STA, 18 October 2020 - The Slovenian Journalists' Association (DNS) said on Sunday it was not familiar with the details of an incident that occurred during Friday's protests in Ljubljana involving rapper Zlatko. However, it stressed it condemned all forms of violence, both verbal and physical. The DNS also called on media to act in line with professional standards.

The association said that the society must not accept the atmosphere where verbal and physical attacks become a normal risk for journalists during their work.

The situation is overheating because of the general social atmosphere and an increasingly hostile environment, created by verbal attacks and discreditations by many who should be role models. "This is cause for concern and we will not agree to this," the DNS said in a press release.

Objavljam ekskluzivni posnetek našega snemalca. S posnetka je razvidno, da je raper Zlatko, ki ni upošteval ukrepa nošnje maske na prostem in prepovedi zbiranja nad 10 oseb, udaril po kameri in jo iztrgal iz rok našega snemalca, ki je samo opravljal svoje delo. pic.twitter.com/vAm3zZXbhw

— Luka Svetina (@LukaSvetina) October 16, 2020

Zlatko je fizično napadel snemalca, posredovala je policija. #petkovprotest pic.twitter.com/muSnK1hZ2b

— Aljoša Masten (@mastenMMC) October 16, 2020

Profesionalno delo @policija_si
Ljubljenec @rtvslo se je zjokal po napadu na novinarja #kretenbrezmaske pic.twitter.com/BrJTr41VyA

— Slovenski nacionalist (@BalanticMatjaz) October 16, 2020

It called on everyone, including media, not to take part in creating such an environment. "Media should act in line with professional standards, the code of ethics of Slovenian journalists and the Munich declaration, and not make inciting or insulting reports.

"We promote a professional role of the media in the society, and see them as independent supervisors of those who are on power, not as a part of party propaganda mechanisms."

The Association of Journalists and Commentators (ZNP) strongly condemned on Saturday the incident that occurred during Friday's protests in Ljubljana and involved rapper Zlatko grabbing the camera from a Nova24 cameraman. It said this was an "attack on journalistic freedom and consequently on freedom of expression".

The reaction came after Zlatko approached the Nova24 cameraman and grabbed his camera, demanding that he erase the recording. After police intervened, the camera was returned. Several videos of the incident have been published on social media.

The ZNP said that the attack on the cameraman "just became he does not come from the 'right' media according to [Zlatan] Čordić" was an "attack on journalistic freedom and consequently on freedom of expression. It is inadmissible that violence determines who can do journalism and who risks being attacked."

STA, 9 October 2020 - Police stepped up the IDing of protesters at Friday's 25th anti-government rally in Ljubljana over violations of the decree limiting public assembly during the coronavirus epidemic. Several protesters were removed from the site, while protests labelled the police action "repression and a disgrace".

The enhanced IDing comes after Interior Minister Aleš Hojs announced it earlier in the week as the government adopted stricter public assembly measures to contain the virus.

Nekaj nemira je nastalo ob popisu pisateljice Svetlane Makarovič / @vecer pic.twitter.com/zu1iF5Jm9x

— Žana Vertačnik (@ZanaVertacnik) October 9, 2020

Petkov večer v #Ljubljana. #Slovenija

Vir: MMC RTV Slovenija (foto: BoBo/Žiga Živulović ml.) pic.twitter.com/SGtT7zC6FC

— Dejan Turk (@naobrobju) October 9, 2020

Good night and good luck pic.twitter.com/SvezvhKxye

— @madpixel (@madpixel) October 9, 2020

There were again many protesters, including some well-known public figures, among them poet Svetlana Makarovič.

The majority heeded the calls in social media to arrive by bike and wear face masks, while activists called on them to keep a safe distance and avoid confrontation with the police.

A police officer explained to a protester that she could be contacted by a health inspector to explain the facts and circumstances of the offence for which she was IDed.

Some protesters were removed from Republic Square by police officers, among them riot police, while at least one was detained and taken to a police van.

Jaša Jenull, one of the most outspoken protesters, said the protesters were being responsible, wearing masks, keeping the distance and not gathering in groups of more than ten, while exercising their constitutional right to movement.

