WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3326/97 by Antonios TRAKATELLIS to the Commission. Greek Community Support Framework: the Egnatia Road and Thessaloniki Underground projects
C 117/174 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 4. 98 (98/C 117/237) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3326/97 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE) to the Commission (15 October 1997) Subject: Greek Community Support Framework: the Egnatia Road and Thessaloniki Underground projects Among the projects included in the Second Community Support Framework (CSF) for Greece (1994-1999) are the construction of the Egnatia Road, a project of key strategic importance for the development of trans-European networks in Greece and the European Union, and the Thessaloniki Underground, a major project intended to alleviate the serious traffic and environmental problems facing this city of over a million people. In view of the delay in the take-up by Greece of CSF funds in respect of many development projects and programmes, the Greek Government has put forward proposals for the transfer of appropriations from some programmes to others. Inter alia, it has proposed transferring over Drs. 100 billion from the Egnatia Road project and Drs. 27 billion from the Thessaloniki Underground project. Does the Commission intend to transfer funds earmarked for the important projects in question, and if so, on what grounds? Given Greeceís bitter experience that a project which is delayed is never implemented, how does the Commission view the Greek Governmentís intention to transfer funds which will essentially mean an end to the Thessaloniki Underground project? Given that the Egnatia Road project has already begun and is currently under way, how does the Commission view the request for a transfer of appropriations which will delay its implementation? Does it not agree that the proposal for the transfer of appropriations will essentially cancel out the strategic and economic benefit which would have resulted from the completion of the Egnatia Road during the five-year period 1994-1999, which will thus be put off indefinitely? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (7 November 1997) The Commission can confirm that it has received from the Greek authorities proposals which include the transfer to other projects of DRA 100 billion (approximately ECU 330 million) allocated under the second Community support framework (CSF) for the Egnatia main road and DRA 27 billion (approximately ECU 90 million) earmarked for the Thessaloniki underground railway. These proposals are currently being considered by the Commission and will then be discussed at the next meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the CSF. The Commission set out its position on this transfer of appropriations from the Thessaloniki underground railway project in its reply to Oral Question H-741/97 during the Question Time of Parliament’s part-session in October 1997 (1). With regard to the reduction in appropriations proposed for Egnatia, the Commission has already notified the Greek authorities of its serious reservations. The information available to the Commission suggests that this project could be completed under the current CSF and absorb the appropriations allocated to it. (1) Debates of the European Parliament (October 1997). (98/C 117/238) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3327/97 by Jessica Larive (ELDR) to the Commission (15 October 1997) Subject: Plutonium on board the US space probe Cassini › danger to public health According to the Algemeen Dagblad of 27 September 1997, the US space probe Cassini is to be launched on 13 October 1997 with 34 kg of plutonium on board. The Netherlands association for public health and peace issues, along with a number of American associations, has warned that the risks of this enterprise are high. unacceptably