By: Nina Žoher / Nova24tv
“The graph regarding the reporting of RTV SLO and POP TV during the epidemic shows that everything that was positively reported in terms of promoting measures was then demolished. It seems that with this show they simply did not want to admit their mistakes and only consolidated their mental framework, which is given to us by the mainstream media throughout the epidemic,” said a political commentator, researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana Dr Peter Gregorčič. He believes that it is difficult for the media to encourage measures, as if they are afraid that in this case they might be helping the government too much, or that they would raise the government’s rating too much. “To me, this seems extremely perverse, they are in fact fighting a political struggle at the expense of people’s health and lives.”
In the show Tema dneva, Peter Gregorčič emphasised at the beginning that he always wondered what exactly the message of the show and individual guests was. He did not find this message himself. “At the beginning, the show seemed to me like they were thinking about how to address people, towards the end they might have given some messages. The only message of this show, I think, was given by Mario Fafangel, who gave a verbal and non-verbal message. He showed that we can wear a mask even when it is not explicitly asked and that we can also look after each other in this way. But I really did not see the second message of the show.”
When asked about the criticism that arose in the light of the choice of guests, Gregorčič said that the choice of guests can be very diverse. “I myself prefer to always wonder what the guests are saying. In my opinion, these guests did not say much. It is true, however, that the show itself was set in one very narrow frame. Unfortunately, the creators of the shows, as well as the guests themselves, were not able to go beyond this classic framework that we currently have in our society.” According to Gregorčič, this framework was only strengthened. “It is hard to say that they contributed to a positive outcome of the epidemic in the future.”
There were no positive highlights
“Given the whining they carried out on a Thursday’s show, I would say that instead of preventing the protests, they may have encouraged them even more. It is understandable that after a year and a half, people are anxious and we have certain hardships.” Gregorčič estimates that if they really wanted to raise the atmosphere a bit, they should have also emphasised some positive aspect that happened within the epidemic. He believes that something positive happens at every moment of humanity. “Usually we bring into our inner world what we watch and what they tell us. If they were to tell us a positive story, I think this show would have a much better and different effect.”
“The graph regarding the reporting of RTV SLO and POP TV during the epidemic shows that everything that was positively reported in terms of promoting measures was then demolished. It seems that with this show, they simply did not want to admit their mistakes and they only consolidated their mental framework, which has been given to us by the mainstream media throughout the epidemic.” Gregorčič is convinced that they did not really show anything new, except that they carried out this matter in the studio with doubled time and perhaps with half the message value than their other shows. “And yet they are not at a very high level when it comes to promoting measures,” he added critically.
In reality, they are fighting a political struggle at the expense of people’s health and lives
When asked how he views media reporting at a time when medical workers are warning that they are on the verge of collapse, and they continue to pay attention to the protests, he said that he believes that there is nothing wrong with reporting in itself if you put it in the right frame of mind and if you equip it with the right message. At the same time, however, he pointed out that if too much weight is given to certain things in society that are extremely harmful and that harm us, not only in the field of health, this prolongs the epidemic. This is exacerbating the economic crisis, which will have long-term consequences. “Regarding media reporting, I would like to say this: In my opinion, it seems that they find it difficult to encourage measures, as if they were afraid that in this case they might help the government too much, or that they would raise the government’s rating too much. It seems to me extremely perverse that they are in fact fighting a political struggle at the expense of people’s health and lives. Last but not least, at the expense of people’s limitations. Because if you promote an epidemic, the measures are prolonged, and the restriction of our rights is extended at the expense of maintaining our health and life.”
Gregorčič is convinced that the time has come for us to realise that we are responsible for our own lives. “I believe that we, regardless of left, right policy, government or opposition policy, this or other media, must protect each other. We can get vaccinated even if it is not obligatory, we can wear masks even if it is not ordered by decrees, we do it for another reason. Let’s do it for ourselves.” According to him, this special time brought by the epidemic has gives us a unique opportunity to rediscover the importance of community. Namely, man can never survive in history and even today as an individual. “We depend on each other and let’s admit that to ourselves,” he was clear.
He went on to touch on the protests we are witnessing. It seems to him that they are prolonging this protest because they have no other idea how to address the opposition stance and how to show some alternative to the government. “However, if this is all the alternative that the opposition is able to show, namely the promotion of the epidemic, then I think that it will not work out well for them either. Because with this very show on Thursday, it seems to me that they may have opened the eyes of another person, how deep and harmful they really go into this fight in order to take power,” he emphasised.
The Constitutional Court accuses the government of ruling by decrees, while the same court rules by suspensions
The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia in fact, is playing a very dangerous game here. “If I say a little jokingly, the Constitutional Court accuses the government of ruling with decrees while the same Constitutional Court rules with temporary suspensions. A decree of the government is withheld, but it is not decide on the content as long as the danger lasts. Then, of course, when such a decision is irrelevant from the point of view of the epidemic, it can decide, to the detriment of the government, to charge the government with it. Regarding the rule by decrees, the public has taken the position that the legislator is the highest branch of government.” Gregorčič emphasises that this is not true. We have three branches of government – legislative, executive and judicial. “Let’s not forget, the Constitutional Court, in the case of the Intervention of Bears and Wolves Act, decided that the legislator intervened in the executive session of the authorities because it determined too concrete a content. That is why I am wondering here, because the Constitutional Court here wants the legislator to prescribe just about every little thing in the law. Are these two decisions not a little at odds with each other, even though they were made by the same court?”
When asked whether our reality has been manipulated to such an extent that nothing more can be done by the end of this term, Gregorčič replied that much can be done and thinks that the government is doing very well. “It seems to me that these shifts in society are still there and I hope they will be in the future and that especially now in the fourth wave, which seems to be quite violent, especially from the point of view of hospital capacity, that people will be reasonable enough to understand that each of us is responsible for ending this epidemic as soon as possible and that, despite the various messages, we will make it happen.”