Parliamentary question

Written question to the European Commission

The Slovenian Government is putting the nation’s film and audio-visual creative industry in serious jeopardy due to its repressive economic policy, bureaucratic obstacles and its lack of commitment to funding the Slovenian Film Centre. Since March 2020, the Government has blocked the majority of financial state budget transfers intended for the Slovenian Film Centre. Over 30 feature films are waiting for the financial support that they were due to receive from the Slovenian Film Centre. Currently, all production and post-production processes in Slovenia have been halted. As a result, independent producers are unable to meet the co-production obligations they have with their international partners. Projects receiving support from the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme and Eurimages have also been put on hold.

In March 2020, the Slovenian Ministry of Culture advised the Slovenian Film Centre to stop publishing new calls for development and production funding support. The Slovenian Film Centre was instructed not to take any additional financial obligations, on the basis of the information published before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Given that such governmental action, or the lack thereof, run counter to European democratic values and creative freedom:

What will the Commission do to support the Slovenian film industry as regards its creation, cultural expression and promotion of European ideas and values?

Answer given by Commissioner Breton on behalf of the European Commission

Through the Creative Europe MEDIA programme, the Commission supports the development of coproduction and the circulation of European films across the EU and the participating countries. As such, participation in Creative Europe MEDIA builds upon well-functioning national funding systems and a shared commitment among Member States to support the internationalisation of their audiovisual industries.

The Commission has followed closely the developments in Slovenia given the decision of the Slovenian Government to suspend the financing of actions in support of the audiovisual sector carried out by the Slovenian Film Centre, particularly as regards its potential impact on the participation of Slovenian audiovisual companies and professionals in the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme.

The Commission welcomes the decision of the Slovenian government, taken at the end of December 2020, to release the approved funds for the Slovenian Film Centre. This decision has enabled the Slovenian Film Centre to execute most of the payments to Slovenian filmmakers, producers and actors.

The Commission policy for the European audiovisual sector follows the action areas set out in the recently adopted Media and Audiovisual Action Plan, i.e. recover for the audiovisual companies, transform the audiovisual industry and finally, enable and empower innovation in the sector. The Commission expects that such actions will contribute to strengthening this sector, as well as to preserving creation and cultural expression and to promoting European ideas and values.