By Judi Tamara (Brussels)
Reconstruction after the disaster, the Western Balkans, the conference on the future of Europe – the Slovenian EU Council Presidency, which starts on July 1st, will have a lot to do in the next six months. Slovenia’s efforts are somewhat overshadowed by the fact that the European left, with its persistent criticism of the rule of law, is now also concerned about the institution of the EU presidency.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Slovenian EU Council Presidency starts on July 1st with even more attention than usual. Ljubljana has been a member of the European Union for 17 years and, on the 30th anniversary of the Slovenian statehood, holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second time. As in the two previous EU Council presidencies, the German and the Portuguese, the Slovenes will place a strong focus on the corona epidemic over the next six months. The economic recovery from the virus, the implementation of the EU rescue fund of 750 billion euros, the adoption of the national economic stimulus programs and the disbursement of the pre-financing will be among the priorities under her leadership.As-kün-interred by the Presidency , and the series of conferences on the future of Europe will be the focus: All votes must-wide EU consultation will be heard in the. – “National cultures are not an obstacle to European culture. We are Europeans precisely because we are Slovenes, ”Prime Minister Janez Janša said in a message posted on the official website of the Presidency, while also citing the more controversial issues of the European lifestyle, the rule of law and equality as a third priority. It can be predicted that the Slovenes will have a difficult time in Brussels, as they usually belong to the most criticized countries in the field of the rule of law, alongside Poland and Hungary.
The Council Presidency’s program is, to put it mildly, not uncompromising: The EU must treat all member states and citizens equally, says the right-wing head of government: “We want a Union that is based on human dignity and respect for human rights, and that includes freedom of expression, even if it is increasingly threatened, ”says Janša.
The good relationship between Viktor Orbán and Janez Janša is a constant topic in the European press. Negative articles about it appeared in the Brussels press long before the Slovenian presidency took office, practically since the beginning of the year.
Yesterday an open letter was published in which four (!) Members of the European Parliament called for a tightening of the rule of law mechanism against Slovenia, just as it is about to take over the EU presidency. In the letter to the European Commission – which was also noted by the Brussels critic of the Hungarian government, Daniel Freund – they argue that Prime Minister Janša has no respect for the press or the judiciary and so far has not even appointed a member of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office Has.
But it should also be remembered that the Slovenian government anticipated the criticism in good time: Right at the beginning of the fake news war, a letter was sent to Brussels in which the Eurocrats who criticized Slovenia were invited to a fact-finding mission. The mission was canceled due to lack of interest …
Source: Magyar Nemzet