Strasbourg, 05/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting a resolution tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, Liberal, Green/EFA, GUE/NGL and UEN groups in its Thursday's emergency debates on backing institutional changes in Macedonia, the European Parliament urges FYROM to speed-up the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution, so as to respect the agreed deadlines, and voted in favour of an amnesty for the rebels, except for those who may be tried by the International Criminal Tribunal of The Hague. In addition, Parliament "takes note" of the Commission's proposal aimed at extending to Macedonia the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction for Kosovo and Yugoslavia, while suggesting that the mandate be limited to EU assistance to reconstruction immediately after this year's conflict, and that it be accompanied with a delegation for managing of the remainder of the normal EU aid (notably that concerning implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement), to be attached to the Commission's delegation in Skopje, "which presupposes that the latter's staff be bolstered".
During the short debate, the Head of the EP Delegation for relations with South East Europe, Doris Pack (CDU), said that she would be in Skopje this Friday, with Messrs, Swoboda and Lagendijk. As for the Commissioner for humanitarian aid, Poul Nielson, he recalled the different forms of aid provided by the EU to FYROM (including 12.8 million euro released thanks to the new "raid reaction" mechanism and in particular intended to finance "confidence-building" measures) and said that extending the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction was in the interest of the rapidity and effectiveness of this aid. The latter, he made a point of stressing, especially depends on the peace agreement being respected, and notably minority rights.