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WORLD NEWS Diamars 17 November 2020
Poland, Hungary veto EU budget over rule-of-law issue

matizing non-governmental ment rubber stamped within
organizations promoting civil weeks.
liberties and for allegedly
(AP) — Poland and Hun- misusing EU funds to enrich Ziobro, the Polish justice
gary on Monday vetoed But EU ambassadors voted “There’s no agreement on his political allies. minister, depicted the rule
the European Union’s by a qualified majority - anything until there’s an EU European affairs min- of law mechanism as an at-
next seven-year budget around two-thirds - in favor agreement on everything,” isters are set to discuss the tempt by the German EU
and a massive coronavi- of the rule of law mechanism Orban wrote. standoff on Tuesday, and if presidency to control Poland
rus recovery plan due to a despite their objections. After In Warsaw, Polish Justice it remains unresolved the — an allegation that appeared
new mechanism that links that, the envoys “could not Minister Zbigniew Ziobro bloc’s leaders could take it up targeted to older Poles who
EU funding to the rule of reach the necessary unanimi- declared at a news conference at a videoconference summit remember Germany’s World
law, plunging the 27-na- ty” to move ahead on the bud- Monday that “There will be on Thursday evening. War II occupation of Poland.
tion bloc into a political get and recovery plan “due to no consent to this mecha- Some political observers “It’s not about rule of law,
crisis. reservations expressed by two nism” and that such a mecha- think the threats amount to which is only a pretext, a
member states,” Germany’s nism would “radically limit bluffing since by vetoing the beautiful word that goes
The 1.8 trillion euro ($2.1 spokesman in Brussels, Se- Poland’s sovereignty.” entire budget, they would in nicely in the ear, but it is real-
trillion) budget for 2021- bastian Fischer, tweeted. effect cut off badly needed ly about institutional, politi-
2027 was agreed upon in EU officials insisted on the funds to their own countries, cal enslavement, (and) a radi-
principle last week after Hungarian Prime Minister new mechanism linking rule former communist states in cal limitation of sovereignty,”
months of tough negotia- Viktor Orban’s press chief of law to funding in order to Central Europe that receive Ziobro said.
tions, and is meant to take ef- Bertalan Havasi said Mon- have a tool to use against the more money from the EU In a weekly radio interview
fect within weeks. day that Orban had written governments of Prime Min- pot than they pay into it. on Friday, Orban said that
It has sparked stiff resistance a letter to German Chancel- ister Mateusz Morawiecki of rule of law conditions re-
in Warsaw and Budapest, lor Angela Merkel, Euro- Poland and Orban of Hun- The funding will be especial- sembled “ideological black-
where right-wing govern- pean Commission President gary, both of which stand ac- ly critical as Europe struggles mail” practiced by the Soviet
ments are adamantly opposed Ursula von der Leyen and cused by the EU of eroding to emerge from the econom- Union.
to a tool that could cause European Council President judicial independence and ic downturn caused by the “If they really pass this (rule
them to lose EU money if Charles Michel saying he media freedoms. coronavirus pandemic. The of law) regulation, then we
they continue with policies would veto the budget and budget is meant to take effect will have created a Soviet
seen as eroding democratic post-pandemic relief pack- In addition, Orban’s govern- on Jan. 1, and officials are Union out of the European
standards. age. ment faces criticism for stig- desperate to have the agree- Union,” he said.

Afghans welcome report on Australian troops’ alleged crimes

(AP) — An Afghan rights on at least 10 cases of alleged for years. He said he’s look- them,” he said. His account newspaper last month as say-
watchdog and a tribal war crimes to Australian in- ing forward to the report’s could not be independently ing that his country’s service
leader are cautiously wel- vestigators. release. verified. members had shot unarmed
coming an Australian gov- “We hope this report is pub- “Our demand is that those Classified documents alleg- civilians and prisoners, even
ernment report into sus- lished as soon as possible, so who have done wrong to us ing Australian troops killed slitting some of their throats,
pected war crimes by its that the Afghan people — es- should be put on trial. Justice unarmed men and children with a “large number of il-
special forces in Afghani- pecially the victims — can must be served,” he said. “We in Afghanistan became the legal killings often gloated
stan following a four-year know what really happened,” cannot try them ourselves … basis for a 2017 report by about.”
investigation. said Zabiullah Farhang, a we are in Afghanistan and the Australian Broadcasting Benjamin Roberts-Smith,
spokesman for the organiza- they are in Australia.” Corp., which detailed grow- Australia’s most highly deco-
After the report’s publication, tion. ing unease in the Australian rated member of the armed
a new investigative agency Abdul Manan, who like many Defense Force leadership services when he left the SAS
headed by a retired judge or He said details on the cases Afghans goes by one name, about the culture of the spe- in 2013, has been accused of
senior criminal lawyer will were not being released in said he was detained at least cial forces. by former colleagues of un-
build criminal cases against order to protect the alleged six times by Australian forces Two ABC journalists had lawful treatment of prison-
some soldiers who were in victims’ confidentiality and for allegedly helping the Tal- until recently faced potential ers, including illegally killing
the Special Air Service Regi- security. Australia will make iban. He claims the residents prison sentences for using the prisoners. The former cor-
ment and Commando Regi- public a redacted version of of his village, located around leaked documents, but pros- poral, who was awarded the
ment in Afghanistan between the report on the investiga- 12 kilometers (7 miles) from ecutors decided that charging Victoria Cross and the Medal
2005 and 2016, Australian of- tion next week. Uruzgan’s provincial capital, the journalists would not be for Gallantry for his service
ficials said. were forced to accept the in- in the public interest. in Afghanistan, has denied
Abdul Manan is a 58-year- surgents’ presence in the area any misconduct.
Afghanistan’s Independent old tribal leader in southern under duress. Defense Force Chief Gen. Around 39,000 Australians
Human Rights Commission Uruzgan province where Angus Campbell was quot- served in Afghanistan and 41
said it provided information Australian forces were based “We were not armed to stop ed in Melbourne’s The Age were killed.