The Socialists and Democrats are shocked to learn that the prime minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša, whose country is now chairing the EU rotating presidency, addressed an online gathering on Saturday, which was organised by the so-called National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), also known as the People’s Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI or MEK).  This anti-democratic, cult-like organisation, which was on the EU terrorist list until 2009, has a long history of human rights abuses documented by organisations such as Human Rights Watch.

Tonino Picula S&D spokesperson on foreign affairs and Jytte Guteland, S&D shadow rapporteur on Iran, made the following statement: 

“Support for a group with such a violent, anti-democratic record, at the level of the prime minister of a country holding the rotating presidency of the EU, is extremely irresponsible and grave. It undermines the ongoing efforts of the EU and its High Representative Josep Borrell to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran, a key foreign-policy priority for the EU.

“We call on the EPP Group to immediately and clearly distance themselves from such destructive behaviour from one of its members, and clarify whether it supports such a key EU foreign policy objective as the restoration of the nuclear agreement with Iran, or not.”