Prime Minister Golob: "I promised Mrs Tina that Aleš Šutar's death would not be in vain"

He was accompanied by Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar, Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Luka Mesec, Minister of Justice Andreja Katič, Minister of Education Vinko Logaj, Secretary-General of the Government Barbara Kolenko Helbl and the Acting Director of the Government Office for National Minorities, Danica Polak Gruden.

Prime Minister Golob presented the Government’s measures and legislative amendments to those attending the session and to the residents of Novo mesto who followed the live broadcast in the city square. The Prime Minister opened his address by thanking the residents of Novo mesto for allowing him to be with them today. He told them that he could hear their anger and feel their fear. "I am here today because I feel pain," said the Prime Minister, expressing his condolences to the family and relatives of the late Aleš Šutar. He called for sympathy for Mr Šutar's son, who witnessed his father's murder, and expressed his sincere condolences to his daughter. "We are all aware of their pain. At the same time, I would like to express my condolences to his courageous wife, Tina, who gave me an insight into the world of Aleš Šutar – a man who was the heart of his local community, respected, valued and dedicated, and who devoted most of his life to serving others. A man who always chose harmony and understanding over anger and revenge. This is what he lived for, and why he most probably had to die. I would do the same if my son called me," he said.
"Each of us could be Aco, each of us could be a victim of random violent rage. These stories are not a call for revenge, but a call to act – firmly and without delay. Not because we lacked the will before, but because we have reached the point where enough is enough," said the Prime Minister.
"That is why we have prepared concrete measures – not empty promises. Some of these measures are already being implemented now. All available police units were mobilised yesterday and will remain in action for as long as necessary. They will remain until safety is restored. Because safety is a basic right," said the Prime Minister.
"I will not look for excuses in all previous governments, what they did and what they did not do. My duty is to act, not to defend myself," said Prime Minister Golob, adding that he believes cooperation with mayors and all other actors will go well.
He also said that the reserve police force had been mobilised today. "The Government has decided to increase the number of available units to the maximum extent possible. This is a fight against crime, not a fight against the Roma. And if we do not eradicate crime from Roma settlements, we will never be able to talk about successful integration, because it will simply not be possible," he said.
Prime Minister Golob then presented specific government measures in the new act, which will be named the Šutar Act in memory of the tragic death of Aleš Šutar. It will cover three areas. "The first area will concern security – specifically, significantly expanded powers for the police: not only powers of entry, but above all, the authority to conduct raids and to monitor areas that are endangered or pose security risks. We do not want to hunt down individuals, but we do want to ensure that order and peace are established in areas that pose security risks," he said.

The second area is punitive policy. "Repeated offences and criminal acts will be given priority. It is important to note that we will propose an increase in penalties, especially for criminal offences involving violence, particularly those committed by groups. This will apply not only to the Dolenjska region, but to the whole of Slovenia, to all citizens and also to foreign nationals in Slovenia," said the Prime Minister.

The third area is social policy. "Enforcement against social assistance payments will be made possible. Social assistance or benefits will be restricted for those who repeatedly commit offences or criminal acts. We will abolish child benefits for all minors – we cannot financially encourage girls to have children before the age of 18. The responsibility for them lies with their parents, and we must not promote a financial model that literally pulls children out of normal life and into slavery in Roma settlements," he said. The Prime Minister also said that the seizure of assets of unknown origin will be significantly accelerated and facilitated. "The Financial Administration will conduct very thorough checks in this area, together with the police," he emphasised.

The Prime Minister said that these measures are necessary. "We will not wait, but will bring these matters before the National Assembly by 10 November. I expect the Šutar Act to be approved by the Government next Thursday and to be submitted to Parliament in November, where it will most likely be adopted by the end of November," the Prime Minister said, adding that during this time, the police, inspectors and the tax authority will be stepping up their activities in the field.
"We are not hiding anything, we are not shirking responsibility, we want to ensure safety. This is because I want Aleš Šutar's death not to have been in vain. Because that is what I promised his wife. And I want us all to keep that promise together. Let this be a turning point for Novo mesto, Dolenjska, Posavje, Kočevje, the whole of Slovenia. No more crime, no more violence!" concluded Prime Minister Robert Golob.