By: Andrej Sekulović
We are once again approaching the anniversary of Victory Day in Europe, which liberal democracy celebrates as one of its greatest triumphs, yet in Slovenia and in Eastern Europe it carries darker undertones.
The great victory was followed by a great wave of vengeance carried out by a mob intoxicated with triumph. Slovenia may indeed be a land of magnificent Alpine peaks, but it is also a homeland of unknown graves. The ideological – and in some cases even biological – successors of those who filled those graves have ruled Slovenia since its independence, sometimes from the shadows, but mostly from the forefront. Monuments with stern faces continue to cast their shadows across many streets of Slovenian towns, reminding us of the power of those who revere them. In light of the post‑election shifts, these admirers are once again growing agitated, confirming what has long been obvious – that leftists are democratic only when the tide runs in their favour. Otherwise, they quickly begin to see images of a reawakening fascism around every corner and warn of the dangers of populism. Well, if they see monsters under their beds and in the dark corners of their closets, perhaps it would be better for them to visit a psychiatrist instead of trying to convince everyone else of the existence of these apparitions and labelling those who do not believe them as summoners of these spirits. Meanwhile, the real spectres of the past still dominate the social atmosphere and once again demand the blood of the Slovenian nation. If Slovenia ends up with even a roughly right‑leaning government, their devotees will likely soon set off cycling through Ljubljana again, calling for the death of all who do not share their views and their faith in the bloodthirsty demons of internationalism and the blood‑soaked pentagram.