Original article (in Slovenian) was published on 24/4/2025; Author: Manca Vertačnik
Recipients of the Jože Babič Prize and the Ježek Prize only qualify for a special pension allowance for artistic excellence under the condition that they have also received a Prešeren Fund Prize or a state decoration for the arts, according to the proposed bill.
The Moja Dolenjska portal carried a statement on 5 April by Matej Lahovnik, a professor at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana and former minister of the economy, which he posted on the social media platform X: “The most absurd thing is that under the new bill, pension privileges would even be awarded for RTV prizes, making us the only country to grant a pension privilege to a pop singer who earns very well and could easily pay pension contributions.”
A day later the statement was also picked up by the Nova24TV portal. Lahovnik subsequently deleted his post.
The proposed bill on pension allowances for artistic excellence stipulates that retired Slovenian nationals who have demonstrated outstanding artistic achievements contributing to the quality, significance and recognition of the arts in Slovenia or abroad are entitled to the allowance.
According to the bill, recipients of the Prešeren Prize for lifetime achievements would qualify for the allowance along with those who have received the lesser Prešeren Fund Prize, provided they have additionally received at least one other national recognition or prize listed in the appendix to the bill, or a major international accolade. The same applies to recipients of state decorations for artistic achievements who have also received another national recognition, a prize listed in the appendix, or a major international prize.
The appendix to the bill lists 23 prizes whose recipients are eligible for the pension allowance. Among them are two prizes granted, or formerly granted, by public broadcaster RTV Slovenija: the Jože Babič Prize, which RTV Slovenija awarded until 2007 for outstanding achievements in fiction and documentary production, and the Ježek Prize, which the broadcaster has presented since 1989 for exceptional accomplishments in satire, humour and socially critical work.
Recipients of the Ježek Prize have included singers, though not pop singers, according to publicly available information. Among them are chansonniers, singer-songwriters and lyricists such as Iztok Mlakar, Lado Leskovar, Zoran Predin and Tomaž Domicelj.
Gregor Pompe, professor at the Department of Musicology at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, told Razkrinkavanje.si that he is not an expert on the legal definition of pop singer, but he “strongly doubt[s] that such a legal definition exists”. “That is because no precise formal definition exists either. These terms are very fuzzy.”
Identifying someone as a pop singer is likely only possible intuitively, “in which case Leskovar, Predin and Domicelj certainly fit that intuition,” according to Pompe.
Gregor Tomc, a lecturer on cognitive studies of music at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, explained to Razkrinkavanje.si that in Slovenia and across Europe, there are state-employed pop artists—such as members of symphony orchestras or opera and ballet companies—who are on the public payroll, and commercial pop artists who earn their living on the free market.
Tomc said that outrage at commercial pop artists, including Lahovnik’s, “is typically grounded in cultural conservatism”. In his view, Lahovnik is averse to the idea that someone who has received a prize named after a contemporary artist and given by a media outlet established in the 20th century could receive a pension allowance for artistic excellence.
Tomc also pointed out the tendency to accept a sharp division between ‘true’ music – elite, serious or classical music, which is seen as eternal – and ‘false’ music, such as pop, entertainment or folk music, which is dismissed as a passing fad.
“It’s incredible how strongly people cling to tradition, in this case to 19th century romantic ideology, when defending privileges,” he said.
In response to our findings, Moja Dolenjska editor Vida Stare said that the report was about Lahovnik’s statement, which was clearly identified as such, and suggested we reach out to him for clarification. She also threatened legal action, saying she would use “all legal means” if Oštro were to “harm” Moja Dolenjska.
We have informed Matej Lahovnik and Nova24TV of our findings and will publish their responses when we receive them.
The claim that “under the new law, pension privileges would even be awarded for RTV prizes, making us the only country to grant a pension privilege to a pop singer who earns very well and could easily pay pension contributions” is manipulative.
The pension allowance can be granted to recipients of the Jože Babič Prize or Ježek Prize who also hold a Prešeren Fund Prize or a state decoration for achievements in the arts. While some Slovenian singers have received the Ježek Prize, there is no independent or substantiated basis to categorise them as pop singers, as Lahovnik suggested.
