2012–2013 Slovenian protests explained

2012–2013 Slovenian protests
Date:	– ^[1]
Place:	Slovenia
Causes:	Political corruption Favouritism, Nepotism and Clientelism
Goals:	Resignation of mayor Franc Kangler and end of corruption and clientelism in the City Municipality of Maribor Resignation of the government Abolition of the immunity from prosecution for members of the National Assembly and the National Council^[2] Spread of the protests throughout Slovenia; resignations and prosecutions of politicians and other members of elite, accused of corruption
Methods:	Civil resistance^[3] ^[4] ^[5] ^[6] ^[7] ^[8] ^[9] Demonstrations Online activism^[10] Police brutality Riots^[11] Vandalism^[12] ^[13] ^[14] ^[15] ^[16] ^[17] ^[18] ^[19]
Result:	Franc Kangler's membership in the Slovenian People's Party revoked^[20] Demands for resignation of mayors in Trebnje and Novo mesto^[21] Kangler announces he will not run for a third mayoral term^[22] The Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia exits the ruling coalition in the city council^[23] Srečko Zorko, the ranking Slovenian People's Party city councillor resigns his position Kangler announces his resignation as Mayor of Maribor^[24] Kanglers' mandate to become a member of the National Council is rejected by a vote of 19 to 18^[25]
Injuries:	65
Arrests:	150 See: casualties section below.

The 2012–2013 Slovenian protests were a series of anti-establishment and anti-government protests. Protesters expressed disapproval with the country's ruling political elite, including Maribor mayor Franc Kangler, prime minister Janez Janša, and parliamentary opposition leader Zoran Janković (all of whom stood accused of corruption by Commission for the Prevention of Corruption).^{[26] [27] [28] [29] [30]}

Protests began on 2 November 2012 as the 2012–2013 Maribor protests against the city's mayor Franc Kangler^[31] and subsequently spread to other cities across the country, with protesters demanding resignations and prosecution of politicians and other members of the elite, accused of corruption.^{[32] [33] [34] [35] [36]}

Background

Government under the right-wing leader Janez Janša responded to the weakening of Slovenian economy during the global economic crisis and European sovereign-debt crisis with opening up old ideological fronts against liberal media, and against public sector - especially educational and cultural sectors, accusing them of being under influence of members of old regime (called Udbomafia and "Uncles from Behind the Scenes" (In Slovene: "strici iz ozadja")^[37]) and against everyone who doubted that austerity measures forced upon Slovenia are right ones.^{[38] [39]}

In relation to the allegations made by official Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, Janša's party sent letters to the right-wing European Parliament members, discrediting the Commission's report as part of "the communist campaign that begun in 1983 with the aim to remove Janša from politics".^[40] Since Janša was ignoring the report and his party didn't offer any replacement for him, all three coalition parties and their leaders left the government within weeks and were subjected to ad hominem attacks by Janez Janša who accused the SLS's leader Radovan Žerjav of being "the worst (economics) minister in history of Slovenia", while the leader of the Civic List Gregor Virant has been mocked by Janša as engaging in "virantovanje" (a play on words with kurentovanje, a Slovenian carnival festival).^{[41] [42] [43]}

Reception

Reception by public intellectuals

The cause for demonstrations has been attributed by some public intellectuals to misunderstanding of post-socialist political elite who rejected "collectivism as socialist pattern" while, according to notable Slovene anthropologist Vesna V. Godina it is in fact a "pre-socialist pattern", originating from the way the traditional Slovene rural community was functioning much longer than in other – mainly Protestant and to much lesser degree in the mainly Catholic – modern nations, who have replaced traditional political culture earlier in history by the modern representative democracy and individualism.^[44]

Timeline

List of 2012 and 2013 Slovenian protests and figures from the events

Date	Venue	Number of demonstrators^1	Arrests	Protesters	Police
				Injured^2
27 November 2012	Ljubljana	1,000^[45]	n/a	1	n/a
28 November 2012	Jesenice	60^[46]	n/a	n/a	n/a
29 November 2012	Kranj	1,000^[47]	2	n/a	n/a
30 November 2012
	Ajdovščina	200	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Koper	250	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Ljubljana	10,000^[48]	30	11	15
	Nova Gorica	400–1,500^[49]	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Novo mesto	300	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Trbovlje	300	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Velenje	350	n/a	n/a	n/a
2 December 2012	Krško	200^[50]	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 December 2012
	Celje	2,500	15	n/a	n/a
	Ljubljana	4,000	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Ptuj	600	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Ravne na Koroškem	500	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Trbovlje	400	n/a	n/a	n/a
4 December 2012	Jesenice	400^[51]	11	n/a	n/a
6 December 2012
	Koper	400^[52]	15	n/a	n/a
	Kranj	500	n/a	n/a	n/a
7 December 2012
	Ajdovščina	200^[53]	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Bohinjska Bistrica	30	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Ljubljana	1,000–2,000	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Murska Sobota	2,000–2,500	n/a	n/a	n/a
8 December 2012	Nova Gorica	300	n/a	n/a	n/a
9 December 2012	Brežice	100–200^[54]	n/a	n/a	n/a
11 January 2013	Ljubljana	8000+^[55]	2	n/a	n/a
8 February 2013	Ljubljana	20,000+^[56]	5	n/a	n/a
9 March 2013	Ljubljana	5,000+^[57]	4	n/a	n/a

Notes

Note 1: The number of protesters is approximate, given by the media.

