“This is nothing but a model of authoritarian, partisan, illiberal hijacking of the state and complete subjugation of the media space.”

A notorious photo of Irena Joveva, then still a journalist. With a step stool in front of the SDS headquarters. Dreadful, shameful, whose interests does she represent, did she use a step stool to climb into office … I could read all this nonsense (and more) about myself. But not when the photo was taken – which was on the day of the 2018 parliamentary elections ­– when nobody was bothered by that poor little step stool yet. Except me, because it wasn’t the easiest thing to stand on. 😁 It started bothering people later, when I was elected to the European Parliament. Because they simply had to find something, and this is what they pulled out. Oh, ha ha, how very funny it is that Irena Joveva is standing on a step stool.

Right, let it be funny. I have no problem with that. But I do have a problem with the fact that they also make fun of much more serious things.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about the fact that the long-standing, legendary Studio City presenter Marcel Štefančič is leaving the show. Because that’s what the people in charge have decided. I’m not even going to mention who is to replace him because … because I prefer to quote Marcel: “What is happening now is a twilight zone. I cannot imagine what is in the heads of people who come up with such ideas.”

… And, if I may add, I do know what is in the heads of people who come up with such ideas. They are corrupt, unscrupulous, perverted, despicable heads of enforced conformity, propaganda, discrediting and the desire to devastate everything and everyone who dares to critically evaluate them or the developments related to them.

I am talking about the fact that today is World Press Freedom Day. And that Slovenia has slipped 18 places on the press freedom index, now ranking 54^th. The worst showing in its history. And about the fact that on this very day – how ironic – the model offered to us by the current government has once again ‘proven its worth’. The luckily outgoing government, which, unfortunately, still has enough cronies it has appointed to numerous posts to still be able to cause damage.

To use its final breaths to present all this as “concern” for “media pluralism” and as a fiction that critical media and journalists are linked to communist forces or some other ghosts of the past. That this is a political battle, right vs left and vice versa.

No, it isn’t. It’s very simple. This is nothing but a model of authoritarian, partisan, illiberal hijacking of the state and complete subjugation of the media space. It is an attempt to destroy the public service broadcaster RTV and critical reporting.

If media freedom falls, democracy falls. I am sorry to have to write about this on this day. And I hope with all my heart that on this day a year from now, I will be able to write about better times for journalism in Slovenia. Not only because of the change of power, but also because I sincerely count on European legislation. I count on the forthcoming European Media Freedom Act, which will help us to not only be ‘extremely concerned’ when such things happen in the EU, but will give us a stronger tool to fight power structures that think they can do whatever they like. They can’t. They won’t. Never again!

– Irena