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Would you still be indifferent if one of your parents or grandparents became infected?

At the march plenary meeting MEPs discussed the outbreak of a new fast-spreading coronavirus (COVID-19) across Europe and the world, as well as the European Union’s response to it.

A number of MEPs during the debate on coronavirus have pointed out that solidarity and co-operation are crucial in Europe in the context of the coronavirus epidemic, which has spread to all EU Member States.  Parliament has also heard some criticism at the expense of some countries and the European Union’s actions to date.

Irena Joveva pointed out that in a serious epidemic situation we do not need to panic, we must not be indifferent and we should not trust self-proclaimed experts.

Madam President! I am not going to say purely politically what we all have to do, because at this moment it seems more important for me to say what is wrong and what is superfluous. In my opinion, these are three different groups.

First: all panics are wrong and redundant. The new coronavirus is not the end of the world unless human stupidity prevails. I emphasize: if. Second: all indifference is wrong and redundant. Wouldn’t you still be indifferent if one of your parents or grandparents became infected?. I’m young. I would probably get over the virus, but what if I passed it on to someone who wouldn’t. That’s the point. It’s about responsibility. And third: self-proclaimed professionals are most wrong and redundant. All of a sudden everyone knows everything. In my opinion, self-isolation is necessary for these people as well, but from social networks in the first place.

The situation is absolutely serious, but who am I to condemn the measures. Are they too strict, too soft, too late? I do not know, but I know that I am responsible and I trust the profession. The real one.

 

 

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Unfortunately, people are trapped in all sorts of interests and political exploitation of the situation

On Friday, 6. March 2020, MEPs met with reporters before the March plenary session of the European Parliament, which will this time be exceptionally held in Brussels. The key topics that were discussed during the briefing with reporters were the European Climate Law, the situation at the border between Greece and Turkey, the situation at the outbreak of the new coronavirus and the Hungarian media financing in Slovenia and North Macedonia.

Briefing began with the presentation of the European Climate Law, where MEP Irena Joveva pointed out that she could, on the one hand, agree with the critics about the looseness of the law. Environmentalists are pointing out that dealing with climate change is the number one priority, and as such, it must be addressed, as we are in a crucial decade that will have a decisive impact on the future of our planet.

On the other hand, I understand that these challenges cannot be solved overnight. After all, they must be tackled ambitiously, but not to the detriment of the economy, but above all, not to the detriment of the people.

Regarding migration and the situation at the Greek-Turkish border, MEP Joveva said that in her view the EU is more prepared this time. Union responded faster than during the 2015/16 migrant crisis: “I believe that many have learned from that first wave. Unfortunately, Union has not been able to use this intermediate time to devise a proper migration and asylum policy but I hope that we will develop appropriate policy as it is really high time. ” She also agreed that Turkish President Erdogan is blackmailing the EU, it was only a matter of time.

I am sorry that people are trapped in the political interests of certain leaders, in geopolitics and ‘dangerous’ populisms, who exploit fear in the circumstances on the border between Greece and Turkey to their advantage.

“Of course, you can’t just open borders and accept all people. It is quite clear that there are people who cross national borders illegally, however competent authorities have to bear in mind the human rights that are universal when dealing with migrants,” Joveva added.

On Wednesday, 11. March 2020, MEPs will certainly have a vivid debate regarding Hungarian media financing in Slovenia and Northern Macedonia. With the help of the European Liberals, it was agreed that the European Commission would make a statement on the subject in plenary.

Also, next week (Tuesday, 10. March 2020), at the initiative of internal MEPs group of Young Europeans, the narrower part of the team is also MEP Joveva, will meet with David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament. They will talk about raising the culture of debate in the European Parliament, encouraging MEPs to engage in more dynamic discussions and, consequently, greater attendance at them; among other things, it will be debated about the possibility of longer addresses and greater use of blue cards (asking questions to other MEPs).

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You must not stop at every ‘no’.

“You must not stop at every ‘no’.” The sentence I remembered most from last week.

To which I owe you a blog post, and before that I apologise for not doing so over the weekend.

Last week we didn’t have to go to Brussels or Strasbourg or anywhere. We were able to stay home. If by any chance anyone wonders if it was due to a virus, the answer is no. We had a week called ‘green week’. I would prefer the term ‘field week’ because that is the true meaning of it. I allow myself to be biased about green, as real Jeseničanka (citizen of capital Jesenice).

Joke aside. Already at the beginning of my term in office I decided to use the time as much as possible to be outside among people. Away from offices, halls and rooms, preferably in my home country. And this ‘green week’, which we will have every other month, is basically perfect for that.

