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| Letter to EDF |
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Tuesday, January 15 2008 @ 02:31 PM CET
Contributed by: Katra
Views: 714
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European Disability Forum
EDF Board Members
EDF Secreariat
Rue du Commerce 39-41
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32-2-282.46.00
Fax: +32-2-282.46.09
E-mail: info@edf-feph.org
Ljubljana, 3rd of July 2007
Dear Sir/Madame,
we are writing to inform you of exacerbated conditions in the field of care for disabled persons in Slovenia. We would like to stress the fact that an EDF representative for Slovenia, Mr Šuštaršič, does not represent all the representative organisations of persons with disabilities nor does he represent interests of disabled individuals. Let us enumerate some of the facts which support our assertions:
1. The policy promoted, represented and defended by Mr. Šuštaršič contradicts the concepts of independent living; Mr. Šuštaršič openly opposes our organisation which strives for system enforcement of the right to a personal assistance and is trying to undermine our project “Independent Living of the Disabled” (which provides personal assistance to 98 individuals 24/7) on a national level by any means necessary. He has also made scornful remarks about ENIL and Independent Living Institute.
2. He exclusively promotes the medical model of disability care which is the model which results in the dependence of individuals and a monopoly over the services his organisations provide. Also he strongly opposes all our proposals and amendments to governmental documents through which we supported the social model i.e. a shift from the concept of care and dependence towards the concept of independence, equality and full participation of the disabled in all fields of social living.
3. Mr. Šuštaršič openly supports and works on preserving centres and institutions for the care of disabled persons. He is a body member in all of these institutions and is also in charge of their renovation, instead of using his position towards closing such institutions down. Here is the list of the institutions in which he is a body member:
• Home for Elderly People Ljubljana-Bežigrad, which includes a special ward for the disabled,
• Ponikve Institution (completely dislocated home for elderly people),
• Medical centre of MDA named Dom dva topola, Izola and
• Institution for Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Children and Youths (ZUIM), Kamnik.
4. As the vice-president of one of two registered National Councils for the Disabled (his is NSIOS) Mr Šuštaršič abuses his position and authority for the goal of discrimination against our association - YHD. Within the scope of this Council they published brochures and documents where he labeled us as being sort of terorists, etc.
5. As the president of the Muscular Distrophy Association of Slovenia (DDS), he unlawfully expelled four individuals (me being one of them) for taking part in a TV show named “Tarča” (The Target). This programme resonated throughout Slovenia since it was the first in-depth account of financial irregularities, operations and conflicts of interests among the leaders of some of the organisations for the disabled, Lottery of Slovenia and the influental capital owners. The four later expelled members have presented their disagreement with the way the DDS is lead and with the inaccessibility of the services that should have been available to them. During the process of expulsion we did not get a chance to defend ourselves and we were not allowed to attend the Bi-Annual General Assembly where we wanted to present our position on the matter to other members of DDS. The matter is now in the hands of judiciary court.
6. Mr Šuštaršič did not fulfil engagements mandated by the Statute of DDS association where his duty and resposibility was to hold up association General Assembly every two years. The last legal General Assembly has been held on 12th of April 2003. It is clear from the documentation that his activities are unlawful, irregular and illegitimate from 12th of April 2005. The association is carrying out a plan, which is according to my opinion (I aswell have muscular dystrophy) disrespectful to its users as it provides “Daycare for People with Muscular Distrophy”. This project is co-financed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.
We are aware that you cannot interfere with internal affairs within individual national members; still, we hope that you will be able to take some action to protect the idea and concept of Independent Living of Disabled People with PA.
Information and descriptions of the state of affairs which have been forwarded to you by Mr Šuštaršič (or his secretary Mr. Kušar) do not reflect reality. Furthermore, their presentations of the policy and goals of the EDF are distorted and misappropriated for their own purposes which contradict the goals of the policy of the EU. Of course the views that Mr. Šuštaršič supports within Slovenia are not those which he supports abroad since he is aware that he would lose his credibility if he did so.
Several months ago I published an article “Rights and discriminations”, Social Work & Society (http://www.socwork.net/2006/2/countrynotes/pecaric) where I listed many critical issues on him. Mr. Šuštaršič responded with a letter addressed to all kinds of state institutions and accused me of “stalking” (sic!) and destruction of social welfare system in Slovenia. He likened the visit of president of DPI to an inspection and has intercepted and forwared Mr Jean Luc Simon’s e-mail addressed to me – in which he was asking me about the possibility to visit Slovenia and discuss the issues in the article – to various institutions and media.
I could imagine that all affairs listed above may seem insane to you but this only a tiny portion of things which Mr Šuštaršič and his “machinery” are doing in Slovenia. The media of course reports on these affairs but sadly this kind of reporting does little to improve the image of various organisations for the disabled persons.
If the EDF truly supports Independent Living of the Disabled which the board members are familiar with then we appeal to you to undertake proper action regarding Mr. Šuštaršič also in the light of the fact that Slovenia will in six months time preside the EU.
The picture of him, again being surrounded by paid bodyguards, as it happened at the aforemenitoned illegal Bi-Annual General Assembly of the Muscular Distrophy Association will not look good neither on Slovenia, EDF nor any other European NGO.
We have in our possession enough documents to prove that Mr. Šuštaršič runs discriminatory policy, but we mainly lack the resources to have them translated. If we could do that I’m sure he would not have the courage to attend the EDF Board as the members could get informed about what is really going on.
Organisations for the disabled persons in Slovenia could quickly reach a compromise in his absence and make a shift towards the development of innovative programmes and methods which are truly useful to their users.
To finish with a joke let me ask you: Is there an organisation in Europe where a single man has been in charge for the last 40 years or more?
With Compliments,
Elena Pečarič
YHD President
Also notified:
- European Commission
- European Parliament
- EU Ombudsman
- EU media
- Government of Republic Slovenia
- National Assembly of Republic of Slovenia
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