Parliamentary question - E-012252/2013Parliamentary question
E-012252/2013

Abuse of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development for renovation of a dictator's monument

Question for written answer E-012252-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Milan Zver (PPE) , Romana Jordan (PPE) , Zofija Mazej Kukovič (PPE) , Alojz Peterle (PPE) , László Tőkés (PPE) , Tunne Kelam (PPE) , Vytautas Landsbergis (PPE) , Marco Scurria (PPE) , József Szájer (PPE) , Sandra Kalniete (PPE)

According to reports, funding made available under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development’s Leader programme has been used for the renovation of a monument dedicated to Josip Broz Tito, the leader of the totalitarian Yugoslav regime, in the municipality of Log-Dragomer (Slovenia). It is already questionable if this activity can be financed under Leader. Moreover, the jurisprudence of the Slovenian Constitutional Court (UI-109/10, 26 September 2011) states that ‘the glorification of the communist totalitarian regime by the authorities … is unconstitutional’. Considering this decision, the renovation of a monument that glorifies Josip Broz Tito, responsible for mass killings and other human rights violations of the worst kind, is to be considered as unconstitutional.

In 2009, Parliament adopted a resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism which states that ‘constant vigilance is needed to fight undemocratic, xenophobic, authoritarian and totalitarian ideas and tendencies’. In this context, the EU institutions should act in full awareness of the risk of re-establishing totalitarian ideas and tendencies, including the glorification of the totalitarian past.

1. Does the Commission approve of the use of EAFRD/Leader resources for the purpose of the renovation of cultural heritage?

2. Does the Commission consider that politically inspired monuments fall under the heading of ‘cultural heritage’?

3. When defining the admissibility of requests for funding under Leader, how far does the Commission consider the legal framework of the Member State concerned when interpreting the above notion?

OJ C 86 E, 25/03/2014