Von Croamon: EC is compromising rule of law in interest of Orban-Vucciq axis

In an authorial text for E URACTIV, member of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and member of the EU delegation to the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, writes that the Gellbra, since the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen took office, has warned that the Commissioner for Elections Oliver Varhey is the wrong “in the wrong place”.

“Someone appointed by a government that violates rule of law and democracy cannot be a good example for countries like Montenegro, Serbia or Albania, which are struggling with their democratic transition”, the eurodeputate points out.

Von Cromon said the first signs of politicisation, instead of impartiality, were seen at the beginning of Oliver Varhey's mandate, but that the worst “” occurred when the 2021 enlargement package for Western Balkans' progress on the road to the EU” was introduced.

The “Commission has officially gone under its standards and under European standards by facilitating the report for Serbia for 2021, especially for the standards of rule of law”, Von Croamon wrote.

She referred to changes in the Constitutions, which include changes in the composition of the State Council of Prosecutors, which chooses prosecutors.

As she said, the Commission in the report for Serbia's 2014 judiciary stressed that prosecutors should make at least 50% of the Chamber to avoid politicising prosecutors.

“However, seven years later, the Commission welcomed the proposal of constitutional amendments envisioning as many as 11 members of the State Council of Prosecutors, only five are prosecutors”, the European Parliament MP stressed.

She further said that just a day before the presentation of the Commission's Progress Report, the Venice Commission published an opinion in which it criticised such a solution and recommended, in part, that six of the Council's 11 members be prosecutors.

“is a clear example of how the European Commission was politicised in the interest of the Orban-Wucciq axis, and how the standards of the rule of law can be compromised under the supervision of Commission”, Von Cremon stressed.

She further wrote that, assuming she cannot fully believe the assessments of rule of law in Serbia, this means that the entire package of enlargement is unbelievable.

The “is also an example of why the Commission's overall assessment, especially for Serbia and perhaps some other countries, cannot be a reliable source, and for that reason the recommendation for opening new chapters does not stand at”, the Eurodeput said.

Von Cromon writes further that the Serbian opposition, nongovernmental organisations and independent media are under great pressure from the Vuciqi regime, and claim that the political stance for positive assessments from the “report could be the last nail in Serbia's European integration coffin”.

According to her, the EU must regain credibility by applying strict conditions and fair assessment and not only by claiming to do so. The level of capture of institutions also needs to be thoroughly examined and restored to the Commission's integrity.

“There should be no compromise on rule of law in Budapest or Belgrade. It is a matter of the integrity of the European Commission in the Western Balkans and in the EU”, Violet von Cromon concluded.