Lublana je bulana - antigentrifikacijski protest

[eng below]

Ljubljana je na prelomnici. Odločiti se moramo, ali bo naše mesto nakupovalni center, namenjen premožnim obiskovalcem, investitorjem in turistom, ali bo to mesto, v katerem bomo lahko dostojno živeli vsi - ne glede na socialni položaj in ekonomski položaj. Za nami je skoraj desetletje investicij in intenzivne obnove, ki sta centru prinesla lepe fasade, dodatne mostove in številne lokale. Ob vsem blišču pa je izostalo vprašanje, kakšen vpliv ima takšen razvoj na kvaliteto življenja prebivalk in prebivalcev Ljubljane. Danes je očitno, da nas vse več težko pride do stanovanja, da nas visoke cene najemnin izrivajo v podstandardna bivališča na obrobju mesta, da so se razmahnile slabo plačane in prekerne zaposlitve v storitvenem sektorju, da s(m)o iz mestnih ulic izrinjene vse tiste, ki ne moremo dohajati vsesplošnega višanja cen izdelkov in storitev, in da nova bleščeča podoba mesta sloni na izkoriščanju gradbenih delavcev. Nobenega dvoma ni, da župan dela, vprašanje je le za koga?

Moč ljudem, ne mestnim šerifom!

 
Kakšni so konkretni učinki teh “razvojnih” politik, ki jih imenujemo tudi z izrazom gentrifikacija, na običajno življenje prebivalk in prebivalcev?

- Turistifikacija
Naše mesto se je spremenilo v izdelek za hitro potrošnjo, v še eno destinacijo na ponudbi svetovne turistične industrije. 1.700.000 novih obiskovalcev letno je razumljivo spremenilo podobo in življenje mesta. Ljubljanske ulice so postale kot hodniki v nakupovalnem centru. Dragi lokali so zavzeli vsak kvadratni meter javnih površin, gneča ovira hojo ali kolesarjenje na naših vsakdanjih poteh, trgovine s spominki so izrinile trgovine z osnovnimi živili. V tako umetno ustvarjenih razmerah se slabo počutijo celo turisti, kaj šele lokalci_ke, ki so v "najlepšem mestu" zgolj še neplačani statisti. Ko se mestne oblasti hvalijo z izjemnimi dobički turizma, ne omenjajo, da so se ti ustvarjali tudi na račun prebivalcev_k, ki od tega nimajo nič.

- Višanje najemnin, cen v trgovinah, storitev in položnic
Ob povečanem povpraševanju turistov po nastanitvah so najemnine poskočile. V centru so se številni stanodajalci, eni zaradi možnosti večjega zaslužka, drugi zaradi vse višjih stroškov, odločili, da stanovanj ne bodo več oddajali najemnikom za dalj časa, ampak jih bodo oglaševali kot airbnb-je, ki so bolj dobičkonosni. Stare stanovanjske hiše v centru so se preobrazile v hostle ali manjše hotele. Vzporedno z elitizacijo mesta so narasli tudi ostali življenjski stroški - od cen hrane do storitev in položnic. Marsikdo se je moral odseliti na obrobje. Ob pomanjkanju ugodnih bivališč za najem pa lahko med ponudbo zasledimo porast števila izjemno slabih sob, ki se oddajajo za astronomske zneske.

- Slaba delovna mesta v storitvenem sektorju
Mesto niti ne skriva težnje po tem, da bi se v celoti preobrazilo v zabaviščni park za premožne turiste, in da je vloga domačinov predvsem ta, da dnevno migrirajo v center in servisirajo njihove potrebe. Razvojna politika prestolnice je vplivala predvsem na širjenje storitvenega sektorja, v katerem so se dobički znatno pomnožili, to pa ni izboljšalo delovnih pogojev zaposlenih. Nasprotno, ob naraščanju življenjskih stroškov se honorarji prekercev in plače niso zvišale, delovni pogoji se slabšajo z dodatnimi nadurami, pospešenim ritmom dela ali širjenjem delovnih obveznostih in delom v neprimernih razmerah.