Note 2: The list includes only those who sought and received medical treatment.

See also

• Trans-Universal Zombie Church of the Blissful Ringing
• List of protests in the 21st century

Notes and References

1. Web site: "Četudi ubijejo očeta treh otrok, vstaje ne bo konec".
2. News: Obsedno stanje v MB - ranjeni trije policisti, aretiranih več protestnikov . . T. H. . A. K. K. . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
3. News: V središču Maribora obsedno stanje . . Aleš Lednik . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012 . 18 February 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130218070159/http://web.vecer.com/portali/vecer/v1/default.asp?kaj=3&id=2012112605855102 . dead .
4. News: Največji protesti proti Kanglerju doslej . . K. P . L. C. . I. H. . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
5. News: Gotof, gotovi: Druga MB fstaja (v živo) . . Pi. K. . Ti. K. . sl . 26 November 2012 . 27 November 2012.
6. News: Policija: Ravnanje policistov na protestih je bilo povsem v skladu s pravili . . S.S. . sl . 27 November 2012 . 27 November 2012.
7. News: Solzivec v deklico: Ati, nič ne vidim, oči me pečejo . . Mo.S. . sl . 27 November 2012 . 27 November 2012.
8. News: Maribor: Pridržanih 60 ljudi, poškodovanih 6 policistov . . L.D. . sl . 3 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
9. News: Začelo se je z zažgano balo sena, končalo z granitnimi kockami in aretacijami . . Neda Došenović . Danijela Levpušček . Gregor Gruber . Saša Senica . Mateja Klavs . sl . 3 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
10. News: Nad Kanglerja tudi Anonymous - padla spletna stran občine . . B. V. . T. K. B. . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
11. News: Mariborski protestnik z zlomljeno čeljustjo si bo 'proteste zapomnil za vse življenje' . N.Š. . . sl . 4 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
12. News: Zagoreli novi mariborski radarji . . A.S. . sl . 21 October 2012 . 30 November 2012.
13. News: V Mariboru odslej kazni, radarji spet goreli . . T.K.B . sl . 23 October 2012 . 30 November 2012.
14. News: V Mariboru ponoči gorel že peti radar . . A.K.K . sl . 24 October 2012 . 30 November 2012.
15. News: V Mariboru gorela še dva radarja, občina se brani očitkov . . L. L. . Al. Ma. . sl . 30 October 2012 . 30 November 2012.
16. News: Mariborčani zažgali že osmi radar . . Breda Čepe . Radio Maribor . sl . 7 November 2012 . 30 November 2012.
17. News: Zagorel že deveti mariborski radar . . B. V. . sl . 10 November 2012 . 30 November 2012.
18. News: 10 radarjev je gorelo, 11. so izruvali, KPK uvedel preiskavo . C.S. . . sl . 15 November 2012 . 1 December 2012.
19. News: Razdejanje v Mariboru: pridržanih 120 ljudi, ranjenih več kot 30 . . T. K. B. . sl . 4 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
20. News: Vodstvo SLS Kanglerja izključilo iz stranke . . STA . sl . 22 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
21. News: Ko župani prebledijo: "Gotof je!" efekt se širi . . sl . 23 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
22. News: Kangler kot župan ne bo odstopil, želi pa se umakniti iz politike . . Robert Galun . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
23. News: Mariborska koalicija skrhana, izstopa eden ključnih Kanglerjevih svetnikov. 4 December 2012. MMC RTV Slo. 2 December 2012.
24. News: "Gotof" je: Franc Kangler napovedal odstop . T.K.B . . sl . 5 December 2012 . 5 December 2012.
25. News: Kangler ni postal državni svetnik, gre na ustavno sodišče. 13 December 2012. MMC RTV Slo. 12 December 2012.
26. News: Kangler je korumpiran. Pika. . . Rok Kajzer . sl . 15 November 2012 . 23 November 2012.
27. News: Protikorupcijska komisija: Kangler vpleten v korupcijo . . B.G. . STA . N.D. . M.K. . sl . 15 November 2012 . 23 November 2012.
28. News: Mariborska hobotnica . . sl . 2 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140505105759/http://ris.vecer.com/risstorage4/_Mariborska/1012Hobotnica1.JPG . 5 May 2014 . dead.
