By: Tadej Ian / Nova24tv
A wild media civil war is raging in Slovenia. With the performance of the current government, the left wing media (already before) launched an aggression aimed at disabling the democratically elected government and the work of the voters who voted for that government.
Civil war is by definition a violent clash of organised groups. Those who started the civil war intended to take power in the country or change government policy. Usually, one side is the government and the other opposes it. There is, of course, no civil war in our country and we all hope and wish there never will be. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the left part of the Slovene media, where central Slovene media certainly belong, has taken such a position and uses such methods as are usually used by the media during war or civil war. This is certainly worrying, as the Slovene left wing media are exacerbating the Slovene conflict of political division into two poles, which has unfortunately been present in Slovenia in one form or another since the camp movement in the 1960s, and was most acute in during the Slovene Civil War 1941−1945, where the main reason for the escalation was the communist revolution.
How the media behaves in a war?
Although there is no physical aggression in this Slovene media war, the actions of the left wing media – especially the Slovene central media – are very similar to the actions of media of one country in the event of a war conflict between that country and its war opponent. At that time, the media abandon the usual criticism and start reporting with a strong support for the home camp. After all, this is logical, because the domestic media are also involved in the war machine, since aggression is launched against the state and all patriotic citizens and institutions put themselves on the edge of an external attacker with everything they have at their disposal, including media coverage. The purpose of the media in this case is to denigrate and often demonise the enemy, to portray one’s own side as just and vice versa as unjust, and to support the efforts of the domestic army, economy and all patriots who fight with or without weapons in this war. At this time, the media calls on all patriots to join the fight and persevere until a “just” victory.
Criticism of the home side is not acceptable because it is an act against patriotism and an undermining of war efforts, even though the country may be the aggressor and the adversary is only defending itself. Once war breaks out, it does not matter anymore. Also because, in the event of a total victory, the adversary will put the aggressor country in a subordinate and very unfavourable position, which may be much worse than it was before the war, which will probably cause deprivation and suffering to all citizens. Therefore, media propaganda in this case is total, because its purpose is to get the most out of the domestic public in terms of war efforts.
“War” operations of the Slovenian left media
It would be difficult to say that the characteristics of media reporting are inappropriate or condemnable in the event that the country finds itself at war. War is in itself a terrible state in which terrible acts take place. Therefore, it is understandable that the home media will help the home side. However, what is outrageous is that the left wing Slovene media are behaving as if a state of war had begun in the country with the takeover of part of the current Slovene government! All criticism of left wing media reporting – at least as much as it used to be – has been lifted. In accordance with its current doctrine of reporting, the left political pole is immaculate or innocent and noble. In this war of the media propaganda of the left wing central media, they constantly use similar lies and manipulations as are typical of the reporting of media whose home country is involved in the war. If possible, the truth that burdens the other side is reported. If this is not the case, the truth is so tailored that it becomes a half-truth that is burdensome for the opposite side. And if that is also not the case, something is invented and then this lie is portrayed as pure truth, which is burdensome for the opposite side. The media are no longer neutral, but are politically activist. Given that we do not have a dictatorship, but a democratically elected government, which was the majority for the most part of its term (and even now it is a minority only in theory), the aggression of the left wing Slovenian media is unheard of.
Just as collateral victims are acceptable in war – if not acceptable, then at least necessary – they are also “acceptable” in the war campaign of Slovenia’s left wing central media. Among the collateral victims are the government’s measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, which led to a catastrophic epidemiological picture in Slovenia for months, as Slovenia’s left wing mainstream media incited against the government and used criticism of reasonable measures against the epidemic as a weapon. This resulted in the creation of public opinion against measures aimed at combating the epidemic. Many people who support the left political pole ignored the measures in Slovenia because they were under the impression that they were actually fighting against the current government. This is of course unwise thinking, as they really only endangered the health and lives of innocent people, and put unnecessary pressure on the Slovenian economy, which could rightly be called to foul one’s own nest.
Another major collateral victim is Slovenia’s reputation in the international environment, as individuals working for left-leaning Slovenian media (similar to the case of physical military aggression against the country) used their external links between foreign journalists and organisations, and mobilised them in the fight against the opponent. Only that in this case the opponent was not some foreign aggressor, but a domestic legitimate government. The lies that appeared in the foreign media thus tarnish Slovenia’s reputation in Europe and the world, which is, of course, a stain that will remain long after the departure of the current government, even if the left option is then in power. These rejected and false actions of left wing Slovene political activists and organisations are in fact an attack on Slovenia’s strategic interest in Europe and the world, which is in the interest of our country and our citizens, not the interest of the left or the right.
It is a short-sighted madness, which after the eventual takeover of power of the left, they will not be able to “take back” with corrected reporting, because a lot of people read lies abroad and it will take years or even decades for this manipulative reporting for which abroad they do not know it is false, to be forgotten. Slovenia’s strategic international interest is that Slovenia proves to be a safe, democratic and progressive country in which the rule of law is indisputable. Namely, among other things, this is a condition for Slovenia to be interesting for foreign investments, which are necessary in the modern world. The conduct of the left wing central Slovenian media is consequently a potential impoverishment of our country and a reduction in the well-being of its citizens, which is the next collateral damage of their “war” manoeuvres.
Let the media peace return
Every war must end someday. Since the Slovene right wing political pole will not just disappear, the victory of the aggressive left wing media is not actually possible here. Sooner or later, passions will have to be cooled down and reconciled in some way, as protracted conflicts cause social instability, which will soon be reflected in the deterioration of the economic picture and quality of life. It is therefore in the interest of all citizens of Slovenia to acknowledge their differences and accept each other as they are. That is why the Slovenian media war must end as soon as possible, because it only causes damage to all of us.