WRITTEN QUESTION No. 987/99 by Luigi COLAJANNI , Roberto SPECIALE , Andrea MANZELLA The assassination of the Vice- President of Paraguay
21. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 370/149 (1999/C 370/208) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0987/99 by Luigi Colajanni (PSE), Roberto Speciale (PSE) and Andrea Manzella (PSE) to the Commission (15 April 1999) Subject: The assassination of the Vice-President of Paraguay In view of the assassination of the Vice-President of Paraguay, Luis Argana, by a commando of four men on the morning of 23 March 1999, can the Commission say what steps the European Union will take to ensure that the democratic process in Paraguay is not halted and that constitutional order is reestablished with adequate guarantees? Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (3 May 1999) Following the assassination of the Paraguayan Vice-President, Mr Luis Argaña, the country’s president-elect, Mr Raúl Cubas, resigned. In such circumstances, Paraguay’s constitution provides for the speaker of the national congress to take over the presidency. Mr Luis Angel González Macchi duly took office and immediately appointed a government of national unity from among Paraguay’s democratic parties. This is the first government in Paraguay’s history not to be drawn exclusively from the Colorado party. It includes representatives of the Liberal and centre-left Encuentro Nacional parties. This has inspired considerable hope in Paraguay’s young democracy, a hope that the Commission is willing to help sustain, with due regard for the country’s sovereignty. (1999/C 370/209) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0990/99 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (15 April 1999) Subject: Import of wild birds Following the Jackson report in 1991 calling for a ban on imports of wild birds (A3-0212/91), and bearing in mind the continuing species depletion, especially of some tropical birds, there is a growing feeling that the provisions laid down in the Regulation on possession of and trade in specimens of species of wild fauna and flora are inadequate to stop this cruel trade. What further action does the Commission propose? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (6 May 1999) All the necessary provisions for trade and transport of wild animals and plant species including import restrictions where necessary are contained in Council Regulation (EC) 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein and Commission Regulation (EC) no 939 of 26 May 1997 laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) 338/97 (1). The texts of these regulations are the result of several years of detailed discussions involving the Commission, Council and Parliament with the objective of improving the situation for the benefit of the conservation of the species concerned ? not just birds. The Commission’s objective is a full and proper implementation of these regulations in the Community, including a dialogue with developing countries on the conservation status of the species affected. (1) OJ L 61, 3. 3. 1997. OJ L 140, 30. 5. 1997