In a letter addressed to RTV Slovenija, the relatives of those who were killed in the war of independence condemned the New Year’s Eve programme of the show “Kaj dogaja?” where the creators pointed out that there were very few victims in the war for Slovenia. The statement is extremely painful for the relatives of the victims because, despite the fact that 30 years have already passed since the war happened, the memory of the dead is no less painful for them.
Children of those who were killed in the war of independence were outraged by the RTV’s New Year’s Eve programme. As they wrote in the letter, the creators of the show “Kaj dogaja?” (What’s up?) pointed out that very few people died in the war for Slovenia, and then compared this number to the number of coronavirus victims and the number of times they fell from the apple tree.
During the war for an independent Slovenia, every victim was one too many. “For all of us, the families who lost their sons, husbands and fathers in their war, the sacrifice was that much greater,” the relatives of those who were killed in the war pointed out. The war took away their fathers, it took away their family in the true sense of the word, and all of this severely affected the childhood of the victims’ children. The children of the fallen also pointed out that after almost 30 years have passed since the war, they are now adults, with their own families, but this does not mean they are any less sensitive to everything related to the events of the independence.
“As the national television, only a few days after the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the plebiscite decision, when us Slovenians decided we wanted our own country, and half a year before the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the war of independence for an independent Slovenia, you dared to make fun of the number of victims of the war,” they wrote in the letter, referring to what was said on the show “Kaj dogaja?”
It is sad that the history of the nation is already being forgotten after only thirty years
Their fathers laid the strong foundations of our country with their sacrifice. Without them, our Slovenia would not exist either. Therefore, they believe that the show’s attitude towards the victims of the war of independence, and consequently also towards the war of independence itself, which was shown in their New Year’s Eve programme, was extremely inappropriate. “It is sad, and it also hurts a lot to know that the history of our nation is already being forgotten after only thirty years,” they added.
The signatories of the letter also wonder how the children will be able to cultivate a respectful attitude towards the state, the homeland, all the victims of the war of independence and those who took part in it if respect and the proper attitude towards them are not even cultivated by the national television, which is supposed to be the television of all citizens. They therefore expect and demand a sincere apology from the public service broadcaster RTV – but even that will not erase the painful stain. With the expected gesture, they believe that even those responsible for RTV’s broadcasts may become aware of the fact that there were, in fact, victims of the War of Independence, that there was a war, and that the consequences of the war can still be felt by those living in our independent state, as they lost their fathers in the war, and many also lost their health.
Sara Rančigaj
