On Thursday, 18 November 2021, MEP Irena Joveva was invited to be a speaker at an online panel on human rights and media freedom organised by the European Liberal Forum and the Institute Novum. Respect for human rights is inseparable from democracy, which itself is based on the free expression of different views. The media play a crucial role in this by ensuring the flow of diverse and accurate information that reaches a wide spectrum of society. In recent years, both democracy and freedom of expression have been declining and the media are increasingly facing pressure on their independent work. At the same time, the widespread use of social media facilitates the proliferation of fake news, misinformation and manipulation, which, unfortunately, has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The debate focused on the initiatives launched and discussed at the EU and international level to provide a clear and decisive response by the democratic community and on the examination of proposals for actions to be undertaken.

Irena Joveva first responded to concerns about the state of media freedom in Slovenia and in the EU. She strongly condemned political and other pressure on journalists and media aiming to suppress independent reporting. “The increasing pressure exerted on journalists today can ultimately lead to extreme cases such as the murders of investigative journalists in Malta, Slovakia, Greece and elsewhere,” she stressed. The MEP believes that only independent and objective information can provide the right solutions to the challenges that arise. In her opinion, the press and journalism in general are also threatened by wider factors such as lower readership of classical print media and the shift to digital platforms. Local media compete with the largest media outlets on the global market, and users expect information free of charge, while stable digital media funding models have yet to be developed. In this area, Joveva highlighted a solution: “To a certain extent, at least, the area is governed by the Copyright Directive, which gives publishers some negotiating rights, but to date only big countries have made progress. A lot of legislation is already in place or being drafted, but it attempts to address different issues to create a comprehensive and horizontal legislative framework with a feasible solution.”

In addition to these wider factors, the illiberal populists attempting to destroy media freedom and the commercial interests of owners who put pressure on editorial independence also lead to a decline in media freedom.

“In Slovenia, this trend is already visible. The Janša Government is exerting as much pressure as possible on our public media, it has suspended funding to the national press agency, it is appointing obliging editors and a director to the public service broadcaster, directing advertising revenues to its party’s propaganda media, while at the same time denigrating and discrediting independent critical journalists at every opportunity,”

she added and also expressed her concern about the situation in Hungary and Poland, where the public service media have largely been forced into subordination. Joveva counts on the adoption of a legal framework at the EU level with sufficient safeguards that will provide journalists and editors with the necessary conditions and power so that they can defend themselves freely and carry out their work without interference from politics or their media owners.

“The atmosphere in Slovenia is increasingly radical, which is poisoning people-to-people relations. I feel the hardship of people in difficult times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responsible decision-makers working in the civil domain should address problems and act as quickly, clearly and decisively as possible,” she stressed in her answer to a question about xenophobic attacks, harassment and intimidation, which are oftentimes also directed at her. Such situations and the fictitious creation of confrontation can be abused by individuals or the media for mounting attacks of a personal nature that feed their electoral base and strengthen their visibility. When substantive arguments are exhausted, people resort to a personal level, which speaks volumes about them.

Responding to a question about the decline in press and media freedom in some EU Member States, Joveva said that both the Parliament and the Commission were well aware of that. Next to the Copyright Directive, she underscored the importance of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which affords greater editorial independence, but both directives will need to be fully transposed by the Member States. “The Parliament is currently working on the so-called anti-SLAPP Directive to establish legal safeguards and ensure protection of journalists from strategic lawsuits when legislation is misused to silence journalists and other public oversight bodies,” she added. In this regard, it is important to provide judges with a mechanism to swiftly resolve such legal cases. “Another important piece of legislation to be presented next year will be the European Media Freedom Act, which will be the most comprehensive media legislation aimed at protecting independence in both private and public media. Specific solutions have not yet been articulated, but the act is expected to create full transparency of media advertising — in particular in state-owned enterprises, as well as transparency of ownership,” Joveva explained about the law, to which she, too, wishes to contribute. “It’s time to treat the media sector as it deserves, as it has a huge, if not the biggest impact on democracy itself,” she concluded.

On Friday, November 5, 2021, MEP Irena Joveva virtually attended the ceremony of the prestigious prize European Parliament’s European Citizen’s 2021. The prize was awarded to the President of the Slovenian Association of Lymphoma and Leukemia Patients Kristina Modic and the Head of the Clinical Department of Hematology at the University Medical Center Ljubljana Prof. dr. Samo Zver for the project For Solidarity and Pan-European Health Progress of Cancer Patients. The prize winners organized a successful fundraising campaign for the purchase of equipment for advanced cancer treatment, promoting solidarity and highlighting the importance of access to public health services. At the same time, the project contributes to the implementation of the EU’s cancer plan.