My local assistant Jasna and I went to one social welfare institution (Dom na Krasu) and three retirement homes (in Nova Gorica, Celje (Dom ob Savinji) and Radovljica).

But, alas … Because there are not enough days in a week, because sometimes Slovenia is not so small, because I really wanted to take time for each visit and because I had meetings in between, as well as meetings with the LMŠ Initiative and Local Boards (of course, this part of the terrain visits is also important and we are very well aware of it in the party LMŠ) … No more than these few visits I was able to do. But I will absolutely continue with these terrain visits in the near future.

I did not go on field for throwing a bad light on other MEPs, but only because I respect what I have said and because I want to raise the profile of politics. At least a little. Of course, I can’t change the world (unfortunately), but I can do a lot. If I want. And I want to. First of all, at this stage of visits I went to listen to people. Executives, tenants … To show them that I’m here. That I can be – if nothing else – their link wherever it is given. Yes!

Key findings? Each home or institution is its own story. Some are more successful, others are more resourceful … But it is true that they all share a human resources and spatial distress.

I will not go into the details of each home individually or in the assessments of them. It does not seem fair until I visit one more, if not most, of them. However, I must add that the ones I visited are, in my opinion, among the better ones.

What I have learned? Sometimes very little is needed. One reversed sentence in the proposals for European funding. One “you must not stop at every no”. One “yes”. One “how are you” … one “you are not alone”.

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If necessary, I will personally go out into the field

“As you cannot throw all of us in the same bin, so you cannot these people! Come to the field. Among them. Bring it on.”

This is a (non-edited) part of one of my Facebook posts. It was October 2015. A time of severe humanitarian, refugee, migrant crisis.

In my previous life, as I usually say, field work was my love. Among many, exactly this one was most emotional, by far the most exhausting but also the most valuable. The field work taught me by far the most.

Four years and four months after my announcement, we discussed the humanitarian situation at the EU’s external borders at a plenary session in the European Parliament.

The video below is my part of the discussion where I ‘earned’ my first card. Not yellow, but blue. Intended to ask a question that you can then answer – if you do not reject the card. I accepted it. I probably don’t need to explain in particular that a Croatian colleague gave it to me. Because I have talked about how some people persistently reiterate that there is no evidence of any human rights violation on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. That those of us who are loud in this regard are not telling the truth. Obviously I will need to be back in the field again. I went as a journalist, I will go as a politician if need with greater motivation. Because, next time they tell me again that there is no evidence, I’ll just be able to show them my own.

P.S.: In response, I invited the MP who had given me a card to take a look at the pictures, recordings and reports of events on the border that already exist. We’re probably going next week.

Dear President, for years, we have witnessed reports of human rights violations of refugees and migrants at the Union’s external borders. Among other things, as we have heard, also at the Croatian border.

Representatives of the EU Council Presidency, sitting in front, are  representatives of Croatia, as well as colleagues from that country. I know what you would like to say again. That nothing is true, that there is no evidence …

A month ago, a group of NGOs released a report what happened there last year. The document shows that the Croatian authorities send these people back to Bosnia and Herzegovina with batons, with the result of air gun shots, barefoot, sometimes naked. Croatian Ombudsmen, United Nations agencies, and even some Croatian police officers in their anonymous statements, point to the occurrences.

The European Commission, in the previous composition, did what? Commission said Croatia was eligible for Schengen. So much for that. If necessary, I will personally go out into the field, but overnight and unannounced. Next time they tell me that there is no evidence, I will show you my recordings.

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A renewed EU enlargement methodology – end of excuses?

In early February 2020, details of the proposed new methodology for the EU enlargement process became publicly known. Following the presentation of the new methodology, MEP Irena Joveva attended a Renew Europe round table discussion where they debated the new methodology with MEPs, representatives of the Western Balkans, Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, Advisor to French President Clément Beaune, representatives of the European Commission and others. On the second day of the roundtable, both MEPs Joveva and dr. Grošelj expressed their satisfaction that the enlargement process would continue, but also hoped that the EU would not “come into a position where the candidates will meet the criteria better than some EU members“.

Nevertheless, this aspect is also important, because, among other reasons for the French ‘no’ in October 2019 was also affected by the decline of the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights in some of the younger Member States after joining the EU. It seems that we are asking a lot from the Western Balkan countries, what is actually right, but we clearly do not have (sufficiently) effective mechanisms to consolidate or sanction violations of the fundamental values ​​of the Union by Member States.

