By: Sara Kovač / Nova24tv
In the year when we celebrate the 30th anniversary of independent Slovenia, we are also celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). On this occasion, a ceremony with a music programme and a video presentation was organised in front of the STA headquarters. In addition to STA employees, STA director Bojan Veselinovič, who presents himself to the public as a “target of attacks by the government” through the mainstream media, there were special guests and supporters of the agency: the last president of the Communist Party of Slovenia Milan Kučan, former president Danilo Türk, the mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković, the president of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia Tomaž Vesel, and other representatives of the transitional left, for whom STA’s media support is crucial for political survival.
In connection with the STA, we could hear recently how the agency is supposedly fighting for survival at the expense of the government. Specifically, the truth is preferred to stay hidden, namely that the director of STA Bojan Veselinovič continues to ignore and simply does not want to hand over the required documentation that would enable the regulation of the legal relationship, and thus the financing of the agency. After all, money cannot be transferred without any guarantee. Apparently, however, some believe they are sacred cows who are allowed everything. Also acting above the law.
“Unfortunately, we celebrate our 30th birthday in the most uncertain times in the history of our house. We were attacked by politics. Not for the first time. But never before as aggressively as now. The current governing policy is misinterpreting our role. We are not a government trumpet; we are a media house in the public interest. Instead of acknowledging our work over three decades, we have been insulted with national shame this year,” STA employees warned in a joint statement read at the afternoon ceremony, adding that they did not intend to surrender. A colourful group of prominent representatives of the left wing political option Kučan-Türk-Vesel only proves what they are really fighting for on STA, namely that the public service is in the service of the opposition, instead of being a state media working for the benefit of all citizens, regardless of political opinion.
Kučan admitted that they had set up an agency that will report their truth
The participation of prominent representatives of the left is not so surprising, considering that the former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, explained at the beginning of this month without mincing his words why STA was founded at all. He said that the STA was established as a counterweight to the Yugoslav news agency – Tanjug and the propaganda machinery of Belgrade, which sent disinformation about events in Slovenia to the world. “We built our own press agency, which communicated our truth to the world,” Kučan emphasised.
Judging by the current reporting, it is obvious that it continues to take care of reporting the same “truth”. On this account, we are without a quality public service that would communicate objective news to citizens and on abroad. At the forefront are thus contents that quite by accident attack the current government, which is organically on the nerves of the left, which is hungry for power and privileges. Sadly, however, the STA is being used as a tool to attack the government instead of serving its purpose. In the end, of course, the employees come off second best, because Veselinovič does not want to act in accordance with the applicable legislation. Apparently some find it right that there is a topic where spears can be broken in front of the public. If the truth is not being told, then it is nothing difficult.
Given that Vesel was spotted among the guests at the STA ceremony, it can be expected that STA will regularly take care of creating a positive image of Vesel, so that they can sell a new face to the Slovenian public on the left. A new face who set out to “work differently”, “unencumbered and for the benefit of the citizens”. It is just about selling clichés, the reality is always painful, as most promises remain written only on paper.