On Thursday at 2.30 p.m., Pavel Rupar began a new protest in front of the building of RTV Slovenia. “We are telling all of you, we know you are failing! But you will not fail with our money! Go broke from your own non-work!” he told the national media outlet employees through a megaphone. Afterwards, the participants took a shortcut to the Republic Square. This part of the event was dedicated to the harmful government of Robert Golob.
Another protest, led by Pavel Rupar, President of the Voice of Pensioners party (Glas upokojencev), was held on Thursday, the 25th of April. At 2.30 p.m., the pensioners gathered in front of the building of Radio-Television Slovenia (RTVS) and demanded that the management of the public institution RTV Slovenia – namely, Zvezdan Martič, Helena Milinković, Marko Milosavljević and Goran Forbici come outside to face the protesters and tell them what action they will take against the employees who filed a false criminal complaint with the police about the fabricated attack on a journalist, the smearing of the pedestal of a statue and the throwing of eggs into the building where they work, which were all accusations they had made against the “poor pensioners”.
We will no longer pay for the laziness and politicking of the RTV people!
“They should also tell us when we will finally be able to stop paying for their laziness and politicking, and when will RTV Slovenia once again be an institution for all of us, and not just an institution for the extreme terrorist left,” Rupar announced, among other things. Then, at around 3.15 p.m., the pensioners marched through the streets of Ljubljana to the Republic Square, where the main part of the protest against the Golob government was held, which is preying on pensioners, depriving them of their well-deserved pensions, and leaving them in poverty. The pensioners were also joined by doctors, civil servants, farmers, soldiers, deceived Carinthians, firefighters from the Karst region, and others.
Let the protesters be heard by all foreigners who want to rule Slovenia!
Rupar said: “Everyone who is dissatisfied with the current situation in Slovenia will be with us! We are expecting the biggest number of protesters ever!” He reminded those gathered that many people have previously apologised, saying that they cannot come because it is the end of the month and many have no transport, which is the government’s fault. Participants were also invited to bring Slovenian flags, drums, flutes, accordions, and national costumes. “Bring your brave Slovenian hearts, too,” he said, adding that the Slovenian anthem and well-known Slovenian songs will be sung at the event. He wants them to be heard by all those in power, as well as the foreigners who want to rule our homeland.
“If you don’t answer us, we may see you on the 31st of May in your premises!”
While protesting in front of the RTV building, Rupar said: “We are telling all of you, we know you are failing! But you will not fail with our money! Go broke from your own non-work!” He went on to say that they were demanding a response to the questions sent to them by the protesters, and they want answers by the 20th of May, at the latest. He said they demand a written reply to all their questions. They demand truth and justice. If the RTV leadership does not comply, they will gather in even greater numbers in front of RTV Slovenia on the 31st of May. Rupar: “And we may even see you in your premises!”
They demand the return of RTV Slovenia to the public who pay for it!
He went on to recall that they had set traps at their press conferences on three separate occasions. Rupar: “On three separate occasions, people the likes of Nika Kovač and various supporters of Hamas terrorists have obstructed our press conferences. We defended ourselves and repelled them with one move – we sang the national anthem of Slovenia!” They demand the return of public broadcaster RTV Slovenia back to the public that pays for it.
Afterwards, Rupar invited everyone present to take the shortcut to Republic Square. Rupar: “Let’s go Slovenia, scoundrels, scoundrels, scoundrels!” They stopped briefly near the store Nama while chanting, “Down with the government, down with the government!” Rupar: “We are starting the 11th rally of Slovenian pensioners and all disgruntled citizens!” This was followed by the song “Oj Triglav, moj dom!” (O Triglav, my home!). Alenka Orel, a member of the Executive Committee of the 1st of October Institute (Inštitut 1. oktober) and the Voice of the Pensioners party, spoke next.
“Dear pensioners, workers, farmers and young people, I cordially welcome all of you gathered here in Republic Square and those in front of the TV screens of Nova24TV, Top News, etc., to the 11th nationwide protest rally of pensioners!” The protesters are continuously fighting for fair pensions, a decent and dignified life for underprivileged pensioners, the disabled, the elderly, the struggle for workers’ rights, and a brighter future for young people. They are demanding what is theirs and what they have been paying for all of these years. They have rallied in support of the soldiers, doctors, civil servants, farmers and workers who are growing tired of the madness of this government and its puppets, who are overpaid and rewarded with the taxpayers’ money.
They rallied against all the looters of public institutions
They gathered to protest against all the predators of public institutions, including at RTV Slovenia and in the judiciary, and against everything they do against the will of the people, especially against the nation of pensioners. “We are here to prevent the multi-million-euro thefts of ministers Alenka Bratušek, Luka Mesec, Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Simon Maljevac, and all those who are chasing the last train that still has some money on it, to collect it for their own enrichment through public procurement.”
They also want to close the door on “the criminalisation of their healthy views on life, on gender and on the family, which has reached levels it has never reached before in history. We have come together to prevent the death and euthanasia of our homeland, Slovenia.” Afterwards, the gathered proudly sang the Slovenian national anthem. Rupar went on to recall that despite the bad weather, there were 1,832 times as many people gathered there, as there were cyclists when the latter protested during the previous government’s term. He then turned the floor over to the guest of honour, University Professor Boštjan M. Turk: “We have something that others do not have. We pensioners, all the people who mean well in our hearts, who are gathered here today, have faith, awareness and an inexhaustible hope that one day this Slovenia will change, that it will become the Slovenia we dreamed of 30 years ago when we laid its foundation stones, that all its people, starting with pensioners, will live in it as human beings.”