Trenutno stanje: naključno popisovanje. pic.twitter.com/upFGGVQEH3

— @madpixel (@madpixel) October 9, 2020

"Despite this, police have dragged some of them from the square ... and IDed many, including pensioners. This is what a dictatorship looks like, this is Janez Janša's Slovenia in 2020. This has to stop," he said and announced the continuation of the Friday protests.

Some protesters shouted at the police that they were protecting villains while following Hojs's dictate and exerting repression on people.

In support of the protesters who were taken away, the protest ended in front of the police station in Trdinova Street.

STA, 11 September 2020 - The 21st consecutive Friday protests in the centre of Ljubljana placed the people's power in the focus as the organisers evoked the provision in the Slovenian Constitution that says power is vested in the people. They urged both individuals and the civil society to stand up to the government.

Gathering in Prešeren Square - there were an estimated 3,000 protesters according to the Ljubljana police - the protesters rose up torches and banners urging the people to defend democracy on the street.

From there, they bicycled or walked to the square in front of Parliament House, where they displayed a flag with the symbol of the Friday protests and lit a "flame of protest" as a sign of resistance.

Speakers were critical not just of the government but also of opposition parties, accusing them of "caving in to Janšism" because they are afraid of fresh elections.

One speaker highlighted "abhorrent processes" going on, including weapons purchases, changes to media law, inadequate care for the elderly, and contradictory measures to combat coronavirus.

They publicly asked the opposition what they will do to make sure the Janez Janša government is brought down. "If your answer is no, we will remember that," said Jaša Jenull, one of the leaders of the protests.

Some of the speeches evoked domestic violence and reports that Poland is supposedly inviting Slovenia to join it in withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty aimed at preventing violence against women.

Vesna Leskošek of the Faculty for Social Work said that a policy based on domination erodes solidarity and justice, not just in the public sphere but also in private, where violence is becoming an acceptable method of subordination.

Smaller protests were also held in Maribor, Velenje, Celje and Nova Gorica.

STA, 21 August 2020 - A number of protesters gathered in Ljubljana's Prešeren Square for the traditional Friday evening protest, this time highlighting the government's oversight of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI, Nacionalnega preiskovalnega urada - NPU)). The crowd, some 3,000 by the organisers' estimate and 1,500 by the police's, accompanied the speeches whistling and shouting "villains".

"We're letting politicians know that interfering in police and their investigations is unacceptable and illegal. The government must not only stop with such actions but also resign," said Teja Jarc of the Young Plus Trade Union.

bolj nas jebete, vec nas je pic.twitter.com/HRdMc67MhA

— Roni Kordiš (@had) August 21, 2020

"This government started pursuing repression as soon as it returned from the summer break to subjugate all social sub-systems, including the police.

"Ever since this government came to power, we have been witnessing autocracy, abuse of power, subjugation of all offices, political staffing, pressure on the media and attempts to frighten all those who are against the disintegration of democracy," she said.

In their invitation to today's protest, the organisers announced that they intended to insist on protests "as long as necessary".

"We won't go along fearmongering, we are not afraid. On the contrary, we had been eagerly waiting for them to return from their villas and swimming pools so that their political houses made of cards will finally crush," they wrote.

People of all ages could be seen at the protest, with half of them wearing face masks. A big banner letting the government know We Are Waiting For You! could be seen.

Following the speeches in Prešeren Square, the protesters proceeded towards the Government Palace in Gregorčičeva Street, where they had more speeches.

Ljubjana police seized a banner with what it termed inadequate content, and established one violation of the law on public assembly and another of public law and order.

All our stories on the NBI and Slovenia, and those on various protests in the country

STA, 7 August 2020 - Anti-government protests continued for the 16th straight Friday in Ljubljana, this time targeting the handling of coronavirus outbreaks at care homes. Meanwhile, dozens took to the streets in Izola following the reports that the coastal town had paid two hotel rooms for Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec.

Protesters in Ljubljana converged on Prešeren Square where they were addressed by Biserka Marolt Meden, the head of an NGO promoting the rights of older people, who lambasted the government policy on aged care facilities and the idea that infected residents should be put up in mobile units.