-Izkoriščanje na gradbiščih
Med prenovo “najlepšega mesta” so izkoriščanju posebno izpostavljeni delavci na gradbiščih. Nehumane zlorabe, kot so se dogajale med gradnjo Stadiona Stožice, so dobro dokumentirane, a za njih ni odgovarjal nihče. Trenutno smo priča predvolilni gradbeni dirki, ko se lovijo roki, da se bo lahko župan med kampanjo slikal ob novih dosežkih. Kaj to pomeni za pogoje dela, se je razkrilo na Gosposvetski, Dalmatinovi in drugod po centru: 12-urni delavniki za minimalne plače brez dostopa do vode in vecejev. Toda župan in občinski uradniki se mirno obračajo stran. Sami naj ne bi bili odgovorni za tvegane razmere, v katerih je gradnja ali obnova potekala, čeprav so sami izbrali in najeli “najugodnejša” podjetja, ki izčrpavajo delavce. Jim je podeljevanje koncesij “prijateljskim” podjetjem bolj v interesu kot pa dejanske potrebe ljudi v mestu?
Poleg tega smo priča dvoličnemu odnosu oblasti do prišlekov. V centru lahko srečamo različne kategorije migrantk in migrantov: dobrodošle turiste, ki so pripravljeni pri nas trošiti denar, podplačane delavce iz bivših jugoslovanskih republik, ki v obupnih razmerah gradijo infrastrukturo “najlepšega mesta” ter migrantke in migrante z negotovimi statusi, ki Ljubljano pogosto doživijo kot neprijazno, rasistično in nasilno - dokler nekateri nazadnje ne izginejo neznano kam, deportirani v policijskih kombijih.

- Komu ni namenjena nova Ljubljana?
Skozi proces izrinjanja manj premožnega prebivalstva iz centra postaja Ljubljana vse bolj uniformno mesto. Bolj ko se center prilagaja potrebam turističnih katalogov, bolj jasno postaja, da v podobo “najlepšega mesta” ne sodijo džankiji_ce, brezdomci_ke, preglasni najstniki_ce, ki pijejo poceni vino na klopeh, prekerci_ke, študenti_ke in upokojenci_ke s pretankimi denarnicami ter revni in ljudje brez papirjev. "Čiščenje" mestnih jeder poteka vsaj na dva načina. Posredno, skozi previsoke cene izdelkov in storitev ter preko spreminjanja krajine mesta, na primer z izravnanjem parka, v katerem so spali brezdomci_ke, ali z rušitvijo poslopja, v katerem so se zadrževali džankiji_ce, zato da tam zrase parkirišče. Neposredno pa se “čiščenje” mesta izvaja preko redarske službe, ki je v zadnjem času pridobila široka pooblastila za sankcioniranje “neprimernega” vedenja prebivalcev_k.
Na drugi strani pa smo soočeni z mestno oblastjo, ki več ne odgovarjajo niti za tako očitne zlorabe položaja, kot so podmizne kupčije z zasebnimi partnerji ali kupovanje spolnih uslug z obljubami služb.

