WRITTEN QUESTION No. 433/98 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Commission. How to encourage positive developments in Montenegro
17. 7. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 223/173 (98/C 223/225) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0433/98 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Commission (24 February 1998) Subject: How to encourage positive developments in Montenegro In the Yugoslav republic of Montenegro the process of transition to an open and democratic society is more advanced than in the other Yugoslav republic of Serbia. If Montenegro is permitted to develop unhindered in this direction, it may have a positive effect on the situation both in Serbia and in Yugoslavia as a whole. This positive development, however, is being held back both by internal and external factors. Internally, negative pressure is being brought to bear by the Serbian authorities, both directly and through the institutions of the Yugoslav Federation. For example, the state media in Serbia have for months been passing a smear campaign against the new Montenegrin president Djukanovic and his allies. Externally, Montenegro has to contend with restrictive rules on finance and trade, which have been imposed on Yugoslavia as a whole by the international community. Can the Commission state whether it is possible to encourage the positive development of the situation in Montenegro, and if so, how? Is the Commission prepared to urge both the Serbian and the Yugoslav authorities, through the appropriate channels, to respect the Republic of Montenegroís right under the Yugoslav Basic Law to order its own affairs? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (25 March 1998) The Commission contributes to the continued positive developments in Montenegro by means of support for democratisation, human and minority rights and independent media, all of which have an important role to play. There is also clear political support by the Union for genuine democratisation efforts in Montenegro. The eligibility of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) for inclusion in the autonomous trade regime and the PHARE programme is subject to compliance with the relevant political and economic conditionality, with which it has continued to fail to comply. As these measures and programmes apply to states (i. e. the FRY) rather than their constituent parts (e. g. the republics of Serbia and Montenegro), neither the trade preferences nor PHARE are available to Montenegro at this time. Appropriate projects might, however, be financed from the budget available for reconstruction in former Yugoslavia. (98/C 223/226) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0455/98 by Carlo Secchi (PPE) to the Commission (27 February 1998) Subject: Change in the delimitation of the mountain areas of the mountain community of Lario Orientale In 1995 the mountain community of Lario Orientale (Lecco) submitted a request to DG VI through the competent ministry to extend the delimitation of its mountain areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268 (1) (superseded by Regulation No 950/97 (2)). In March 1996 it forwarded the supplementary documentation requested by the Directorate-General. According to the Commission it has not yet approved the procedure, albeit complete and entirely in conformity with the rules in force, because it is awaiting final consideration of the requests that have meanwhile been submitted by other Italian regions