By: P.J.
A discussion evening took place at the Logatec National House with the presentation of poetry collections about the homeland, Slovenska pesem, Zbudi se, Slovenija, and Skupaj.
In addition to the author of the books, Igor Pirkovič, the host of the evening, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Demokracija Metod Berlec, also hosted Zoran Mojškerc, Logatec municipal councillor and SDS candidate. This is an event within the framework of the Demokracija Magazin Tour or the All-Slovenia Tour of the Nova Obzorja Publishing House, where it organises talks with authors of books it has recently published in various Slovenian places.
Igor Pirkovič is not only a famous television face, but also a respected journalist. Last year, he received Mešek’s honorary award for special journalistic achievements. In his spare time, usually early in the morning before leaving for work, he writes songs. With his poems he awakens the reader’s awareness of the homeland, the nation, and the country.
Zoran Mojškerc has a law degree. He is employed at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food. He is a municipal councillor in the municipality of Logatec, an active politician and a good connoisseur of the political situation at home and abroad.
At the beginning, the gathered were greeted by the Mayor of Logatec Berto Menard, who is convinced that the homeland is the foundation of every society. Igor Pirkovič spoke about the beginnings of his poetic path and the beauty of the Slovenian language. The collection of poems Slovenska pesem was the first to be written, which is not limited to musical texts written for national entertainment ensembles. The second collection of poems was conditioned by the 30th anniversary of Slovenia and was created during the corona period. Pirkovič says that he is also driven by readers to write, and his unfulfilled wish is for these books to enter the school system. “Except for the song Za Slovenijo živim, which is in the textbook for the 7th grade of primary school,” Pirkovič recalled, adding that the creation of this song is a bit different from what is wrongly said in public, saying that it is the SDS anthem. The song was intended for Bosnian children with roots in Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and was taken over by others. “So, the song has a long beard,” Pirkovič explained, adding that the song Za Slovenijo živim is patriotic and has music to the lyrics, and is sung by Nuša Derenda.
Pirkovič also read a poem from the poetry collection Zbudi se, Slovenija entitled Roža, mati knjiga. This one is also set to music. Skupaj, the collection of poems about the homeland is Pirkovič’s third collection of poems. It talks about his attitude towards Tiger, about the beauties of Slovenia, one of them, Lepa si, Slovenija, was also written for Darja Gajšek. He read the first poem from the poetry collection, which begins as follows: If you did not have the courage then… At the same time, he and the host also remembered Dr Jože Pučnik, who we remembered yesterday on his 90th birthday with the unveiling of two busts.
Pirkovič also commented on current political developments. His solution is to coexist in a friendly way, because one-mindedness is not the way to go. “Light is always found together,” he is convinced.
In the conversation, they also touched on the issue of broadcasting Slovenian music on our radio stations, where too much foreign music is listened to, and Slovenian songs are underestimated. Pirkovič likes to say that “the Slovene word is not hard and rigid, so that the language would break”, but on the contrary, “it is simple, but at the same time very rich”. He is convinced that Slovene politics, Slovenes themselves, is responsible for the fate of Slovene words and its presence. Pirkovič was also critical of the FDV professor’s opinion on Slovene folk music, saying that it was fascist: “The professor set up a mirror for himself.”
As Pirkovič is also a presenter and journalist at RTV Slovenia, there was also talk of (in)pluralism on public RTV, which is being resisted there with all might, and about the recent protest in front of this public house. “Democracy is that you can spit peacefully, insult the authorities and that nothing happens to you,” Pirkovič said, but wondered where democracy was when Svetlana Makarovič wrote verses about Jože Možina and his work on RTV Slovenia, which ends with the words “watch your mouth, Možina”. Pirkovič reminds that the show Polnočni klub was cancelled under the previous director, Pavel Ravnohrib was fired, and recently the talk show on the 3rd programme was cancelled, but nothing to anyone, there are no protests. “Management is the one who bears the responsibility. I do not feel any concrete pressures,” says Pirkovič. He believes that the problem is that the programme world is no longer controlled by the successors of the League of Communists, obviously this is a mistake in the system. Democratic procedures must be respected. Like in an election when the loser says it is all wrong.”
They also talked about passing the so-called independent journalists into politics. “Statistically, there were many more departures to the left parties. Now the golden cave is the Freedom Movement.” Regarding the conduct of pre-election confrontations, Pirkovič does not know what will happen. “I want the campaign to be what it is meant for. Aimed at getting people content.”
Mojškerc: They have always listened, but heard nothing, which is the difference from the current government when they listen, hear, and act
Zoran Mojškerc said some facts about culture in the municipality of Logatec: “Culture thrives here. According to the number of voluntary cultural societies, we have 20. Among them is the renowned Cantabile Symphony Orchestra. What is missing, however, is the icing on top, namely the renovation of this cultural home. I hope that will happen in the next term.”
Mojškerc says that the patriotic charge was very great during his youth. “I started following politics in the 80s, during the JBTZ process. My father and I went to the Republic Square on the declaration of independence. This needs to be passed on to our children. I miss that this is no longer the case in schools,” said the SDS candidate, who warned the Slovenian Army about the left-wing opposition: “Now we see that equipping our own army is crucial. The left is abusing this for its policy. Today, the Russian bear is facing the problem of the resistance of the modern equipped army in Ukraine,” says Mojškerc, adding that leftists in our country consider the police closer to them than the army.
They also spoke about the asylum centre they have in Logatec: “If I once received calls for disapproval regarding the reception of illegal migrants, today I receive calls for approval to help refugees. Above all, it is necessary to help children. Many of them will have nowhere to go.”
They also talked with the host about the time before the parliamentary elections and the successes of governments, what we need to have in mind. Mojškerc likes to share the findings of his colleague, who says: They have always listened, but heard nothing, which is the difference with the current government when they listen, hear, and act. Mojškerc gives an example of the average money received per capita to municipalities, which were regulated by the current government and increased. “Improvements are seen. Investments in education, new kindergartens, extensions to schools, schools are being built…” Mojškerc said that regional development is needed, that not everything goes only to the centre, but that the cultural landscape is developing. He draws attention to the problem of dialogue, which is also present regarding regions that we do not yet have in Slovenia. “Not every municipality can be its own region.”
“The family is the basic cell of society,” said Mojškerc at the end of the conversation, whose values are: “Patriotism, family values and dialogue with dissidents, which we in the SDS have never rejected.”