Strana Zelenych Slovakia
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! ! To EGP Member Parties, Council Delegates From EGP Committee Date 30 September 2016 EGP Committee Proposal for withdrawal membership Strana Zelenych (SZ), Slovakia After a Fact Finding Mission to Bratislava on 9-10 February 2016, the EGP Committee agreed in its meeting of March 2016 to start the procedure for withdrawal of membership of Strana Zelenych, Slovakia. The member party and the delegates at the Council in Utrecht (May 2016) have been informed about this proposal. The procedure was started based on the fact that after continuous efforts from the EGP Committee to set up and maintain communication with Strana Zelenych no progress was made and our pleads for information on the party structure, activities and status were not answered. Secondly, already the rare encounters over the years with Strana Zelenych were based on meetings and communication with one person, leaving a strong feeling that this is “One man show”, without party membership and structure behind it. Thus, the party does not comply significantly with the membership criteria as listed in the EGP Rule Book and the EGP Committee took the necessary steps. Below you will find: 1. A table with the Membership Criteria (Article 2 of the Rule Book) on one side and the subsequent comments on the compliance of Strana Zelenych on the other side. 2. Article 6.5 and 6.6 of the Rule Book; Disciplinary measures and Decision to expel a Member 3. Timeline: Facts and communications with Strana Zelenych, Slovakia in the period 2006 – present. (The dossier backing up this timeline will be available for consultation upon request at the Glasgow Council). 4. Conclusions and Proposal 5. Annexes o Annex 1: Party registration of the Ministry of Interior, Slovakia o Annex 2: March 2016 election campaign website – Facebook pages of the candidates o Annex 3: Overview participation of Strana Zelenych at EGP Councils (2004-present) o Annex 4: Report Fact-Finding Mission, Bratislava, 9-10 February 2016 EGP Committee, 30 September 2016 – Proposal for withdrawal membership Strana Zelenych, Slovakia 1 ! ! 1. Article 2 Membership Criteria, EGP Rule Book 2.1 Full Members shall meet the criteria for membership as indicated below: Membership criteria Compliance Strana Zelenych - Comments Be established as a political party in a registered since October1991 as Strana country, state or politico-geographic region Zelenych of Europe; Annex 1: party registration of Ministry of interior Slovakia. Latest statutory body change and statutes changes are from 20 March 2014. Past and current leadership: - Pavel Petrik, party leader from 26 Sept 2005 to 15 Dec 2008 - Martin Jóna, (co?)party leader from 17 February 2006 to present - Peter Pilinsky, party leader from 15 Dec 2008 to 20 March 2014 - Pavel Petrik, (co?)party leader from 20 March 2014 !Pavel Patrik was never introduced or even mentioned in any of the EGP meetings since 2014. Promote Green politics which are Despite several requests, no documentation ecological, social, democratic and available – there is no regular party website / progressive; social media. Maintain a democratic political base The Secretary General of the party is Martin and a democratic internal Jona, since 2006. We have only met one structure; other person with an unclear status in the party (ZR). Despite several requests, there is no information available on the internal structure, internal elections, board meetings or party congresses. Participate actively in political life Again, no information was given. and in elections at a credible level; Based on the little information found on internet about the general elections in 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2016 the EGP does not consider their participation as credible. And in between elections there is no trace of political activities (see timeline). SZ had a campaign website for the 5 March 2016 general elections (with a video and only 4 pages, no real content: 4 green candidates on MOST-HID list on positions 44, 69, 79 and 115 (see annex 2) EGP Committee, 30 September 2016 – Proposal for withdrawal membership Strana Zelenych, Slovakia 2 ! ! Endorse the Green Charter of the EGP 2001 Global Greens Charter is endorsed by (2006) and the Global Greens Charter signing the 2004 EGP founding Statutes (by (2001); Joseph Pokorny). 