Ljubljana - Representatives of six opposition parties appeared in a end-of-year talk at the public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening to discuss several issues. Most of them were against mandatory vaccination against Covid-19, citing great distrust of the people towards the authorities and misinformation that causes fear in some people.

The talk featured Marjan Šarec, the head of the LMŠ, Social Democrats (SD) vice-president Andreja Katič, Left coordinator Luka Mesec, Alenka Bratušek of the SAC, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) head Ljubo Jasnič and Zmago Jelinčič, the president of the National Party (SNS).

Šarec, Jasnič, Mesec, Bratušek and Jelinčič opted against mandatory vaccination against Covid-19, while Katič is not very inclined to the idea, either. She would listen to professionals if they managed to get united around the idea.

All of them called for more testing and responsible socialising, while Jelinčič also proposed that the choice of the vaccine be expanded to include the Russian Sputnik vaccine.

When it comes to the fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, Katič noted that it should be depoliticised and that more emphasis should be placed on professionals, and that, above all, politicians should lead by example. This was also emphasised by Šarec, who said communication should take place along one line, and politics should make way to experts.

Bratušek said that, given the findings of the Constitutional Court, the government had taken measures without a legal basis, and she was also critical of the manner of communication. "People need to be called, asked, and not threatened on a daily basis."

Mesec noted that the situation in the country should be calmed down first. "This is the first thing that we will do after the election. We will immediately re-establish independent media," he said, adding that professionals would manage the crisis without excessive political interference.

"We will immediately try to stop the assault on the police and the judiciary that has been taking place. In short, it to essential to create a positive atmosphere in Slovenia," Mesec said.

Jasnič admitted that the DeSUS leadership and the deputies had different views, and added that the party was against measures that had nothing to do with Covid-19, where he mentioned interference in the police work. He said that democratic values and trust should come first.

Jelinčič assessed that the government worked well when it comes to Covid-19 measures, and that misinformation that is deliberately spread among the people should be addressed first. As for the crisis measures, he said many of them had positive effects, while noting the high amount of borrowing.

He assessed that "a billion, or maybe more has been lost", and Bratušek added that while some of the anti-crisis money had been justifiably spent, there were also many "pre-election candies", and noted the high indebtedness and the lack of serious structural reforms.

Šarec said that the future government would have to deal with the consequences of the decisions of the current government, and a similar assessment was made by Katič, who is happy with the reduction in unemployment, but notes the rise in energy prices.

Mesec noted that not everybody received aid in the latest stimulus legislative package, pointing to students, people on welfare, part-time employed persons with disabilities, and pensioners with over EUR 700 in monthly pension.

He agrees that there should absolutely be no saving during the crisis, as the state must help the people and the economy in such situations, but it must do so in a smart way, which is something this government does not do.

Jasnič said about the aid to pensioners that "some emergency money, some small things are being constantly given ... while there is no reform as part of which a minimum pension would be determined", adding that there were still many very poor pensioners.

The opposition representatives also commented on Slovenia's presidency of the EU Council and the praise given as the presidency concluded. The latter was attributed by some to courtesy and diplomatic language, while the European Parliament's resolution on the rule of law in Slovenia was highlighted as a black spot.

Jelinčič meanwhile said he was proud of the presidency and assessed that quite a few breakthroughs had been achieved.