By: Vančo K. Tegov
Dark clouds, nothing unusual for autumn, have gathered over Slovenia. Even darker ones have descended upon the family of Aleš Šutar, who rushed to help his son after he was threatened by local Roma individuals.
The arrival and attempt to help proved fatal for the father. The injuries inflicted by these Roma individuals, who had previously terrorised the area, were so severe that Aleš Šutar died in the Novo mesto hospital. The blows, the rampage, and the brutality of these and similar Roma individuals, of whom there are quite a few in the Dolenjska region, with such behaviour…
Terrible. Unimaginable. Simply unhealthy and worthy of condemnation. From here on, it is a full-scale alarm that something must change in Slovenian society and the state. Change, not just talk about change. Although there have been many warnings about the “hailstorm,” no defence against it has been properly arranged or established.
The time for empty talk and inaction must end. Without delay.
Much ink from journalists and other “pens” has been spilled describing, addressing, and even a lot of “diesel” burned by government and other black limousines visiting the “field” to “solve” Roma-related issues, or rather, problems mostly or exclusively caused by Roma in southeastern Slovenia, particularly Dolenjska. All these “diesel consumers” did was think, advise, suggest, and encourage Roma to send their children to school, adults to integrate into society, and non-Roma residents to accept and include them in the community. Even if they steal, threaten others, damage property like chicken coops, crop fields, stores with “free” goods, and receive monthly state allowances to continue their “integration” into society, on their own terms, with government support, just to remain loyal voters. And of course, with photo ops. No, this truly cannot go on. It is over.
Today’s government action is necessary but absolutely insufficient. Too little, too late.
The government’s Sunday meeting, following the news of the brutal beating and subsequent death of father Aleš Šutar, is a belated move. It was precisely this indecision by the government and responsible ministers that led to this tragic, cruel, and unnecessary death.
Today’s resignations of two ministers cannot and must not be the final chapter of long-standing Roma violence, which on Saturday claimed a human life. The conclusion must result in something different and something more. The government and coalition, which persistently and consistently rejected proposals from local communities and the opposition and remained deaf to the problems of southeastern Slovenia, was not the government of the late Aleš or of all the other “Alešes” in the region.
Therefore, today’s performance of resolve and commitment to solving something that has long been neglected or dismissed with indifference is sadly not enough. Now, with the first violent death, a murder resulting from the failure to fulfil the promise of ensuring citizens’ safety, this move is expected, yet lukewarm, late, and irreversible, except for your “theatre,” of which you are a master. This theatre includes the afternoon visit to the Novo mesto municipality, surrounded by an excessive number of Robocops and CVZ units, a sign that you have failed across the board.
From the “Sunny” king to the fate of Slovenia’s “Ceaușescu” is not far. Hence the heavy presence of armed special forces in front of the Novo mesto municipality. Fear has big eyes. Golob does too.