Da domani 01/06/2021 la presidenza semestrale dell'UE è slovena. Ma la Slovenia è ora sotto accusa da parte del PE

Il sospetto è che ci possa essere poca chiarezza sull'impiego dei fondi – 1,8 miliardi di € – destinati alla Slovenia nel piano europeo di ripresa dalla grave crisi (causata dalla pandemia Covid–19) detto "New Generation EU".
A sorveglianza dell'erogazione dei fondi è stato creato un apposito organo collegiale europeo (composto da speciali rappresentanti degli stati membri che in patria avranno funzioni ministeriali di controllo sull'impiego dei fondi europei per la ripresa) detto [in inglese] èb]"European Public Prosecutor's Office"[/b] [ sigla EPPO] – cioè "Ufficio dei pubblici ministeri europei"–. Ma i candidati sloveni a diventarne membri (scelti dalla magistratura slovena) sono stati bloccati dal governo (presieduto da Janez Janša), cioè non nominati.
In PE un nutrito gruppo di eurodeputati (di diversi gruppi pilitici con maggioranza verde) ha denunciato questa situazione definendola intollerabile e chiedendo la sospensione dell'erogazione dei fondi alla Slovenia in caso di continuazione di questa situazione in cui manca la chiarezza sulla futura gestione dei fondi europei. La mancata nomina da parted del governo di Janša dei rappresentanti isloveni nell'EPPO ha causato le dimissioni del ministro della giustizia – che seguono le dimissioni di altri due ministri –. I deputati europei che hanno sollevato il problema slioveno hanno anche nteso denunciare il tentativo del governo di controllare i "media" sloveni allo scopo di impedire le denunce di possibile corruzione (e concussione) da parte di enti ministeriali e/o enti pubblici amministrativi.
[Io, a dire il vero, in questa specie di "scandalo" di soli sospetti ed inadempienze ci capisco poco!]

Trascrivo di seguito l'articolo che ho ricevuto stamattina per e,mail da EUobserver.
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EU Presidency row - MEPs call out Slovenia's prosecutors failure

Prime minister Janez Janša. MEPs warned that the media and the judiciary are being 'obstructed' in Slovenia (Photo: European Union, 2020)

By ELENA SÁNCHEZ NICOLÁS
BRUSSELS, TODAY, (Wednesday 30 june 2021) 07:05

A group of MEPs on Tuesday (29 June) called for the suspension of EU funds to Slovenia - over Ljubljana's failure to appoint candidates to the new European-wide public prosecutor office.
As Slovenia takes over the rotating EU presidency this week, EU lawmakers from the Left, Green, liberal Renew and Socialist & Democrats groups urged the European Commission and the Council to use all the tools available to protect the rule of law and the EU budget.

They pointed out that European values ​​in Slovenia are under increasing pressure, warning that the media and the judiciary are being "obstructed".

In the letter, MEPs argued that the failure of Slovenian authorities to appoint delegated prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), responsible for uncovering and prosecuting fraud involving EU funds, is "a serious deficiency in Slovenia's justice system".

"At a time where the EU is distributing unprecedented amounts of funds to member states, including €1.8bn to Slovenia from the recovery fund, it is imperative for the EU to ensure that strong mechanisms are in place to protect EU funds," they said.

Following months of standstill and attempts to block the selection of EPPO nominees from moving forward, Slovenia's prime minister Janez Janša annulled, in May, the appointment of two public prosecutors proposed by the country's prosecution council.

The decision led to the resignation of Slovenia's justice minister Lilijana Kozlovič - the third minister of the Janša cabinet to step down.

MEPs argue that the Slovenian government's decision to cancel the appointment of the two prosecutors represents "an unacceptable violation of the rule of law". They insisted that the proposed candidates should be appointed.

"We demand to activate the rule-of-law mechanism in the EU and put pressure on Janša to send prosecutors to the EPPO," tweeted German Greens MP Franziska Brantner, one of the signatories of the letter.

The rule-of-law mechanism, which entered into force this year, allows the possibility of suspending EU funds if a member state breaches the rule of law, jeopardising EU funds.

The commission must first propose to suspend EU funds, then a qualified majority of member states need to okay such a decision.

Slovenian diplomat Iztok Jarc told reporters on Tuesday that the EPPO can function well without his country's representatives, but "there is the ambition and government's interest" to appoint its candidates as soon as possible.

