Slovenian journalists and civil society representatives were heard on Friday 5 March by the European Parliament’s Monitoring Group on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights, concerned about recent developments in Slovenia with regard to respect for press freedom.
Since February, the Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Janša, has propagated insulting comments, among other things, on Twitter about foreign journalists and journalism in general (see EUROPE 12661/23).
Attacks to which Slovenian journalists, the opposition and civil society organisations are “unfortunately accustomed”, “even more so since the Prime Minister took office”, Goran Forbici, director of the Slovenian NGO umbrella network CNVOS, declared to MEPs.
Opacity. The investigative journalist Lenart Kučić detailed the “problems” affecting the Slovenian media system, starting with the lack of control over the use of public money to finance political “propaganda”, especially in local and municipal media.
He also denounced the lack of transparency on media ownership. A point made earlier by Emmanuel Crabit of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST).
Referring to the Commission’s first report on the rule of law in the EU (see EUROPE 12571/5), Mr Crabit maintained that the current ownership system of the Slovenian media provides only “partial ownership transparency”.
This system “does not extend to the ultimate owners”, he said, stressing, moreover, “the lack of media-specific rules to prevent conflict of interest in the sector”.
“Systemic pressures”. Mr Kučić also referred to the existence of a “parallel media system” (political weeklies, websites, TV channels) in the hands of the ruling parties. He also described the uninterrupted attacks on people critical of the government.
Before him, the President of the Slovenian Association of Journalists, Petra Lesjak Tušek, had spoken of “systemic pressure” on the media in Slovenia and a “very effective media policy to discredit journalists”.
“Sometimes a new news agency funded by the government or supported by people close to the government is set up. This seems to increase media plurality, but in reality it is propaganda”, she detailed, accusing Mr Janša of wanting to “break up the Slovenian press agencies” (see EUROPE 12633/28) before the start of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council next July, in order to “preserve its image”.
It was initially envisaged that the Slovenian Prime Minister would take part, physically, in this hearing of the European Parliament.
As Mr Janša ultimately cancelled, his visit has been postponed to a later date, possibly 26 March, after the next European summit. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)