The protesters demonstrated their opposition to the idea with an impromptu theatrical performance that saw activists carrying politicians' masks being taken by protesters to a container terminal set up at the finish of the protest march near Pionirski Dom.

pic.twitter.com/kcBNuYghKV

— Delo (@Delo) August 7, 2020

Nov petek, nov #protest. V središču Ljubljane so se začeli znova zbirati protivladni protestniki. pic.twitter.com/zArBoLozCR

— Tina Hacler (@TinaHacler) August 7, 2020

Poln trg. pic.twitter.com/G0ua4yzXVZ

— Marin Medak (@marinmedak) August 7, 2020

Sprehod po Miklošičevi ob Himni generacije in glasnih žvižgih na #protest. @rtvslo pic.twitter.com/bZFisnXU9g

— Tina Hacler (@TinaHacler) August 7, 2020

There, a letter was read out written by residents of a care home who expressed their grievances about the lack of social contacts and noted that the right to treatment is a constitutional right. The protest ended with red smoke billowing from the container as a way of demonstrating that such mobile units "may not be the best solution for those ending up in them".

The first of the "politicians" to be taken to the container was the one carrying the mask of Aleksandra Pivec, the agriculture minister and head of the Pensioners Party (DeSUS), who has become embroiled in a series of allegations of corruption, including that the town of Izola paid for a hotel bill for her and her two sons.

Pivec was also the target of protests in Izola, where the participants also demanded the resignation of Mayor Danilo Markočič, a member of Pivec's DeSUS, who has also come under fire for allegations that he has sold an olive orchard for EUR 244,000 to a Russian businessman whose company last year bought a building plot in an elite location from the municipality.

The mayor has rejected calls for resignation, saying he had done nothing wrong.

The protest in Izola was also attended by Ivan Gale, the whistleblower from the Commodity Reserves Agency who has exposed alleged wrongdoing in the procurement of medical supplies.

Protests were also held in other parts of the country.

STA, 24 July 2020 - The Slovenian capital witnessed anti-government protests for the 14th consecutive Friday, with a new focus this time on women's rights.

The protesters, many of them on bicycles, gathered in Prešeren Square before doing a round of Ljubljana's centre, calling at government departments and other spots on the way.

As in the weeks before, participants carried banners expressing discontent with the government. Some were shouting slogans such as "Down with capital" "We won't give in" and calling for a world in which everyone will be able to live a decent life.

The demonstrators did a round of the ministries of health and interior affairs, as well as RTV Slovenija where they expressed their support for the public broadcaster service.

Like the week before, the protest was to wrap up with a "popular assembly" in Prekmurski Trg square, as the participants decided to form their demands and expectations for Slovenia's future.

Protestniki so oboroženi s številnimi transparenti, ki izražajo nezadovoljstvo s trenutno vlado. #protest pic.twitter.com/yut8YpffCv

— Gorazd Kosmač (@kosmacg) July 24, 2020

"Za ribe, za ptice, za delavske pravice", vzklika del protestnikov z okoljevarstveno noto. #protest pic.twitter.com/JfU98cRChu

— Gorazd Kosmač (@kosmacg) July 24, 2020

Mimo Gimnazije Ledina. #protest pic.twitter.com/PGioO1NU9e

— Gorazd Kosmač (@kosmacg) July 24, 2020

Part of the protesters gathered already in the afternoon to call for zero tolerance of sexual harassment and violence against women and expressing support for the MeToo movement.

Those protesters, mostly women, carried slogans saying "yes means yes" to call for a redefinition of rape and crimes against sexual inviolability based on the consent standard.

Trade unionist Tea Jarc made a speech in favour of a ban on Sunday shopping after the government lifted the ban imposed at the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

The pro-government counter-protesters that have become a new feature in recent weeks announced on Twitter today that they would mix amongst the anti-government protesters to conduct a "monitoring" to "identify left extremists".

Protest campaigns were also held in some other Slovenian towns, including Maribor, Piran and Velenje.

STA, 17 July 2020 - Anti-government protests were held in several Slovenian cities for the 13th week running on Friday. The messages remained broadly the same.

In Ljubljana people flocked to Prešeren Square to protest "reign of terror and dictatorship", as an invitation posted in one of the largest protest groups on Facebook said.

The protest culminated with a "people's assembly" in a bid to formulate clearer demands.

In previous weeks anti-government protesters were disrupted by counter-protests staged by a pro-government group that calls itself "Yellow Vests" whose members wear high visibility vests.

