After the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia called on non-governmental organizations that use the premises at Metelkova 6 in Ljubljana near the Ministry to vacate the premises by the end of January next year because the building is dangerous for tenants due to dilapidation, NGOs took action. Now they have started making death threats to those in charge at the Ministry of Culture.
»Protest of NGO members against the eviction from Metelkova. The color red symbolizes blood. The NGOs say that they are calling on the mentioned people to resign with ‘art’, the ministry warns that Miro Petek, who has already been beaten for journalistic work in the past, is among the ‘slaughtered’ names,« Nova24TV journalist Luka Svetina reported on Twitter from the scene in front of Metelkova.
With the death, the authors of the obvious threat of death threatened the Minister of Culture, dr. Vasko Simoniti, Miro Petak, Vesna Jurca Tadel, Alenka Gotar and Mitja Iršič.
»We strongly protest against the conduct of the Ministry of Culture and understand it as an attack on civil society and independent culture in a desire to prevent the functioning of a critical public. The current government and especially the largest government party, the SDS, have never hidden these wishes,« wrote the NGOs, who have so far been exempted from paying rent, and some have not even contributed to the payment of expenses.
Who are the NGOs that have to leave premises for which they have not paid rent?
According to the ministry, there are as many as 18 users of the unrenovated facility owned by the state, namely: Legal Information Center of Non-Governmental Organizations – PIC, SCCA Ljubljana Institute, Peace Institute, NSK Society, information center, Society for the Retro-Avant-Garde, Forum Ljubljana, Institute for Artistic and Cultural Production, Dance Theater Ljubljana, ŠKUC Society, Mask Ljubljana, En – knap Institute, Center for Slovenian Literature, Association of Organic Farmers of Slovenia, Sloga, Exodos Institute Ljubljana, Otok, Institute for the Development of Film Culture Ljubljana, Vitkar Institute, Society for the Promotion of Women in Culture – City of Women and Gallus J. Carniolus Institute. At the same time, of course, it is possible, they point out, that there are even more non-governmental organizations that use the premises.
»Congratulations to the uncreative hooligans for this boring protest in front of the MK building. Never before have ortho-leftists been on my side and appalled at doing so,« Iršič commented on the performance in front of the Ministry of Culture. The public relations consultant at the Ministry of Culture pointed out that one of the »slaughtered« names was also Miro Petek, the only journalist in Slovenia who was almost killed for doing his job.
»If you don’t leave us alone and don’t give us money, only bloody chairs will be left behind. And that is art? In my book, this is a death threat. That is just the program of the left,« commented Aleksander Rant, the editor-in-chief of Nova24TV, and described such threats as violence.
Fajon in defense of NGOs on Metelkova
As we have already reported on Nova24TV, the publicly available data from the Erar application show that non-governmental organizations that stayed in the state premises free of charge without paying rent received multimillion amounts from the state during this period. SD President Tanja Fajon also sided with non-governmental organizations, emphasizing the following: »Minister Simoniti denied hospitality to NGOs. They will throw the Peace Institute, ŠKUC, City of Women, and others on the road. If you do not agree with the current government and you are critical, it punishes you. Dear Minister, if you have any integrity, withdraw your intention immediately. #metelkovacity.«
The Minister of the Interior, Aleš Hojs, meanwhile pointed out that the criminal complaint must be filed by individuals who are the target of death threats. According to Hojs, such a complaint will be processed by the police, after which it will be handed over to the prosecutor’s office.