WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2031/98 by Yiannis ROUBATIS to the Commission. Dismissal of distinguished Turkish journalists
18. 1. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 13/139 (1999/C 13/195) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2029/98 by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Commission (7 July 1998) Subject: Commission support for the Epirus region office Now that an office is to be opened in Brussels for the region of Epirus, will the Commission provide financial, technical and other aid to strengthen role of the office in increasing contact and cooperation between the poorest region of the Union and the Unionís institutions? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (3 August 1998) The Commission provides assistance from the Structural Funds to operations and projects to develop the Epirus region through various sectoral programmes, through the regional programme and through Community Initiative programmes. As regards the Epirus regionís representative office in Brussels, the Commission informs the Honourable Member that funding such an activity is beyond the scope of the operational programme for Epirus, so no contribution to the officeís running costs is envisaged. (1999/C 13/196) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2031/98 by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Commission (7 July 1998) Subject: Dismissal of distinguished Turkish journalists On the basis of concocted áinformationí supplied by an alleged leading member of the PKK, the Turkish generals have forced the employers of two distinguished Turkish journalists, Mehmet Ali Birad and Ghengiz ˙antar, to dismiss them. In addition, there are fears that their dismissal also signals the go-ahead for the áliquidationí of the two Turkish journalists by rogue elements in Turkey who are operating in close cooperation with the official authorities, as the events at Sokuluk have demonstrated. All these events are taking place at the same time as Turkey and some of its economic partners are insisting that the leaders of the country are sincere in wanting Turkey to have closer relations with the Union. 1. What practical measures will the Commission take to protect the two journalists from a probable assassination attempt? 2. What instructions will the Commissioner responsible and the Commissionís representative in Turkey issue to give the two journalists all possible moral support and other assistance? 3. When will the Commission explain to the Turkish leadership › in plain terms › that the principles on which Europeís democracies are based also include freedom of expression and thought and that it is not possible to ignore, for economic or any other form of gain, Turkeyís renewed drift towards autocracy and totalitarianism? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (3 August 1998) The Commission considers the improvement of the human rights situation and the continuation of democratisa- tion in Turkey of particular importance to the development of relations between the Community and Turkey. It would refer the Honourable Member to the conclusions of Decemberís Luxembourg European Council, which noted that strengthening Turkeyís links with the European Union also depends on that countryís pursuit of the political and economic reforms on which it has embarked, including the alignment of human rights standards and practices on those in force in the Community