2006 Green Charter of the EGP is endorsed by the presence of Andrea Svakova and Andrej Zemandl at the Geneva Congress. Accept the Statutes and Rule Book Joseph Pokorny, party leader (2003-2005) of the European Green Party; signed the Statutes at the founding Congress, Rome, 20-22 February 2004. Peter Pilinsky and Pavel Petrik from SZ are registered for the Paris Congress but neither of them stayed to sign the new Statutes and Rule Book of the EGP. Apply gender balance principles in unknown (with the little information we their party structures; have, there appear to be only male members in the party structures and male candidates in elections) Regularly attend European Green They did not attend the councils regularly, Party Council meetings; see annex 3. Participate in the political Since 2008, their attendance has been very discussion and decisions of the low or unexistent. Martin Jona has only European Green Party; attended the PLM of October 2015, and never took the floor or expressed any visions on European issues or shared any political information about his country. Send their yearly accounts and unknown, no information has been received election results to the European and there is no general party website. Green Party if not publicly accessible on their party website; Conduct their financial organisation unknown, no information has been received in a transparent and accountable manner; Pay their designated fee as Full The membership fees for 2012, 2013 and Members in a timely manner; 2014 were paid in cash at the Istanbul Council November 2014 by Daniel Jona (relative of Martin Jona; position in party unknown). The 2015 membership was paid in November 2015 and the 2016 membership is currently unpaid. Not be under any legal or other restraint on unknown their activities; Report every two years to the Strana Zelenych did not reply to the call for European Green Party on party and membership report of May 2012. policy developments as detailed in Article 4 below. EGP Committee, 30 September 2016 – Proposal for withdrawal membership Strana Zelenych, Slovakia 3 ! ! 2. Disciplinary Measures and decision to expel a Member – EGP Rule book: 6.5. Disciplinary Measures 6.5.1 Members which fail to meet the specified membership criteria or other obligations or which act in such a way as to bring the European Green Party into disrepute may be subject to disciplinary measures unless or until the situation is resolved. 6.5.2 The Committee is responsible for evaluating any such alleged failures or acts and shall inform the Council delegates of the problem and any such disciplinary measures as they consider appropriate. An overview of any disciplinary measures proposed shall be presented at the beginning of each Council meeting. 6.5.3 The Committee may propose to the Council the following disciplinary measures to be adopted for a specified period: • withdrawal of speaking rights in EGP meetings, including Council meetings; • withdrawal of voting rights in EGP meetings, including Council meetings; • withdrawal of participation in EGP meetings, including Council meetings; • withdrawal of access to information; • suspension or withdrawal of Membership. 6.5.4 The Council shall vote on each such proposal by a two-thirds majority of the Allocated Votes with the exception of the suspension or withdrawal of Membership which requires a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes. 6.5.5 In the case of non-payment of Membership Fees, the Committee, acting on the advice of the Treasurer, is authorised to withdraw voting rights of that Member prior to the opening of each voting session at the Council. 6.5.6 Council delegates are informed on any proposed measures as soon as possible by mail or email. Proposals for withdrawal and suspension of Membership are announced to the Council three months ahead of the Council. At the Council the Committee presents its proposal for the proposed measure. The concerned party has the right of explanation and presentation of its point of view 6.6 Decision to expel a Member 6.6.1 The Council, following a proposal by the Committee or at the request of 1/3 of the Full Members, may decide to withdraw the membership of any Member by a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes, after hearing the defence of the concerned Member. 6.6.2 The Member must be informed in writing at least three months in advance of the next Council meeting. 6.6.3 The proposal by the Committee to the Council to withdraw the membership of a Member can be appealed to the Conciliation Panel in writing at least two months before the Council. No further requests can be submitted to the Conciliation Panel concerning such membership issue. 6.6.4 The Council may withdraw Full, Candidate or Associate Membership either temporarily or permanently. Any temporary exclusion may be lifted by a subsequent decision of the Council by a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes. 6.6.5 Members of the European Green Party may themselves request a restriction or suspension of their membership rights for a temporary period. EGP Committee, 30 September 2016 – Proposal for withdrawal membership Strana Zelenych, Slovakia 4 ! ! 3. Timeline of FACTS and communications with Strana Zelenych, Slovakia – period 2006 – 2016 (non exhaustive list) The party is on the regular mailing lists of the EGP and has been receiving the EGP Newsletters, the invitations to the EGP Councils, Party Leaders meetings and AOB. (the documents can be consulted upon request at the Glasgow Council) 17 February 2006 Mail from Strana Zelenych na Slovensku to inform it changed its’ name to Strana Zelenych and changed the logo (pine tree) to a green heart.