ABTTF President: “As ABTTF, we will carry out lobbying activities at the European Commission and the European Parliament to influence the content of this report prepared by the European Commission.”
The European Commission published its 2020 Annual Report which analyses the situation of the rule of law in the 27 European Union (EU) Member States. The report which has been prepared for the first time by the Commission and presented by Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova and Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders recorded that many Member States have shortcomings in meeting some basic standards.
In the report which underlines that the EU is based on the principles of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law, it is noted that some EU Member States are not fully complying with EU standards in key issues such as independence of the judiciary, media freedom, anti-corruption measures and separation of powers. The report expressed concern that EU Member States are becoming increasingly authoritarian, indicating that the negative developments regarding the rule of law and independence of the judiciary in Hungary and Poland are worrying.
Problems with quality and efficiency continue in Greece’s justice system
As regards the part pertaining to Greece in the report, it is indicated that Greece has adopted a significant number of justice reforms in the context of three economic adjustments programmes and that these reforms include changes in the organisation of the courts, measures to improve the management of the courts, the broadening of the use of information technology in the courts and the promotion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. However, the report also underlines that the implementation record has shown mixed results and that the justice system is continuing to face challenges with respect to quality and efficiency and that it is of utmost importance to ensure the effective implementation of the reforms for achieving concrete results.
Furthermore, the report notes that the constitution provides for the protection of freedom of expression and the right to access public information but adds that there exist some questions as regards ensuring transparency of media ownership and that concerns persist with respect to insufficient mechanisms which constitute an obstacle to the performance of the profession of journalism to professional standards and that precarious working conditions for journalists which are resulting from the economic and financial crisis.
The report also explains that there have been challenges regarding the implementation of the separation of powers and that especially in in the last years, the process for enacting laws has been under significant pressure as a result of the consequences of the economic and financial crisis. Moreover, the report notes that there is no specific enabling framework with respect to civil society in Greece and indicates that civil society organisations which are operating in the area of migration have expressed their concerns regarding a narrowing of their civic space to operate on the ground.
“The issue of the rule of law has been high on the EU’s agenda, especially in the past years. The fact that some EU Member States have been backsliding from democracy and legal values have inclined the European Commission to prepare this report. There are also serious issues with respect to civil society and media freedom in relation to the rule of law in our country Greece. The decisions rendered by the European Court of Human Rights as regards associations belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace have yet not been implemented by our country over the past 12 years. In the recent past, newspapers belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace have been fined in high amounts which have not been seen before in Greece’s history. While the government provided financial support to media organisations as part of the campaign to inform citizens about the coronavirus pandemic, no payment was made to the Western Thrace Turkish press. All of these are concrete examples of discrimination and exclusion against the Turkish community in Western Thrace. As ABTTF, we will carry out lobbying activities at the European Commission and the European Parliament to influence the content of this report prepared by the European Commission”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
Click here for the 2020 Rule of Law Report published by the European Commission:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/communication_2020_rule_of_law_report_en.pdf, and here for the country chapter related to Greece: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/el_rol_country_chapter.pdf
