“Only the public and no one else can make these people stop using all the repressive organs of power,” says former minister of culture and historian Dr Vasko Simoniti, who adds that Slovenia must wake up and put an end to the government of Robert Golob.
“It is high time to draw attention to the total dysfunction and incompetence of this government, which is moving from one extreme lie to another and whose Prime Minister is totally incompetent,” says former minister Vasko Simoniti, who made his support for Thursday’s nationwide protest against the current government very clear.
The former minister went on to say that the government is acting in line with its incompetence. At the heart of the government’s actions is nepotism, lobbying for the interests of its members and their wives. Namely, the government recently appointed the wife of the Minister of Finance, Eva Boštjančič, to the board of the Slovenian National Theatre Drama. You can read more about that in the following article: https://nova24tv.eu/news/government-appoints-the-wife-of-minister-of-finance-to-the-council-of-slovenian-national-theatre-drama/
“I think Slovenia needs to wake up and finally say enough is enough to this government. Let’s hope that Thursday’s rally will help bring it to an end as soon as possible,” said the former minister.
Only the public can beat them!
When reminded that the authorities clearly want to obstruct the organisation of the protest in question, the former minister pointed out that the current authorities are merely acting in accordance with their understanding of power. “They have subjugated all the repressive authorities accordingly, and in a way that tries to intimidate the people. Only the public and no one else can make these people stop using all the repressive organs of power,” Simoniti said, adding that the authorities, as well as repressive organs, should understand that they are at the service of all the people – and they should start acting accordingly. “Meaning, the state is there to protect citizens, not for the authorities to use the state to put pressure or repression on said citizens,” he explained.
“This is happening because the representatives of the current authorities have never internalised democracy, and therefore, they do not understand that it is also a matter of the ethical attitude of a person who understands that everyone has the right to live in a community, in spite of how different they might be from others. These people don’t understand that, so they repeat the patterns (from the past) that are closer to them, easier to achieve, easier to govern. In fact, it only expresses and confirms their incapacity for dialogue, that they are incapable of co-shaping and changing our country into a democratically understanding community. They do not understand this, they have not internalised it, and that is also why the current government must leave as soon as possible, so that it can sober up on its own, without power,” Simoniti argued.
With spring comes a spiritual awakening
The former minister hopes that the turnout at the protest will be massive. He believes that people are beginning to understand that this has to stop and that the participants in the rally will make this clear.
Asked whether he agrees with Janez Janša, who said in Republic Square a year ago that we are on the threshold of a new Slovenian spring, he said: “I agree. Until now, we have been stuck in a cold period, which will be symbolically broken by the first day of spring. A spiritual awakening is also necessary!”
Ž. K.
