[syndicate] ALERT FOR THE AUTONOMOUS CULTURAL ZONE "METELKOVA" - LJUBLJANA

[anna balint]

ALERT FOR METELKOVA



This Wednesday, June 14th 2006, at 6 in the morning the government  
Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning brought an  
excavating machine to the Autonomous Cultural Zone Metelkova,  
Ljubljana, to tear down one of the buildings of the converted ancient  
army barracks which they consider to have been erected illegally. The  
cultural workers and supporters of Metelkova prevented the action.  
This attempt to destroy one of the liveliest cultural and  
intellectual locations in Ljubljana was the third one in the past few  
months. Various inspections have recently intensified their  
interventions during cultural events at Metelkova.



The government of Slovenia is acting in accordance with a recently  
passed law on catering industries. Under the cover of its strict  
provisions regulating commercial activities, which cannot be  
fulfilled by the non-profit associations and NGOs of Metelkova, the  
executive might as well put an end to the largest agglomeration of  
alternative cultures in the country.



Metelkova provides 40% of the non-commercial music events in the  
city. Its attendance can favourably be compared with that of the  
established Ljubljana Festival. It is the second largest provider of  
cultural events in Ljubljana. Metelkova is the only location in the  
city, and one of the few in the country, where youth cultures and  
alternative cultures are systematically produced and presented to a  
large and active audience. It is also a forum of impressive  
intellectual irradiation. During each academic year, it organises the  
Workers' Punkers' University where the most urgent dilemmas of the  
contemporary world are discussed by competent international speakers.  
Metelkova recently hosted the annual meeting of TransEuropeHalles.  
During the 13 years of its existence, projects at the Autonomous  
Cultural Zone Metelkova have been supported by the Ministry of  
Culture and by the City of Ljubljana, as well as by many  
international sponsors.



Producers from Metelkova have been participating to Documenta,  
Manifesta, Sao Paolo Biennial, Venice Biennale, Wiener Festwochen…  
Many international festivals held in Ljubljana locate part of their  
activities at Metelkova: The City of Women, The Other Music, Jazz  
Festival Ljubljana, Trnfest… Metelkova has been presented as an  
outstanding phenomenon by international media: ARD, Arte, BBC,  
Belarus' State TV, Die Zeit, Falter, Feral Tribune, Los Angeles  
Times, ORF, Russian State TV, Seattle Times, ZDF…



Metelkova is a squat initiated in 1993, when a group of alternative  
producers and activists occupied the ancient barracks of the army  
headquarters near the centre of Ljubljana in order to prevent its  
illegal destruction, which was launched by still unknown agents  
presumably led by speculative real-estate interest. Although it has  
never succeeded in achieving a proper legal status, the location was  
registered as national cultural heritage in 2005.



ACZ Metelkova is under attack. Its people are ready to defend it.  
They need support. Please circulate this information. If you want to  
express your support, please write to the Prime Minister:

Janez.Jansa at gov.si

And to the Minister of Culture:

vasko.simoniti at gov.si





For supporters of Metelkova:



Wasim Alkhatib, Miha Blažič, Maja Breznik, Katarina Deskovič,  
Narcisa Deskovič, Sabina Dogič, Žana Fabjan, Damjan Kocjančič,  
Nina Kozinc, Andrej Kurnik, Jadranka Ljubičič, Iztok Markoja, Jurij  
Markoja, Rastko Močnik, Marion Murlan, Sabina Schwenner, Andrej  
Sevšek, Darij Zadnikar

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