RTV je naša, odmeva pic.twitter.com/Ey8hJ12DTq

— Miha Žorž (@mihazorz) July 17, 2020

Casual Friday Biking#protest #biking #freepress #independentmedia #democracy #corruptgovernment #freedom #citylife #people #protesters #police #welikeourpolice #Ljubljana #Slovenia #EU #europe #journalism #streetphotography #ThisIsSlovenia @rtvslohttps://t.co/XVb0ASuIGL pic.twitter.com/kG7nhZnI5V

— Matija Nose (@TheMatN) July 17, 2020

This time the group, some of whose members were outed by leftist media as supporters of Neonazi causes, decided to eschew protesting.

Instead they announced they would mix in with the crowd and covertly snap pictures and films of as many anti-government protesters as possible in order to identify and out them.

There was however a sort of anti-protest prompted by the actions of an individual who last week heckled an accordion player who is a famous permanent presence at Prešeren Square.

Several dozen accordion players gathered there today in support playing Slovenian tunes.

V Ljubljano smo pripeljali harmonikarje iz vse Slovenije v podporo harmonikarju Marku, nad katerim so se prejšnji teden znesli protestniki. Da se Ljubljančani spomnijo slovenskih korenin... pic.twitter.com/uHzSAGyJLV

— Primož Jelševar (@primozjelsevar) July 17, 2020

STA, 15 July 2020 - Several hundred journalists and media workers gathered on Wednesday to protest against a media reform planned by the government in front of the National Assembly, where the parliamentary Culture Committee is discussing the proposed changes to three media laws.

Convinced the reform would undermine the Slovenian public media's financial stability and independence, the protesters urged the independence and freedom of the media in their addresses as well as with banners and shouts.

In an 30-minute protest, addresses were delivered by representatives of the Slovenian Journalist Association (DNS) as well as by journalists and media workers from the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), other media outlets and journalist trade unions.

The bulk of the criticism was directed at the proposal to redistribute RTV Slovenija's licence fee among RTV Slovenija (92%) and the STA (3%) and allocate 5% to promote media plurality.

Nekaj utrinkov s shoda pred državnim zborom, na katerem so novinarji pozvali k neodvisnosti medijev.
Več na: https://t.co/n8J8tihSGv
@društvonovinar @RTV_Slovenija @rtvslo @STA_novice pic.twitter.com/uZo60A9d3u

— STAkrog (@STAkrog) July 15, 2020

The proposal to transfer the appointment of STA supervisors from parliament to the government was severely criticised as well.

"Responsible journalism must always advocate and defend the foundations of democracy in all fields of society ... we must never allow for media freedom to be undermined," said DNS head Petra Lesjak Tušek, a newspaper Večer journalist and editor.

She said the journalist profession and the entire media industry in Slovenia were being devalued, whereas many European countries understand, especially during the coronavirus crisis, that "support for media is part of the solution" rather than a problem, she said.

In a statement read on behalf of STA journalists and editors, Mojca Zorko, home desk editor, wondered who is bothered by the existing provision that the STA must not become - de fact or de iure - dependent on any ideological, political or economic grouping.

"And who would welcome changing the STA leadership every year and a half, which is the average term of Slovenian governments in the past 10 years.

"And why would anyone want to reduce the staff's influence on the appointment of editor-in-chief. The answer is clear and the consequences as well: to destabilise and discredit the STA," Zorko said, stressing the proposed changes were a major step back in providing for the STA's autonomy and independence.

TV Slovenija journalist Miša Molk said the planned cuts in RTV Slovenija's funding entailed killing the public service and politics invading the people's right to information.

The Trade Union of Journalists criticised the government's attempt to interfere in public media and urged the Culture Ministry, which is in charge of media policy, to withdraw the planned changes to the three laws.

The amendments to the media, RTV Slovenija and STA laws have been met with much criticism at home and abroad for the changes they would bring and for a mere week-long public consultation period that was initially envisaged, but prolonged yesterday.

Today's session of the parliamentary committee was demanded by the four left-leaning opposition parties, which argued they were worried about the media reports about the changes to the RTV law which were being drafted by the Culture Ministry in haste and in secret.

