Day after day, for several weeks, we have been hearing about the revolt by members of the Slovenian Philharmonic, and it has become truly tiresome. They demand the resignation of director Damjan Damjanovič, an end to the cooperation with conductor Uroš Lajovic, the dissolution of the current council of the Slovenian Philharmonic, the granting of advancements, and more.
Because everything begins and ends with money, let us look at the matter from the point of view of a completely ordinary taxpayer – the real (net) taxpayer, i.e. the taxpayer employed in the private sector, which feeds them. For cultural professionals who sustain themselves with taxpayer money, net taxpayers are merely euro banknotes filling the ATM called state budget. State bureaucrats then distribute the PIN codes for this ATM to the select few. And when the money runs out, when someone reaches the limit, they start quarrelling amongst themselves – in full view of the taxpayers and at the taxpayers’ expense.
Why would someone who for various reasons will never enter the Slovenian Philharmonic co-finance it with taxes so that lovers of the orchestra could get cheaper tickets? When the Slovenian Philharmonic encounters difficulties, it would make sense for these enthusiasts to reach into their wallets and give or lend their money to the Slovenian Philharmonic so that it would survive. Or at least pay a higher ticket price. But no. In such cases these people attack the state (and the taxpayers) and argue that taxpayers are obliged to provide money for the operation of the Slovenian Philharmonic.