On Thursday 1 July, Slovenia took over the Presidency of the EU Council. Beyond its four priorities - recovery and greater EU resilience, reflecting on the future of Europe, strengthening the Rule of law and European values, and ensuring security and stability in the European neighbourhood - it is the state of the Rule of law in the country that is of concern.
Support for the Hungarian Prime Minister regarding the law stigmatising LGBTI people, freedom of the media (see EUROPE 12734/26) or the delay in the nomination of the Delegated Prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, there are many issues of concern.
Speaking to the press, Mrs von der Leyen recalled that the EU Council Presidency has an important role to play in matters relating to the Rule of law. The EU Council is expected to discuss the reports on the Rule of law in mid to late July.
“Trust is our most valuable asset. Trust in solid institutions, trust in an independent and efficient judicial system, trust in free and independent and properly funded media, trust that freedom of expression, diversity and equality are always respected and that the Rule of law and European values are always upheld”, listed Mrs von der Leyen.
According to Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, “the Rule of law is the basic framework of European civilisation; without the Rule of law, civilisation does not exist”.
Asked about the fact that Slovenia had still not appointed its Delegated Prosecutors (see EUROPE 12751/23), Mrs von der Leyen said it was urgent to do so. For his part, the Prime Minister did not understand the case against his country. He recalled that some countries do not participate in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and that their management of European funds is not in question. “We are repeating the selection procedure [...] we are a sovereign State and we have to respect our own legislation”, he added, hoping that the procedure would be completed in the autumn.
Similarly, regarding freedom of media and expression in the country, the president of the Commission explained that media freedom is a central element of every democratic society. “We need free, critical media”, she added, saying that Slovenia should ensure the independence and own funding of the media. She said she hoped that a quick solution would be found to unblock the funding of the national news agency STA by the Slovenian government (see EUROPE 12687/1).
According to Mr Janša, it is a problem of documents and once they are received, the government will pay. “Now we have a solution and the problem will disappear”, he promised.
Asked about his support for Viktor Orbán at the European Council regarding the new law stigmatising LBGTI people in Hungary, Mr Jansa explained that it was up to parents to educate their children. “Nobody said they disagreed that we are all born equal, that we have the same rights; however, the EU is made up of 27 Member States with different histories and cultures”, Mr Jansa explained . He recalled that it is possible to take legal action before a court, if one believes that EU standards have not been met.
It is very clear that the protection of minorities is one of the founding principles of the EU, which is what is at stake in the Hungarian law, Mrs von der Leyen said. She recalled that the Commission had sent a letter of formal notice to Budapest.
Recovery plan. The visit of the College of Commissioners to Ljubljana was also an opportunity for the European Commission to adopt a positive assessment of Slovenia’s €2.5 billion recovery and resilience plan: €1.8 billion in grants and €705 million in loans.
More information is available here on this plan for which an analysis has been finalised: https://bit.ly/3gG3k0D
See the Presidency programme: https://bit.ly/3AhhkXI (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Agathe Cherki)