Members of the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS) parliamentary group wrote on Thursday that they were horrified when reading the news about the online publication of the Carinthian youth wing of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Freiheitliche Jugend Kärnten, in which the youth wing’s members called for an end to the so-called “Slovenisation” in the run-up to the regional parliamentary elections in Carinthia.
The Slovenian Democratic Party strongly condemns such attacks on the Slovenian language and culture. The incitement to intolerance and hatred is unacceptable in 21st-century Europe. They are surprised that the Slovenian government has not yet reacted to such a blatant attack on the Slovenian language and culture. In her interview with the media outlet Siol yesterday, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon also did not say a word about the scandalous statements made by the FPÖ.
In line with the “attack is the best defence” point of view, Fajon attacked the SDS party for advocating “a backward, stuffy Slovenia,” while she herself continues to insist on her pro-Russian policy of advocating a peace policy that makes a mockery of the sacrifices and suffering of the Ukrainian people. And apparently, Slovenians abroad and their struggle to preserve Slovenian culture and language are just not important enough and not on the agenda of the current government.
The SDS parliamentary group, therefore, calls on the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, and the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad to do everything in their power and in accordance with their responsibilities to protect Slovenians and their rights as an indigenous minority in Austrian Carinthia.
Andrej Žitnik