All our stories on the media in Slovenia are here

pic.twitter.com/iHsK0HFlGO

— Luka Goršek (@GorsekLuka) July 15, 2020

STA, 10 July 2020 - Anti-government protests resumed for the 12th Friday running in Ljubljana and some other Slovenian towns, with calls in support of independent media added to the list of demands. Also targeted were those who protesters said supported the "unbearable situation" in the country through inaction.

The protests in the capital were centred on the huge square in front of the parliament building which had not been fenced off, but there was considerable police presence, as an anti-protest by government supporters wearing yellow vests was also held simultaneously.

Medtem ko po ljubljanskih ulicah poteka protivladni shod, nekaj deset "rumenih jopičev", ki so jih obkrožili policisti, pred DZ-jem vladi izraža podporo. #petkovprotest pic.twitter.com/OCyAIvmrFN

— Miha Zavrtanik (@MihaZavrtanik) July 10, 2020

Protesters, many of whom arrived on bicycles, presented a variety of demands, including freedom of movement, decision-making, assembly and speech. They slammed corruption, stealing of public money, the government's attitude to NGOs as well as to the media. They also spoke out against the contact tracing app.

Protesters from the western Primorska region and the neighbouring Italy expressed their opposition to what they called historical revisionism and to the planned laying of wreaths by President Borut Pahor at the Foiba of Basovizza memorial, which they see as treason.

#petkoviprotesti pic.twitter.com/jkGnCBZqtf

— Miha Zavrtanik (@MihaZavrtanik) July 10, 2020

For the third time the anti-government protesters were joined by government supporters, some of whom said they wanted to symbolise the voice of conventional workers who they said the "Marxist international" had forgotten about.

Carrying Slovenian flags, the yellow vests voiced their opposition to the Antifa movement, calling out slogans such as being a patriot did not mean being a fascist.

#petkovprotest pic.twitter.com/UQMiIT57Ze

— Miha Zavrtanik (@MihaZavrtanik) July 10, 2020

The anti-government protesters argued that politics was artificially dividing the nation, they said they too fought for Slovenia and that antifascists were not terrorists.

Many of the anti-government protesters were wearing face masks and some wore carnival costumes to mirror the "political political masquerade" in the country.

Touring the streets of Ljubljana, mostly on bicycles, they stopped at the headquarters of junior coalition partners, accusing them of condoning bad practices.

STA, 6 July 2020 - The State Prosecutors' Council condemned a letter PM Janez Janša recently addressed to the state prosecutor general, criticising alleged inaction in prosecuting death threats expressed at anti-government protests and attacks on the police taking place as part of them. It labelled the letter an "unacceptable and political pressure".

In the 19 June letter to Drago Šketa, Janša said the prosecution was neglecting its legal role in relation to the anti-government protests for failing to respond to incitement to violence.

Janša also said that Šketa would be responsible if the violence escalated. "You will be directly responsible for any potential victims of the organised threats," Janša wrote, referring to slogans and banners such as Death to Janšism.

Ker je neuradni Uradni list #Globokadržava @Dnevnik_si objavil insinuacije o mojem pismu Generalnemu državnemu tožilcu glede organiziranih grožnjah s smrtjo, ki jih omogoča in posredno vzpodbuja ljubljansko tožilstvo, si lahko v nadaljevanju preberete celoten dopis. pic.twitter.com/dHQdJVThTZ

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) July 2, 2020

The Prosecutorial Council sees the latter as unacceptable and political pressure by the most senior representative of the executive branch of power on the state prosecutor general.

It believes that by referring to Šketa's direct responsibility, the letter expects him to act in contradiction with his legal powers, or the systemic arrangement of the state prosecution in Slovenia, which would result in an unacceptable encroachment on the independence of state prosecutors.

The council stressed that state prosecutors were independent under the law, bound only by the law and the constitution, and that the head of the state prosecution could not force a state prosecutor to take a specific decision in a specific case.

The council moreover referred to the Constitutional Court arguing in one of its rulings that an arrangement enabling unacceptable pressure on a state prosecutor to act in a certain manner would be in contradiction with the Constitution.

A similar response came from Šketa, who said last week that the state prosecution and state prosecutors worked efficiently and in line with the law. Janša's letter was also criticised by part of the opposition, with the Social Democrats (SD) saying they could file an impeachment motion against the prime minister.