WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3598/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Environmental and health dangers facing the inhabitants of Samos (Greece)
C 297/86 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 15. 10. 1999 (1999/C 297/113) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3598/98 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (3 December 1998) Subject: Environmental and health dangers facing the inhabitants of Samos (Greece) Kokkari on Samos is one of the most beautiful regions of the island and attracts hundreds of tourists every year. Over the last few years the Greek Electricity Board (DEI), acting with the full backing of the Greek government, has been pressing ahead with plans to set up electricity production units in this region, without taking into account the reactions of the local community and local government bodies and brushing aside allegations made by environmentalists that the installation of new units (in addition to the existing units which have been polluting the region for over 20 years) will jeopardise the safety of the local population, because of the concentration of large amounts of inflammable material in the immediate vicinity of inhabited areas. The EU is meeting 60 % of the overall investment costs (total budget: DR 390 million) through the European Regional Development Fund. Will the Commission say whether it is aware of the above state of affairs and what action it intends to take to ensure that the natural environment of Samos and the health and safety of inhabitants of the island are effectively protected? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (25 January 1999) The Commission has taken note of the intended extension of the DEI’s electricity generating station within the municipality of Kokkari on Samos, following the filing of a complaint against the conditions under which this project is being implemented, and also concerning the operating conditions of that station in general. In June 1998, in reply to a request for information, the Greek authorities sent to the Commission Ministerial Decision No 61045 of 13 March 1998 by means of which the environmental impact study carried out in accordance with Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment (1), was approved. According to the Commission’s information the Greek Council of State has had this matter laid before it and its decision is awaited for early 1999. In addition an informal meeting with the plaintiffs was held in Brussels in November 1998. At that meeting the plaintiffs supplied new documents concerning the pollution caused by the operation of that power station. The Commission is currently examining those documents in order to be able to decide what further action to take in this matter. The project referred to by the Honourable Member is not being jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund. (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985. (1999/C 297/114) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3601/98 by Alessandro Danesin (PPE) to the Commission (3 December 1998) Subject: Common immigration policy Recent events in Italy such as the landings on the coast of Apulia and the endless queues for residence permits have made it even more imperative to solve a problem that has continued since the beginning of the 80s when Italy became one of the preferred destinations of illegal immigrants that not only want to remain there, but above all to gain admittance to the European Union