ZAGREB, 28 Oct (Hina) - ZAGREB, 28 Oct (Hina) - The European Commission has launched a digital campaign across the EU to raise awareness of legal certainty and legality, prompted by a survey which shows that a large number of EU citizens are not informed about the rule of law, including as many as 60% of Croatians.

The lack of trust in the judiciary and a feeling of not being treated fairly are the key points of the latest EC report on the rule of law, which shows that Croatia continues to lag behind the EU average in all aspects of the rule of law, it was stated on Monday.

According to the Eurobarometer survey, more than 60% of Croatians do not believe in the independence of the judiciary while as many as 70% believe politicians and public authorities do not respect court decisions.

Also, concerns about the freedom of the media and journalists have been rising, with more than 40% of respondents believing that journalists in Croatia are restricted in criticising the government while 80% believe politicians and public officials are often in a conflict of interest and do not respect ethical norms.

Didier Reynders, the outgoing European commissioner for justice, said: “The rule of law is often viewed as a distant, lofty concept that for many people is hard to comprehend. While it defines who we are and what unites us as Europeans, we tend to think about the rule of law only when something goes wrong.

“This campaign aims to help everyone understand what the rule of law means, how much we rely on it on a daily basis, and why it is important to prevent unfairness and injustice," he said.

Prompted by the findings of the report, the EC has launched a comprehensive digital campaign across the EU, including Croatia, with the aim of providing citizens with a better understanding of the rule of law and its importance for society.

Through animations, the campaign will promote the six core principles defining the rule of law - equality before the law, legal certainty, the prohibition of arbitrariness, judicial independence, legality and separation of powers.

The campaign was devised in cooperation with renowned illustrator Christoph Niemann, and it aims to help visualise, through animations, the importance of the rule of law by comparing it with rules encountered in everyday situations, such as sports competitions.

According to the Eurobarometer survey, more than half of Croatians do not consider themselves to be informed about the importance of the rule of law while 72% believe the EU plays the key role in preserving those values in Croatia.

The rule of law is one of the fundamental values of the EU and its protection is the responsibility of all EU institutions. It guarantees to citizens the preservation of democracy and the protection of their rights and freedoms.
 

(Hina)