By: Petra Janša
Last Wednesday, the 17th protest rally of the Voice of Pensioners party and the 1st October Association took place at Republic Square (Dr Jože Pučnik Square) in Ljubljana. This time, the protest was expanded, as all dissatisfied citizens, including younger generations, were invited to join.
There were more than enough reasons for the protest rally, which was larger than ever before. As previously reported, pensioners were once again deceived by an increase in the mandatory health insurance contribution, while pensions, despite the latest increase, will be lower in real terms. The pension reform announced by the government will further disadvantage the vast majority of retirees, while the government has introduced legislation for privileged pensions. At the rally, signatures were collected for a petition demanding early elections, and attendees were invited to sign forms for initiating a legislative referendum on the law regarding pension supplements for exceptional achievements in the field of arts, which was submitted by the SDS party. Protesters also once again sent a clear message to the government that they have had enough.
Protests will escalate
The protest organiser, Pavel Rupar, stated at the beginning that all Slovenian political parties had been invited to participate, but the left-wing parties did not respond. Among those attending the rally, alongside Pavel Rupar, the leader of the Voice of Pensioners party, were SDS leader Janez Janša, NSi Seniors’ Union president Zdravko Luketič, SNS president Zmago Jelinčič, Milena Koselj Šmit from the Neodvisnost Slovenije trade union, Janez Remškar, president of the Assembly for the Republic and the SLS seniors, and Faruk Pijuković, president of the Pensioners’ Association of Velenje. Many protesters carried Slovenian flags and banners displaying messages such as “Government to prison”, “Golob to Dob” (a reference to a prison), and “Fair pensions for all”. The crowd first marched from Republic Square along Prešeren Street to Gregorčič Street, where they briefly stopped in front of the government building. Rupar, in his speech, called on the government to resign within 30 days, warning that otherwise, the protests would escalate. He stated that people are fed up with the government’s terror and its “looting of the budget”. The protesters then proceeded along Slovenska Street and returned in front of the National Assembly.
Janša: We must take back our stolen country!
SDS leader Janez Janša addressed the crowd, stating: “A few years ago, this square was filled with those calling for death. Today, we call for life, we call for reason! The government, which holds all the power, is becoming increasingly insane. You all know the state of the Slovenian judiciary. Despite the disaster there, and the fact that finding an honest judge or prosecutor is harder than finding a fast snail, they proposed that judges should now be appointed in secret. The people, in whose name justice is served, would only find out about the appointments when the names are published in the Official Gazette. Well, that proposal was rejected today.” Janša went on to criticise Robert Golob’s government, claiming that citizens are constantly being hit with new taxes and bureaucratic obstacles. “Money is given to so-called NGOs that call for death, to illegal migrants, to terrorists in Palestine, and to gender studies in sub-Saharan Africa. But there is none left for decent salaries, dignified pensions, better living conditions, housing for young people, or a better education system – everything that creates a prosperous future,” he said, stressing that this needs to change. “But for this, we do not just need goodwill and reason – we need a big victory in the next elections! A victory so that Slovenians can take back our stolen country. Slovenia has potential; we just need a free environment, a Slovenia where no one is excluded and where we can breathe freely with both lungs.” Janša also pointed out that “the winds of change are blowing in the western world, and we must take advantage of them.”
Referendum against this insane government
According to Janša, the first test will be the referendum on pension supplements for exceptional artistic achievements. He described this as a referendum on privileges granted to the “uncultured elite”, adding: “While there is no money for fair pensions for hardworking people, and we have to collect bottle caps and donations for sick children, privileges are being handed out to an anti-cultural elite. They say every nation needs a cultural elite – but in this case, the privileges are not going to a cultural elite, but an anti-cultural one. Even Albert Einstein said that when a culture loses its soul, the collapse of civilisation is near. This must be stopped! That is why this must be prevented! This referendum is not about a few hundred thousand euros; it is a symbolic act to ensure that some do not claim privileged status. Everything for them, while others are left with donations from bottle caps and waiting in lines. And a strong result against it will shorten the lifespan of this deranged madness. Because every day, great harm is being done to Slovenia. In the elections, which must come as soon as possible, we must secure a constitutional majority of reason to amend the Slovenian Constitution, to protect common sense, freedom of speech, your wallets from unreasonable taxes, the right to dignity, and the right to normalcy. We have reached a point where the emergency brake must be pulled to prevent the collapse of civilisation, and where it must be written into the Constitution: the father is a man, and the mother is a woman. Parents have the exclusive right to raise their children, and no ideology belongs in schools – not white, not black, not red, not rainbow. None. Hands off our children! These rights must be protected in the Constitution, and for that, we need a strong victory in the upcoming elections. We need a coalition of reason that will have at least 60 votes in that house. And for that, we need a simple formula: whoever is not against us is with us. This is how we Slovenians will take back our stolen country,” Janša declared.
