STA, 24 August 202 - Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva (LMŠ/Renew) has recently become a target of insults on social media and web portals linked to the ruling Democrats (SDS) because of her Macedonian descent, the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) has said.
Joveva revealed she had been a target of insults in a Facebook post last Thursday, noting that she was not bothered by them on a personal level, but rather concerned about the course of Slovenian politics.
Kje in kdaj se konča strpnost do nestrpnosti? “Neslovenka. Antislovenka. Nakaza. Glupača. Čistokrvna socialistična...
Posted by Irena Joveva on Thursday, 20 August 2020
Her LMŠ party said today Joveva had been a target of systemic insults and harassment from some party media and individuals associated with the SDS on social media. To top it all, web portal Nova24TV published an article on Sunday referring to Joveva as a Macedonian MEP, the LMŠ said.
The full Nova24TV story is here
"Joveva was born in Slovenia, stood for MEP in Slovenia and was elected in Slovenia. Her descent, which she is particularly proud of, is her personal matter and something that does not belong in the political discourse of Slovenia in the 21st century," the LMŠ said.
The opposition party also called on Prime Minister Janez Janša, the SDS head, who is a co-owner of Nova24TV to make sure that "his portal stops publishing insulting, nationalist and racist articles, which are putting Slovenia on the inglorious map of countries ruled by parties that systematically spread intolerance, hate speech and harmful nationalism, which has tragically marked Europe's history in the 20th century".
The Prime Minister's office wrote in a statement for the STA that it would not comment on the appeal.
The LMŠ also called on junior coalition parties, especially those that declare themselves centrist, to clearly say whether they support such spreading of intolerance and hostile nationalism by the senior coalition party
