By: Dr Anton Olaj
In Slovenia, we are facing, among other things, the problem of the disappearance of the Slovenian language as a result of the immigration of foreigners and their lack of willingness to assimilate in the Slovenian space. Slovenes have not had their own statehood for a long time, so when asserting it, there is an understandable need to place greater emphasis on linguistic and cultural unity.
I do not associate economic migration “per se” with the risk of denationalisation, however, the presented changes to the Aliens Act raise legitimate doubts about the ingenuity of the solutions that are promised to us in cooperation with globalist and left-wing mainstream organisations. I understand the authorities’ efforts to remove administrative obstacles, but I do not understand the Ministry of the Interior’s explanation in the press release dated March 14th, 2023, as to how foreigners will be able to avoid meeting the criteria regarding knowledge of the Slovenian language. Evidence of knowledge of Slovenian at level (A1) for family members of foreigners in Slovenia, which was legalised by the previous government, is checked by the Administrative Units. However, when there is a reason to refuse the issuance or extension of a temporary residence permit due to family reunification, they must “consider the nature and strength of the family relationship, the length of his stay in Slovenia and the existence of family, cultural and social ties with the home country”, which means a large field of freedom discretion of officials, without effective safeguards against abuse. It is not known whether these safeguards will later be included in the law.
The government of the Republic of Slovenia uncritically encourages the economic immigration of foreign labour together with family members, despite the fact that, according to the data of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, over 54 thousand people are registered unemployed in Slovenia. The “tepidity” of the authorities to solve Slovenia’s employment needs primarily with people living here and thereby reduce the influx of foreigners is worrying. The lack of efforts by the government to create attractive employment opportunities for the return of emigrant Slovenians to their homeland is also worrying.
The mass migration increase of foreigners negatively changes the demographic structure of the population to the detriment of Slovenians. I think it is important to say that already on March 26th, 2019, a consultation on demographic policy in Slovenia was held by the President of the Republic, Borut Pahor, where prof. Dr Marina Lukšič-Hacin replied to the dilemma of whether migration is part of solving demographic problems, that “first we have to decide whether we want it. If so, we need to implement measures. If we want them to stay with us, we have to be attractive.” One of the conclusions of the consultation was that it is imperative to prepare an answer to the aging of the population. Mr. Pahor highlighted the responsibility and duty of those in charge to create an appropriate policy at the state level as well.
It was therefore very reasonable that the previous government established the Bureau of Demography, which was supposed to find appropriate solutions, but the current government has recklessly abolished it, which in itself shows the implementation of globalist pro-immigrant policy in the context of the controversial “non-binding” Marrakesh agreement with the assistance of many non-governmental organisations, which consequently leads to denationalisation. With the implementation of such a policy, there will be fewer and fewer Slovenians in Slovenia, and the Slovenian word will be heard even less often.
If we proceed from publicly known problems regarding foreigners, e.g. in Jesenice, or in Velenje, we can conclude that the legal requirement for foreigners to know the Slovenian language only at level (A2) when issuing a permanent residence permit is not sufficient, as is the regulation that, when applying for an extension of stay, family members of foreigners in Slovenia it allows knowledge of the Slovenian language only at the entry level (A1). Are we really ready to give up national identity for the quasi-economic benefits of the economy?
It should be expected that the new president of the country, Mrs. Nataša Pirc Musar is properly involved in solving the problem and accelerates the implementation of the solutions resulting from the consultation on demographic policy in Slovenia from 2019. In the field of migration, the adoption of a migration strategy is announced. The working group is headed by the State Secretary, Mrs. Tina Heferle. It seems imperative that, on this occasion, the declaration of nationality during the population census should also be regulated. However, it is worrisome that representatives of mainly left-wing “globalist” non-governmental organisations will participate in this working group, with the complete absence of representatives of patriotic organisations, who were obviously not invited or encouraged to do so.
With all this, it seems unimportant whether the process of denationalisation is the result of the policy of recklessness of the globalist advocates of immigration or simply the result of the conformism and decadence of Slovenian politics.