European Commission suing Portugal, Bulgaria and Ireland
Uncannily close to the moment where the ‘largest police operation of its kind’ dismantled an extreme right wing armed militia apparently planning regime change in Portugal, the European Commission has announced it is suing the country for failing to comply with rules to prevent terrorism on online digital platforms.
In a statement published today (as national newspapers discuss the potential scuppering of a neo-nazi takeover), the EU executive said the rules should have been applied three years ago.
In other words, Portugal has had time enough to do what it was being called upon to do – which was to designate national authorities responsible for applying these rules, and then notify the Commission accordingly.
Portugal is not the only ‘miscreant’, however: Bulgaria and Ireland have equally failed to comply, and are also being ‘sued’ by the Commission in the European Court of Justice.
As Lusa has explained, these rules (that Portugal et al have eschewed) are designed “to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies on the internet – which is key to preventing attacks and curbing radicalisation – while safeguarding fundamental rights”.
Arguably, had these rules been in force in Portugal, there may not have been the need for yesterday’s ‘largest police operation of its kind ever to have been undertaken’…
Source: Lusa
