On Thursday 16 December, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on respect for the rule of law in Slovenia, with 356 votes in favour, 284 against and 40 abstentions.
The adopted text echoes the Parliament’s observation mission to the country in October (see EUROPE 12813/3). This mission noted the “good functioning of the institutions” in Slovenia, but observed some “sufficient grounds for concern”.
Foremost among these are the blockages in the appointment of Slovenian Delegated Prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and in the payment of funds due to the national press agency, STA.
On the first point, the resolution welcomes the appointment of the two prosecutors “after a delay of six months” (see EUROPE 12836/25, EUROPE 12781/4). However, MEPs express concern about the “changes to the legislation on State Prosecutors” proposed by the Slovenian Ministry of Justice, which they fear could lead to the dismissal of the two recently appointed prosecutors.
MEPs therefore call on Slovenia to “ensure the effective structural operation” of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in the country and to complete the process of appointing national prosecutors “as soon as possible”.
Secondly, with regard to press freedom concerns, MEPs welcome the reinstatement of payments to the press agency STA (see EUROPE 12785/27). They call on the Slovenian government to make these payments regularly, as required by national law.
More broadly, the European Parliament calls for journalists to have access to public information. It also calls for greater transparency in media ownership and “clear rules” on how much money is spent on advertising by the state or public companies.
Other concerns include the practice of ruling by decree, the lack of “effective enforcement” of anti-corruption rules and smear campaigns by senior public figures.
For more details: https://bit.ly/3m9gOp8 (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)