Škrinjar: We are all here because we feel the injustice
SDS Seniors’ Union president Mojca Škrinjar, alongside SDS Youth leader Luka Simonič, listed demands for all generations. “We are all here because we feel the daily injustices,” she said, adding that “it is time for a government that will restore order and stop dividing citizens into first- and second-class.” The young people also demanded an end to ideology in schools. “Over the past year, we have witnessed an increasingly aggressive imposition of ideological concepts in the Slovenian education system, such as gender theory and the LGBT+ agenda. These topics have no scientific basis and do not belong in curricula. That is why young people demand the adoption of legislation that prohibits the inclusion of LGBT content and gender theories in the curricula of all educational institutions,” said SDM president Simonič. Škrinjar also invited those present to sign forms for calling a legislative referendum on the law regarding pension supplements for outstanding achievements in the field of art, which was proposed by SDS. “Millions of euros that you send to ZPIZ every month will go to God-knows-what kind of ‘artists’. This is theft,” added Škrinjar.
Luketič: Enough of trampling on Slovenian values!
Zdravko Luketič, president of the NSi Seniors’ Union, also addressed the crowd, declaring: “Enough of trampling on Slovenian traditional values! Enough of Golob’s government, which is blind and deaf to the problems of ordinary people and retirees.” He criticised the government’s broken promises about a better life, higher pensions, accessible healthcare, and dignity in old age, arguing that the reality is quite the opposite – food and electricity prices are skyrocketing, pensions are losing value, and we lack housing, doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, and soldiers. “It is time to sweep Golob’s government into the dustbin of history,” Luketič declared. He called for fair pensions adjusted for inflation and living costs, a fair pension calculation system, accessible healthcare, and long-term care that allows retirees to live without fear of poverty.
Jelinčič: This is where Slovenians belong!
The president of the National Party of Slovenia, Zmago Jelinčič, asked the crowd in his speech how much longer they would tolerate what he called a rotten, corrupt ruling clique. He stated that there is money for migrants and for all the lazy people who do not want to work, whose social benefits are higher than many pensions. He urged voters to use their common sense in the upcoming elections – saying that those who voted incorrectly last time surely regret it now, as it is hitting them in their wallets. “This is Slovenia, and this is where the Slovenian people live,” he emphasised.
Rupar: Why are you mocking us?
Rupar concluded the protest rally with his speech. “It has been exactly two years since we first gathered here. For two years, Golob has been oppressing us and mocking us. We demanded winter allowances, and we demand them again because we are entitled to them. We demanded that pensions be adjusted to inflation. Yesterday, we received the information that for last year, we will get a mere 4.6% increase, while we all know that living costs, energy prices, and everything else have risen by 80 to 100%. Why are you mocking us? It is time – spread your wings and leave Slovenia! During this time, we have not forgotten about the unfairly calculated pensions for men and women in the past. We are talking about a 57.25% pension rate for men. We have not forgotten about widow’s pensions or the demand to abolish NOB pensions, which are received by lazy people who have never worked.” At the end of his speech, he sent a message to Golob’s government: “There are ‘f***ing’ more of us. We will put the rainbow back in the sky. Thank you to all the speakers and retirees. Thank you to everyone who was here today. Tell everyone that all of Slovenia was gathered here today. See you in March! Good luck!”