By: Nina Žoher / Nova24tv
“The government is shaming Slovenia’s reputation abroad,” repeated Tanja Fajon, an MEP and president of the SD party, who was a guest on the show Politično on national television together with Deputy Prime Minister Matej Tonin. Because there were a lot of “wise” and “sound” statements, the host of the show Kdo vam laže? Boris Tomašič decided to tackle these and explain what is true and what is not. “Your political option, through your colleagues, is slandering Slovenia abroad. There has never been such slander by Slovenian MPs in Europe,” Tomašič said critically, among other things.
In response to allegations that she has never heard such harsh criticism in Brussels and that colleagues received a low reception when they were rejected by Ministers as well as the Prime Minister, Boris Tomašič explained at the outset that Prime Ministers usually do not accept such delegations at all. “It was a group of the European Parliament that came to see us. They said it was an investigation. It was no investigation, no visit. The Prime Minister did not take the time not to accept them. If I quote President Borut Pahor: “So what”.
Nowhere does it say that filming is forbidden
According to Tomašič, Janez Janša was neither the first nor the last Prime Minister not to accept such a delegation. “They were not accepted at the Ministry of Culture because Sophie in ‘t Veld did not allow filming. The moment she did not allow filming, it is supposedly clear to every fool that she wants to manipulate and cover something up. Why the hell would she otherwise forbid it? After all, since police investigations are being filmed so that there are no misinterpretations, and we know exactly what is wrong,” he was clear, adding that even if the conversation at the Ministry were made public, there should be nothing wrong with it. In ‘t Veld, according to Tomašič, flatly invented that this should not be filmed. “Nowhere does it say it is forbidden to film.”
Tomašič further explained that there is no shame in Brussels, except the on that she is trying to show in public. “Your political option, through your colleagues, is slandering Slovenia abroad. There has never been such slander by Slovenian MPs in Europe. You, Grošelj, Brglez, Jovevova are doing everything to bad-mouth Slovenia abroad. Otherwise, Slovenia is considered respectable.” After all, according to Tomašič, the mission found that democracy in Slovenia works, that institutions work. They do not like some things, this is a matter of political assessment, not a reflection of the facts, he stressed.
These are malicious charges
As the SD MEP claimed that Slovenia had wasted the opportunity to preside over the EU Council and added that no excuse would work because the damage had been done, Tomašič remarked that this was certainly Fajon’s expert assessment. Not long ago we had all the leaders of Europe here, they all praised us, and so on. “And because of one tweet, everything will supposedly fall overboard now? These are really malicious charges. After all, what terrible thing had happened at all. It is rumoured that Janša attacked MEPs,” he said, adding that these allegations were not true. The Social Democrats in the EU attacked Janša and he responded. “And then they weep and moan in the sense: you should not talk to us like that. Grow up already. If you challenge someone, insult them, lie about them, they will slap you back. This is a normal battle. You would go to political struggle in the way that the late Josip Broz Tito hunted bears. When they drugged the bear and tied it to a tree so he could kill it.”
According to Tomašič, action, reaction is something most normal. Regarding the allegations that we have wasted the opportunity to hold the presidency, he emphasised that the fact is that our presidency over the EU Council is top-notch, the organisation is top-notch, we are opening topics, the whole Balkan is here, we are looking for solutions. Namely, they respect Slovenia. “In the last year and a half, leaders and foreign ministers of countries that were not in Slovenia before the 10-year rule of LMŠ, SD and Miro Cerar have come to Slovenia. Not even close. It is just jealousy.”
A delegation of President Sophie in ‘t Veld came to create conditions for a domestic showdown with Janša
Tomašič pointed out, among other things, that the host of the show Politično Tanja Gobec also came to Fajon’s aid in the show. “Is the opportunity wasted here, and is it true, as some in the opposition and experts have said, that the EU presidency was actually over, given the dispute with the European Parliament as one of the main EU institutions?” This was the question that Gobec asked Minister Matej Tonin. Tomašič pointed out that this was about talking nonsense. “You work for the national TV, for which all citizens pay 100 million a year. If we are technical, the end of the presidency will be at the end of the year, then it will be taken over by France. That is how it is. Why would the presidency end?” he was critical.
Tomašič emphasised that the fact that the delegation and President Sophie in ‘t Veld had arrived had created the conditions for an internal political showdown with Janša. This has nothing to do with the EU. “Stop saying that the EU is worried about what is happening in Slovenia. If it had been, they would have come forward when the president of the party’s largest opposition was illegally and unconstitutionally imprisoned just before the elections.” It would only be worse if they killed him.
Diplomats are not concerned with who is presiding and whether it is right for someone to preside, “Slovenia is being taken files within the presidency,” it was possible to hear. Tomašič denied the allegations and said that Fajon had made that up or someone else made it up and then told her. “It is true, however, that the countries that hold the presidency and will hold the presidency are participating,” he said, adding that he advised the SD party to have their own television, where they would sell these stories, and not on the national one. He also touched on Fajon’s statement that diplomats could hardly wait for France to take over the presidency. Tomašič explained that diplomats do not care who presides and whether it is right for someone to preside, let alone to celebrate. “I do not know if you also ran out of imagination to invent something that is close to the truth. Honestly, they are not the happiest about France because they use only French there (even in working meetings), which some do not know well and have problems with. That is the only obstacle, they do not really deal with it.” He emphasised that, of course, it is possible that some diplomats from the SD, politically blinded, would say such nonsense. “I allow that; it does not necessarily mean that she lied. The one who lied the least is someone who told Fajon that,” said Tomašič.
The biggest problem in the country is Janša’s tweets
“With this coalition, with NSi, which is leading our country in the completely wrong direction, the Social Democrats cannot cooperate. This government is doing everything we in the opposition do not want,” said Fajon. Tomašič reminded that in the past they had already proved that they could not cooperate with each other within KUL. “You tried it, but you blew up like a porcelain vase when it falls to the floor. That you do not support what this government is doing.” He says this can be inferred from the conduct of the sessions. “3rd development axis is being built, elderly homes have started to be built, we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, the level of social disparities is among the lowest in the world, we have one of the highest economic growth in Europe, and a lower inflation than average. You do not want to do that? Do you distance yourself from this? From Janša’s tweet? You are worse than small children. According to you, Janša’s tweets are the biggest problem in this country,” Tomašič was critical.
The president of the Social Democrats could not fail to mention how authoritarianism supposedly rules in Slovenia. “And in Slovenia today there is extreme distrust of the people, we have protests in the streets, we also have tear gas, water cannons, fear is present among the people, the repression carried out by the government is present, a certain authoritarianism. Instead of authoritarianism, democracy – that is our plan. We want to give people back some normalcy,” she said, adding that they are looking to the future. About the latter, Tomašič recalled how they worshiped Kidrič. “Our ancestors gave us power, we will break it, trash it, etc. It is this vision for the future. Support for the SDS party is growing, while it is failing for KUL. Where is this fear of the people?” Tomašič asked himself, and regarding the accusations of low vaccination coverage and a huge number of patients, he said that it was the fault of those who did not respect the measures and were doing everything possible to prevent others from respecting them. “Undeclared rallies, no masks, any action criticised, etc.”