By: Ana Horvat (Nova24tv.si)
The European People’s Party (EPP) has failed to get a debate on the glorification of communism on the agenda of this week’s session of the European Parliament. There was not enough support for it. While the agenda can still be extended at the beginning of the session, in her response to the situation, MEP Romana Tomc also warned of the consequences of a possible discussion on this topic, as “the elections to the European Parliament are approaching at full speed.”
At the recent plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEP Romana Tomc (Slovenian Democratic Party – SDS/European People’s Party – EPP) highlighted the revival and glorification of communist ideology and symbols in Slovenia. At her suggestion, the EPP group wanted to put this topic on the agenda for this week’s parliamentary session, but there was not enough support for this. In response, the MEP wrote that this is the “political reality” and that “the European left has a majority in the European Parliament, but their principles fall as soon as they have to defend their fellow parties.” Will the European left have the courage to do that this time?
“The decision coming from the COP is a political reality, the European left has outvoted the right-wing parties, which no longer have a majority in the European Parliament,” Tomc wrote in her response, explaining that the EPP, as the largest political group in the European Parliament, condemns the glorification of communism in the strongest terms.
In the past, the European Commission has adopted several initiatives to commemorate the victims of totalitarian regimes in Europe, recognising that several EU Member States have gone through tragic periods in their history. The Commission is also working to promote programmes dealing with totalitarian systems, and on the 23rd of August, it is celebrating a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. That is also why Tomc has decided to address a parliamentary question to the European Commission.
Will the European Left muster up the courage for a discussion before the start of the session?
“The unacceptable return of communism, the glorification of its symbols and its criminal dictators is unacceptable. The totalitarian regime that claimed so many victims after the Second World War has been repeatedly condemned by the European Parliament in its resolutions. Condemning totalitarianism, including communism, is not only a moral issue, but also an institutional duty,” she wrote.
Despite the lack of support in the first vote to put this important discussion on the agenda, parties still have time to change their minds before the start of the session, and the European left still has time to muster up the courage to change its mind. Mep Tomc argues that “the principles of the European left fall as soon as it has to defend the parties with the same ideology, but the hearing will certainly have consequences as the campaign for the election to the European parliament is approaching at full speed,” she added.