Slovenia's EUCO Presidency Enters Second Fractious Day

Slovenian Prime Minister Janesz Jansa, in his second day of holding the chair of the rotating presidency of the European Council, continues to cause controversy and engage in arguments with EU officials and MEPs.

• In a briefing to journalists in Brussels, Jansa stated - when asked about tensions between his gov't and EU institutions - "We [Slovenia] are not a second class member of the European Union. We are not a colony"
• When asked about his relations with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban says ""I met him first when we were still fighting for democratic elections, and then to get into the EU, I really appreciate what he did at that time for Hungary. He has the right to explain how he envisages the future of the EU. If the debate [on the future of the EU] excludes people in advance then the EU will continue to shrink. If you exclude people based on 'imaginary' European values...then this is the fastest road to collapse"
• Tony Connelly at RTE tweets: "EU accredited journalists are now being shown a long video by the Slovenian prime minister @JJansaSDS alleging brutality against journalists by the left over the years, and railing against "activist" journalists who go on to become social democrat politicians. This has to be the weirdest moment in the history of press trips coinciding with the launch of a rotating EU presidency. The context is that Mr Jansa has been accused of launching personal attacks on journalists via his Twitter account. "So," booms the narrator at the end of the video, "Who is really threatening democracy and the media in Slovenia?" Just...bizarre. PM Jansa says he attempted to show the video in the European Parliament but that it was censored."
• While the chair of the rotating presidency of the European Council does not have any significant powers in terms of EU treaties or legislation, it does set the agenda for, and chair, Council meetings as well as representing the Council in meetings with other EU institutions. With Jansa increasingly unpopular among EU officials who are opposed to Jansa's brand of national conservatism, this could presage a tetchy and unproductive 6 months of inter-institutional relations.