WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1644/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Destruction of the archaeological site of ancient Dodona at Ioannina
C 13/58 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 The Cohesion fund has not amongst its objectives to combat regional disparities in economic activity and the Fund cannot assist specific rural or urban activities. The initiative to submit to the Cohesion fund applications for projects in the areas of trans-European transport infrastructure and environment lies exclusively with the beneficiary Member States. The Commission is not in a position to refuse a particular application for reasons of the location of a project. (1999/C 13/082) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1632/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (29 May 1998) Subject: Road safety Having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions › Promoting road safety in the EU: the programme for 1997-2001 (COM(97) 131 final) and to the application of the principle of subsidiarity, will the Commission, with the aim of promoting road safety and harmonization of conditions of competition, take the following action: 1. adopt at community level provisions, checks and coordinated penalties with regard for example to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles, the issue and withdrawal of drivers licences, road signs and signals and driving and rest times for professional drivers; pay very great attention to excessive speed and speed inappropriate to the circumstances and to driving under the influence of alcohol, which are listed amongst the main causes of accidents; 2. do the utmost, given the importance of human factors, to encourage safety-conscious driving and other factors likely to influence the behaviour of drivers such as checks, campaigns and financial incentives? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (1 July 1998) All the points raised by the Honourable Member are addressed in the Community road safety programme for 1997-2001. They have been considered, not only by the Commission in its original Communication, but also during the debate which followed it. The Parliament itself adopted a Resolution on the programming emphasizing some of the points which the Commission will be taking into account when implementing the programme. (1999/C 13/083) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1644/98 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (29 May 1998) Subject: Destruction of the archaeological site of ancient Dodona at Ioannina A short time ago, the EU interceded to prevent the route of the Via Egnatia passing close to the archaeological site of ancient Dodona in the prefecture of Ioannina, in order to protect the environment and the cultural heritage of the region. Recently, however, the local authority for the prefecture of Ioannina approved an application from the village of Mandion allowing a local road to be built next to the cancelled route of the Via Egnatia. This decision is tantamount to approving the destruction of the renowned Dodona landscape, which includes the sanctuary at Dodona and the natural environment in the area. The tragic aspect of the entire affair is that the area was saved from the major threat of an international-scale project and is now threatened with destruction by a local road seven metres wide, which is being built (according to the official justification) áto improve pasture landí