By: Janez Remškar
In 1991, we Slovenes as a nation experienced a century‑old dream. History, with the major changes brought by the collapse of the Soviet Union, was favourable to us. As a nation, if we look at the results of the plebiscite, we acted completely united, except for some immigrant citizens who were then – as we all were – citizens of Yugoslavia. That was written in our identity cards, alongside the entry for nationality! It must be said (these were my experiences) that some opposed independence and did not accept the offered Slovenian citizenship, fearing they would lose property in Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, most of those who rejected citizenship did so for ideological reasons, they were “Yugoslavs,” which they still are today! That is the story behind the background of the erased. Otherwise, it was a fortunate moment for us. The misfortune was that the successors of the communists, including Mr. Kučan, lay low during the plebiscite, briefly aligning themselves with the wishes of Slovenian women and men, but the very next moment began acting in their own interest and, despite their “stepping down from power,” retained power! This is the misfortune that has accompanied us throughout the 35 years of our independence.
The very beginning of the changes to the political system started with deception in the elections to the ZZD (Chamber of Associated Labour). In 2001, Prof. Dr Lovro Šturm wrote: “The elections to the ZZD in 1990 were democratic, but they were not fair! The principle of equal opportunities in elections was violated!” As a whole, DEMOS had only a minimal advantage in the ZZD elections, in which representatives of the old political structures had absolute priority (because the electoral system for that chamber had not been changed). The result of the old method of candidacy and elections to the ZZD was a ratio of 55 representatives of the old political structures to 25 representatives of DEMOS. Unfortunately, even among the members of DEMOS there were some who, at the last moment, just before the elections, “dressed themselves up” as democrats (their interests: keeping politics in their own hands, keeping their positions, keeping control over finances). The essential consequence was that DEMOS, in the then Assembly composed of three chambers, did not have the majority needed to ensure the essential step – lustration!
I believe that lustration should have been carried out, despite the opposition of Dr Bučar, who feared that in such a case we might not achieve a majority in the decision on the plebiscite. I am convinced that – given the climate and the enthusiasm of the nation at the time, that we were going our own way – the communists would have ducked their heads and would not have dared to openly and publicly oppose lustration. Instead, as disguised democrats, they immediately after the plebiscite began working against the core of DEMOS! Because there was no lustration, we elected as president of the presidency, and later as president of Slovenia, a man, a communist, who has now been meddling in our lives for 35 years and teaching us about democracy. In interviews for the main daily newspaper, right before elections, he explains to us what is right and wrong in politics!
Slovenian women and men! How long will we remain so indecisive, frightened, lacking in state‑building spirit? Given that some now voted, despite clear evidence of corruption, for those who are corrupt, and that clear evidence of corruption should amount to high treason, I am seriously worried about where this is leading us! Who is making a fool of me? Left‑wing politicians and the media! The election results clearly show that a large part of Slovenian women and men has socially, ethically, and legally collapsed! They care only about their own interests and do not think at all about our descendants. Young people, wake up! If we do not become self‑confident and decisive, if we continue to act intimidated, if we continue to have presidents of the Supreme Court like the one who had a pistol on his desk, if the Constitutional Court remains completely unbalanced in terms of worldview, if the mainstream media continue to be “depoliticised” (a fine example of such “balance” were the commentators during the elections, led by Janez Markeš), we will continue to live in one‑mindedness! With all this, we are heading down the path of present‑day Russia!
What is needed is civil disobedience, starting with refusing to pay the RTV fee and then with other forms. In the situation we are in, do we have any other option? If we do nothing, we will lose our identity, language, culture; the red star will return to us (it is already returning unpunished at celebrations of the revolution), and we will sink among the Yugoslavs, which was, after all, the desire of the Communist Party under Tito’s leadership!