29. News: Mreža Franca Kanglerja . Ali Žerdin . . sl . 3 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
30. News: Mariborčani: Kangler naj v dobro mesta odstopi . . Robert Galun . Miha Rubin . sl . 22 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
31. News: Mariborska opozicija zahteva, da župan pokaže dokumentacijo . A.S. . . sl . 2 November 2012 . 30 November 2012.
32. News: V Mariboru prijetih najmanj 25 nasilnežev, poškodovanih pa 15 ljudi . . S.S. . M.R. . sl . 26 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
33. News: V Trbovljah državi prižgali svečo, mirno tudi drugje . . T.H. . sl . 30 November 2012 . 1 December 2012.
34. News: V Mariboru razdejanje, v Ljubljani sproščeno . Al. Ma. . L. L. . B. V. . A. Č. . . sl . 3 December 2012 . 4 December 2012.
35. News: Protest v Celju: pridržali 15 oseb, 15-letnika že izpustili . Vesna Lambergar . Matic Flajšman . Polona Šemnički . . sl . 3 December 2012 . 5 December 2012.
36. News: Ajdovci politike pošiljajo "v maloro" . . G. C. . Al. Ma. . sl . 7 December 2012 . 8 December 2012.
37. http://www.dnevnik.si/mnenja/stalisca/strici-iz-ozadjaa Uncles from Behind the Scenes
38. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19908649 IMF calls time on austerity - but can Greece survive?
39. https://www.dnevnik.si/slovenija/v-ospredju/samovolja-politikov-presega-vse-meje A Symposium of Law Experts. Political arbitrariness has gone wild.
40. http://www.dnevnik.si/slovenija/v-ospredju/pribac-sdsova-ocena-trenutnega-stanja-v-drzavi-neposredno-zaljiva-za-vecino-slovencev- Pribac: The SDS Letter Is Interpreting the Recent 30 Years of Slovene History as Socialist Conspiracy Against Janša
41. http://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/jansa-vlado-je-zapustil-najslabsi-minister-za-gospodarstvo-v-zgodovini-slovenije-zerjav-hvala-in-vse-dobro/303143 - Janša to Žerjav: The worst minister for economy in the history of Slovenia has left the government
42. http://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/predsedniki-strank-so-se-dogovorili-da-se-bodo-potrudili/302392 Section of Virant: Virantovanje resembles kurentovanje
43. http://www.delo.si/novice/politika/desus-zapusca-koalicijo.html Desus has left the government
44. http://www.7dni.com/v1/default.asp?kaj=2&id=05858505 Interview
45. News: Protestniki pred DZ-jem: Obrnite se proti parlamentu, barabe so tam! . . A.Č. . Luka Lukič . sl . 27 November 2012 . 26 November 2012.
46. News: Na Jesenicah protestiralo okoli 60 ljudi: "Ejga, konc je!" . . A.Č. . sl . 28 November 2012 . 28 November 2012.
47. News: Kranjski protesti minili mirno, razbiti dve šipi, dva človeka pridržana . . A.Č. . sl . 29 November 2012 . 29 November 2012.
48. News: Ranjenih 11 protestnikov in 15 policistov. 30 pridržanih. . . Al. Ma. . T. H. . S. B. L. B. V. . sl . 30 November 2012 . 1 December 2012.
49. News: 300 ljudi v Novi Gorici proti državni politiki . . B.V. . sl . 8 December 2012 . 8 December 2012.
50. News: Protestni shod na trgu Matije Gubca v Krškem . . A. S. . Goran Rovan . sl . 2 December 2012 . 2 December 2012.
51. News: Prekinjen protestni shod na Jesenicah. 11 pridržanih. . G.C. . . sl . 4 December 2012 . 5 December 2012.
52. News: V Kopru v sodno palačo letela pirotehnična sredstva . . S. B. L. . A. S. . sl . 6 December 2012 . 7 December 2012.
53. News: 1.000 ljubljanskih protestnikov s pesmijo in plesom "proti diktaturi kapitala" . . Al. Ma. . sl . 7 December 2012 . 8 December 2012.
54. News: V Brežicah proti politični eliti in korupciji . . B.R. . sl . 9 December 2012 . 10 December 2012.
55. News: 2. vseslovenska vstaja (v živo) . Pi. K. . Ni. K. . An. B. . 11 January 2013 . Delo . 9 February 2013.
56. News: Največja vseslovenska vstaja do zdaj. Protestiralo 20.000 ljudi. . 9 February 2013 . RTV Slovenia . 9 February 2013.
57. News: 4. vseslovenska vstaja končna s pozivom: Oblast ljudem! . 9 March 2013 . RTV Slovenia . 14 March 2013.