Opposition join massive anti-government protest in Ljubljana

Opposition leader Janez Janša and representatives of several other right-wing parties joined a massive anti-government rally in Ljubljana with Janša calling for a coalition to win at least two-thirds majority in parliament.

The rally was organised by The Voice of Pensioners party and the 1 October Institute, which had staged a number of protests by pensioners in the Slovenian capital over the past two years. The leader of the party and the group is Pavel Rupar, a former MP for Janša's Democratic Party (SDS).

The protesters gathered in the Republic Square in front of parliament, many carrying Slovenian flags and banners saying 'Arrest the government' and 'Fair pensions for all'. They walked to the government building where Rupar called on the government to resign in 30 days or the protests would intensify.

The protesters, among them several SDS MPs, then returned in front of the National Assembly to be addressed by Rupar and Janša.

"For the so-called NGOs that call for death, for illegal migrants, for terrorists in Palestine, for the research of genders in the Sub-Saharan Africa, you are spending money for all of this. And then there is not enough money for decent wages, for decent pensions, for better living conditions, for the youth to get homes and a better education, for everything that creates a good future," Janša said.

He urged reason and courage to bring about change, and a convincing win in the next general election, due next year. Janša has served as PM three times before and his party is in the lead in opinion polls. Two recent polls gave it 24%, against 13% to 16% mustered by the Freedom Movement of PM Robert Golob.

"We've reached a point when we need to pull the brakes before the collapse of the civilisation and when it has to be enshrined in the Constitution that the father is a man and the mother a woman," Janša said.

To amend the Constitution, Janša will need the support of 60 MPs, where the formula for success will be "whoever is not against us is with us," he said. He also wants to protect the freedom of speech, the right to dignity and normalcy and protect taxpayers from unreasonable taxes.

Representatives of the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) and the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) and National Party (SNS) also addressed the protesters. They called for higher pensions, and criticised the the Robert Golob government's record, especially regarding the housing situation.

Head of the NSi senior division Zdravko Luketič said "there has been enough of trampling on traditional Slovenian values and enough of the Golob government that is deaf and blind to the problems of normal people and older pensioners".

The protesters were urged to submit signatures for a referendum initiated by the SDS on legislation that grants pension bonuses to deserving artists. "This will also be a referendum against this crazy government. And a strong no vote will shorten the duration of this deluded madness," Janša said.

Responding to the protest, ruling coalition parties accused Rupar and the SDS of exploiting pensioners to make a political comeback and said the pensioners were the biggest victims during Janša's government. They said it became obvious that Rupar and his party were nothing but a satellite of the SDS, something that Rupar rejected.