Parliamentary question - E-005106/2011Parliamentary question
E-005106/2011

Building of mosques for illegal immigrants in the Athens region in the light of the granting of a bailout package to Greece worth billions of euros

Question for written answer E-005106/2011
to the Commission
Rule 117
Wolf Klinz (ALDE)

The situation in Greece is becoming more acute. Despite intensive efforts to make savings, the level of debt is rising. Without massive financial support from the International Monetary Fund and the EU, the country would already have been forced to declare itself insolvent. Despite the tight budgetary situation, Athens has — according to media reports — announced that two large mosques each costing EUR 15 million are to be built by 2012 for the use of tens of thousands of illegal migrants living in the Athens region.

Against this background, how does the Commission view, from a legal (rather than an ethical) perspective, the building of two mosques in Greece for the use of illegal migrants living in Athens?

What position does the European human rights commissioner expressly take in this connection?

In the light of the above, what is the Commission's assessment of the risk that money from the EU bailout fund could be used by Greece for purposes other than those for which it is intended, and what steps does it propose to take as a precaution in order, if necessary, to prevent this from happening?

What information does the Commission have concerning the case in question as regards the funding structure (whether or not EU money is being granted)?

Would such projects — if they contravene Member States’ national law — actually be eligible for funding in relation to possible EU co‑financing programmes?

What policy and financial measures does the Commission propose in order to promote church infrastructure projects in countries seeking accession to the EU in which Christians are in a minority and are sometimes openly discriminated against?

OJ C 365 E, 15/12/2011