[Ljubljana] Solidarität mit dem Widerstand gegen die Räumung des Sozialen Zentrums ROG!

Das besetzte soziale autonome Zentrum Fabrik ROG in Ljubljana (Slowenien) ist aktuell akut von der Räumung bedroht.

Das ROG ist eine große alte Fabrik in Ljubljana, der Hauptstadt von Slowenien, die 2006 besetzt wurde und seitdem zu einem sozialen, künstlerischem und unkommerziellem Zentrum mit über 15 Kollektiven in über 35 verschiedenen Freiräumen im Gebäude gewachsen ist.

Zusätzlich ist das ROG ist ein Ort, an dem Geflüchtete sich selbst organisieren, sich zusammen mit Anrassistischen Aktivist*innen treffen (Protirasistična fronta brez meja) und sich einfach aufhalten können.

Und es war ein Ausgangspunkt an dem im September 2015 erste Treffen für die Unterstützung von Refugees auf dem Balkan stattgefunden haben.

LETS DEFEND IT!
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Was passiert momentan im ROG?

Momentan sollen Teile des ROG abgerissen werden um Platz für Baugrund zu machen, der Stichtag bis zu dem das GEbäude abgerissen worde sein muss ist der 14. Juni 2016. Dies soll nach den Plänen der Stadt der Anfang vom Ende des selbstverwalteten ROG sein, es soll ein geordnetes "kreatives Zentrum" der Stadt entstehen. In den letzten Wochen gab es einen Aufruf der Assembly of the autonomous social center ROG (weiter unten zu finden), in dem zu Solidarität, Widerstand und einem Anti-Räumungsfestival aufgerufen wurde.
Am 4. Juni hat das ROG-Festival mit einem vielfältigem Programm begonnen (siehe weiter unten) und wird noch bis zum 14. Juni gehen.
Allerdings hat sich in den letzten Tagen die Situation um das ROG massiv zugespitzt und ist am Montag Morgen um 3.30 schließlich eskaliert, als die Stadt und die Polizei nachts versucht haben das ROG zu stürmen bzw im Laufe des Tages mit einem Bagger anfangen wollten Gebäudeteile einzureissen. Durch die Besetzung des Baggers, Barrikaden, Blockaden und mithilfe hunderter solidarischer Menschen konnte das verhindert werden:
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6. Juni: Abwehr von Stürmung durch Polizei und privaten Sicherheitsdienst, massive Gewalt durch Sicherheitsdienst
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuJqiLB22NM
6. Juni: Abwehr eines Räumungsversuchs und des Abrisses mit einem Bagger, viel Gewalt durch Sicherheitsdienst
http://komunal.org/video/prostori/340-ljubljana-najbrutalnejse-mesto-na-...
7. Juni: Painting of Digger:
http://komunal.org/video/protesti/342-roza-si-rusil-ne-bos
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Mithilfe großer Unterstützung durch hunderte solidarische Menschen wurden die Polizei und der Sicherheitsdienst schließlich vom Gelände vertrieben und das Gelände verbarrikadiert.
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6. Juni: Rausschmiss Cops und Sicherheitsdienst durch hunderte Menschen + Impressionen von den Blockaden, dem ROG und vom ROG-Festival (geht noch bis 14. Juni):
http://komunal.org/video/prostori/345-video-report-tovarna-rog-06-08-jun...
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Aktuell findet weiterhin das ROG-Festival statt, es sind hunderte solidarische Menschen vor Ort, die Menschen bereiten sich darauf vor das ROG weiterhin zu verteidigen gegendie erwartete Räumung durch die Polizei.
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Die Frist bis zu der das ROG geräumt werden kann, ist der 14. Juni...LETS DEFEND IT!
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Wie kannst DU das ROG unterstützten? + Mehr Infos:

"Every support is more than welcome. You can show your support by sharing the information, think of possible ways of solving the situation and THE MOST IMPORTANT – COME TO THE FACTORY! TOGETHER WE WILL PROTECT ROG !!" (aus dem CALL der Assembly im ROG)
- KOMMT ZUM ROG!
"Physical defence of the complex and logistical support in order to prevent the commence of demolition works"
Noch bis 14. Juni: ROG-Festival gegen die Räumung im ROG (Programm siehe weiter unten)
FESTIVAL-PROGRAMM (from 10. June to 14. June):
https://www.facebook.com/events/131008927317606/
und auch danach gehts weiter!
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-Verbreitet die Info weiter über Mailingslisten, Facebook, schafft Aufmerksamkeit...
https://www.facebook.com/ohranimorog/
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- Schickt Soli-Briefe, Soli-Bilder, Soli-Banner an das ROG:
"You are also very welcome to write your own letters of support and publish them as well as send them to us so we can publish them as well (e-mail address, also if you have any questions or anything: skupscina.tovarne.rog@gmail.com or tovarnarog.info@gmail.com - better first one or both).
We are really really happy for your support"
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- Malt Banner und macht Soli-Bilder, schafft Aufmerksamkeit
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- Sign the petition: http://www.pravapeticija.com/2fneomejen_rog_uporabe__support_autonomous_...
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- Write a statement or letter of support and sending it to the Municipality of Ljubljana: Mestna občina Ljubljana, Kabinet župana, Mestni trg 1, 1000 Ljubljana F: (01) 306 12 14 E: kabinet@ljubljana.si
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- Sammelt Geld für die zu erwartenden Repressions-Kosten für die Besetzer*innen des ROG und schickt es dem ROG
- Organe events in Rog or use our spaces for your normal activities betwen 26.5 and 14.6.
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- Your proposal...
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Weitere Infos:
Viele Seiten mit Videos, Informationen, Kontakten zum Lesen und weiterverbreiten:

