Good morning,
I always liked the word Slapp. It sounds both violent and comical — and having been hit by a few myself, that's how it feels.
The strategic litigation against public participation (Slapp) against EUobserver was deadly serious and could have ruined us.
But at the same time, there's something farcical about opening your letterbox in Brussels one morning to find court summons against you from Lukashenko's henchmen for besmirching their good name, for instance.
What saved us were press-freedom NGOs, especially ECPMF in Berlin, who gave us both moral support and hard money for defence lawyers.
And the same NGOs are also using humour to ridicule the EU's worst Slappers by naming and shaming them in an annual Slapp oscars — the last edition of which took place yesterday.
Slapp "politician of the year" went to French culture minister Rachida Dati, who sued Canard Enchaîné, Le Nouvel Observateur, and Libération for daring to report on her financial secrets.
The "farcical threat of the year" went to Signature Clinic, a UK plastic surgery firm that sued six of its own patients for complaining about its poor quality.
But a good runner-up was ELWI, a Moscow-based law firm representing Russian insurance firm Ingosstrakh, which sued for Danish investigative journalists to give them a list of their sources.
The Slapp "addict" award went to Italian energy firm Eni, which went after several media and NGOs, while the top "corporate bully" award went to Clean Tech International, a Romanian firm which processes animal waste, and which sued local residents for €20m in damages after they complained about its stink.
- Andrew Rettman, foreign affairs editor
Advert
Did you know we have a donations page as well? We do.
Story of the Day
Šefčovič: US ties 'in a tough spot' as trade ministers mull EU response
The EU is bracing itself for a lengthy trade tariff dispute with Washington, with the bloc’s trade commissioner warning that Donald Trump appears determined to “transform the global trading system, and they see the tariffs as corrective measures for many of the political goals.”
What else you need to know
Bosnian political crisis spilled into EU press briefing
Bosnia's political crisis spilled into an EU press conference in Sarajevo on Tuesday, but there's little prospect of EU sanctions or arrest of secessionist Serb chiefs. Read on »
Trump funding freeze leaves EU facing larger bill for Somalia anti-terror force
The Trump administration’s decision to end more than a decade of financial support for an anti-terror mission in Somalia could leave the EU picking up the tab for a major hole in the budget. Read on »
Advert
And if you (or your organisation) is interested in getting access to a unique view on EU affairs, there's more information about institutional memberships here. Share it with your boss and relentlessly pester them to get one. Or share the right contact person with at@euobserver.com so I can.
EU-funded researchers urge rethink of 'competitiveness' agenda
In a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, eight EU-funded projects urge a rethink of the bloc's competitiveness agenda: “We’re not opposing productivity, but the focus on sustainability is being lost and that’s very sad to see.”Read on »
Breaking the silence: the Ukrainian journalists killed by RussiaOpinion
Russia has already killed over 100 Ukrainian journalists — both combatants and civilian reporters — who died under shelling, were executed, or tortured. At least 30 journalists remain in Russian captivity. They were not combatants, nor did they take up arms. Their only weapon was the truth. And that is what Russia fears most.Read on »
From tariffs to turmoil? Trump's self-sabotage if EU stays unitedColumn
The US may have fired the first shot in this trade conflict, but its isolationist strategy risks backfiring. For the EU, the smartest response is not outright retaliation, but strategic unity and deeper global engagement — reserving its options if the situation escalatesRead on »
In case you missed it
Eggs won’t win the EU a trade war against the US
Amid escalating tariff threats, the US Department of Agriculture turned to the EU for egg imports. We crack open whether Europe can help — beyond the question of whether it should.Read on »
EU saw 57 more Russia-sanctions lawsuits in past year
An Ivorian propagandist, an alleged Russian spy, and a Dutch oil trader have joined Russian oligarchs in 57 new lawsuits against EU sanctions over the past 15 months.Read on »
Detained Swedish journalist sparks tensions in Swedish-Turkish relations
Joakim Medin, a Swedish journalist, was arrested in Turkey while covering anti-government protests. Accused of insulting the president and alleged terror links, his case has sparked diplomatic tensions. Sweden now seeks clarity at the upcoming Nato summit.Read on »
Democracy for sale? Why the EU must break with Serbia's VučićOpinion
If the EU stands for democracy rather than just for lithium, it must take a new position in Serbia soon. In the wake of student-led mass protests, support for president Vučić is no longer support for stability if it ever was, writes political analyst Luke Bacigalupo from Belgrade.Read on »
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten