By: Tanja Brkić /Nova 24TV
After some different hints and a discussion within the party, the opposition SDS decided to interpellate the work and responsibilities of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Tatjana Bobnar. Branko Grims explained the reasons for the interpellation in more detail at the press conference. Among other things, she is accused of abusing her position for misleading the public in relation to migration and untimely collection of information and protection of evidentiary material in connection with the “Smodej affair”. He did not rule out the possibility of interpellation against Tanja Fajon and Marjan Šarec. “In the SDS parliamentary group, we will do everything so that Slovenia can breathe freely again, and that Slovenians can lead a safe life,” said Grims.
“You could only observe the competition within the government. On the one hand, the Prime Minister himself with that clumsy statement, the speculative crisis, with oil derivatives and the purchase of wheat, on the other hand, Mrs. Fajon with the abuse of the system in foreign affairs, then Mr. Šarec, who will throw 70 million out the window, so that in time for more money, because of the crisis, because this technique is running out everywhere, he will buy worse for Slovenia. But the winner, who got the first interpellation, is Mrs. Bobnar,” said Branko Grims at the press conference, where he presented the reasons for the decision on the interpellation against Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar. About the question of the interpellation regarding Bobnar, Grims wondered at the beginning of August, as those in the party were surprised and horrified by the government’s new way of dealing with illegal migration. Both members and supporters of the party were mainly disturbed by the announcement of the removal of the fence from the border with Croatia. At the time, the Minister wrote that she “is not afraid of interpellation at all”.
In the introduction, Grims said that there are several reasons, he cited abuse of office to mislead the public regarding migration and the removal of the fence on the southern state border, and SDS party also blames her for inconsistent implementation of laws, negligent performance of work, and neglect of duties. According to him, because of all the above, Bobnar no longer enjoys trust. “We are filing an interpellation due to the omission of the duty to prepare professional documents before the start of the removal of the protective fence on the southern border of Slovenia and misleading the public in this regard, due to misleading the public in connection with the timely collection of information, and the protection of evidentiary material in connection with evidence of rape and torture and other forms of sexual abuse of minors and adults during the event related to the group gathered around the Fotopub,” said Grims.
Slovenia will become a target country for illegal migrants
Grims also added that the number of illegal crossings of the national border has decreased slightly in the last two years, but this year it is increasing rapidly again and already exceeds the number of all illegal crossings last year combined. He is particularly concerned that the number of requests for international protection is almost four times higher than last year’s total, which in his opinion is not a coincidence, and he believes that Slovenia is becoming a target country, since with the likely change of government in Italy, the migrant flow will be diverted to the Balkan route that passes through Slovenia. He cited a quote from one of the police reports on illegal migration. It said that the sharp increase in asylum applications indicates abuses of the Slovenian asylum system. According to him, protective fences on Europe’s external borders have proven to be a very effective preventive measure.
“Only in Slovenia do we hear that the fence does not work and is unnecessary,” criticised Grims. He pointed out the deception of Minister Bobnar, who systematically equates refugees with illegal migrants, which, in his opinion, is extremely unjust and insulting to real refugees from Ukraine. “What is essential, when we talk about the rule of law, it shows the intention that, regardless of the legislation, illegal migrants will be accepted and integrated in the future without limits at the expense of Slovenian taxpayers.” “We lock the door of our home not because we hate those outside, but because we love those inside,” illustrated Grims.
She is also accused of taking untimely action in connection with the collection of evidence in the Smodej affair
In the SDS party, Bobnar is also accused of responsibility “for neglecting her duty and misleading the public in connection with the timely collection of information and the protection of evidentiary material in relation to evidence of rape and torture and other forms of sexual abuse of minors and adults during the events related to the group gathered around the Fotopub”. The police did not take care of protecting the evidence in time but waited several days before starting the procedures. There were only excuses, saying that they did not have official applications, but he believes that “authorities to act according to the law” were enough.
Who will be next?
According to Grims, one of the reasons is the high-profile letter with which the Ministry of the Interior asked administrative units, some institutes, and diplomatic-consular missions to publish in a conspicuous place the address to which voters can send signatures of support for the candidacy of some candidates for presidential elections. First, they did it for Nataša Pirc Musar, and then, upon request, also for some other announced candidates. Because of this, the SDS is also preparing an interpellation against the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanja Fajon, as they see this as an abuse of the diplomatic communication system. In addition to Fajon, they do not deny the possibility of interpellation against Defence Minister Marjan Šarec. According to SDS president Janez Janša, the government’s decision to cancel the contract for the purchase of eight-wheeled armoured vehicles of the boxer type is also “ripe for interpellation”, he wrote on Twitter.
“Many things are being talked about. Let yourself be surprised. In the SDS parliamentary group, we will do everything so that Slovenia can breathe freely again, and that Slovenians can lead a safe life. That foreigners are ahead of Slovenian citizens is completely unjustified,” concluded Grims.