The patriotic protests took place in the Republic Square in Ljubljana, blocking the traffic in front of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. Protesters also blocked the entrance to the parliament, which was closed for the time being. It is estimated that between 300 and 400 people have gathered, however the number was difficult to assess due to constant new arrivals. The United Nations’ Compact on Migration, which Slovenia has scandalously confirmed in Marrakesh, along with some more than 150 countries, contains recommendations for the formation of national policies in the area of migration, State Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sandi Čurin, told STA. The fact that about 40 countries did not confirm it, however, according to him, does not mean anything drastic. Oh really? Such allegedly “non-binding international documents”, as experience shows, will soon become mandatory for national states.
On Monday, in Morocco, Marrakesh, representatives of the UN member states have confirmed the UN’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. It was joined by Slovenia as well. On December 19, the resolution will be approved by the UN General Assembly. Because of the infamous Marrakesh agreement, civil and independent political initiatives have already called on the government to publicly cancel the intended departure of the delegation to Marrakesh and the signing of the declaration. However, by the deadline on Sunday, December 9, the government did not listen to the will of the people, so as expected and according to their forecasts, there was a physical occupation of the streets in the center of Ljubljana.
Protesters have gathered in front of the parliament first, protesting against the adoption of the Marrakesh Declaration, while vehicles of the demonstrators were visible on Šubičeva street. The question was if the street would be blocked until the government leaves the harmful agreement.
The Government Was Warned of the Protest!
Several civil initiatives wrote a Letter to Prime Minister Marjan Šarec to publicly cancel the departure of the delegation to Marrakesh and the signing of the Marrakesh Declaration: “Dear Mr Šarec! We hope that you are aware that you have come to lead the government with a group of parties with which you have received 4.91 per cent of the vote. Therefore, you have no right to sign something that can affect the fate of the people”. They noted that the signing of this document would be detrimental to the future of the Slovenian nation and they marked the signature as treason that would destabilize and destroy national states.
A Blockade of Ljubljana Center?
Therefore, they have set a deadline for the government to publicly cancel the departure to Marrakesh and the signing of the declaration, until December 9th at midnight. “Failing to do this, on December 10, 2018, at 12 o’clock in the evening, we will massively occupy the streets and markets in Ljubljana and force you with all the legitimate and legal peaceful means available to ordinary citizens, to irrevocably resign and to inform the whole world public that the Slovenian delegation in Marrakesh is against the will of the people and does not have the mandate to sign the proposed declaration”. In addition, they wrote that in Slovenia the citizens exercise their power directly and through elections, according to the principle of separation of powers on the legislative, executive and judicial power.
The Public Does Not Support the Adoption of the Marrakesh Agreement!
According to the opinion poll conducted by Parsifal for Nova24TV, the majority of respondents believe that the Marrakesh Declaration should be rejected because it will harm the countries to which migrants come. 54.2 percent of respondents agree with this claim. Only 19.3 percent of respondents believe that the said declaration should be supported because it will additionally protect the rights of migrants, while 26.4 percent of respondents consider that they do not know enough and thus cannot take a stand.
Bernard Brščič: It is the Cowardice of the Slovenian Government!
One of the protesters, who presented himself as a member of the Committee on Equal Opportunities, explained that they are fighting “to have at least about the same chance in the election so that the voice of the common person is heard. We are also in solidarity with protesters in Europe with similar problems – their voice in official institutions is not heard”. “In France too, it is not just about protests against fuel taxes, but a set of reasons why this is the case. The Front National Stance and the Liberation of Society covers all political colors and parties,” he explained.
He also stated that they did not stop the traffic. “I know, however, that there were calls for a spontaneous protest to take place in a slightly different way, not just with statements. We have been protesting for a long time, but we have no real interlocutor with any institution”, he explained. According to his estimates, about 300 people gathered at the protest, organized by the “Conscious People of Slovenia” movement.
Among the demonstrators in front of the National Assembly, who oppose the signing of the UN Compact on Migration, was also Vili Kovačič. He said that they are protesting because of the agreement and other problems, among which he pointed out democracy and elections. “I called on four presidents in a letter that the decision of the Constitutional Court, which stipulates the need to remedy the democratic standards, the laws of democracy and elections, has to be taken seriously. The deadline was one year, however since then no one has touched on the issues in the parliament. The deadline will expire on January 15”, he said.
“First of all, we must restore the national sovereignty of this country and through it conquer this liberalization element of the society so that people become free to be able to decide on important issues by their own will. That is not the case now, the will of the people is despised, the referendum provisions are despised, 99% of people are despised”, said Gašper Ferjan, a member of the Democratic Committee.
“Our demands are the regulation of the referendum and electoral legislation. Borut Pahor, the President of Slovenia, pointed out that if the state does not reorganize itself, alternative institutions will be created”, he added.
Some protesters estimated that Slovenia’s signing the UN Compact on Migration is a form of treason. “This is also recognized by top politicians who squeezed the tail between their legs and entrusted the signing of the declaration to an unimportant state official. If you want the Marrakesh Declaration to become part of the Slovenian legal order, it should be ratified by the National Assembly. This ratification, however, will not be made possible since, before the second reading, there is a possibility to file an initiative for a referendum”, says Bernard Brščič, a publicist, who, despite different facts, insists that the agreement is an international treaty, which is not ratified, yet it will have legal consequences.
“This is about the cowardice of the Slovenian government. If the Prime Minister was a man, he would go to Marrakesh and sign the treason himself”, Brščič said. Other protesters, critical of politics and the media, also agreed with him.