By: Maks Ipavec
This practical insight from the title was reached by sound Slovenian rural common sense, which clearly distinguishes a harmful lie from a blessed truth.
I sincerely thank Mr. Boris Tomašič, who in his show Kdo vam laže (Who Is Lying to You) courageously and wholeheartedly exposes the lies of our (mostly left-wing) political elites, who avoid the truth like the devil avoids the cross. He responds to the viewers’ burning questions with clear and spirited words, backed by direct video footage of problematic statements based on various lies.
The Apostle Paul gave very clear instructions for daily living in his letter to the Ephesians. He encourages us with these words: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.” (Eph. 4:25–29)
The host of the show, Mr. Boris, is making great efforts to urge especially left-leaning politicians to abandon deceitful and vacuous rhetoric and instead strive more for truth – the only thing that sets us free. Are we not all Slovenians part of one national body beneath Triglav? Sadly, frequent jealousy and envy have caused many members of our nation to suffer from discord and disunity. Even our brilliant poet Prešeren felt this pain deeply, and he wrote Zdravljica (A Toast) with the hope that unity, happiness, and reconciliation would reign in our paradise beneath Triglav. Only when this wish of Prešeren is fulfilled in our human relationships will strife be driven from the world and from our nation. Only when we can all shake hands in friendship will it no longer be the devil, but our neighbour, who shares our border!
Václav Havel, Czech writer, politician, and president of Czechoslovakia, who personally experienced the harshness of the communist regime, expressed a profound truth: “The driving force and immortal soul of communism is lies and class hatred!” This was our experience with communism in Slovenia until 1990. Unfortunately, even though we now have an independent and free Slovenia, a form of communism is being revived in our parliament under a predominantly one-party regime with no ministers from the right-wing or spring parties. This regime still does not tolerate the free expression of differing opinions. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Urška Klakočar Zupančič, often behaves very unprofessionally, nervously interrupting especially the speeches of SDS party MPs. Through such petty behaviour, she shows she is not yet mature enough for healthy democracy, which always allows independent thinking and expression. Many of us still remember the former Speaker Dr France Cukjati, who led parliamentary sessions peacefully, democratically, and professionally, allowing every MP to speak freely without abrupt interruptions.
How honestly Aleksander Rant, editor-in-chief of Nova24TV, wrote in the foreword to the book Kdo vam laže: “Boris’s sharp style and the fact that he speaks plainly have reached many who were overlooked and unheard. His speech, unlike the lofty verbosity found in other media, is direct and clear, and it resonated with the common person. The show has been watched by both left and right, green and red, black and white… The show Kdo vam laže has become a thorn in the side of the ruling powers. We faced bullying, scorn, rough treatment in the field, and even a police raid in the end…” Without hesitation, Mr. Rant concludes the foreword: “The show Kdo vam laže? changed Slovenia and its media landscape and shook the elites who until recently had been untouchable.” (n.d., pp. 11–14)
Already in the appendix to the book Kdo vam laže, Mr. Boris, as a keen observer of our homeland’s situation, wrote: “The Slovenian media landscape has been blatantly and shamelessly unbalanced since the very birth of our dear nation in 1991 – and let’s be honest, heavily skewed to the left…”
Then, like a bolt from the blue – or perhaps like long-awaited rain in a media desert – Nova24TV appeared in 2016… They scorned us as if we were the dirtiest stain on an already soiled media carpet, persecuted us with all kinds of bureaucratic tricks… But we persisted like stubborn donkeys that will not budge even when pulled, beaten, pelted with stones and mud…
And behold, a miracle: “Nova24TV has over the years grown into the only serious television outlet that dares to break through the leftist concrete monolith… Compared to the sleepy conformity that dominates Slovenian television, Nova24TV is a real breath of fresh air – or a loud enough cry to awaken the sleepy ones.” (n.d., pp. 15–16)
Dear Mr. Boris, remain persistent and stubborn, even if stones or mud come flying from the left-wing platform. Many of us support you and are convinced that truth is much stronger than lies, and that love is more powerful than any form of class hatred. With your sharp-witted answers, continue to be a media Robin Hood, shooting arrows of truth at inflated balloons of lies (as you yourself put it in the prologue). With your powerful words, shake the sleepy and foggy media swamp. Remain a beacon of light for all of us who are fed up with petty lies and hungry for truth – the truth that sets us free and brings joy.
All of us who carry good in our hearts build upon liberating truth and honesty. We will continue to support you and blow favourable winds into your sails so we can reach the true goal of victory.
Even though your privacy and family sanctuary were violated in a secret-police-style raid, with drawers rummaged, personal items overturned, and your phone and computer confiscated, they did not break your spirit – instead, they strengthened you for new possible storms ahead.
As you yourself wrote at the end of the prologue, together, through unity and persistent work, we will build an honest, truth-loving, proud, and peaceful Slovenia.
With the arrival of true democracy, Slovenia will become a country where people are truly free, can speak without restrictions, where opposition media will not be persecuted, pensioners will live with dignity on their pensions, and when all workers receive fair pay, Slovenia will become a peaceful and democratic state.
Then we will be able to sing with our composer Benjamin Ipavec:
“Be well, homeland,
my dear Slovenian land!
You, so beautiful, you alone,
are to me an earthly paradise.”
Let me conclude with a clever German proverb: “A lie is like a snowball: the further it rolls, the bigger it gets – and the brighter the sun shines, the faster it melts.”
Dear Mr. Boris, the lies of our left-wing political leaders are becoming a larger and larger snowball, one that threatens and burdens us. But the sunlight of your message in the show Kdo vam laže will melt that snowball. Then we will live in a healthy and free homeland, which will become a cherished place – a paradise beneath Triglav.