WRITTEN QUESTION E-2359/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Violation of religious freedom in Kosovo.
Date: 2003-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Kosovo, establishment of peace, freedom of religious beliefs, heritage protection, multinational force, religious conflict

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/403

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 August 2003)

The Commission is fully aware of
Commission is aware of this meeting in Namangan and is following the situation carefully.

the very difficult conditions facing Muslims in Uzbekistan. The

The EU/Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement provides the appropriate framework for the
discussion of such issues.

The Commission will continue to raise the question of religious freedom with the Uzbek authorities at
each bilateral meeting.

(2004/C 88 E/0409)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2359/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(17 July 2003)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Kosovo

Given that:

(cid:1) on 27 June 2003 on a visit to Pristina the Secretary-General of Nato, George Robertson, called on the

Kosovo Albanians to be more tolerant and to build a multi-ethnic society;

(cid:1) on the same day graves in the Orthodox cemetery in Kosovska Vitina were desecrated and the
Orthodox church of St Nicolas in Pristina, from which the Nato peace-keeping force KFOR had
withdrawn its protection at the end of last year, was attacked;

(cid:1) on 28 March 2003 unknown individuals shot at two Spanish KFOR sentries, who were guarding the

Orthodox convent of Gorioc near Istok;

(cid:1) on 31 May 2003 a grenade was thrown at the Greek KFOR checkpoint protecting the church of St

Czar Uros in Urosevac in the south of the country;

(cid:1) the United nations mission, UNMIK, and KFOR are trying to find those responsible for the latest
incidents, but in the last three years there have not been any arrests in connection with the hundreds
of similar attacks against Orthodox churches and cemeteries;

(cid:1) Kosovo and Metohija are areas suffering the aftermath of war, where four years after the end of the

conflict it has not yet been possible to restore the places sacred to Christians.

In view of the enormous sums the European Union is investing in Kosovo:

(cid:1) can the Commission say whether it is aware of the events mentioned above; and

(cid:1) what measures might constitute a serious and effective means of inducing the Kosovar administration

to respect religious freedom?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 August 2003)

The protection of Serb Orthodox religious sites in Kosovo is a matter of considerable concern to the
international community. The Commission strongly condemns the attacks that have taken place against
such sites and welcomes the fact that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)-led peacekeeping
force in Kosovo (KFOR) devotes considerable troop resources to the protection of patrimonial sites in
Kosovo.

C 88 E/404

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The Commission supports the efforts of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo to establish democratic
institutions which should pave the way for reconciliation of all communities. This is the key to decreasing
levels of violence and to building a multi-ethnic and tolerant Kosovo.

More specifically, the Commission has encouraged the international civil administration in Kosovo (the UN
Mission in Kosovo (cid:1) UNMIK) and the Provisional Institutions for Self-government (PISG) to include, as
part of their priorities for public reconstruction and investment, the funding for the repair of the damaged
sites under the Kosovo Consolidated Budget to which the Community contributes. This measure would
underline the importance of this issue and would foster more ownership of the political leadership and the
Kosovo society to address this problem.

The Commission does not therefore itself intend separately to undertake the reconstruction, with EC
funding, of any religious buildings in Kosovo. However, it is worth mentioning that, under the initiative of
President Prodi and the support of the Member of the Commission responsible for Education and Culture,
the Commission is co-financing an ‘Integrated Rehabilitation Project Plan (IRPP)/Joint action for a survey of
the architectural and archaeological heritage (including religious heritage of all denominations)’ and the
establishment of a priority list of monuments and sites in need of urgent conservation/restoration in the
Balkans. This Joint Action is being developed within the Regional Programme for Cultural and Natural
Heritage in South East Europe, implemented by the Council of Europe between 2003 and 2005 and will
be a very useful source of information to promote the involvement of authorities and donors and
international agencies in this field.

(2004/C 88 E/0410)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2360/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(17 July 2003)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom and legal restrictions on religious activity in Slovakia

Given that:

(cid:1) leaders of small protestant churches, Muslims and followers of Hare Krishna are complaining about
the 1991 law on religion, which prevents religious communities with fewer than 20 000 members
from obtaining legal status;

(cid:1) Ivan Zustiak, the leader of the Brethren protestant church, applied for registration but the Office for

Religious Affairs refused his application;

(cid:1) Mohamed Safwan Hasna, a Syrian imam of Slovak nationality, complains that refusal to allow
registration and the fact that no mosques can be built is very humiliating. Muslims do not have an
appropriate place to gather regularly to pray, meet one another or give instruction in Islamic culture.
Hasna purchased a plot of land in the historic centre of the city around three years ago, but the mayor
has not granted building permission. There are about 5 000 Muslims in Slovakia, most of them in
Bratislava. The Muslim community there, which had to be registered as a charity, has been trying to
build an Islamic centre for many years;

(cid:1) Martin Huncar, the assistant pastor of the protestant church Word of Life in Bratislava, says that his
church has not even tried to become registered, knowing it was pointless. The church was obliged to
register with the Ministry of the Interior as an organisation carrying out social and Christian activities
with young people. They cannot use the word ‘church’ in their official documents. Mr Huncar stresses
that without registration it is impossible for a church to conduct legally valid weddings or funerals and
cannot work in schools or prisons;