Slovenia’s Jansa Unplugs From Debate on Media, Alleging Censorship

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa left a video debate on media freedom in his country organised by the European Parliament's monitoring group on Friday, cutting off the opportunity for European lawmakers to ask him questions, but also to defend his views.

At the debate organised by the parliament's Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group on Friday, various speakers and media experts were heard by MEPs.

But at the end, when it was Jansa's turn to speak, he said a just few sentences before asking to present a 16-minute video, apparently explaining the Slovenian context; each speaker was offered to speak for 10 to 15 minutes, however.

After Sophie in 't Veld, the Dutch MEP who moderated the discussion, warned him that presenting a video was not possible due to technical limitations and that it is not a practice at such events, Jansa disconnected himself from the video linked meeting.

"It is truly unfortunate that Sophie in 't Veld, who supposed to monitor media freedom in the EU, despite prior agreement censored the broadcast of a video that highlights problems with media freedom and attacks on journalists in Slovenia," he tweeted afterwards.

It is truly unfortunate that @EP_Justice @SophieintVeld , which is supposed to monitor the media freedom in the #EU, despite prior agreement, censors the broadcast of a video that highlights problems with media freedom and attacks on journalists in 🇸🇮https://t.co/qu9AOYBbYR

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) March 26, 2021

A number of local and international press freedom watchdogs have accused his Slovenian government of using the pandemic to restrict media freedoms and make personal attacks on journalists.

The issue of media...

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