B4-0772, 0806, 0820 and 0828/95

Resolution on the disastrous earthquake in western Macedonia in Greece

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the major earthquake, reaching 6.6 on the Richter Scale, which occurred in western Macedonia on 13 May 1995 and the aftershocks reaching 5.4 on the Richter Scale which occured on 15 and 17 May, as well as the fact that this was one of the most severe earthquakes in the last 30 years,

B.whereas damage reports still coming in already indicate that major destruction has been caused in the prefectures of Kozani and Grevena,

C.whereas initial findings show that:

- six villages near the border between the two prefectures situated at the epicentre of the earthquake have been almost entirely destroyed, while in dozens of others on both sides of Lake Polifiton in Kozani and Grevena, 60% or more of the buildings have been made uninhabitable,

- to date, one thousand houses are considered to be uninhabitable and hundreds of others have been seriously damaged,

D.whereas a number of archaeological sites, mainly from the Byzantine period, have suffered major and irreparable damage and immediate action must be taken to gather up, preserve and salvage remains for future restoration,

E.whereas thousands of local residents have been forced to leave their homes and spend the night in the open for fear of other disastrous earthquakes judged by experts to be likely,

1.Expresses its solidarity with the affected population and those made homeless;

2.Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Greek Government and the Greek Red Cross to ensure that emergency aid appropriations entered in the Community budget reach the affected population and to take all the necessary and possible measures to repair the damage;

3.Calls on the Commission to examine the possibilities of using Structural Fund appropriations for the purposes of restoration and relief work and economic recovery in the affected area;

4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Greek Government and the local authorities of the regions concerned.