On the other hand, the visibility and transparency of funds through the IPA instrument should also be improved. IPA II, between 2014-2020, allocated 11.7 billion EUR for structural reforms that help to transform certain sectors in the countries and bring them closer to EU standards. IPA III negotiations are still ongoing. The EC proposal from 2018 envisages an increase in funding to 14.5 billion EUR, but this amount is still a matter of negotiation and – like other matters – is tied to the future multiannual financial framework of the EU.

The new methodology for accession negotiations therefore brings certain innovations. Some of them are positive, while others could also have negative consequences for the countries of the Western Balkans. MEP Joveva was part of panel for the Macedonian television TV TELMA where she mainly welcomed the classification of the chapters into six packages, which should ensure the possible acceleration of the accession processes. According to her, the proposal to increase investments and financial assistance based on the progress of the Balkan countries is also good proposal, as well as the part that talks about accelerated integration in individual EU policies, programs or mechanisms, to which the countries would be involved in the formal adoption process in the EU. Bottom line: These proposals offer some advantages, but on the other hand they change the current process, as it is also possible to regress the accession process and withdraw some EU programs and funds.

The EC now hopes that the Member States will support this proposal at the same time as the start of accession negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania, before the May joint summit in Zagreb, at which the EC will prepare an economic and investment development plan for the Western Balkans. If the Council approves the new methodology, the EC will present a framework for draft negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania.

* The renewed methodology was discussed in the European Parliament on Monday, 10 February.

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Dialogue with mentors of the Euroschool and EPAS project

Last Friday, 31. January 2020, was particularly exciting for MEP Irena Joveva. She met with representatives of the Association of Pensioners of Slovenia (ZDUS) at House of EU to discuss the challenges faced by the elderly, and then in a relaxed environment exchanged views with the mentors of the combined program Ambassador School of the European Parliament and the Euroschool.

MEPs discussed with the representatives of ZDUS the challenges seniors face, both at the national and European level. ZDUS representatives presented the project Elders for Elderly and Intergenerational Days, which they organize together with youth representatives. Long-term care, good practice examples, European funding of projects for senior citizens were a key points during the talks.

Afterwards, the House of EU hosted a second seminar for the mentors of the combined program School of Ambassadors of the European Parliament and the Euroschool. 60 schools and more than 150 mentors participated in the project this year. The mentors had the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions on European and current topics with Slovenian MEPs. The discussion took place as part of five tables where Irena Joveva answered questions related to environmental policy. The mentors were interested in various issues regarding the future European environmental policy; from the environmental legislation, the mechanisms to achieve the very ambitious goals of the European Green Deal, the regulation of sustainable landfills, the fight against polluted land / air … to the position of the European Parliament and the Renew Europe Group to nuclear energy as a transitional energy sources until reaching full energy supply from renewable energy. Of course, just like any individual, the mentors were also interested in MEPs changed lifestyle, what do they do in the European Parliament, have they already had time to visit Brussels etc.

After the event ended, Joveva pointed out that she welcomes events like this one with mentors. She believes that all citizens should be able – through such events – to exchange views with MEPs, thus bringing European topics closer to the people. She also cannot wait to meet with mentors and students in the up coming coming months, when they will try to put into practice the proposals put forward in their schools within the Euroschool and EPAS project.

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Nothing about young people without young people

On Friday, 17. January 2020, a closing conference was held at the House of the European Union as part of the project VSI SMO EU (We are all EU) – Dialogue with Youth. In the first half of 2019, the project was primarily promoting dialogue with young people and maximizing their participation in elections, while in the second half of the year, the purpose of the project was getting to know the newly elected MEPs and creating proposals of young people to help them live and gain self-sufficiency.

MEPs Klemen Grošelj and Irena Joveva have participated in several meetings throughout Slovenia as part of the project. As they have said, they are extremely pleased with this kind of opportunity and project, which enables dialogue with young people. They are convinced this is essential to maintain and, in particular, to strengthen their relationship with young people. The key topics most relevant to young people and have been highlighted during the meetings are active youth participation and active citizenship, the youth sector, education, employment, and entrepreneurship, and last but not least digitization.

Especially in digitization, Groselj emphasized the importance of cybersecurity. The rapid advancement of new technologies brings new opportunities. Digitization and the Internet are also shaping alterations in lifestyle. Some professions, that are heavily present in the labour market, will also change. Namely, there is a need for new occupations and this is an opportunity for young people. On the other hand, digitization itself brings new risks: “We have to create a solidarity system that will enable young people to develop, while at the same time, through different processes, they will alert the elderly to the pitfalls that the Internet and digitization themselves carry. I am pleased that – when it comes to e-elections – you are also exposing the question of risks, which tells me that there is a high degree of maturity among young people,” concluded Grošelj.

