B4-0649, 0652 and 0680/95

Resolution on the crew of the Bulgarian ship "Rotalia"

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the International Convention of 1974 relating to the Safety of Life at Sea,

-having regard to the IMO Convention of 1978 on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for seafarers (STCW),

A.whereas the crew of the Rotalia have been involved in an industrial dispute with the owners of the recently privatized ship since 12 January 1995 over non-payment of up to three years' wages,

B.whereas the plight of the Bulgarian crew of the Rotalia on strike and stranded in Lerwick, Shetland, is deplorable,

C.whereas the crew's human rights and democratic freedoms have been constantly violated since the beginning of the dispute through withdrawal of food supplies and through other forms of intimidation of themselves and their families in Bulgaria,

D.whereas the men have now been evicted from the ship by the new owners without any resolution of the dispute, despite their willingness to enter into negotiation,

E.whereas the refusal on behalf of the crew's employers, Oceanskly Ribilov, to supply them with food and medical supplies is a breach of their legal obligations as ship operators and an infringement of basic human rights,

F.whereas respect for democratic principles and human rights constitutes an essential element of the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and the Republic of Bulgaria,

1.Calls on the Commission to establish whether the conduct of the crew's employers is compatible with ILO conventions and to take the necessary action to resolve this situation immediately;

2.Calls on the Commission to convey Parliament's concern to the Bulgarian Government over the treatment of the crew once they return home;

3.Calls on the Commission to ensure that the Bulgarian Government takes no unjustified measures against the crew in response to their industrial action and that there is a negotiated settlement to the crew's wages claim;

4.Requests that the Commission's offices in Bulgaria monitor the men's treatment upon their return home;

5.Instructs its competent committees to conduct an inquiry into this case in order to inform it of the problems faced by the social partners in connection with the process of privatization in Eastern Europe;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Bulgarian Government, the ILO and the employers, Oceanskly Ribilov.