-2006, Article 30 of

the Regulation (1) on the
However,
Structural Funds provides that if, within five years of the decision awarding assistance, an operation which
has received assistance from the Structural Funds undergoes a substantial modification affecting the nature
of the operation or its conditions of implementation, as a result of a cessation or change of location of an
activity, the provisions on financial corrections set out in Article 39 of the Regulation apply. In this case,
the Member State must inform the Commission and make the required financial corrections by cancelling
all or part of the Community contribution.

For the previous programming periods, the regulations did not provide for any means to recover grants
awarded under the Structural Funds, provided the operations were carried out and payments made on the
basis of the legislation in force.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds,

OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0560)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2257/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(8 July 2003)

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

Knowing that:

(cid:1) On 15 June a demonstration organised by the Orthodox priest Father David Isakadze blockaded a
for seven hours, preventing worshippers from attending a special

Pentecostal church in Tbilisi
Whitsun service.

(cid:1) The pastor Nicolai Kalatsky received death threats. The demonstrators were brought in by ten or more
vehicles between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and one of them admitted that the protest had been organised by
the Orthodox priest Father David Isakadze.

(cid:1) The blockade by sixteen Orthodox vigilantes took place on the same day that a Baptist church was set

on fire in the village of Akhalsopeli in eastern Georgia.

(cid:1) In recent years Georgia has been the scene of violence against religious minorities perpetrated by

‘Orthodox vigilantes’, who seem to receive the full support of the authorities.

(cid:1) Although there have been hundreds of acts of violence nobody has been tried or convicted.

(cid:1) All over Georgia the authorities continue to attack religious minorities. On 1 June the police chief
Levan Chokheli raided a private home in the city of Gori and ordered a meeting of around
600 Jehovah’s Witnesses to be suspended.

In view of the excellent economic and commercial cooperation relations between the European Union and
Georgia, 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 Georgia to respect religious freedom?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2003)

The Commission is concerned by the problem of increased violations of religious freedom in Georgia. The
Commission welcomes the participation on 14 March 2003 of President Eduard Shevardnadze in an
Ecumenical service in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. At
this service, which was also attended by
representatives of the Commission’s Delegation and Member States, President Shevardnadze said for the

C 84 E/484

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

first time that violence against religious minorities must be prosecuted. Nevertheless, the Commission
regrets that violent incidents continue, including the burning down of the Baptist church in Akhalsopeli,
eastern Georgia. On 8 May 2003 the Greek Presidency on behalf of the EU made an official statement to
the OSCE deploring the assault on an Organisation on Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
observer at the trial of Mkalavishvili on 29 April 2003. The Commission will continue to follow this issue
closely.

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. In its regular political dialogue
with Georgia, under the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, the Union ‘inter alia’ systematically
raises human rights issues, including the question of how to protect religious minorities. The Commission
for its part will aim to increase the effectiveness of the dialogue on these issues.

As regards the provision of assistance and as outlined in its May 2001 Communication on the Union’s role
in the promotion of Democracy and Human Rights in third countries (1), the Commission is committed to
mainstreaming Human Rights and democratisation issues in all Community assistance programmes.
Country Strategy Papers are used as a tool to take a more coherent and consistent approach to the
promotion of human rights and democratisation, using the various financial instruments available to third
countries,
is being provided through the European Initiative for
Democracy and Human Rights.

in addition to the assistance that

in this context,

Moreover, the Commission has prepared a new Country Strategy for the Union’s relations with Georgia
and,
is currently redirecting its technical assistance towards the strengthening of
governance and the promotion of human rights and civil society there. This should help to create better
conditions for the respect of religious freedom. The new Tacis Indicative Programme 2004-2006 for
Georgia in particular proposes co-operation to support institutional, legal and administrative reform and
addresses the social consequences of transition and assistance to social reconstruction.

Georgia is also one of 31 ‘focus countries’ of the ‘European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights’
(EIDHR) for the period 2002-2004. One of the four thematic priorities of the EIDHR is the combating of
racism and xenophobia and discrimination against minorities and indigenous peoples. On 11 July 2003
the Commission launched a new Call for Proposals for microprojects under EIDHR for projects to be
implemented by Georgian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a budget of between EUR 3 000
and EUR 50 000. One of the priority themes of this call will be ‘Support for measures to combat racism
and xenophobia and to protect religious and ethnic minorities’. The deadline for applications is
15 September 2003.

(1) COM(2001) 252 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0561)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2280/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 July 2003)

Subject: Train warning signals

1. Will the Commission state if any European legislation requires Member State rail authorities to use
train warning signals of a minimum or maximum volume?

2.

If not will the Commission state if it has any intention to introduce such a proposal?