Nika Kovač reports death threats to police; perpetrators identified
Nika Kovač, director of the Institute for March 8, visited a police station on Wednesday following death threats. According to the institute, authorities have already identified the suspects.
Death threats against Nika Kovač: police identify suspects
Nika Kovač, director of the Institute for March 8, visited a police station on Wednesday, 11 November, following death threats. According to Slovenske novice, the institute officially informed the public of this via social media: "Our Nika is on her way to the police station right now because of death threats."
Later, the institute announced that Kovač's visit had concluded and that authorities had identified the individuals who had previously threatened her with death. They added that they are grateful that institutions are functioning.
Background: dispute between SDS and the Institute for March 8
The threats are the culmination of tensions that have accumulated in recent weeks between the SDS party and the Institute for March 8 over a draft law on election and referendum campaigns. The proposal, filed by a group of MPs led by Zvonko Černač (SDS), envisages a ban on organising campaigns for legal entities that have been partially or wholly financed from abroad in the past five years.
The Institute for March 8 sharply opposed the proposal and branded it an attempt to prevent their operations. Kovač decided to stage a protest action: she asked Austrian activist and donor Marlene Engelhorn to make a transfer from abroad to the SDS party account as well, with which they wished to highlight what they considered the absurd consequences of the law. The SDS responded that any funds would be legally redirected to charitable purposes and accused the institute of promoting an extreme agenda.
Kovač had already stated at a press conference before the threats: "You can beat me, kill me, ban our work, but the idea will remain alive."
Turbulent response online
The institute's post sparked a wave of comments online. Hundreds of responses appeared beneath the post, in which supporters expressed outrage at intimidation and condemned violence. Many pointed to political rhetoric and online profiles that, in their view, are creating an atmosphere of hatred, and questioned why public figures do not openly call for an end to such behaviour.
Some users reported controversial comments—including those threatening "with lead"—to police themselves. Warnings also appeared in the comments that pressure will continue to increase leading up to the December referendum vote, but calls for persistence dominated.
Who exactly is behind the threats remains officially unknown, and the gathering of information is ongoing according to the data available at the time of reporting.
Source: Slovenske novice