The attack on freedom of speech
No, this is not a quote from George Orwell's, famous novel "1984", although it could be. Orwell described the perfect world of censorship. Man could be seen all day, anytime, anywhere - total espionage. However, even in such adverse conditions free thought could escape. Author has foreseen this problem, so he created an artificial language "Newspeak", which is synonymous with censorship; truly excellent. It's just that I do not recognize Newspeak, I call a spade a spade, and describe them in my comments as they are, without the use of euphemisms. And this also is my reply to the representative of all kinds of services "secret, well-lit and two-mutilation. Against whom have they reconciled? Against a few thoughts ... which are not new! "- Said my favorite poet Norwid. I think that I will not give myself to impose official censorship, because the times of totalitarianism are over. Application Plenipotentiary treats as an attack on freedom of speech, freedom of expression and media independence in Lithuania. It is a return to the practices of the Soviet era, and frightening Weekly Vilnius of suspension of its activities is an example. I am a political scientist with a degree, an adviser to the European Parliament, as a MEP in a previous term I sat in the Committee on Civil Liberties. Therefore, with all the responsibility I can say that the performance of the Lithuanian state institutions have little to do with the EU standards, protecting freedom of expression and promoting multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual. A posed to me by the Government Plenipotentiary for bizarre accusations think, because if someone here does not understand the principles of democracy, the EU's Plenipotentiary.
Reprehensible practice
The famous article had been posted on the L24, and reprinted by the Weekly Vilnius, which puts the same allegations that the Government Agent, wrote in part: "In Lithuania flagrant violation of the rights of the Polish minority is still ongoing. In addition to the attack on the Polish education in Vilnius, the prohibition spelling of names in its original form, was to tighten measures against the Polish community aimed at the use of bilingual signage, even in those municipalities where the Polish minority accounts for 90% of the total population. This unique as the European Union, the situation violates European standards in the field of protection of rights of national minorities contained, The European Council Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Treaty of Polish - Lithuanian. There is also a glaring example of discrimination on grounds of nationality. I recall that the Lithuanian minority in Poland has wide privileges, the use of bilingual place names including. "And once again, with these words to subscribe, because this is the Lithuanian reality and practices of national minorities are worthy of condemnation. In addition, Lithuania, as each member country, with the entry into the Union shall be the supremacy of EU law that is subject to the principle of the primacy of EU law over national law. And if you act in breach of the Lithuanian community, it must change and adapt to European standards. Article 167 of the Lisbon Treaty clearly states, "The Union shall contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity." And at the last session of the European Parliament in its resolution urged Member States to fully engage in the protection and promotion of the diversity of the unique cultural and linguistic heritage of the Union, also urged governments to condemn discrimination language and to sign and ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities. And what about Lithuania?
Tomaševski also censored
Lithuanian state and its institutions covered themselves with shame for the whole of Europe a few years ago, when the Lithuanian business ethics committee spoke against MEP Valdemar Tomaševski. Union's response was shocking for Lithuania. To bear, an interesting quote from the justification of the EP resolution on the subject, showing a breach of EU law by Lithuania:
"On 22 January 2010, the Chief Official Ethics Commission of the Republic of Lithuania has decided:
/ Say that public behavior and form of action Valdemar Tomaševski, a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, the political activist, chairman of the parliamentary political party in Lithuania, are contrary to the principle of respect for you and the public, contrary to the principle of impartiality and increase confidence in you or to the institution /
Decision Chief Official Ethics Commission of the Republic of Lithuania imposed on Valdemar Tomaševski "public reprimand" by the Code of Conduct adopted by the state politicians Lithuanian Law of 19 September 2006 (NX-816) in connection with the statements made by the Member of Parliament in the course of their duties MPs.
Article 2 of the Statute for Members provides that "Members shall be free and independent". In the same spirit of Art. 3 of the Statute provides that: "1 Members vote on an individual and personal basis. They are not bound by instructions or guidelines. 2 Agreement on how to carry out the mandate is invalid. "
It is clear, therefore, that the decision of Chief Official Ethics Commission is a violation of the freedom and independence of Members provided for the Members of the European Parliament, which is part of EU law, and therefore that the legislation grants the Lithuanian Chief Official Ethics Commission the power to control the activities of Members of the European Parliament elected in Lithuania, is a violation of Community law.
Therefore, the responsibility of the European Commission, as guardian of the Treaties and the only body authorized to bring an action for infringement, to initiate such proceedings against the Republic of Lithuania under Art. 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Therefore recommends that the Committee on Legal Affairs to ask the European Commission to require that the Lithuanian authorities to respect the rights of the European Union through the opening, if necessary, of an infringement of Community law, as provided for in Art. 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (2010/2047 (IMM)).
Let us not be intimidated
The attempt to gag Mr Tomaševski finished with a great embarrassment for Lithuanian institutions and also showed that the principles of the democratic state and EU law are violated. EU response was firm and condemning such actions. This should be taken into consideration for the government representative in the Vilnius County, before it goes to a dead end against freedom of expression and the rights of national minorities. Journalists and all the members of national minorities in Lithuania, I will say this - should not be afraid and do not let themselves be intimidated, because EU law is on our side.
Dr. Bogusław Rogalski, political scientist
ECR Advisor for International Affairs in the European Parliament