WRITTEN QUESTION No. 77/99 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Demolition of Greek historic building in FYROM
C 297/142 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 15. 10. 1999 In addition to its recommendations on transparency in this area (Recommendation 98/286/EC (1)) the Commission has for some years actively encouraged the banking community to deal with differences in standards for all types of cross-border payment and to establish closer cross-border links between their systems. Some committees are working on these issues (e. g. the European committee for banking standards). The Commission will continue to encourage banks to come forward with improvements in their systems. In addition, the Commission will issue a communication in spring 1999 covering the policy relating to payment systems in EMU. Political impetus in favour of such a communication was very much in evidence at the first meeting of the financial services policy group held on 28 January 1999, chaired by the Commission. This group of personal representatives of finance ministers, set up under the framework for action for financial services, agreed that introduction of the euro had brought a number of issues to the fore, including the fact that the infrastructure to help citizens to effect small-value cross-border payments has lagged behind developments at the wholesale level. The Commission’s communication will therefore outline an integrated strategy encompassing all remaining obstacles to efficient cross-border retail payments in euro, including payment cards, cheques and transfers. (1) OJ L 130, 1. 5. 1998. (1999/C 297/194) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0077/99 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (27 January 1999) Subject: Demolition of Greek historic building in FYROM On 12 January 1999, the authorities in the town of Resna, FYROM, proceeded to demolish one of the most historic Greek monuments in that country. The Greek academy for boys, where Greek pupils from the Pelagonia region studied from as early as 1800 and where the great Greek teacher, Kosmas the Aetolian, taught was demolished (after cursory formalities) on the authority of the FYROM Ministry of Education. This act is the latest in a number of provocative measures taken by the Skopje government against Greek cultural monuments in that country; recently (also in the town of Resna), the Greek inscriptions disappeared from the church of Ayios Georgios (built in 1842) and from the graves of Greeks in the Holy Trinity cemetery. Will the Commission say what action it will take to persuade FYROM to conform to standards of conduct befitting a genuine European country, particularly as that country is receiving generous funding through the PHARE programme and the European Investment Bank (EIB)? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (1 March 1999) The Commission has taken note of the events in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to which the Honourable Member refers, particularly the demolition of one of the country’s historic Greek monuments. Following contacts with the head of the liaison office of the Hellenic Republic in Skopje, through its resident envoy there, the Commission has been informed of the latter’s démarche vis-à-vis the FYROM authorities with regard to this bilateral matter. Depending on whatever measures may be taken following these events, the Commission could consider reorienting ongoing Phare cultural activities to contribute to the preservation of the country’s Greek monuments, too. In future, however, no Phare funds will be earmarked for cultural projects