The Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council wants to discuss with the delegations in the Council Working Party on Terrorism (TWP) how to combat left-wing and anarchist violence and terrorism in the European Union.
In this document, dated 1 July and obtained by EUROPE, the Slovenian Presidency does not hesitate to address the issue by starting with jihadism, which remains the greatest terrorist threat today, it adds.
But while the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) took a position in October 2019 to fight against right-wing extremist violence and terrorism, the Presidency notes that no position has been taken in internal policies against far-left forces.
It notes, however, that in its Foreign Affairs configuration in 2020, the EU Council adopted conclusions to prevent and counter political terrorism, “including the threat from the extreme right or left”.
Based on a study by Europol and the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (EU INTCEN) from 2021 (see EUROPE 12753/8), the Presidency notes an increase in violent activity from the extreme left and anarchism.
Therefore, the main objective of this document, according to the Presidency, is to continue the discussion on the usefulness of agreeing on specific EU action against left-wing and anarchist violent extremism and terrorism, “as has been done for right-wing violent extremism”. The second objective is to find out whether policies at international level are sufficient to address the problem.
An attempt at manipulation
Contacted by EUROPE, the co-president of The Left, Manon Aubry (France) condemned the Slovenian Presidency’s approach, seeing it as the work of the Slovenian Prime Minister. “(Janez) Janša is trying to use the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to fuel his obsession against the left”, she commented.
And to recall the situation at national level. “Our comrades in Levica and many progressive opposition media have already been harassed by his government and we fear that we are witnessing the birth of an authoritarian regime disqualifying all forms of opposition in Slovenia, on the model of Viktor Orbán’s Hungary.”
The document was discussed with delegations on Wednesday 7 July. We have not yet received any information on the content of the exchanges with the delegations. EUROPE will continue to follow this story.
To consult the discussion paper: https://bit.ly/3hoEUdu (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)