Prime Minister Janez Janša: Transitional left-wing parties feared that their media monopoly in Slovenia would be threatened
The Prime Minister said in the introduction that the commission of inquiry had been set up because “the transitional left-wing parties feared that their media monopoly in Slovenia would be endangered.”
Afterwards, Prime Minister Janša answered many different questions about his knowledge of individual companies, their operations and business, and about ownership shares in these companies, the operations of the Slovenian Democratic Party, and asked about his knowledge of individuals.
The Prime Minister did not comment on the business of private companies. “If you have a question about the business of private companies, ask the owners of these companies. I find it ridiculous that you ask me about the business of private companies, even those that amount to 5,000 or 6,000 euros,” the prime minister said. He added that he was not invited to the session of the commission of inquiry as a representative of companies, but as the president of the Slovenian Democratic Party, and stressed that he would expect questions related to the subject of the parliamentary inquiry. He added that the disposal of the property of the owners of the company was entirely their decision and their own activity.
The Prime Minister has already heard about the Hungarian company Ripost, as reported in the media, but this is the first time he has heard about Media Works Hungary. At the session of the commission of inquiry, the Prime Minister also heard about Kesma for the first time (according to MP Jani Möderndorfer, it is an organization of 476 Hungarian media outlets whose common feature is their editorial policy, which they describe as pro-government).
Prime Minister Janša was also asked about certain Hungarian individuals, who emphasized that it was quite possible that he had met some of the listed persons, but did not say that he knew anyone.
Asked about the interests of Hungarian companies in the Slovenian media, the Prime Minister said that he believed that the mentioned Hungarian individuals would “have a hard time influencing 99 percent of Slovenian media firmly in the hands of transitional left parties.” “If we changed the names in the resolutions and connections pointed out by Mr. Möderndorfer, we would create a Slovenian media octopus, which is certainly ten times worse than what you assume. in the case of Hungary, and it is directly related to the parties you represent here, “said the Prime Minister regarding the Hungarian interest in the Slovenian media. He also pointed out that during the time of the left-wing governments in Slovenia, billions of euros were sold or transferred to the fund, I think it is called York, and this fund then saved Mladina and some other media in Slovenia. “In his answers to the questions, Prime Minister Janša also wondered what impact the Hungarian government could have on the Slovenian media, as its capital share in the Slovenian media is probably less than one percent of all foreign investments.” Which companies have investments that amount to a few tenths of a percent of all foreign investments in the media? “the Prime Minister asked. He compared this percentage of influence with the influence of the transitional left in the Slovenian media.” to the fact that when the failed media empire of tycoon Odlazek was transferred to a bad bank, a contract was signed with this tycoon, according to which, through a minority stake – as a large part of outstanding debts was transferred to a bad bank – 75% of voting rights you are not researching Slovenian state capital or Slovenian public finances was directly damaged, but the tycoon was still allowed to have 75% of the vote It is not just a matter of damaging public finances, it is a striking political corruption that is crying in the sky, and after its discovery it has been dragging on in the courts for two years. , while the situation is still the same, “said the Prime Minister.
Regarding the ownership structures of individual companies, the Prime Minister said that “the ownership structure of the weekly Mladina has not been known for decades, although the weekly was financed from overpaid vascular stents and was financially saved by the fund to which you sold it. Slovenian tourist gems, but no one was upset, even though it is about Slovenian capital and Slovenian property and the money of Slovenian taxpayers. ” they asked him. “Regarding the ownership share of individual companies, it is possible to look in business registers and find out who the owners are,” he added. “SDS has had a minority stake in Nova Obzorja for decades, while it has no shares in the media companies Nova24TV and Nova hiša. However, if a member of the Slovenian Democratic Party bought shares when they were available, it is a matter for each individual,” he said. to questions about the ownership interests of the Slovenian Democratic Party in individual media.
The Prime Minister also explained who and how decides on the operation of the Slovenian Democratic Party and said that the SDS is regularly monitored by the Court of Audit and that the SDS has a supervisory body that oversees operations. “All operations are carried out in accordance with the statute. If the Court of Auditors found what it found in the Social Democrats (SD), that is, that the bills for the election campaign were not paid, they would be subject to the most severe sanctions.” The Court of Auditors has never closed its eyes to us and is examining us very thoroughly, “the Prime Minister added.
Regarding individual issues, the Prime Minister also highlighted the advertising campaigns of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food at the time when the ministry was headed by Minister Dejan Židan. “Minister Židan spent EUR 3 million on advertising in the Slovenian media through various agencies, which later campaigned for various parties,” said the Prime Minister, adding that Slovenian state-owned companies had transferred tens of millions of euros to various media. for advertising campaigns that had no effect, “but these media strongly supported the Social Democrats (SD), the Marjan Šarc List (LMŠ), the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) and other political parties.”
The Prime Minister proposed that the commission of inquiry begin to deal with the issue of commissions related to the crime of money laundering for almost two billion dollars in the then largest state-owned bank Nova Ljubljanska banka (NLB Bank).