WRITTEN QUESTION E-3354/03 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Council. Minority language groups in Greece and official statistics.
Date: 2003-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Albania, EU policy, Greece, ethnic group, linguistic group, minority language, official statistics, protection of minorities

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/235

The Council does not see any direct implications of the survey on the EU’s role in the Middle East
3.
Peace Process. The Council will continue to pursue its balanced policy to promote peace in the Middle East
based on the Quartet Road Map and is confident that this policy will also find recognition with the Israeli
public.

The Council has raised this issue and discussed it with its Israeli counterparts in its regular dialogue

4.
with Israel.

(2004/C 84 E/0278)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3354/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Council

(13 November 2003)

Subject: Minority language groups in Greece and official statistics

Commissioner Reding carries out her duties impeccably and her contribution towards upgrading the status
of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture is clear. It appears, however, that certain members of
staff within that Directorate-General do not provide her with sufficient information and the inadequacy of
the answers which they draw up create a poor impression of the Commission which is totally unfounded.

In my question No E-2777/03 (1), I noted that the 1996 Euromosaic study reported (page 41 of the English
version) that the number of speakers of Aromanian, Albanian and Slavo-Macedonian in Greece ranged
between 50 000 and 80 000 and I asked who had compiled these statistics and whether they were official
and reliable. The distinguished Commissioner, Mrs Reding, replied that the three drafters of the report
collaborated with an expert committee comprising ten members from the Union, the USA and Canada.

Does the Council agree with the above statistics? What official information have the Greek authorities
provided concerning speakers of Aromanian, Albanian and Slavo-Macedonian? Is it ethical not to use the
official statistics of a Member State to estimate the size of certain language groups? Does the Council
believe that it is not sufficient for European experts to draw up reports on language groups in the Union?
What is its view of the involvement in purely European affairs (which are also extremely sensitive) of
experts from countries outside the EU who express opinions on the existence or non-existence of linguistic
minorities in Europe? What specific measures has the Council taken in the last ten years on behalf of the
(internationally recognised and numerous) Greek minority in northern Epirus, which the Albanian regime
persistently tried for almost 50 years to deprive of their language and religion?

(1) OJ C 65 E, 13.3.2004, p. 215.

Reply

(9 March 2004)

Concerning the statistics contained in the Euromosaic Study of 1996, the Council would stress that it is
neither its role nor within its competence to pass judgement on work carried out by a third party
following a call for tender by the European Commission.

As far as the situation of the Greek-speaking minority in Albania is concerned, it should be recalled that
the current negotiations between the EU and Albania taking place in the context of the stabilisation and
association process pay particular attention to issues of democratisation and protection of minorities. The
European Commission, which received the mandate for negotiations in October 2002, could provide more
detailed information in this connection.