Luxembourg – At the EU Justice Ministers’ meeting on Monday, Justice Minister Andreja Katič underscored the EU’s commitment to safeguarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) from political influences and sanctions. Slovenia urges a united and principled EU stance in support of independent international justice, according to the Ministry of Justice.
Katič emphasized the importance of the rule of law during the Luxembourg meeting, asserting that it should not be compromised for strategic or economic gains. “To genuinely defend democracy, the rule of law must remain our constitutional cornerstone – the basis of our strategic and economic direction, rather than being subordinated to those interests,” she stated.
Following the U.S. sanctions imposed in early June on four ICC judges, including Slovenian Beti Hohler, Slovenia, along with Belgium, expressed concerns that sanctioning international judges and prosecutors, as well as independent journalists, undermines core European principles – the rule of law, separation of powers, and respect for human rights, the ministry reported.
The justice ministers also addressed issues such as combating impunity for crimes in Ukraine, the future of the Eurojust agency, access to data in criminal investigations, and the safeguarding of democratic space amid rising hate speech and political violence.
Additionally, they approved a decision to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. Slovenia, which has played an active role in negotiating the convention’s text, supports this decision and plans to sign the convention later this month in Hanoi, the ministry noted. (October 13)
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