- Offizielle Seite vom ROG:
http://tovarna.org/
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- Komunal.org: Lokale Linke Info-Seite über das ROG mit vielen Videos über das ROG
http://komunal.org/
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- FACEBOOK-Seite vom ROG: (all the information, letters, videos and everything is on that page)
https://www.facebook.com/ohranimorog/
BITTE WEITERVERBREITEN!
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- Antirassistische Gruppe im ROG "Fronta Brez Meja":
https://www.facebook.com/FrontaBrezMeja/photos/a.962831610455851.1073741...
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- Freies Radio in Ljubljana:
http://radiostudent.si/politika/off-komentar/miss-slovenije-za-miss-sveta
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Weitere Fotos und Berichte:
Fotos vom ROG
http://info-action.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2748...
Fotos und Videos vom Angriff am Montag
http://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/foto-mol-bo-vztrajal-pri-pravnih-sredstvi...
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Folgend: STELLUNGNAHMEN DER ASSEMBLY IM ROG und Bilder vom ROG:
(in Deutsch und Englisch)
- 6. Juni nach der versuchten Räumung: Stellungnahme der ROG-Fabrik-Nutzer*innen + Stellungnahme des AZs ROG
- May 2016 zur Räumungsbedrohun: Stellungnahme des ROG

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Deutsche Version:
Offizielles Statement der Versammlung der Nutzer*innen des autonomen Zentrums Rog

Am Montag, 6. Juni, um 03:15 Uhr, stuermte die Security Firma Valina die Rog Fabrik und versuchte nach Anweisung des Buergermeisters von Lubljana, Zoran Janković, das Zentrum zu raeumen um den Platz als Baugrund zu nutzen. Trotz des brutalen und gewaltbereiten Auftretens der Securitys gelang es den mehreren hundert Menschen in der Rog Fabrik nach einem halben Tag der Auseinandersetzung den autonomen Raum zu verteidigen. Weil wir nun einen weiteren Raeumungsversuch erwarten, haben wir uns in der Rog Fabrik versammelt und um das ganze Areal Barrikaden errichtet.

Kuenstler*innen, Aktivist*innen, sowie Mitglieder*innen verschiedener Kollektive und Gruppen, welche seit mehr als zehn Jahren in der Rog Fabrik mitarbeiten, sind Teil des Kampfes. Auf der Basis von Autonomie, Solidaritaet und gegenseiter Hilfe bietet die Rog Fabrik Platz fuer Kultur, Sport und sozialen Aktivitaeten. Trotz der Versuche einen Kompromiss zu finden, ignoriert die Stadt Ljubljana die Vielfalt an Aktivitaeten denen das Rog Platz bietet. Ihr Ziel ist es die Vielzahl an Akitviaeten, die sich der kapitalistischen Logik der Gentrifizierung entgegensetzen, zu unterbinden und den Raum fuer Tourist*innen und etablierten Kuenstler*innen zu oeffnen. Kurz, sie versuchen die derzeitigen Besetzer*innen rauszuwerfen, um den Grossteil des Gebaeudekomplexes abzureissen und das Hauptgebaeude zu renovieren (Die Rog Fabrik ist ein Gebaeudekomplex von fuenf Gebaeuden plus dem Hauptgebaeude, in welchem ununterbrochen Menschen leben). Ungefaehr hundert Menschen unterstuetzen unseren derzeitigen Kampf, durch ihre dauernde Anwesenheit in und um die Rog Fabrik.

Jede Unterstuetzung ist hier mehr als Willkommen. Untersuetzt uns indem ihr unsere Informationen verbreitet und lasst euch Moeglichkeiten einfallen um die Situation zu bewaeltigen. DAS WICHTIGSTE IST ABER: KOMMT ZU DER FABRIK, ZUSAMMEN WERDEN WIR ROG VERTEIDIGEN!!!
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Offizielles Statement der Besetzer*innen

Die Frage rund um die Rog Fabrik ist eine politische. Nach dem Angriff am Montagmorgen, ist es sowohl unser als auch das Interesse der Stadt Lubljana, die Situation zu beruhigen. Im Gegensatz zu der Stadt verfuegen wir ueber die Kontrolle dieser Situation. Die Rog Fabrik ist ein autonomer Raum und wir, die Menschen von Rog, kontrollieren auch den Zugang zum autonomen Raum. Am Montag war der Eingang noch unter der Kontrolle der, von der Stadt bezahlten, gewalttaetigen Security, der Firma Valina. Seit dem Angriff ist Valina in der Rog Fabrik nicht mehr willkommen. Wir bewachen den Eingang selbst!

