STA, 23 January 2019 - SocDem president Dejan Židan said on Wednesday that Culture Minister Dejan Prešiček's use of the ministry car for personal affairs had been a mistake that warranted a reprimand. Prešiček is also ready to resign should this be demanded by PM Marjan Šarec, added Židan, who meanwhile protested against "unverified" bullying claims against Prešiček.
Židan spoke to the press about the fate of the SD's minister after the surfacing of allegations that Prešiček had misused the ministry car and engaged in bullying at the Culture Ministry. Some reports even suggested the alleged behaviour had contributed to the recent suicide of a courier at the ministry.
Židan explained Prešiček had admitted that the ministry car had indeed been used on nine occasions to transport "the music instrument" to the Music and Ballet Conservatory, where served as director until his current job and continues to teach.
"The minister made a mistake and deserves a rap on the knuckles," Židan said, indicating that a reprimand would be sufficient.
Still, "should the prime minister assess that this mistake was of such gravity that Prešiček needs to leave, the minister will do accordingly, and the SocDems will respect the prime minister's decision".
Turning to the bullying accusations, Židan said that "the lies that appeared about the minister, about his work methods, the stories that constitute a direct attack on his integrity", should be examined, "their background revealed and appropriate action taken".
He said that the minister and the SocDems were the first who wanted to come to the bottom of this, since it is "unacceptable that a person - someone who is moving things forward in culture - is crucified on the basis of far-fetched claims".
Many previous complaints about bullying at the ministry, 74 in 2017 alone
While agreeing that the bullying accusations should also be explored, Židan argued that such complaints had already been rampant at the Culture Ministry in the past and that Prešiček had only taken over a few months ago.
He said he had heard Prešiček was known as a hard-working man, which is a commendable trait, and that he was subject to only one bullying complaint while the head of the Music and Ballet Conservatory, a complaint that was later dismissed.
Židan refused to comment on speculation that an orchestrated attack on Prešiček was under way at the ministry, only saying that those who have been working at the ministry for many years also deserved respect and dialogue should they be in distress.
Meanwhile, the Culture Ministry told the STA that no bullying complaints had been filed against Prešiček at the ministry. The data provided, showing that 74 such complaints were filed in 2017 alone, suggests that the ministry has been struggling when it comes to relations between the employees for years.
The accusations against Prešiček, which also prompted a call for explanations issued by Šarec, culminated on Tuesday, when the Ljubljana Police Administration confirmed it was examining potential reasons to suspect a criminal act.
Parliamentary parties had mixed reactions to the developments today, but most agreed Prešiček should go if the allegations proved true.
The allegations were reportedly voiced by a few Culture Ministry employees, with only one doing it openly, and pursued in a determined fashion above all by the Glosa trade union of culture.