Last week, the EU commissioner for justice Didier Reynders reached out to the new justice minister Marjan Dikaučič to request an explanation over Slovenia's failure to appoint the prosecutors to the EPPO.

The new European public prosecutor office launched on 1 June - but with only 22 member states participating in the system so far. Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland have refused to join.

Delegated prosecutors are tasked with investigations and cases at a national level.

Without Slovenian representation, it will be more difficult for the EPPO to carry out investigations effectively in the country.

EPPO chief and former Romanian anti-corruption head, Laura Kövesi, warned last month that "the manifest lack of sincere cooperation of the Slovenian authorities with the EPPO seriously undermines the trust in the effective functioning of the management and control systems for EU funds in Slovenia".
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Su Euobserver c'è ora anche un articolo dal titolo provocatorio, cioè:
«Slovenia takes over EUCO Presidency. Reason to celebrate? Not really!»
["La presidenza dell'UE passa ora alla Slovenia. Motivo per celebrare l'evento? Non proprio!"]
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Ecco un nuovo articolo di EUobservewr silla presidenza della Slovenia (sulle autorità della quale pendono gravi critiche).
Slovenia takes over EU presidency amid wave of criticism

After tense discussions, the chief of the Green Deal and former EU commissioner for rule of law, Frans Timmermans, did not join the transitional family photo (Photo: European Union)

By ELENA SÁNCHEZ NICOLÁS
LJUBLJANA, 2. JUL, 07:22

Slovenia formally assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the European Council on Thursday (1 July) - amid criticism against its conservative prime minister Janez Janša, who is seen as following Hungary and Poland in undermining the rule of law and democratic values in the EU.
"The Slovenian presidency will be decisive. The tasks will be challenging," said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, just a few days after a row broke out at an EU leaders' summit over the new anti-LGBTIQ law approved by Hungary.

"Trust that diversity and equality are always respected, and that the rule of law and European values are always upheld… is the very essence of our European Union," she added.
Speaking to the press, Janša said that the Slovenian presidency will be an "honest broker" in human-rights disputes among member states.

He added that there were no major differences among EU leaders during the last summit in Brussels, but "a sincere discussion" on human rights and "what rights have priority".

Meanwhile, Slovenia is currently the only country that has yet to send its candidates to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) - a body responsible for uncovering and prosecuting fraud involving EU funds.

During her visit to Ljubljana, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Slovenia must cooperate with the EPPO and appoint its candidates without delay, warning that this is "crucial to protect EU taxpayers money".

"As we collectively prepare and finance our recovery, trust is our most valuable asset," von der Leyen also said, acknowledging that there are other instruments to control and supervise EU funds.

Following months of standstill and attempts to block the selection of EPPO nominees from moving forward, Slovenia's prime minister Janez Janša annulled the selection proposed by the country's prosecution council last May.

EU lawmakers have called on the EU commission for the suspension of EU funds to Slovenia, arguing that the government's decision to cancel the appointment of the two prosecutors represented "an unacceptable violation of the rule of law".

Prime minister Janša told reporters on Thursday that the new selection procedure is expected to be finished by Autumn, pointing out that national institutions in member states have to protect EU funds.

The new European public prosecutor's office launched on 1 June without the participation of Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland.

The populist Janša has also been accused of putting media freedom at risk, especially after cutting funding for the Slovenian national news agency STA.

Reporters Without Borders have raised concerns about the recent attacks of the prime minister on Slovenian and international journalists, warning that there was a risk that Slovenia will use the EU presidency "to obstruct efforts to strengthen media freedom in Europe".

Von der Leyen called on the Slovenian government to stop blocking funds for STA, stressing that "free, independent, and properly funded media" is crucial for the democratic debate.

Notably, the chief of the Green Deal and former EU commissioner for rule of law, Frans Timmermans, did not join the traditional family photo.

"I simply could not be on the same podium with prime minister Janša after his unacceptable attack on and defamation of two judges and two MEPs," Timmermans said in a statement.

He was referring to a picture that Janša showed the collegue of commissioners with two judges and two MEPs identified as political enemies, according to Slovenian media.

"Judicial independence and respect for the role of elected MEPs are cornerstones of the rule of law, without which the EU cannot function. We can never stop calling out those who attack it," Timmermans added.
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