By: Dr Metod Berlec
In this issue of Demokracija, we pay special attention to tax changes. The “first package of tax changes” was adopted by Golob’s government on Friday evening during a correspondence session. You read that correctly. During a correspondence session, despite warnings from employer representatives (the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, the Association of Employers of Slovenia, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, etc.) that the tax changes are unsystematic, do not contribute to the stability of the tax environment, and do not address the challenges faced by the Slovenian economy.
They warn that with these new tax burdens, the economic outlook in Slovenia will only worsen, as the Slovenian economy is strongly tied to the German economy, which has been cooling down for some time. “If the state truly wants to help the economy with regard to taxes, it should listen to it. It should develop a package that will allow Slovenian companies to compete equally in the global market. The offered ‘patches’ do not cure the decline in Slovenia’s competitiveness!” With this, they are sending Golob’s incompetent government a message: “Thanks, but NO!” to such tax changes.
Employers are also deeply disappointed that the government approved the tax changes without discussion in the Economic and Social Council (ESS). The ESS was established in 1994 (during Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek’s term) with the purpose “of discussing issues and measures related to economic and social policy, as well as those related to specific areas of social partner negotiations, and to provide opinions or positions on them”. In early July this year, employers, together with the government and employee representatives (unions), unanimously adopted the “Protocol of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and Social Partners on Respecting and Promoting Social Dialogue”. In it, the government committed to “strictly respecting and implementing the provisions of the ESS operating rules and not adopting or proposing for adoption regulations that fall within the fundamental economic and social areas discussed by the ESS according to its rules, without prior substantive discussion with social partners in the ESS”. Of course, less than two months later, the government did not follow this commitment at all. That is why SDS President Janez Janša rightfully wrote on the X network: “So much for the much-vaunted ‘social dialogue’. Leftists swear by it only when they are in opposition.”
The incredible hypocrisy and deception of the ruling authorities are evident in the fact that the previous Janša government was heavily criticised (even the Constitutional Court ruled that five government decrees of the previous government were unconstitutional) for making decisions via decrees when they should have been enacted through laws or regulations. Now, however, despite there being no epidemic or pandemic, that is, no crisis conditions, they themselves are enforcing their decisions through government decrees. Let’s remember that Golob’s government passed a decree determining the services that doctors must provide during a strike, and last week approved a decree to raise the RTV contribution. Starting January 1st next year, the contribution for the “depoliticised” public broadcaster, which certainly does not operate in the interest of the entire Slovenian public, will rise from the current €12.75 to €14.02. The arrogance of this government was recently highlighted by the outgoing Ombudsman Peter Svetina, who said in an interview with a web portal that “the Janša government during the epidemic paid more attention to the Ombudsman than Golob’s government does today”. We are also confronted with arrogance in the National Assembly, where the president of the “temple of democracy”, Urška Klakočar Zupančič, shamelessly and illegally prevents the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry commission on energy, which was requested in July by MPs from the opposition SDS and NSi. All just to avoid investigating the questionable dealings of her boss, Robert Golob.
But the situation in Slovenia is not only alarming because of the arrogant and unwise actions of the ruling coalition, but also because of the dire situation in the judiciary, healthcare, education… and last but not least, in the media. If the prosecution and judiciary were performing their duties professionally and objectively, Romani crime would not have grown so much in recent times, judges would not be ruling based on political dictates, they would not be acquitting those who made death threats, they would not be acquitting individuals like Čordić. And if the Slovenian media landscape were truly normal, it would not be possible for certain people to remain “sacred cows” for the dominant media. Untouchable. As are, for instance, Zoran Janković or Aleksander Čeferin. While the former has an incredible amount of influence over Golob’s government, the latter successfully pressures media houses to prevent the publication of interviews and articles that he disapproves of…