STA, 25 May 2021 - The ruling Democrats (SDS) have defended a draft resolution they plan to adopt at the upcoming congress and which warns about the possibility of civil war and leftist extremism, as the opposition stepped up criticism of a document they claim constitutes scaremongering.
"If anyone thinks advocacy of constitutionality and respect for the Slovenian constitution is controversial, there's something wrong with them," Branko Grims, a senior lawmaker for the SDS, told the press on Tuesday.
The SDS wants to preserve the constitutional order, democracy and security in Slovenia, and that is the only clear message of the resolution, he said.
The statement comes after several media leaked a resolution the party plans to adopt at its congress in June and which warns of the dangers of the opposition Left, extremists, leftists and the escalation of tensions. [See more here]
It says that Slovenia has been experiencing street violence perpetrated by extremists who are backed by leftist political forces and often have ties with foreign movements, describing the SDS a party that promotes democracy, the rule of law and high standards to protect human rights.
Grims alleged the Left plans "to drive businessmen into the sea with bayonets", noting that "those who agree with that and tolerate that are driving Slovenia into civil war".
He was referring to a manifesto widely circulated by government supporters on social media that was attributed to the Left but which the Left said was completely fabricated and had nothing to do with the party.
"The Left should prove what is true and what is not true," he said, adding that a Left MP had posted that manifesto on his Facebook page.
Asked whether such resolutions will not end up worsening political tensions, Grims said the political arena was being "heated up by leftists who have gone crazy on the streets of Ljubljana".
The resolution was already condemned yesterday, and the opposition parties stepped up their criticism today.
"The deeper he is in [trouble], the more radical his moves, his latest being scaremongering with civil war," Left leader Luka Mesec said about the SDS leader, Prime Minister Janez Janša.
He sees the resolution as a sign he and the party are afraid of the Left and were trying to demonise it.
"Unfortunately, we're in a country where the prime minister and his party depict a topsy-turvy world, where those of us who are on the front lines defending democracy are becoming perpetrators in the eyes of these people - the people who are actually demolishing institutions."
LMŠ leader Marjan Šarec said the SDS messed up everything and was now resorting to ideology, noting that such manifestos are primarily designed to consolidate the party.
"Talking about the possibility of civil war is utterly abhorrent. We know the situation is not the way they are trying to depict it. The fact is that 75% of the people did not vote for the SDS and the nation is far from split. The majority of the nation disagrees with the current state," he said.
Social Democrat (SD) president Tanja Fajon described the resolution as "absurd, dangerous and worrisome, because it does not warn against civil war, it is menacing".
"Janša is indicating a very dangerous course for the country's future ... he's putting himself above the Constitution," according to Fajon.
SAB leader Alenka Bratušek said her party could not believe that the SDS "can really be so crazy". The party is convinced this is a diversionary tactic to divert attention from the "disastrous state of public finances, public health and foreign policy".
SDS warns about leftists, extremists in draft manifesto
STA, 24 May 2021 - The ruling Democrats (SDS) warns of the dangers of the opposition Left, extremists, leftists and the escalation of circumstances in one of the five draft manifestos sent to its local branches ahead of the party congress, which is expected to be held on 19 June.
The SDS sent the drafts to the party's municipal and city committees, including a draft resolution titled For Defence of Constitutional Foundations of the Slovenian State, the news portal 24ur.com reported.
The draft warns of the above-mentioned dangers, pointing to an attack on Slovenia's democracy. It says that Slovenia has been experiencing street violence perpetrated by extremists who are backed by leftist political forces and often have ties with foreign movements.
The proposed manifesto analyses the political situation in Slovenia, describing the SDS as the only Slovenian party with everything in order and long-term political organisations in place. The party finds these to be the attributes of other serious parties worldwide.
What also sets the SDS apart from other Slovenian parties is the fact that it is capable of leading the country at any time, the draft reads.
There are too many impromptu parties in Slovenia, while the traditional ones are dying out, the SDS thinks. As the launch of new parties and new faces is mainly common for the left pole of the political spectrum, there are many cases of completely incompetent appointments at the governmental level with grave consequences, says the party.
The SDS meanwhile sees itself as a party that promotes democracy, the rule of law and high standards to protect human rights.
The party says that Slovenian democracy has not matured, noting that the situation has been worsening since the "extremist political party Left" made it to parliament in 2014.
According to the SDS, the Left's programme is the first by any party or movement that is directly at odds with the Constitution.
Moreover, the SDS says that the extremists' supporters could be found in EU institutions as well, particularly the European Commission and European Parliament, where they "plot against the [Slovenian] government and prime minister and accuse him of curtailing media freedom".
Noting that it will safeguard democracy and the Constitution, the party warns of the risk of the escalation in the polarisation, including the risk of a civil war.
Responding to the draft, the Left said that the SDS was again painting a picture that had nothing to do with reality.
"While they themselves with their government are bringing down the media, democratic institutions and courts, they portray themselves as democrats in the manifesto, as a party that would defend democracy. But facts speak for themselves," says the Left, warning that Slovenia is turning into an authoritarian regime.
"To depict themselves as saviours they naturally need scapegoats. That is why they pointed to the Left in the manifesto," the Left adds, describing itself as a thorn in the SDS's side that is not afraid of the ruling party's intimidation and manipulation and will do all it can to unseat this party, "which is growing into a criminal organisation", via an election as soon as possible.
Tanja Fajon, the leader of the opposition Social Democrats (SD), has also responded, saying that "the SDS is not cautioning against a civil war, but threatening with it to legitimatise in advance repression against those who think differently".
"There is only one option: peace. There is only one strategy: cooperation. There is only one solution for Slovenia: early election," she said.
