By: Janez Remškar
Democracy is not just about elections and the majority. An article with this headline, above a picture of Commissioner Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Commission, an experienced politician of the Dutch Social Democrats, as written by the “independent” journalist Peter Žerjavič of an even more “independent” newspaper Delo, was published on the first page of Delo on July 10th, 2021. Timmermans’ opinion of a photo of SD members photographed next to a judge with the symbol of communism, the red star, was as follows, I quote: “Personal attacks and slandering of judges and members of the EU Parliament, by showing photos and hinting that they are doing something inappropriate or that you cannot trust the judiciary or that it is corrupt, in my opinion means disrespecting the rule of law and separation of powers” (end of quote). He later added that “an attempt to discredit is an attack on the rule of law”.
Excuse me, Mr. Timmermans. What are you talking about? Regardless of the fact that you are mentioned by a Slovenian journalist as an experienced politician, I can tell you that you have no idea what all had happened under the symbol of the red star, which is unacceptable, not to say cruel, for democracy.
And under this and with this symbol, politicians and judges performed. You may even know it, but you do not care. I would also like to say this to you face to face. I am a man who was in opposition in the previous system. I am a doctor (not just me) who experienced a shock at the YPA message, with a red star symbol, at their junior officer school in Belgrade in 1974 that Allende in Chile, in 1973, made the mistake of not killing all political opponents.
Timmermans has no idea what he is talking about
Yes, this is exactly what they told us and taught us about “democracy” under and in the name of the red star, the guardians of communism. I had the opportunity to hear the experience of a prisoner on Goli Otok, (a two-timer – this is a label for those who have been to this island twice), otherwise my teacher of respiratory pathophysiology, in terms of re-education under the red star. As a delegate, a member of Demos in the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia 1990-1992 and mobilised in the war against YPA soldiers wearing a red star, these very soldiers threatened me with death. I am letting you know that you have no idea what you are talking about and you should be ashamed. You may be educated, but unfortunately you lived in a country that had no experience with communism. It is true that otherwise your ancestors caused a lot of misery with colonialism. That is another topic, and you cannot avoid a blemish.
As Slovene communists with a red star cannot avoid historical condemnation because of their actions. And that is why the red star is not and cannot be a symbol of the Democratic Party. Otherwise, in history, the Slovenian nation has never encroached on its borders, we have never served the goods of someone else. Unfortunately, we experienced a war pitting brother against brother, led by communists, red-star revolutionaries who, following the example of the communist revolution from the Soviet Union, with extensive liquidations of political opponents during and after World War II, established a dictatorial regime. Mr. Timmermans, do you know that? It is more than obvious that you are not aware of your mistake or, like many Social Democrats in our country who still glorify communism, you are a Social Democrat only in words. Even your wishes for hope for a good presidency of Slovenia, in the continuation of your statement, do not outweigh your reflection and your statements, which show a complete misunderstanding of the political situation in our country. Of course, it is clear to everyone, including me, that judges can be members of political parties. It is also clear that they can have different worldviews. In any case, it must be clear to them and to you that the appearance of judges and party members, under or with the symbols of the totalitarian regime, is unacceptable. I wonder how you otherwise view supporters of National Socialism and Fascism in Europe when they appear on the road with familiar symbols such as the swastika. I wonder what you think about the EU Parliament Resolution on the condemnation of totalitarian systems? Our parliament, with the participation of our communists, now Social Democrats, who do not reject the red star, rejected this resolution. Forgive me, Mr. Timmermans, but you have stated complete nonsense that has nothing to do with the rule of law. Even less is this slander of the judges, because they did what they did and thus clearly showed how much they care about democracy. They want and are working on the red star to come into force in Slovenia again, and with it everything that is unfortunate about it.
That’s right, Commissioner Timmermans. Democracy is not just about elections and the majority. Democracy should be a fair, people-oriented policy, a policy that knows how to talk, a policy that shows sacred values in European history, and not a gainful policy in which there are quite a few Social Democrats and their supporters. At the same time, they are fighting “with all their hearts” for workers’ rights! We have already seen this in the time of communism. But you do not know that. More and more people in Slovenia see, despite the majority left wing media, that in Slovenia the words of the Social Democrats are one thing and actions are another. In our country, this is disguised with properly targeted media. And you, if you were honest and as an “experienced social democratic politician”, should know this and be critical of it, or inform yourself about it. Thus, you blindly believe the words of “independent” journalists, journalists who write whatever comes to their mind in Slovenia or in Europe, even untruths. At the same time, as a rule, they do not forget to state that they are oppressed, unfree, even endangered. This, in fact, is a real slander. Vice President of the European Commission, Timmermans, who are you taking for a fool? We have many politicians of your calibre among us, among the successors of the Communists, who have only changed their name, while glorifying the red star.
Janez Remškar is a doctor and publicist.