In her speech, MEP Irena Joveva pointed out that thanks to media coverage of the fundraising campaign, all of us had an understanding of CAR-T cell therapy, and people joined forces as they have many times before. “You organized a very successful fundraising campaign to buy equipment, in the end, advanced cancer treatment equipment. You actually exceeded your original goal as you ended up with two devices.” The MEP thanked them for their dedication to patients. “We lack such people in today’s world. Because of that: Thank you for being you. Thank you for having such a big heart. I bow to you.”

She also addressed the current situation as the pandemic has really exposed existing gaps in our health systems. “During this time, as many as 100 million fewer screenings were done than normal, which leads to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.” She also stated that cancer is on the rise in our country, and unfortunately occurs at all ages. The MEP is convinced that early recognition of symptoms, and consequently timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial, as these moments often not only save a patient’s life, but also help maintain its quality: “Every minute matters when it comes to cancer.” 

In her closing remarks, Joveva emphasized the shortcomings of our health care system in this area and said that such fundraising campaigns are necessary. “I can only imagine you have helped or will help who have been waiting for these devices. This is why I believe prevention, research should be strengthened, not only at home in Slovenia but also at the European level. The focus must be put on individual medicine and cooperation among policy makers, experts and researchers must be enhanced. There is no question that determining access to treatment based on your birthplace or social status is unacceptable.”

Conservative. Perverted. Ideological. Repressive.

Unacceptable.

These five words actually sum up most of the government’s actions in Poland. Not only in Poland, I am aware of that, but in this writing, I want to concentrate on Poland, since the discussion and the resolution on this week’s plenary overshadowed everything else.

I am referring here to the recent political ruling of the Polish illegitimate Constitutional Court. Political because the Prime Minister himself requested an assessment. And illegitimate because 11 of the 14 constitutional judges were appointed by the ruling right-wing populist party PiS. According to the judgment, certain provisions of the founding treaties of the EU, those adopted by Poland upon its accession to the EU, are unconstitutional.

In short, the judgment shook the legal foundations of the Union. Of course, this is a political game of the Polish ruling clique, as they do not want to consider the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European, which decided that their disciplinary regime for judges (the so-called “muzzle law”) is inconsistent with European law. Neither the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, ruling that the Constitutional Court was illegally constituted.

At yesterday’s EU summit, leaders from member states discussed the situation in Poland. After a 2-hour discussion, supposedly a calm one (whatever that means), they finally agreed that – you won’t believe this – dialogue is needed. Prime ministers of countries that actually support democracy and the rule of law should be stricter in upholding (their) principles.

What happened at the plenary a few days earlier? The President of the European Commission strongly opposed the actions of the Polish government in the hall of the European Parliament, and even (!) announced measures. Well… hopefully it won’t turn out the way it normally does – eternal warnings, eternal calls, eternal worries. There are several possibilities for action, although their effect may differ.

In the European Parliament, we have thus passed a resolution calling for several decisive measures at once:

• initiating infringement proceedings concerning legislation because of the Polish illegal court;
• finally launching the new regulation we adopted at the end of 2020 which is now in force, and links the disbursement of European money with the rule of law;
• finally moving the process of the famous Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union forward in the Council, which freezes a country’s voting rights if the rule of law is violated;
• not approving the Polish Recovery and Resilience Plan until these issues are resolved.

The last measure would be most effective. It’s also about the bigger picture. The resources of the European Union are those of all its citizens who do not want to fund a corrupt government in Poland that wants to consolidate its power with this money. If such authoritarian authorities do not respect fundamental values, they will have to understand why funds will be frozen.

As it should be understood, these parties – including the Slovene Democratic Party SDS in terms of politics and ideology – do not defend traditional values, they reject them. The goal? Subordination of society and all subsystems for arbitrary governance and exploitation of public funds. Autocracy merely leads to kleptocracy. The EU has tolerated authoritarian regimes for too long and hoped that the situation would be resolved through dialogue. It only got worse.

It is no secret that with the current government Slovenia is following the same path as Poland and Hungary. Unfortunately. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the consequences of the dismantling in both countries will remain for decades.