- Drugačna vizija
Pokroviteljski, neoliberalno naravnani župan se pretvarja, da ve, kaj je dobro za nas. Ne dopušča, da bi imeli sami prebivalci in prebivalke vpliv na urejanje svojega življenjskega okolja. Nobeno mesto ne bi smelo biti teren za izžemanje delovne sile in narave, teren za kovanje dobičkov peščice na ramah večine. Mesto bi moralo biti prostor, primeren za dostojno življenje vseh, ne le turistov.
Iz teh in podobnih premislekov smo prebivalci_ke razvili skvote oziroma avtonomne prostore (AKC Metelkova in AT Rog v Ljubljani, Argo v Izoli, UP Inde v Kopru, Sokolc v Novem Mestu) v praznih kasarnah, opustošenih tovarniških obratih ali starih hišah, za katere občini ali privatnim lastnikom ni bilo mar in so jih pustili propadati. Te stavbe smo po svojih močeh obnovili, jih napolnili s kulturnimi, izobraževalnimi, političnimi, umetniškimi vsebinami in programom za otroke. Dogodki povečini niso komercialno naravnani, so brezplačni ali bazirajo na prostovoljnih prispevkih. Delo v skvotih poganjata volja in želja po sooblikovanju okolja in razmer, v katerih živimo. Tak način samoorganizacije zadovoljevanja potreb omogoča razvijanje medsebojnega sodelovanja, odnosov vzajemnosti, solidarnosti in podpore med prebivalci_kami.
Toda našim skvotom so v vmesnem času narasle cene zemljišč, zaradi lokacije, kulturnega kapitala ali obojega skupaj. Postali so zanimivi za ustvarjanje profita, posledično pa so občine (Ljubljana, Novo Mesto) ali slaba banka (v primeru Arga in UP Inde) začele pritiskati s procesi izrivanja uporabnikov avtonomnih prostorov, da bi si jih prisvojili. Zdaj “lastniki” želijo apropriirati in parazitirati na imenu (“brandu”) ter “kultnosti” skvotov in njihovih praks, ki so kotile alternativno kulturo in politiko odpora v letih neprekinjenega delovanja. Toda samoniklo delovanje, ustvarjanje in širjenje možnosti za eksperimentiranje v skupnosti so v nasprotju z nadzorniškim sistemom občine, ki življenje in potrebe prebivalcev_k klasificira, birokratiza, kontrolira s kamerami in redarji, kriminalizira z vedno novimi prepovedmi in zatira dobre prakse avtonomnih prostorov z bagri, tožbami na sodišču in finančnim izčrpavanjem posameznikov_c in aktivistov_k.

ZAHTEVE:
1. Hočemo živeti v mestu, ki je usmerjeno predvsem k zadovoljevanju potreb prebivalcev_k.
2. Zahtevamo stanovanjsko politiko, ki ne glede na socialni položaj omogoča dostop do kakovostnih bivališč. Stanovanja za vse! Prazne prostore v uporabo (in samoupravo) skupnosti!
3. Zahtevamo omejitev rasti cen živil, temeljnih storitev in osnovnih življenjskih stroškov.
4. Zahtevamo spoštovanje priborjenih delavskih pravic, dostojna plačila za prekerne ali redne zaposlitve, za delo migrantskih delavcev in izboljšanje delovnih pogojev vseh.
5. Nasprotujemo profitno naravnanim politikam, ki tudi v našem mestu delijo ljudi na dobrodošle potrošnike, podplačano delovno silo in “odvečne” prebivalce.
6. Ljubljana naj bo varno mesto z dostopnimi storitvami za vse - brez nadlegovanja policije, rasnega profiliranja in nasilja. Prav tako naj bodo vse zdravstvene in socialne storitve v mestu dostopne vsem pod enakimi pogoji, ne glede na vrsto statusa in ekonomski položaj.
7. Uporabniki_ce avtonomnih prostorov smo soustvarjalci življenja v mestu. Mol naj odstopi od maščevalnih tožb proti Rogovcem_kam in od nesmiselnega projekta Center Rog, ki je odtujen od potreb skupnosti. Še več avtonomnih prostorov v Ljubljani in vseh drugih mestih!
8. Brezplačen javni prevoz, čisti zrak in več zelenih površin!
9. Vključujoč proračun in odločanje v roke prebivalcev_k, posebno ob vprašanjih, ki zadevajo življenjske razmere. Moč ljudem, ne mestnim šerifom!

