91997E3497

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3497/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (10 November 1997)

Subject: Extension of the Via Egnatia

The Via Egnatia is part of the trans-European networks and its construction is already being jointly funded by the EU and the European Investment Bank. The decision has already been taken to link up the Balkan capitals, which is an extremely important project, but extending the Via Egnatia to Istanbul would give the network another dimension.

Does the Commission consider this to be a valid idea? Could the EU jointly finance such a project and, in conjunction with the European Investment Bank, explore the possibility of such a scheme?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (19 December 1997)

The Egnatia motorway has been designated by the Community as a priority project of the Trans-European transport Network. It is also linked to the pan-European transport corridors as endorsed by the second pan-European transport conference in Crete in 1994 and adjusted by the third conference in Helsinki in 1997, and effective links towards the Balkans are provided. Two branches of corridor X connect to Via Egnatia, one to Thessaloniki and another south from Florina. Corridors IV and IX both go through Ormenio - the former to Edirne and then to Istanbul, and the latter south to Alexandroupoli.

As Via Egnatia continues as far as Ormenio, and corridor IV from Ormenio to Istanbul, the link between the two is already taken into account at the level of pan-European transport infrastructure development.

It is true that a possible extension of the Via Egnatia to Istanbul (with a direct link from Kipi to Istanbul, similar to that of the ancient Via Egnatia) would provide a direct link to Istanbul, avoiding the corridor IV connection. However, since such an extension of the Via Egnatia would be entirely on the territory of Turkey, the responsibility for developing this, including possible co-financing from the financial institutions, falls to the Turkish authorities. Should the extension interest several countries around the Black Sea, it could be discussed in the framework of the Black Sea pan-European transport area, which envisages the development of a multimodal transport network around the Black Sea.

Under the current financial perspectives 1994-1999, there is no Community co-financing envisaged for the extension of Via Egnatia to Istanbul. The feasibility of the project could be the subject of a future examination.