Those of us who are on the side of democracy and the rule of law must be aware of the conditions that have brought these policies to power. Not only social status and inequality, but also the spiritual emptiness and dehumanization of a system that does not provide what people are entitled to: a decent life and inclusion. It is therefore high time to take decisive steps. In the end, such policies must also always be thrown out of power in the elections. Once again, it is high time.

– Irena

Read a comprehensive interview with MEP Irena Joveva in the current issue of the Reporter magazine, in which she discusses the first half of her term, critically highlighting the challenges Europe will face, and comments on the current political and social situation in Slovenia. She also talks about the challenges of motherhood in the context of her political career, her goals for the second half of the term, and whether any journalistic questions throw her off track.

“Answers of people who think that no one can stop them and that they know everything throw me off track. Because of such people, some think that we are all the same. I always try to answer precisely what is asked, I don’t twist things and if I don’t know something, I say so. That does not mean I know nothing, it just means I won’t bluff. We don’t need more of that in our country.”

In response to a question about the media regarding the fact that “the center-right government is accused of disabling the STA (Slovenian Press Agency)”, Joveva pointed out that the current government cannot be described as center-right and that the accusations are not about disabling the STA but clear endeavours to subjugate or destroy it.

In the interview, a large part of the discussion revolves around the state of media freedom in Slovenia, from party funding of media that run propaganda aimed exclusively at discrediting political opponents, and the fact that the European Commission and the European Parliament’s working group are closely monitoring the situation.

It will visit Slovenia in a few days, which does not bode well for the country’s reputation, said Joveva: “It is also of no use for the current Prime Minister to show, in a rather bizarre speech at the hearing in the European Parliament, that he has no arguments for the controversial measures. My understanding is that the working group will interview various stakeholders and prepare a report. What comes next will be decided by the majority in Parliament.”

According to the MEP, with its moves the current government wants to completely transform Slovenia into an illiberal democracy. This is why we are losing a good part of our respect. In spite of this, it is still clear to all who is responsible for this. Meanwhile, Slovenia’s presidency of the EU Council was described as politically unsuccessful. However, it was successful where the government did not play a major role; that is at the technical level, where diplomats and experts worked within the presidency.

The biggest threat to the EU, which, according to the MEP, comes from within:

“Populists are cynically provoking fear, exploiting historical traumas, and deliberately dividing a nation without basic decency, just for their own power and authority. Despite what might appear to be exaggeration, the EU is facing a serious test because of authorities in Hungary and Poland, and somewhat less so in our country and Bulgaria. Now that the European Commission has finally responded to the persistent pressure from the European Parliament and has taken a stronger stance against breaches of the rule of law, tensions have only increased. Of course, these regimes seek to present this as a defence of Christian Europe, their own sovereignty, family values, but that is just shifting attention. It is not about conservative versus liberal values. It is simply about authoritarianism versus liberal democracy.”

The MEP also answered clearly, whether true liberals still exist “given that MEPs from liberal groups have become more intolerant towards dissidents”.

“You have probably confused the notion of intolerance by disagreeing and pointing out the infringement of fundamental rights and the violation of the rule of law. Liberal groups by nature include dissidents. Economically, many in Renew Europe are very much on the right, while others are more on the left. But we share the same views on fundamental freedoms and rights and the rule of law. It is not that we are intolerant towards conservative people, but we are speaking out against the usurpation of countries by corrupt leaders driven by hatred. /… / The biggest trick of these populist parties is that they present themselves as defenders of traditional values, when in reality, they reject them with all their cynicism.”

The MEP also discussed her activities in the first half of her term and future plans. She participated in more than a dozen reports and in a narrow focus group, where proposals for the European Parliament reforms were prepared on a proposal from President David Sassoli. He is currently focusing on the media, culture, environment, health and youth issues, focusing on meeting people’s expectations.

Within the Committee on Culture, she will strive to “participate fully in the act of media freedom, which is imperative if we want the European Commission to stop responding to situations like the STA only with eternal concerns and unheeded calls.”

Among other things, Joveva expressed satisfaction that, also through her own work, she managed to ensure that more funds will be allocated to youth programmes in the coming years. As for the Conference on the Future of Europe, she expressed hope that the project would bring about the changes desired, but that the idea of bringing the EU closer to the people seemed to have dissipated too often for her to predict anything.

“I do not understand how 75-year-olds or older can give their views about the future of our country. With all due respect, but if we are speaking about the future, it should be logical who should have the main say.”