++++++++ENG++++++++++++

Ljubljana is at a turning point. We must decide whether our city will be a shopping center intended for wealthy visitors, investors and tourists, or if it will be a place in which we can all live decently - regardless of the social situation and economic situation. We have almost a decade of investment and intensive renovation ehind us, which brought the center beautiful façades, additional bridges and numerous outlets. With all the glitter, the question about the impact of such development on the quality of life of the inhabitants of Ljubljana remained absent. Today it is obvious that it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to get an apartment, that high rental prices lead us to substandard housing on the outskirts of the city, that poorly paid and overworked jobs in the service sector have flourished, that those of us who cannot keep up with the overall increase in prices of products and services are being pushed out from the city streets, and that the new glittering image of the city is based on the exploitation of construction workers. There is no doubt that the mayor is working, the question is for whom?

Power to people, not city sheriffs!

 
What are the concrete effects of these "developmental" policies, also called gentrification, on the normal life of residents and inhabitants?

- Tourism
Our city has turned into a product for fast consumption, into yet another destination in the offer of the global tourism industry. 1,700,000 new visitors annually understandably chaned the city's image and life. The streets of Ljubljana became corridors of the shopping center. Expensive bars and caffes took up every square meter of public space, crowds obstruct walking or cycling on our everyday routes, souvenir shops pushed out basic food stores. In such artificially created conditions even the tourists are not feeling well, let alone locals, who in the "most beautiful city" remain merely unpaid extras. When the city authorities praise themselves with the exceptional profits of tourism they don't mention that those were also created at the expense of the inhabitants who have nothing from it.

- Increase of rents, prices in shops, of services and payment orders
With the increased demand for touristic accommodation, rents took a leap. In the center, many homeowners, some on the account of the possibility of higher earnings, others, due to ever-increasing costs, decided that they will no longer be renting their apartments to tenants for a longer period of time, but will advertise them as Airbnbs that are more profitable. The old residential houses in the center have been transformed into hostels or smaller hotels. In parallel with the elitization of the city, other costs of living - from food prices to services and payment orders - have also increased. Many had to move to the outskirts. In the absence of favorable housing for rent, however, we can see an increase in the number of exceptionally bad rooms being offered for astronomical amounts.

- Bad jobs in the service sector
The city does not hide the tendency to completely transform itself into an amusement park for wealthy tourists, and that the role of the locals is primarily to migrate to the center daily and service their needs. The development policy of the capital mainly affected the expansion of the service sector, in which profits were significantly multiplied, but this did not improve the working conditions of its employees. On the contrary, with the rising cost of living, royalty payments and wages have not increased, and working conditions are deteriorating with additional overtime, an accelerated rhythm of work or the proliferation of work commitments and work in unsuitable conditions.

-Exploitation on construction sites
During the renovation of the "most beautiful city" it is the workers on construction sites who are especially exposed to exploitation. Inhuman abuses, such as those which occurred during the construction of the Stožice Stadium, are well documented, but no one is held accountable for them. We are currently witnessing the pre-election construction races, when completions are done so that the mayor can take pictures of himself during the campaign with new achievements. What this means for the working conditions is revealed at Gosposvetska, Dalmatinova and elsewhere in the center: 12-hour work shifts for minimum wages without access to water and WCs. But the mayor and municipal officials are calmly looking away. They themselves should supposedly not be held liable for the risky circumstances in which the construction or renovations took place, even though they themselves chose and hired the "most favorable" companies that exploit the workers. Is granting concessions to "friendly" companies more of interest to them than the real needs of the people in the city?
In addition to that we're witnessing a two-faced relationship between the authorities and newcomers. We can meet different categories of migrants in the center: welcomed tourists who are willing to spend money here, underpaid workers from the former Yugoslav republics, who build the infrastructure of "the most beautiful city" in desperate conditions, and migrants with uncertain statuses who often experience Ljubljana as unfriendly, racist and violent – until some of them don't disappear to unknown places, deported in police vans.

