By: Dr Metod Berlec
“30 years of Demokracija – 30 years of perseverance and unwavering commitment to truth. When I look back today at the path we have taken, I see above all enthusiasm and the effort for media freedom, for pluralism, and for the right for the voices of those who were oppressed and silenced in the past or made second‑class citizens by Slovenia’s dominant media, to be heard.
I have had, and still have, the honour of leading Demokracija for practically two decades. In these years I have seen up close what it means to be a media outlet that does not play by the notes of the transitional elite. What it means to be a media outlet that does not kneel when others apply pressure. What it means to be a media outlet that publishes what others conceal. That is why we were often the target of smears and threats.
Demokracija was built on courage from its beginnings in 1996. On a small but dedicated team that believed truth was worth the risk. That freedom was worth the sacrifice. That pluralism was worth the fight. I joined this team in March 2001. And this team is still, to a large extent, the heart of our media today. Their dedication, professionalism, and unwavering integrity are the reason Demokracija not only survived but became the highest‑quality socio‑political weekly in the country.
Many times, they tried to silence us, discredit us, financially exhaust us. During the previous Golob government we even witnessed a parliamentary inquiry commission that abused its powers to attack critical media. They illegally obtained data, chased away advertisers. But we did not break. We did not bow.
Why did we endure? Because we have readers who believe in the values of the Slovenian Spring, democratisation, and independence, and who understand that democracy is not self‑evident. Because we have supporters who know that we work for the “good of the nation”. Therefore, on the 30th anniversary of Demokracija, I look with satisfaction at the work accomplished and at the fact that we are still here, that we have stood firm and endured. We will continue to uncover stories that others conceal or deliberately ignore. For media pluralism!”