Radnicka Borba – What are the main causes of the current political crisis and the rise of mass discontent?
Luka Mesec – It is a political and economic crisis, a crisis of the neoliberal mode of accumulation. All the main political parties in Slovenia, right and left, accept neoliberalism. The right has imposed itself brutally, in the manner of Thatcher or Reagan, and the so-called left approves it in general, being at best reticent. This is the source of the current protests. Two years ago, the people demanded the departure of the “third way” government led by the social democrat Borut Pahor, now they demand the departure of the right wing “democratic” government, of Janez Janša, installed a year ago.
The immediate reason for the discontent is the brutal reduction in the public sector budget, which has led to layoffs and the reduction of wages (by 8% last spring and now 5%) with the aim of preparing privatisations (telecommunications, railways, oil and so on), as well as the creation of a “dustbin bank” which has spent four billion Euros with a view to guaranteeing claims (including those of the private banks) and again a billion to recapitalise the public banks (which could also be sold off cheaply). Beyond this the government cannot conduct the social dialogue and tries to limit (indeed suppress) referendum by popular initiative. Finally we can add the corruption and clientelism of the Slovene élites.
All this leads to an escalation of protest, which is undoubtedly the most significant in twenty years. These movements have enormous popular support, according to the polls as much as 76% (whereas the government’s support is at 16%). 30% of the population is even convinced that the situation could only be resolved by revolutionary action. In short, people are disappointed by the neoliberal policies imposed by the élites and want a clear alternative.
Some journalists present the consensus of all the social actors as one of the solutions to the crisis. What is your opinion?
The self-styled government of national unity is the strategy of the dominant class, a sort of coalition which should transcend “ideological differences" so as to realise “essential reforms” in areas like pensions, public sector cuts, privatisation, labour market flexibility and so on. It is probable that this will be the next step of the Slovene bourgeoisie, because the governments of the right and the so called left have fallen into disrepute. But as it is our nightmare, we try to resist with all our strength to show that it is not “ideological differences” which are tearing society apart, but the class struggle. We are currently living through a class struggle, between capital and labour, which is coming towards its climax. The moment where the workers take things in hand is not far off.