Slovenia comes under criticism as EU chair

Slovenia is already under the microscope and subject to criticism as its EU presidency begins.

Izvor: B92

Friday, 11.01.2008.

12:06

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Slovenia is already under the microscope and subject to criticism as its EU presidency begins. Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates has reacted to comments from his Slovenian counterpart Janez Jansa, who sent a warning to Portugal, prior to organizing a referendum for the Lisbon Agreement, according to Slovenian media. Slovenia comes under criticism as EU chair Jansa said that it was Portugal’s sovereign right to decide how it would prepare the ratification of the Lisbon Agreement, but there was still uncertainty as to how the ratification process would affect other countries, which is why a wider scope of thinking was needed – to take the entire EU into consideration. “Portugal does not need advice about what it can and cannot do in this European project,” Sócrates said, adding that Portugal, during its EU presidency, had never commented on the methods of ratification and decision-making in other countries, leaving all EU countries to decide for themselves. This is already the third criticism from other countries in the last few days since Slovenia assumed the presidency. Besides Portugal, Bosnia-Herzegovina officials reacted angrily to the Slovenian prime minister’s remark that “Bosnia-Herzegovina is a bigger problem than Kosovo,” while the Serbian government questioned Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel’s comment that Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica’s statement that the EU would have to choose between further Serbian EU integration and Kosovo independence was a “false dilemma.” Slovenian President Danilo Turk said that Slovenia would be “in the spotlight” during its EU presidency, which was why Slovenian politicians had to show more discipline than usual during its presidency when making statements regarding other EU and regional countries.

Slovenia comes under criticism as EU chair

Janša said that it was Portugal’s sovereign right to decide how it would prepare the ratification of the Lisbon Agreement, but there was still uncertainty as to how the ratification process would affect other countries, which is why a wider scope of thinking was needed – to take the entire EU into consideration.

“Portugal does not need advice about what it can and cannot do in this European project,” Sócrates said, adding that Portugal, during its EU presidency, had never commented on the methods of ratification and decision-making in other countries, leaving all EU countries to decide for themselves.

This is already the third criticism from other countries in the last few days since Slovenia assumed the presidency.

Besides Portugal, Bosnia-Herzegovina officials reacted angrily to the Slovenian prime minister’s remark that “Bosnia-Herzegovina is a bigger problem than Kosovo,” while the Serbian government questioned Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel’s comment that Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica’s statement that the EU would have to choose between further Serbian EU integration and Kosovo independence was a “false dilemma.”

Slovenian President Danilo Turk said that Slovenia would be “in the spotlight” during its EU presidency, which was why Slovenian politicians had to show more discipline than usual during its presidency when making statements regarding other EU and regional countries.

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