STA, 28 October 2020 - The Civil Society Alliance, an ad-hoc group, has urged the National Assembly to put an end to the government's abuse of the Covid-19 epidemic for its own ideological agenda and for an enhanced introduction of authoritarianism.
The public appeal, filed to parliament on Wednesday, remains open for signing after it has already been joined by 42 organisations and over 740 individuals.
The alliance brings together anti-government protesters, individuals and civil groups after Friday cycling rallies were suspended due to the worsening of the epidemic and other forms of protest were announced last week.
The appeal shows that those who penned it have come together to restore democracy and the rule of law and boost the welfare state, social responsibility and solidarity.
In a statement in front of the National Assembly, they said the appeal aimed to remind MPs of their constitutional right and duty to recall such a government.
Ex-Health Minister Dušan Keber (2000-2004) said that "instead of fully focussing on containing the epidemic, which poses a tremendous health and economic threat and threatens to turn into a humanitarian catastrophe sooner or later, the government is adopting laws and by-laws, appointing staff along the party lines, attacking the media, subjugating the police, humiliating judges and attacking the civil society in the shadow of paralysed public life and in the absence of public debate".
The alliance urges the government to withdraw the changes to media legislation and the bills on the demographic fund and on the abolishment of several public agencies.
It also takes issue with excluding NGOs from environmental procedures and evicting NGOs from the Metelkova complex and with a bill on investment in military equipment.
Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič announced after receiving the appeal, which the alliance hopes would gather 50,000 signatures, that he would distribute it to all MPs.
While every MPs can form their own opinion on the proposals in the appeal, Zorčič believes the assessment that democracy is being trampled on is exaggerated.
He said that "nothing has happened that would warrant such action" on the part of the National Assembly.
Zorčič however said the protesters' decision to suspend Friday cycling rallies was a responsible move.
