By: Gašper Blažič
I have no intention of lecturing or seeking scapegoats during these difficult moments for anyone. Hydrologists and meteorologists had indeed warned of the possibility of floods on Thursday, August 3rd. However, what followed on Friday, August 4th, was beyond imagination, even in the darkest dreams. The horrifying scenes I remember from November 1990 as a child are repeating themselves. But this time, it is even worse! After a very turbulent July, which brought strong storms, winds, and large hail, the dreadful floods literally grounded us. And not in autumn, when the flood risk is at its highest, but practically at the peak of summer vacation. Hence, the shock was even greater. Floods were followed by landslides, which in some places caused even greater damage than the floods themselves.
It is clear that the damage will be enormous, much higher than the initially estimated half a billion euros. The long-term consequences will be even worse, especially in agriculture, as numerous crops have been destroyed. Are we aware that crazy food price increases and perhaps even famine could follow the floods?
A friend in need is a friend indeed, as an old saying goes. The response came very quickly. Many volunteers rushed to save whatever could be saved. Firefighters, Civil Protection, soldiers, rescuers (including mountain rescue), police… Many volunteers, including our editor Dr Metod Berlec, cut their vacations short, returned to their homeland, and helped clean up the devastation caused by the floods. SDS Party President Janez Janša assisted in the Upper Savinja Valley, which was hit hard by floods again. Due to these events, SDS Party members prematurely ended their annual camp activities in the Soča Valley and went to help those who needed it the most. Friends from Europe also offered their support, as Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki swiftly announced and sent aid to Slovenia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leader of a country still enduring constant Russian shelling, even wrote a few encouraging lines to the Slovenes on the X network (former Twitter) – in Slovene.
As I stated, I do not intend to moralise too much, but I cannot ignore some of the changes that have occurred in recent days. After more than a year of exclusionary rhetoric, we finally heard calls to come together. I agree. The final assessment of the current government’s response to extraordinary circumstances, however, will be made by the people themselves. This is not just about the speed with which Prime Minister Golob returned from vacationing in Greece in his white sneakers, but also about how his government, just a few weeks ago (!), rejected funds for flood protection. Not to mention the fallen Water Law from over two years ago in a referendum, driven by a group around the rising star of “governmental non-governmental” Nika Kovač. Many mayors have been warning for years that municipalities would have long ago taken care of flood protection if they were not hampered by rotten legislation. At the moment I am writing these lines, the media is reporting on the possibility of an ecological disaster in Kranj, where there is a threat that due to a damaged pipe near the former Planika factory, sewage could flow into the Sava River, causing not only a catastrophe in Slovenia but also in Croatia. If you could not imagine before that the “C0 canal” or “Janković’s sewage conduit” could endanger a significant portion of Slovenia’s population, now you know what is at stake. By the way, in Celje and many other places in Slovenia, tap water is still compromised and hazardous due to the floods. And if the mayor of Ljubljana continues to insist on this ill-fated project, the future does not look promising for Slovenia’s capital city.
The waters will recede, but the wounds caused by the floods will take a long time to heal. Surely, we can understand those who are trying to restrain public anger over misguided decisions that have caused significant unnecessary damage – as if to say, let’s not incite and politicise. Yes, floods cannot be entirely prevented, but their consequences can be mitigated, and much damage can be avoided. And it is in vain for the Prime Minister to boast that we have the best rescue system in Europe if his government, in the realm of flood protection, behaves like the characters from “Butalci” who acted against their better judgment (and unfortunately won in this dispute). Yet, innocent people suffer! Is this really necessary?