“In the week of success, when the congratulations of European commissioners (including those who sharply criticised Slovenia in the past) flooded social networks (which is not exactly a habit), (few) MEPs with a striking anti-government ‘mallet’ Fajon/Grošelj/Joveva inveighed against Slovenia in a practically empty hall” said Foreign Minister Anže Logar.
One week before the November session of the European Parliament, the Slovenian media reported extensively on the news that MEPs were to discuss the state of the rule of law in Slovenia at the plenary session. First because of the report of the LIBE committee on the basis of information obtained in Slovenia, then because of the non-appointment of European prosecutors, but also because of the STA.
As Minister Anže Logar, as the representative of the Presidency in the European Parliament, has access to the documentation regarding the preparation of the agendas of the sessions, he said that Tanja Fajon’s colleagues wanted to include three items on Slovenia in the plenary session. Their intention was for the Slovenian media to write about how Brussels is “concerned” about the rule of law in our country. But the truth is completely different.
The LIBE document violates basic procedural elements – STA topics and delegated prosecutors are irrelevant
“The key document for discussion should be the report of the LIBE committee. But talk of the devil. Not all members of this committee who have visited Slovenia have seen the report at all. It was not even voted on by the relevant committee. Tell me how the basis for discussing the rule of law can be a document that violates the basic procedural elements that apply in a state governed by the rule of law – it was not harmonised within the observatory group, and it is not confirmed at all,” Logar wonders. He said that in legal language – it is not final, legally binding. “And now those who shout those non-binding judgments should not be commented on would discuss the rule of law in Slovenia on the basis of a non-binding report?!?” The other two points – STA and EPPO – have also become obsolete: a financing agreement has been signed; prosecutors have been appointed. “Then what would be the point of the debate?” Logar wonders.
The Slovenian Presidency is extremely successful
Last week was extremely successful for the Slovenian Presidency. “We have made breakthroughs that previous presidencies have failed to achieve, and no one expected us to. This week, we adopted a common position on two key directives in the field of digitisation (on the digital market and on digital services). Last week, the presidency also managed to draw conclusions on the EU’s resilience and ability to respond to future crises. Both areas are key priorities for the Presidency. In addition, they managed to coordinate the European Development Project, adopted a Regulation on joint projects in the Horizon of Europe programme, which will enable investments in science in the amount of 10 billion euros. All this with the completion of six trilogies, where they managed to harmonise the positions of all three EU co-legislative institutions – the Council, the Commission and the Parliament,” Logar listed the successes.
Those who sharply criticised Slovenia are also congratulating
In the week of success, when the congratulations of European commissioners (including those who sharply criticised Slovenia in the past) flooded social networks (which is not exactly a habit), (few) MEPs with a striking anti-government ‘mallet’ Fajon/Grošelj/Joveva inveighed against Slovenia in a practically empty hall. And in the week when even EC Vice President Timmermans publicly thanked the Slovenian Presidency, Tanja Fajon could only say the following about our joint presidency project: “Such violations of European legislation in Slovenia, even in the case of STA… will unfortunately leave a bad mark on an otherwise solid part of the Slovenian administration during the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the Union.”
Those who have been working from morning to night for the past five months are angry at Fajon
Logar emphasised that after that mid-evening he had talked to high-ranking officials who carry out the Slovenian presidency on a daily basis. “Who took part in our European journey before I became a Minister and will continue to do so after I leave the top of the Ministry. Who have been working for the last five months from early morning to late evening, for which I am sincerely grateful. They were angry. Do you know why? They were offended that a politician from Slovenia, during the Slovenian presidency, could shamelessly say in front of the European public during the week when it rains praise that the work of the administration in our presidency is (merely) SOLID??? I think it is high time that love for the homeland becomes stronger than hatred for others… At least it applies for me – I feel SLOVEnia.”
Anita Gužvič / Nova24tv
