EU outrage: Abuse of international law by numerous member states exposed

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a research fellow at the Brussels-based Centre for European Reform, highlighted in her article for the Guardian this year that countries across Europe are far from guilt-free. Mrs Gostynska-Jakubowska highlighted examples where EU nations have seen international law and democracy threatened. She said: "In Greece, the conviction of the country’s chief statistician for sharing economic data with the EU that contradicted statistics previously used by the country to mislead international creditors has cast a shadow on the judicial system."In Italy, court proceedings take longer than almost anywhere else in Europe, and many criminals escape punishment because of the statute of limitations.

"The French authorities responded to terrorist attacks with laws giving them extensive surveillance powers with little judicial oversight, threatening the fundamental rights of individuals.

"Media independence, which is vital for holding governments to account, is also increasingly under pressure.

"Investigative journalists were murdered in Malta and Slovakia in 2017 and 2018 respectively, triggering political crises in both countries."

She also mentioned that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's actions during the Brexit process provided another example of a European country where the rule of law has been contravened.