Irena Joveva, on the other hand, highlighted the change, which can be sensed by young people with the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU. “The UK Parliament has voted that their negotiators will no longer have to (necessarily) negotiate with the EU on the full involvement of their universities in the Erasmus+ program.” She wants the negotiators to be able to reach an appropriate agreement in this area as well. “It all starts and ends with money. As a significant part of the EU budget will go to the Green Deal, it will be difficult to anticipate a large increase in funding for programs intended for young people.” Joveva expects the new Erasmus+ budget to increase as well. “I will do everything in my power to obtain as many finances as possible for the Erasmus+ project,” she concluded. Joveva added, that she will use her three questions which she can address monthly to the European Commission to shed light on the issues and challenges that young people face.

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Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU: from words to action?

MEP Irena Joveva and Klemen Grošelj on Friday, 17. January attended a joint sitting of parliamentary committees – for the European Union (EU) and foreign affairs where they addressed the members of the Slovenian National Assembly. The focus point of a joint sitting of parliamentary committees was on presenting the priorities of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Why is it important for MEPs to attend sessions at the Slovenian ‘Temple of Democracy’, of course if time grants? According to Joveva and Grošelj, it is appropriate to inform the deputies in the National Assembly of the current developments in the European Union and, consequently, the Slovenian general public.

Brexit, the European multi financial budget, Conference on the Future of Europe, environmental legislation … Croatia has taken over the EU Council Presidency in a time of major change, and in the next six months will face these huge challenges. However, our southern neighbours have set some priorities themselves. Among them, MEP Joveva highlighted addressing demographic change, enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans and respect for EU core values, such as the rule of law.

These days, namely, Croatian politicians and diplomats clearly and conspicuously emphasise that they will “safeguard the rule of law as a fundamental value”. Therefore, they can reasonably be expected to put this into practice, Joveva said at the January plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and at last joint session of the relevant committees of the National Assembly. She added that she expects Croatia not only to respect the rule of law but also to respect the human rights of all people: “The Croatian Prime Minister had to defend himself against allegations about Croatia’s treatment of migrants in the European Parliament. Although he denied those allegations, most of my colleagues – with me included – justifiably do not believe him. In the meantime, it is quite clear that the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, is aware of some of the problems, which has announced control mechanisms in response to my question, but details are still a matter of discussions with the Member States.”

Joveva also expressed her expectation, considering the Green Deal has been approved by the European Parliament, Member States will also fulfill their words and commitments on environmental policy. She expressed the hope, that this was not just because green is modern: “Even though  this is very ambitious, I hope to experience a carbon-free society in 2050.”

The key challenges that will mark this year and thus the Croatian EU Council Presidency are outlined by MEP Klemen Grošelj. “With its departure from the EU, the United Kingdom is taking away 16% of its resources to EU, which means that it will either have to be partially compensated or reduced in the budget or inflows,” he said, pointing out that one of the leaver to solve this problem is certainly so-called a just transition mechanism (to a carbonless society).

“It is also a system that would prevent carbon products from being flooded in the European market from third countries under the free trade agreements we already have. The strategic issue raised by the budget is the relationship between traditional policies, such as cohesion and agriculture, and contemporary proposed policies on the other hand which comprise the Green Deal,” Grošelj said. According to him, we should be aware that the policy will only strengthen its credibility when the difference between the written directions, set goals or wishes and implementation is as small as possible.

Regarding the EU’s position on global stage, the MEP warned,we should stop thinking about the industries of individual Member States but of a common, European industry.

Joveva and Grošelj also recalled the planned conception of the Conference on the Future of Europe. A platform, on which the European institutions, and the citizens, are conjectured to participate. For such a platform, the most important thing is that: “We are not only talking and promising them endlessly but also prove that we hear them, listen to them and especially respect them.”

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European Parliament has given a clear signal to China by selecting the winner of Sakharov Prize 2019

The European Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to deserving individuals and organisations that make an outstanding contribution to the fight for human rights. This year the award was won by an Uyghur human rights activist and Uyghur minority rights activist in China, Ilham Tohti. On Friday, 10th of January 2020, the European Parliament’s Office in Slovenia prepared a round table on the importance of this award, this year’s winner and his fight. Following the screening of the documentary about the life and work of the activist Tohti, a round table took place with the keynote speakers being MEP Irena Joveva, the doyen of Slovenian journalism Branko Soban and a journalist of the Slovenian National Television Aleš Malerič.

