The discovery of old cases at the same time as new ones, in a certain period of time, sends a signal that something is changing in the Greek judicial system. He expresses this opinion in “K” former Vice-President of the European Commission Vivian Reding. She refers to Qatargate, as well as to the communications case, emphasizing pointedly that “surveillance of politicians and journalists is not provided for in the legal texts of the European Union.” In particular, Ms. Redding will take part in the 8th Delphi Economic Forum, which will be held April 26-29 in Delphi.

– As Vice President of the European Commission, I was responsible for justice and the rule of law. In both areas, the independence of the judiciary is of key importance. One of the principles of a fair trial by independent judges is the speed of decision-making: “Justice deferred is justice denied.”

The European Commission has called on national governments, which are responsible – in accordance with the rules of subsidiarity – for the proper functioning of the judiciary, to take all necessary measures to reduce delays. This can be achieved by closing old cases at the same time as new cases within a strict but reasonable timeframe. This would strengthen the confidence of citizens, as well as investors, in a reliable and orderly justice system.

– The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) forms the basis for the protection of personal data in the private and commercial sectors. There is a special EU directive for the security forces. – on the basis of which national laws should be created – balances individual rights with the collective needs for an effective fight against crime and terrorism. Surveillance of politicians and journalists is not provided for in these legal acts.

Qatargate has shed light on the absolutely reprehensible behavior of some legislators. It also showed that effective action is possible when the administration of the European Parliament cooperates with the police and the judiciary. Is such joint action possible in national parliaments, governments and local authorities? Are the transparency rules and controls stable enough? Only with the effective application of protection measures will regular lobbying be informative and acceptable. Corruption has been and remains absolutely a “forbidden zone”.

– Technology is not “good” or “bad” in and of itself. Algorithms, the basis of software, are created by people. Their compilation leads to positive results or to differences and deviations. This is why control and regulation are important elements to avoid negative impacts on technologies that serve people and society. The European Union is the world leader in the production of standards. He is currently working on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), pushing for a value-based approach to numerous upcoming innovations.

Knowing that quantum computing will increase the speed of analyzing a growing amount of data thousands of times, the EU will also have to solve this problem in order for the future data society to be brought under human control.

“The rule of law is under attack from authoritarian regimes around the world. Even in democratic systems (USA, Brazil, Israel), as in Europe (Hungary, Poland), the independence of the judiciary or the functioning of institutions is under threat. Russian aggression against a peaceful neighbor showed an absolute denial of international values ​​and norms of civilization.

These deviations have become a wake-up call for the Europeans. They made it clear that “business as usual” is more than anyone thought, and that democracies must combine their strengths and capabilities to defend their democratic way of life. Respect for values ​​and the rule of law are once again placed at the center of EU policy. and “strategic autonomy” became essential in defense and economic decision making.