As Slovenia takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union’s (EU) from Thursday, bloc members have expressed concerns regarding its autocratic policies and the presidency under conservative Prime Minister (PM) Janez Janša.
Slovenia’s presidency to the EU comes at a crucial time when the Union has been mulling over member states’ national recovery plans from the COVID-19 pandemic and dispensing aid from its $900-billion rescue fund besides the migration policy. News reports suggested that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is expected to arrive in Slovenia later this week for the official handover ceremony.
With PM Janša ready to head the 27-member bloc for the second time, a statement on Slovenia’s official website said: “Slovenia will strive to actively contribute to strengthening the EU’s resilience to health, economic, energy, climate and cyber crises, which is incorporated in the slogan ‘Together. Resilient. Europe’,” adding, “We have to strengthen the EU, within which our values and national identities are protected and can continue to thrive.” Moreover, the government included “strengthening the rule of law and European values” and integrating Western Balkan neighbours in its list of priorities.
Regardless, the Union’s fears remain, as Janša maintains close ties with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government recently passed an anti-LGBTQ+ law, banning the dissemination of content on homosexuality and transgender people to the under-18 age group. The legislation also effectively forbids the portrayal of lesbian or gay characters on TV shows and commercials with minors as the target audience.
While the EU leaders have condemned the Hungarian PM over the legislation and debated sanctions for violation of the Union’s law, the Slovenian PM was guarded in his reaction and said that the matter could be resolved “without any unnecessary divisions.” Additionally, Janša met Orbán and the far-right party leader Giorgia Meloni last week. Furthermore, Janša also attacked members of the European Parliament for expressing their fears over the rule of law and the state of democracy in Slovenia as the European Commission rebuked the country for the suspension of funding for its sole news agency, the STA, describing it as a “national disgrace.”
Against this backdrop, Uros Esih, a Slovenian political commentator, said that the tensions between the EU institutions and the Slovenian presidency will likely persist. Esih also reflected on Slovenia’s failure to appoint two prosecutors to the Union’s anti-corruption body, which led to the EU’s criticism about the Janša administration’s lack of sincere cooperation.
Reporters Without Borders, an international organisation that safeguards the right to freedom of information, also reacted to the Slovenian presidency, saying: “We are concerned by the risk that the government will abuse the six-month Presidency to obstruct efforts to strengthen media freedom in Europe.”
The Janša government faces opposition on both national and international levels, with protesters demanding the PM’s resignation earlier this month for violating press freedom, mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic, obstructing justice, and not upholding the rule of law. Slovenia’s President, Borut Pahor, in an interview with the Associated Press, said: “I hope this is a chance for the government and the prime minister to focus more on subjects that are vital for Slovenia and the EU while upholding and solidifying the liberal image of Slovenia.”
EU Expresses Concern as Slovenia Takes Over Presidency of Council of the European Union
The members of the European Union expressed concerns over Slovenia’s Presidency to the EU as its PM has been accused of violating press freedom and the rule of law.
July 1, 2021
SOURCE: HASTINGS TRIBUNE