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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has criticized the Slovenian government for its view on media freedom and justice, saying it is a tumultuous start to the country’s EU presidency.
Slovenia began a six-month EU-led mandate at a press conference, with von der Leyen stressing the need for free and independent media because of the “essence of democracy”. Prime Minister Janez Jansa to unlock the funding of a publicly owned press agency.
In an in-depth interview, Jansari asked his country’s representative to nominate the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) “with great urgency” and stressed that judges have the right to have their own personal political opinions.
Critics are increasingly concerned about Slovenia’s democratic rules and Rule of law, Jansak is among the fears to follow A similar path to Viktor Orban, Illiberal Prime Minister of Hungary.
Standing next to Von der Leyen, Jansa defended his government’s record and stressed that it upheld the EU’s principles of respect for human rights, as well as “cultural differences” between members. “The rule of law is the basic framework of European civilization,” he said.
Their tense press conference had a difficult meeting between Jansa and the commissions that visited the country in the EU.
At an unusual moment, Jansa showed a photo of two Slovenian judges who appeared with politicians from the center-left, saying that justice in his country was politically marginalized, according to people who knew the meeting.
Frans Timmermans, executive chairman of the committee and a member of the Socialist and Democrat political groups, later declined to appear in the group photo. After the attack on the two judges, “I couldn’t be on the same podium with Jansa as prime minister.”
What was supposed to be a meeting to discuss Slovenia’s agenda for the EU turned into an event that the Slovenian prime minister complained about the way his country is being treated, highlighting its close relations with Brussels.
Von der Leyen did not mention the photo at a subsequent press conference, but told reporters that the judge had the right to be a member of political parties, adding that “this is true in all democracies.”
In March, the Slovenian Association of Fiscal States denounced the Council of Europe, which is the guardian of democracy in the region, as calling for “numerous unacceptable pressures” against the country’s justice system. Slovenia has also delayed the appointment of two delegates from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, an organization that aims to misuse EU funds.
Jansa has often used Twitter to attack media organizations and journalists. He appeared on behalf of Orban at an EU summit last month at an emotional time discussion about the Hungarian bill to ban content that represents or promotes LGBTI + people in schools and the media.
When Thursday’s meeting committee approved Slovenia’s recovery and resilience plan, it took a key step in the EU’s € 1.8 billion in grants and € 705 million in next-generation EU plans.
Jansa praised von der Leyen at a press conference for treating the pandemic in Brussels and said he believed in the founding principles of the EU. He said his country could act as an “honest mediator” but also that it is not at all real to expect the union to be a chunky “we all think alike”.
No one could complain that his country has violated judicial independence, and said he has defended his country’s management of the EPPO. Although other member states, such as Sweden, Ireland, Hungary and Poland, did not join the body, Slovenia had no intention of withdrawing.
His government also defended the decision to postpone funding to the Slovenian news agency STA this year because it had processed the money, processed it and found a solution.
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