|
President of the Republic spoke with Jelka Strojan today
Ljubljana, 12/22/2006 | press release
Bellow is a public communiqué of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Janez Drnovšek:
“Yesterday the houses of the Strojan family were torn down, because they were illegally built. There are many other illegal buildings in Slovenia, but those were not torn down.
Mother Jelka Strojan and her children are now under the roof of the sky. It's winter, and in all likelihood it will get colder still.
As the President of this country, I am dismayed and deeply disappointed that something like that could have happened in Slovenia. I cannot accept the legalistic explanation that this must have happened. Did it have to happen now, in the eve of Christmas and New Year, now when everybody is in festive mood? And while everybody celebrates the Holidays, Jelka Strojan and her children will be freezing, deprived of a roof above their heads, in front of the eyes of entire Slovenia.
I have sent my representatives to Mother Strojan today in order to persuade her to take the children and find refuge in the Centre for Foreigners in Postojna. So that she can be kept warm these days, awaiting a solution. She was not persuaded. After a lengthy conversation over the phone, sadly, I myself failed to persuade her as well. She tells me that there was enough waiting. She would not go back to the Centre. They will stay where they are no matter what happens. After the last few torturous months, one can understand her.
The Government is not successful solving this problem. Bureaucrats demonstrated their total heartlessness. Who can help at all? Civil society, perhaps: the citizens who are ashamed of what is going on. If we do something to help Jelka Strojan, we will ourselves be able to enjoy Christmas and New Year's Holiday in greater peace and satisfaction.”
|
Office of the President of the Republic
Erjavčeva 17
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
phone: +386 1 478 12 22
fax: +386 1 478 13 57
gp.uprs@up-rs.si
|