Rules on content of promotional materials distributed in Parliament

16.6.2015

Question for written answer E-009838-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Ruža Tomašić (ECR)

Every month, a copy of the English-language ‘Kurir’ magazine from Serbia is sent to MEPs at their official EP addresses. The May 2015 edition of the magazine featured an interview with Miroje Jovanović, Vice-President of the Serbian political party ‘Treća Srbija’.

‘Serbia's future lies in new people — in those people who, in 1995, did not just sit back and wait for the authorities to respond while columns of civilians escaped under shellfire from Tuđman's genocide’. This is only one part of the statement made by Mr Jovanović to the May issue of ‘Kurir’.

Since Franjo Tuđman was the first democratically elected president of Croatia, Jovanović's statement de facto accuses the Republic of Croatia of the grave crime of genocide. It thus spreads blatant lies and slander about one of the EU's Member States.

Can the Commission say if any standards exist for promotional materials used for lobbying which are distributed in Parliament? If so, what are these standards?

What sanctions can the Commission impose on people who spread slanderous lies in order to damage the good name of a Member State?