WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3566/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Arbitrary measures by the Turkish authorities affecting the School of Theology at Chalki, Istanbul
C 182/100 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 6. 1999 Joint answer to Written Questions E-3562/98 and E-3563/98 given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (20 January 1999) The Commission declines to comment further on the book in question than to state that it consists of malicious allegations made by a former official dismissed following disciplinary proceedings. The policy implemented by the Commission under the Lomé Convention is formulated at Community level and agreed in partnership with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. The purpose of the projects, programmes, support for sectoral programmes and direct or indirect budget support alike is to contribute, together with the Member States and other donors, to the sustainable economic and social development of these countries. In other words, the ultimate beneficiaries of the aid should be local people in that the whole object of the exercise is to relieve poverty and raise living standards. The Commission makes the necessary arrangements to see that both Stabex funds and other direct budget assistance observe this guiding principle, so that moneys intended as official development assistance are not diverted. If there appears to be any danger that payments might be put to ends other than those approved, i. e. covered by agreements signed by the recipient country authorities, the payments are not released. Regular audits are carried out and if the money has not been spent in the way set out in the financing agreement the funds are frozen until the situation has been rectified. After the 1993 Abacha coup in Nigeria the Commission, on its own initiative, immediately froze all aid to the country; an EU common position subsequently endorsed the suspension of aid other than humanitarian relief sent direct to those in need. Similarly, in the case of what was Zaire, the Commission likewise acted on its own initiative in 1992 to freeze European aid sent via Mobutu’s authorities. Since then, at Community level, only humanitarian or rehabilitation operations implemented by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or international organisa- tions have been carried out in Zaire/the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (1999/C 182/133) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3566/98 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (1 December 1998) Subject: Arbitrary measures by the Turkish authorities affecting the School of Theology at Chalki, Istanbul In 1971, the Turkish Government took a unilateral and arbitrary decision to close the School of Theology at Chalki in Istanbul. Despite promises down the years that the School would be reopened, the government also decided a few days ago to abolish the School’s administrative board. This latest act is a flagrant violation of the principles of equality before the law and religious freedom, which are (supposedly) safeguarded by the Turkish Constitution and are also fundamental principles of international law. Turkish nationals : of the Christian faith : cannot freely exercise their religious rights in Turkey. Consequently, the Christian population in Turkey is constantly shrinking and its churches and religious institutions are losing their priests and administrative boards. This deliberate policy is designed, in the absence of a Christian community, to give the Turkish authorities control over such property since, under racist Turkish law, non-Turkish citizens are prohibited from sitting on the administrative boards of such institutions. What action will the Commission take, in view of Turkey’s association with the Union, to persuade the Turkish authorities to annul their decision to abolish the administrative board of the School of Theology at Chalki and to reopen this prominent Christian institution with its worldwide reputation?