By: Dr. Matevž Tomšič
Another in a series of farces staged by the left wing opposition last year has come to an end. Miserably, just like all the previous ones. We are talking, of course, about the so-called constitutional accusation filed by the KUL members against Prime Minister Janša. It was an act of desperation. After failing with the constructive no confidence vote and a series of ministerial interpellations, this was the only institutional tool left to them. At the same time, it was clear to the protagonists themselves that they did not have a serious chance of success. Because if they could gather the “magical” forty-six votes of support in parliament, then they could simply replace the government and enthrone their own.
This constitutional accusation, which is otherwise a completely legitimate means of the opposition, was absurd because of its content or its absence. By its nature, it is an instrument used in cases where representatives of the executive branch seriously violate the Constitution and laws. It is not enough that someone does not like their behaviour, or that they are ineffective in their work. Violations must be clearly defined and explained by stating the specific constitutional and legal articles that are allegedly violated. But in this case, there was no trace of it. It was a collection of ramified accusations of what the Prime Minister is doing wrong: from the purchase of vaccines through the media and the prosecution to drinking water and the position of women. All by heart, without valid arguments. It was a free document; from which it can only be seen that the prosecutors of Janez Janša are very upset. Well, we knew that even without it.
Most “far-fetched” was the allegation that the government endangered public health by failing to order a certain amount of vaccines, claiming that people were left without protection against the coronavirus. The fact is that this unsolicited vaccine would not come to Slovenia until the second half of this year, which means that the current situation would not be affected in any way. In addition, the amount of vaccine ordered so far is sufficient to vaccinate the entire adult population twice. That order would therefore add virtually no value.
KUL members, their supporters and sponsors from the ranks of the so-called deep state are increasingly gripped by rage and despair because the government just refuses to fall. Neither constant media persecution, nor the export of fake news abroad, nor weekly protests, nor confidence votes, interpellations, constitutional accusations help. They have engaged their entire network, which permeates virtually all key social subsystems, but without much success.
Therefore, their temper is escalating, growing into open aggression. The discourse they use is increasingly militant. First, the president of an organisation that honours the “national liberation struggle” calls for “rebellion” – against the existing government. Organisers of the so-called Friday’s protests called for an uprising. These are no longer jokes. It is hard to believe that these are some kind of abstract categories. That they have in mind a kind of “spiritual” rebellion or uprising. We know how their ideological predecessors understood this; those who paid their respects so en masse on this year’s holiday, which we once called the day of the Liberation Front. It was primarily a revolution with which they took power. In it they have brutally dealt with everyone who stood in their way.
That is why such calls from modern-day “insurgents” sound far from peaceful. It is obvious that they cannot accept the loss of power. They are convinced that they are a kind of avant-garde, that they are the only ones who count in this country, so they believe that power, and thus all related privileges, simply belongs to them, regardless of the will of the citizens. And they are willing to do many things to get it back.
Dr Matevž Tomšič is a sociologist, professor at the Faculty of Applied Social Studies and president of the Association of Journalists and Publicists.