Prime Minister Janez Janša for Planet TV: The politics of exclusion should not become the new normal

SLOVENIA, June 26 - According to the Prime Minister, unity was crucial in defending Slovenia — the same unity that the nation had demonstrated in the plebiscite, despite doubts, warnings and claims that an independent state would not succeed.

The Prime Minister also addressed the current political situation, saying that Slovenia has for too long been marked by a logic of division. He stressed that cooperation should be understood as something self-evident, not as an exception. “The politics of exclusion must not become the new normal,” he warned. He added that the answer to the question of future political cooperation lies primarily in the hands of voters, who will decide whether they continue to support the politics of exclusion or give priority to cooperation and connection. In this context, he again recalled the values that brought Slovenia together at the time of independence. “We Slovenians must place at the forefront the things that united us, not those that divided us throughout history,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

He also commented on the address delivered by the President of the Republic at the state ceremony. He said that criticism of the executive branch did not in itself bother him, as it was part of a free democratic society. What he found concerning, however, was that such criticism, in his view, tended to be particularly pronounced when the country was led by a centre-right government. Asked about the booing directed at the President of the Republic during the ceremony, he said that he himself would not boo at a Statehood Day ceremony, but that he understood that part of the public had been upset by what they perceived as double standards in the assessment of different governments. He was also critical of the fencing installed at the ceremony venue, describing it as a mistake that should not be repeated. Regarding the incident involving the flags of standard-bearers, he explained that this was not an issue to be resolved at government level, but an organisational matter that was eventually settled by the competent authorities. Looking ahead, he said that this area would need to be regulated by clearer rules.

The Prime Minister also spoke about public finances, assessing that the situation was not as dramatic as during the financial crisis, but remained serious. For that reason, he said, there would not be sufficient funding for all planned expenditure and projects. On the issue of financing non-governmental organisations, he rejected allegations that their freedom was being restricted. He stressed that each taxpayer should be able to decide on part of this funding themselves, describing this as the fairest approach to the allocation of public money.