After the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia called on the non-governmental organizations that use the premises at Metelkova 6 in Ljubljana, near the Ministry, to vacate the said premises by the end of January next year, because the building is dangerous for tenants due to wear and tear, the NGOs decided to fight back. Now, they have started making death threats, targeting those in charge at the Ministry of Culture.
“The protests of the NGO members against the eviction from Metelkova. The red paint symbolizes blood. The NGOs say that with this “piece of art,” they are calling on those mentioned to resign, and the Ministry warns that Miro Petek is included among the “slaughtered” names – a man, who had been beaten up for his journalistic work in the past,” Nova24TV journalist Luka Svetina reported on Twitter from the scene of the protest in Metelkova.
With their very obvious death threat installation, the authors threatened the Minister of Culture, Vasko Simoniti, Ph.D., Miro Petek, Vesna Jurca Tadel, Alenka Gotar, and Mitja Iršič.
“We strongly protest against the actions of the Ministry of Culture and understand them as an attack on the civil society and the independent culture, in a desire to prevent the functioning of the critical public. The current government and especially the largest government party, SDS, have never tried to hide this desire,” wrote the NGOs, who have so far been exempt from paying rent – some have even not contributed for the payment of the expenses.
Which are the NGOs that have to vacate the premises, for which they have not been paying rent?
According to the Ministry, as many as 18 organizations are using the unrenovated facilities which are actually owned by the state, namely: the Legal-Information Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations – PIC, the SCCA-Ljubljana Institute, the Peace Institute, the NSK Information Centre, the Retro-Avant-Garde Association, Forum Ljubljana, Institute for Artistic and Cultural Production, Dance Theatre Ljubljana, the ŠKUC Association, Maska Ljubljana, En-knap Institute, the Slovenian Organic Farmers’ Association, Sloga, Exodos Institute Ljubljana, Otok, Institute for the Development of Film Culture Ljubljana, Vitkar Institute, City of Women – Association for the Promotion of Women in Culture, and Gallus J. Carniolus Institute. The Ministry also pointed out that it is possible that there are even more non-governmental organizations that use the premises.
“Congratulations to the uncreative hooligans for this boring protest in front of the building of the Ministry of Culture. Never before have the ortho-leftists been on my side and appalled by such behaviour,” Iršič commented on the performance in front of the Ministry of Culture. The public relations consultant at the Ministry pointed out that one of the “slaughtered” names was also Miro Petek, the only journalist in Slovenia, who was almost killed for doing his job.
“Unless you leave us alone and give us money, bloody chairs will be all that is left behind from you. This is art? In my book, this is a death threat. This is just what the left-wing programme is like,” Aleksander Rant, the editor-in-chief of Nova24TV, commented on the situation and made it clear that such threats are actually violence.
“Executions and blood on their hands is something these parasites have in their genetic code. They are willing to kill for their privileges. However, as your comrade Kučan would say: ‘Nothing will ever be as it once was!’” Petek commented on the situation.
Fajon in defense of the NGOs at Metelkova
As we have already reported on Nova24TV, the publicly available data from the Erar application shows that the non-governmental organizations, which stayed in the state premises without paying rent, received millions of euros from the state during this time. President of the SD party, Tanja Fajon, also sided with the non-governmental organizations, emphasizing the following: “Minister Simoniti denied hospitality to the NGOs. They will throw the Peace Institute, ŠKUC, City of Women, and others out. If you do not agree with the current government and you are critical of it, it punishes you. Dear Minister, if you have any integrity, withdraw your intentions immediately. #metelkovamesto.”
On the other hand, Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs pointed out that a criminal complaint must be filed by the individuals who were the targets of death threats. According to Hojs, the criminal complaint will first be processed by the police, after which it will be handed over to the prosecutor’s office.
Ivan Šokić
