Original article (in Slovenian) was published on 17/2/2024; Author: Lara Drugovič
The Ljubljana Police Department explained that a criminal investigation into a fire that broke out at the Ivan Cankar Student Residence is still ongoing and there is no known suspect yet.
Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti, the president of the non-parliamentary National Party (SNS), posted a video on the social network X on 4 February in which he said that “rumours are circulating in Ljubljana that the arson at the student dormitory was caused by Palestinians”. He added that Palestinians were said to have walked into the dormitory and that “if the rumours are so widespread, there must be something [to them]”.
The post by Jelinčič Plemeniti referred to a fire which, according to the Ljubljana Fire Brigade, broke out in the Ivan Cankar Student Residence (DIC) in the early hours of 30 January, a few minutes after 4am.
The Ljubljana Police Department explained to Razkrinkavanje.si that a criminal investigation into the incident is still ongoing. “Criminal investigators are currently investigating suspected causing of public danger, whereby potential suspects have not been identified yet.” Fire destroys most evidence, so criminal investigations of this kind are complex and can take a long time, according to them.
They added that they had so far not received any recent reports of third-country nationals linked to the DIC, nor have any investigations or other proceedings been conducted against such persons. “According to the information gathered so far, it does not appear that the fire was in any way linked to foreigners residing in Slovenia.”
Drago Pintarič, assistant head teacher of the DIC, told Razkrinkavanje.si that these are “completely unfounded and malicious allegations”, the only source of which is a single comment under a report about the fire published on a news portal.
He explained that access to the student residence is strictly controlled. Students and staff enter with a private chip and guests must register at the reception on arrival. At night, the front door of the residence is locked and can only be unlocked by a security guard.
There are no Palestinians in the residence, but in the past DIC has worked with a theatre group from the Palestinian city of Jenin as part of an Erasmus+ international youth exchange project. On 9 January this year, the DIC organised an evening of Palestinian poetry at the residence, with a guest appearance by Jaber Elmasry, a Slovenian citizen of Palestinian origin.
On 1 February, students posted a letter on the student residence’s Facebook page addressed to the author of the comment who claimed that a Palestinian was responsible for the fire, “strongly condemning [his actions] and calling [on the author] to engage in reflection”. They stressed that their misfortune was “not an opportunity to spread political ideas, especially ideas that are hostile to other ethnic groups or those different from us”.
We have informed Jelinčič Plemeniti of our findings. We will publish his response when we receive it.
The claim that the fire in the student residence was caused by Palestinians is unsubstantiated.
