WRITTEN QUESTION E-0774/04 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Violation of religious freedom in Cyprus.
Date: 2004-03-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community acquis, Cyprus, State aid, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, discretionary power, freedom of religious beliefs, religious discrimination, religious group, religious tourism

C 88 E/214

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 2004)

The matters raised by the Honourable Member have not been referred to the Commission.

regards

the granting of

As
from third countries,
the Commission would point out that at present there are no Community rules on entry and residence
for work purposes for nationals of third countries, and that all decisions in this field are a matter for the
Member States.

specific work permits

religious workers

for

In addition, the Commission has no remit to intervene in the event of violations of fundamental rights,
including religious freedom, unless such violations take place within the framework of Community law
and its implementation.

Lastly, if an individual believes that his fundamental rights have been violated, he can take proceedings in
the European Court of Human Rights after exhausting all domestic legal remedies.

(2004/C 88 E/0221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0774/04

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Cyprus

In view of the following:

(cid:1) Article 6 of the EU Treaty;

(cid:1) Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU concerning religious freedom and

cultural and religious diversity;

(cid:1) the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 (in particular

Article 9);

(cid:1) the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State;

(cid:1) the Commission’s report of 19 February 2003 on the application for accession to the EU submitted by
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia;

(cid:1) the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament

and the Council

‘The Commission’s Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 (1);

(cid:1) the Copenhagen political criteria regarding the right to religious freedom;

and the fact that:

(cid:1) in Cyprus members of Jehovah’s Witnesses have reported encountering difficulties in being recognised
as conscientious objectors and being exempted from military service in the Greek Cypriot National
Guard;

(cid:1) in the north of the island, on the basis of the 1960 Constitution the Vakf (Muslim institution
regulating the religious acitivty of Turkish Cypriots) pays the cost of the activities and salaries of
Muslim religious leaders, is exempted from tax on its religious activities and receives official subsidies,
whilst no other religious organisation is exempted from paying tax or is subsidised;

(cid:1) Turkish Cypriot citizens have reported the slowness of procedures at border-crossing points, which
have limited the number of people who can cross the border to visit religious sites during the
holidays;

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/215

Cyprus is one of the countries due to join the EU on 1 May 2004:

(cid:1) can the Commission say whether it is fully aware of all these facts and, if so, what view it takes of

them;

(cid:1) since religious freedom and freedom of association are among the priority issues for the Union and
since the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council
‘The Commission’s Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 states that the
legal obligations of the European Union and the new Member States vis-à-vis the ‘acquis commun-
autaire’ must be fulfilled from the first day of accession, can the Commission say whether it intends to
inform the authorities of these countries of its intentions to this effect? In other words, how will the
Commission ensure that
their
membership of the EU if at the same time there is an infringement of the very rights respect for which
is strictly necessary for their accession;

these countries comply with the ‘acquis’

from the first day of

(cid:1) since the political criteria laid down in the Commission’s report of 19 February 2003 require the
applicant States to ensure the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human
rights and respect for and protection of minorities, does the Commission not consider the facts
mentioned above as an obstacle in the context of these countries’ accession to the EU and hence
contrary to the acquis, and that the countries where these events have occurred are totally failing to
comply with the criteria;

(cid:1) will the Commission consider using all the means at its disposal to put an end to this infringement of

religious freedom and freedom of worship?

(1) COM(2003) 645 final.

(2004/C 88 E/0222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0777/04

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Hungary

In view of the following:

(cid:1) Article 6 of the EU Treaty;

(cid:1) Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU concerning religious freedom and

cultural and religious diversity;

(cid:1) the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 (in particular

Article 9);

(cid:1) the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State;

(cid:1) the Commission’s report of 19 February 2003 on the application for accession to the EU submitted by
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia;

(cid:1) the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament

and the Council

‘The Commission’s Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 (1);

(cid:1) the Copenhagen political criteria regarding the right to religious freedom;

and the fact that:

(cid:1) the Hungarian Government has shown its determination to treat majority or long-established religions

more favourably than minority religious communities;

(cid:1) several laws and government decrees guarantee ‘traditional’ religions rights and privileges that are not

granted to other religious groups, such as in the decree on the military chaplain’s service;