Today, we are faced with an RTV that the worst dictatorships would have been proud of!
Living as human beings means living with dignity and in the manner that their past work has earned them. Turk believes that with the current government, we are far from that. “With the current government, we are at the lowest point in Slovenian history in recent decades. Today, we are governed by those for whom lying is a primary rhetoric, whether they occupy the highest positions in the legislative branch, the judiciary or in executive bodies.” Turk believes that we are facing the “deepest erosion” of moral values that this country has ever seen. Today, he believes, we are faced with an RTV Slovenia of the kind that the worst dictatorships would have been proud of, from Moscow to Pyongyang.
However, he also believes that those assembled have something that the rulers do not have, with all the money they are grabbing and all the lies they are feeding us –“We are the cone (the core) of normality in this society!” They know that a pensioner is entitled to a fair wage for their 40 years of work, which would allow them to live in dignity. “We know there are two sexes, borders are meant to be protected, they are not intended for letting migrants through to steal our bread! This government treats every newcomer who crosses the border illegally much nicer than pensioners!” Turk also praised Rupar, who was the only one who dared to take up the “way of the cross” in the fight for pensioners, despite all the logs thrown at his feet by the “regime’s hunger strikers.”
“When it rains, it pours, and sometimes we even find ourselves facing as many as 52 problems out of the 90!”
He also reminded those gathered of his new book, called The Prisoners of Freedom (Jetniki svobode), in which he holds up a mirror to the power called Freedom (as in, the Freedom Movement party – Gibanje Svoboda, and its coalition). After the rally, he invited everyone to a presentation of his work. “When it rains, it pours, and sometimes we even find ourselves facing as many as 52 problems out of the 90! And in the form of a coalition!” said the next speaker. These problems, he said, also have their leader to fulfil their covenants in harmony, such as wickedness, falsehood, cruelty and evil deeds. “And we know very well who their leader is, and you have probably identified him yourselves already!” He then highlighted some of the “achievements” of the Prime Minister and his faithful servants – higher taxes, the destruction of Slovenians, the indulgences to the Mayor of Ljubljana, Janković, for the C0 channel, the importation of illegal migrants, and so on. He also recalled the anomaly of the under-accrual of pensions from 2013 onwards (for 70-80 thousand pensioners).
Rupar then went on to recall that the Voice of Pensioners was founded as a party in January with the wish to take part in the European elections in June. As they are too short-staffed and financially strapped, they decided to prioritise something else, which is to continue their work in Slovenia. They are not tempted by European money and glory. They intend to put Slovenia in order first, and then move to Europe. However, they are part of Europe, and pensioners have a right to be represented in Brussels. This time, the party’s executive board has decided to support the youth, the people who will represent them as equals in the European Union for years to come, something they do not get in their home country.
The Voice of Pensioners party will support the SDS candidate Zala Tomašič in the European elections!
“That is why we have decided to support Zala Tomašič from the list of the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS)!” Tomašič went on to address those gathered but did not speak to them as a candidate for the European elections, but as a “granddaughter and daughter. Your battles are also the battles of us young people! Pensioners are the foundation of our society, and your fight is extremely important! Pensions are not social assistance; pensions are not a gift!” This is not something that can be taken away or ignored. Pensions are what the pensioners have paid into the system for decades, and the system should provide them with a decent old age. She recalled the time 30 years ago when they were also protesting against a regime that was suffocating them. And it is not fair that they have to do the same today, in an independent Slovenia.
Tomašič: “We young people will be old one day, too!”
“A decent old age and a decent pension are your rights, and I promise to fight for it!” She reminded those gathered at the protest that this is a fight for justice and for a future in which young people will also live one day. Tomasič: “We young people will be old one day, too; we will also need a system that respects our years of work and guarantees us a secure life in old age! And now you are fighting for our rights in the future! And we young people must show that we care about you!” She also recalled that the Golob government had forgotten about pensioners, which they must not allow to happen. She remembered her grandmothers, who looked after her when her parents were still working.
She also remembered her grandfather, whose life ended too soon due to lack of long-term care. “It’s time for us young people to give back and fight for you!” She concluded by saying that she would fight for the pensioners until they achieved change and was greeted by a loud chant of “Zala, Zala!” Finally, Rupar recalled Wednesday’s anniversary of the election of the “disastrous government”. In these two years, pensioners have had their dignity almost completely stolen from them. He recalled that the majority of the country is resisting. “Mr Golob, how much longer will you continue your reign of terror over the Slovenian people?!”
“The fight against the occupier is the fight against this government!”
He reminded those gathered of all the pensioners’ associations that do not exist today (Golob’s puppets) and of the Silver Thread Association (Društvo srebrna nit), which is spreading death across Slovenia rather than relieving the pain of pensioners. Finally, he told the “bribed media” that on the 31st of May, the pensioners and others would probably be joined by “free farmers” with containers full of liquid manure, so that the buildings of the newspapers Delo, Večer, Dnevnik, and the media outlets RTV Slovenia and POP TV, as well as the Parliament, would be “thoroughly fertilised”. He also recalled the need to harmonise pensions and annual leave allowances. And he told all the non-governmental organisations that are servile to the government who have been harassing pensioners “not to play with fire! The fight against the occupier is a fight against this government!”
Domen Mezeg