China perceives any departure from the ideals of the Communist Party and the destruction of populations unity as a separatist act. The accusations of separatist activism sentenced Ilham Tohti to life in prison after a two-day mounted trial in September 2014. For more than two decades, Tohti has worked tirelessly for dialogue and understanding between the Uyghur and Han community. He has strongly advocated the implementation of regional autonomy legislation in China. Tohti created the “Uyghur Online” website where he regularly criticised the exclusion of the Uyghur population from China’s development and promoted awareness of the Uyghur community’s position as well as treatment of Chinese society. Despite Chinese reluctance, he received several awards for his work: the PEN / Barbara Goldsmith Award for Freedom of Writing (2014), the Martin Ennals Award (2016) and the International Liberal Freedom Award (2017). Furthermore, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

“European Parliament has given a clear signal to China by selecting Tohti as the winner,” MEP Joveva emphasised at the round table. According to her, it is the so-called soft power that they have as MEPs. They sent a message making it clear that the human rights abuses of the Uyghur minority in China are unacceptable: “The sad and worrying fact is, there are so many Sakharov nominees today. Having such rewards is important because they raize awareness of the general public, which becomes more wary of serious human rights violations, as several remain un-exposed.”

Certain EU leverage could be used, said Joveva. For example, the 2019 Sakharov Prize, could be a stepping stone to the creation of an independent, international and unlimited EU mission. Similar to how the EU set up the identification of human rights violations mission in Myanmar in 2017. Keeping in mind that on the one hand, China is a very powerful geopolitical player; on the other hand, the EU has a problem of irregular performance. “We have heard and seen it many times, in many cases. Until we achieve a uniform foreign policy and a uniform approach by the EU Member States, individual countries will succumb to the pressure of Chinese capital,” Joveva added.

China is well aware of its economic strength and is taking advantage of its position in bilateral talks, especially when negotiating investment with the individual EU Member States. EU’s decisive demands for the respect of the human rights of all people in China in precluded by the fear of China’s economic retaliation and uneven behaviour of the EU Member States. EU action towards drastic sanctions, such as interruption of economic cooperation, is an entirely unrealistic expectation. However, according to Joveva, specific alternatives would be possible: rejecting senior officials’ visa applications, freezing property and not cooperating with business related to the operation of detention or even concentration camps for Uyghurs in Xinjiang province. Alternatively, a unanimous voice of diplomacy, profession and economy working together in demand for respect for human rights could make some progress, as in the 25-year’ three-track’ human rights negotiations with China we have yet to progress.

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A shared vision for health

On the 7th of January 2020, MEP Irena Joveva co-hosted an informal reception of the European Union health Coalition. It is a good starting point for a great beginning of the New Year and a solid foundation for joining forces between policy-makers and partners in the run-up to the second European Union Health summit, set to take place on the 4-5 May 2020. 

The EU health Coalition is addressing the challenges of the healthcare systems across Europe, currently under pressure due to an ageing population and higher prevalence of chronic diseases. The main goal of the Coalition is to tackle the emerging problems and ensuring to make the most of the latest advances in science with active collaboration and a common health strategy, joining the needs and priorities into one shared vision.

“What will happen on health in Europe this year? Well, my wish is that we here and everyone else would be healthy or at least with no serious problems… Yes, I know, it’s unfortunately not possible. So, my realistic wish list on health issues is long, but at this moment I would like to point out one most important health issue – The Europe Beating Cancer Plan – to create comprehensive plan on how to tackle this pressing issue with concrete legislative steps based upon impact assessment. This will be one of the main priorities in this mandate, including the European Parliament and the Commission. We know that 40% of cancers are preventable if we implement what we know already. However, we need a joint approach.

And the same goes to the multi stakeholders’ collaboration itself. Strong cooperation is the key. Not only for us, the politicians, not only for you, the partners, the researchers, the doctors… Primarily, it’s for the patients. You know, none of us is omniscient. We do not know everything, sometimes we learn from our colleague, from our subordinate, sometimes from an expert from another country, sometimes even from the patient him or herself. I know it’s not the same, but still: I definitely learn most from the ‘ordinary’ people.

Additionally, collaboration among policymakers, experts and general public is very much needed to tackle the challenges of our healthcare systems also because they are – as such – not under EU competence. We must not forget that and try to enhance cooperation between Members States and make most of European programs, mechanisms and tools to share our knowledge, good practices and data in our common goal. “

At the event, the EU health Coalition presented the set of recommendations addressing 20 most pressing health care issues, serving as an outline of a said vision, which were formed as a result of the first Summit in November 2018.

 

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