Brussels, 17/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - According to scientific studies, the electromagnetic waves from Radio Vatican damage the health, in particular those of children. Made aware of the issue, Margot Wallström, European Commissioner for the Environment, intends to closely examine the case to, if need be, bring remedy to it. The Greens in the Parliament, as for them, pressured the European Commission to act as quickly as possible through legislation.
In question: the installation of emitters, formed of 58 antennas - of which some emit high power radio waves (600,000 watts) to cover the entire world - over an area of 425 hectares enjoying the extra-territoriality within the Commune of Rome, close to areas of high demographic density. The dossier handed to the Commission by a delegation of the "children without weaves" committees from Cesano (Rome) during a visit to Brussels last week, is eloquent. It gathers together the results of two epidemiological investigations carried out in the areas closest to the emitters, which have revealed a rate of child leukaemia six time higher than the average in the Rome Commune, already higher than the national average. Following her meeting with the delegation (formed of Angelo Bonelli, leader of the Green group in the Regional Council of Rome, doctors and parents of children exposed to the problem) Margot Wallström announced that she would immediately get in touch with the Italian Minister for the Environment, Willer Bordon, to gain greater information and agree with him on possible measures to take. Monica Frassoni, member of the Greens/ALE group in the Parliament, which has, it too, met the delegation, stated: We are faced with a case of exceptional gravity, without equivalent in the world, since it concerns an installations of a power of hundreds of thousands of watts. This situation is the cause of serious diseases such as cancer and leukaemia. We want a European regulation that impose limits to electromagnetic emissions. In a press release, Paul Lannoye President of the Greens/ALE group, recalls that in 1999 the European Parliament had already asked, through a report by Gianni Tamino, for the Commission to present a proposal in the matter, by January 2001. To this day nothing has been done, while since 1989, there exists a Directive setting very low limits for electromagnetic emissions by electrical machines susceptible of interfering with other machines. It is strange to note that the repercussions of electromagnetic waves on the human body have not, as yet, benefited from the same attention from the Commission, he underlines.
The case raised heated debates in Italy, including within the government. Last Sunday, Radio Vatican reacted by reducing its emissions. We have reduced, by a little more than 50%, the emissions that are considered dangerous by some, without any scientific justification, indicated the programme director, Father Federico Lombardi (who added that these emissions are broadcast on different frequencies).