- For whom is the new Ljubljana not intended?
Through the process of crowding out the less wealthy from the center, Ljubljana is becoming a more uniform city. The more the center adapts to the needs of tourist catalogs, it becomes clearer that the image of "the most beautiful city" does not belong to the junkies, the homeless, teenagers who are too loud and drink cheap wine on benches, the precariat, students and pensioners with thin wallets, the poor, and people without papers . The "cleaning" of the city core is done in at least two ways. Indirectly, through steep prices of products and services, and by changing the landscape of the city, for example by leveling the park in which the homeless people sleep, or by demolishing the buildings in which the junkies stay in order to build a parking lot. However, the "cleaning" of the city is directly carried out through a street wardens, who have recently acquired wide powers to sanction the "inappropriate" behavior of the inhabitants.
On the other hand, we are confronted with the city authorities, who no longer answer for such obvious abuse of power, such as underhand bargains with private partners or purchasing sex services with promises of jobs.

- A different vision
The patronizing, neo-liberally-minded mayor pretends to know what's good for us. He does not allow the inhabitants to have an impact on the arrangement of their living environment. No city should be a terrain for draining the workforce and nature, or be a field for forging the profits of a handful on the shoulders of the majority. The city should be a place suitable for a decent life for all, not just tourists.
From these and similar considerations, the inhabitants of the area developed squats or autonomous spaces (AKC Metelkova and AT Rog in Ljubljana, Argo in Izola, UP Inde in Koper, Sokolc in Novo Mesto) in empty barracks, devastated factories or old houses about which municipalities or private owners did not care for and let them deteriorate. We renovated these buildings, filled them with cultural, educational, political, artistic content and a children's program. Events are mostly not commercially oriented, they are free or based on voluntary contributions. Working in squats is driven by the will and desire to co-create the environment and the conditions in which we live. This way of self-organizing the fulfillment of needs enables the development of mutual cooperation, relations of reciprocity, solidarity and support among the residents.
However, in the meantime, our squats have seen an increase in the price of the land they stand on, due to location, cultural capital, or both. They became interesting to create profits from, and consequently the municipalities (Ljubljana, Novo mesto) or the bad bank (in the case of Arga and UP Inde) began to pressure the processes of excluding the users of the autonomous spaces in order to claim the latter. Now, the "owners" want to appropriate and parasitize on the name ("brand") and the "cult status" of squats and their practices that have nurtured an alternative culture and a policy of resistance over the years of unceasing activity. But self-sown activities, creating and spreading the possibilities of experimentation in the project that is a community, contradicts the municipal system's supervisory system, which sees the lives and needs of the population as something to categorize, bureaucratize, control with cameras and wardens, criminalize with ever-new prohibitions, and the good practices of autonomous spaces as something to suppress with excavators, lawsuits in court, and the financial exhaustion of individuals and activists.

DEMANDS:
1. We want to live in a city that is aimed mainly at fulfilling the needs of the inhabitants.
2. We demand a housing policy that, regardless of one's social situation, enables access to quality housing. Dwellings for everyone! Empty spaces to the use (and self-administration) of the community!
3. We demand a limitations to the growth of food prices, basic services and basic living costs.
4. We demand the respect for granted labor rights, decent payments for overtime or regular employment, the work of migrant workers, and the improvement of the working conditions of all.
5. We oppose profit-driven policies, which divide people into welcome consumers, overpaid laborers and "redundant" people also in our own city.
6. Ljubljana should be a safe city with accessible services for all - without harassment of police, racial profiling and violence. Also, all health and social services in the city should be accessible to everyone under the same conditions, irrespective of the type of status and economic situation.
7. Users of Autonomous Spaces are co-creators of life in the city. The municipality should resign from vengeful actions against the people of Rog and from the absurd Center Rog project, which is at odds with the needs of the community. More autonomous spaces in Ljubljana and all other cities!
8. Free public transport, clean air and more green areas!
9. We demand an inclusive budget, and that decision-making be in the hands of the inhabitants, especially on issues relating to living conditions. Power to people, not city sheriffs!

• ljubljana
• Tovarna Rog,
• LublanaJeBulana
• antigentrifikacija