WRITTEN QUESTION E-0449/04 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Monolithic rock-hewn churches in Lilibela, Ethiopia.
Date: 2004-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Ethiopia, heritage protection, use of aid

C 88 E/502

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0513)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0449/04

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Monolithic rock-hewn churches in Lilibela, Ethiopia

(23 February 2004)

The collection of 11th century monolithic rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia are a remarkable and
unique treasure. Sadly, the lack of resources to invest in the preservation of them is leading to a rapid and
incipient decay of these priceless and unique buildings.

Is it true that the EU, in partnership with the UN, made a commitment to invest in the preservation of
these churches in 2000? If so, where has the money been spent, and how much of a budget has been
devoted to this worthy project?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

The Commission has decided to help with the preservation and conservation of the Lalibela churches.
A Financing Agreement for an amount of EUR 9 100 000 was signed in May 2002. The project provides,
mainly, for the erection of new shelters for the churches. These shelters, which will replace the existing
ones, will give improved protection to the churches until a comprehensive conservation programme is
designed and implemented.

This project complements earlier activities financed by the Commission. These activities comprised the
design of the shelters and the recording of cultural treasures.

The Commission has co-operated with the United Nations (UN) on this, notably in the past for the
preparation of the international architectural competition for the design of the shelters.

The implementation of the project can be summarised as follows:

(cid:1) an open international tender was published in July 2002 for the selection of a contractor for the

construction of the shelters. The tender had to be cancelled as no offers were submitted;

(cid:1) the tender will be re-launched following in-depth discussions with the Ethiopian authorities to identify

the reasons for the negative result of the first tender.

(2004/C 88 E/0514)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0461/04

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: Zimbabwe (cid:1) EP resolution

In a letter dated 26 January 2004, the Zimbabwean Embassy and Mission to the EC forwarded its
government’s reply to the EP resolution of 15 January 2004 (P5_TA-PROV(2004)0033), to the Members
of the European Parliament.

The government describes the resolution as straightforward propaganda, poisoned by hypocrisy and
arrogance,
full of wishful thinking and objective falsifications, containing ungrounded, anachronistic,
frivolous and tendentious affirmations; it further accuses the European Parliament of fanning the flames of
division and encouraging confrontation, ignoring the plight of black Zimbabweans and only interested in
the return of
land to the white farmers, and, moreover, accuses various European governments of
operating a strategy to overthrow the Zimbabwean Government.