Die Stadt provozierte uns! Sie hetzt bezahlte, gewattaetige Securitys auf uns! Der Buergermeister waehlte den Weg der Gewalt und wir verteidigen uns. Am Montag haben wir bewiesen, dass wir dies auch koennen. Es ist laecherlich, dass der Buergermeister, Zoran Janković, behauptet, fuer das brutale Vorgehen der Security nicht verantwortlich zu sein. Niemand greift uns! Wir hoffen das Mr. Janković dies, spaetestens jetzt, verstanden hat. Jede Repression der Stadt macht uns staerker und deren Auftreten von Montag zwingt uns zur Aktion. Wir sind am Leben und organisiert; das beinhaltet neue und organisierte Strukturen mit ueber hundert Menschen. Wir sind auf neue Angriffe auf unsere Gemeinschaft bestens vorbereitet und ueberzeugt davon sie abzuwehren.
Der Plan der Stadt Lubljana sieht vor uns von unserem Projekt abzuhalten und es zu zerstoeren. Seit diesen Plaenen, gab es keinen Dialog. Wir sehen die Moeglichkeit eines Dialogs nur, wenn die Stadt von ihren aktuellen Plaenen absieht. Wenn die Stadt aber bei ihren Plaenen bleibt, werden wir bleiben. Der Dialog kann nur dann stattfinden, wenn die Stadt ihre Gespraechspartner*innen akzeptiert und ernst nimmt – und ihre Gespraechspartner*innen sind die Menschen des autonomen Zentrums Rog, und sonst niemand! Wir haben die Kontrolle ueber Rog und mit uns soll auch gesprochen werden!

Unsere Bedingungen sind klar: Die Stadt soll von den Plaenen der Zerstoerung von Rog und den Projekten absehen. Ohne diese Bedingung zu akzeptieren, die lebensnotwendig fuer uns ist und von der wir nicht abruecken werden, ist alles moeglich. Wir werden mit der Stadt nicht kooperieren. Die Rog Fabrik hat ein enormes Potential, welches im oeffentlichen Interesse steht und am Wichtigsten, im Interesse der Stadt und ihren Bewohner*innen. Einige Inhalte, die die Stadt von Rog nach aussen tragen will, werden von uns bereits behandelt und in den letzten Jahren haben wir intensiv neue Benutzer*innen integriert und ihnen Raum gegeben. Wir gehen davon aus, dass die Stadt anstatt sich auf die Inhalte der, dann ehemaligen Rog Fabrik, zu konzentrieren, es leerstehen und zerfallen laesst, so wie die Cukrarna Fabrik. Wir werden weiterhin unsere Prinzipien verteidigen, welche die Rog Fabrik zu einem einzigartigen und unabhaengigen Ort Machen fuer nicht typische soziale Arbeit, kulturelle und politische Ideen, welche auch die Zusammenarbeit breitgefaechterter Benutzer*innen und die Vielzahl an Aktivitaeten foerdern, welche auf den ersten Blick befremdlich aussehen.

Wir fordern die Stadt auf sich darueber klar zu werden, wie viele Knochen sie noch brechen will um das Ego von Janković zu staerken. Wie weit werdet ihr gehen um den Interessen des Kapitals folge zu leisten? Wir rufen sie zu einem echten Dialog auf anstatt auf gewaltsames Vorgehen zu setzen. Wir hoffen dass sie das einsehen und von weiteren Angriffen auf uns absehen. Ihr findet uns im autonomen Raum der Rog Fabrik!

Die Versammlung der autonomen Nutzer*innen der Rog Fabrik
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Public statement of the assembly of the autonomous Rog Factory users
6. June 2016

On Monday, 6th of June at 03:15, the security company Valina stormed to Rog Factory in order to secure the place and turn it into a building ground according to the instructions of the mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković. Despite their violent and brutal approach the community of Rog Factory managed to defend the place and after a half a day of struggle, which was channelled through a few hundred people they left. We have built barricades around the area, as we are expecting them or the police to come and try to evict us again. So we are gathered at the abandoned Rog Factory.

Artists, activists, philosophers, as well as members of various collectives and groups that have been active here for more than 10 years, are joint in the struggle. Rog Factory is filled with cultural, music, sport, social and other activities. Rog is the first space in Ljubljana which opened its doors for refugees and migrants. In autumn in Rog supplies were gathered for aid on the borders, today here a variety of activities takes place: Slovenian, English and Farsi language courses, creative workshops, socialising events with people living in asylum homes in Ljubljana, workshops for repairing bikes... Factory Rog is the only space open for refugees and migrants to use it as they want, here they aren't just passive consumers of formal integration programs, here we are together day by day and together we create an open society for all.

Our work is based on autonomy, solidarity and mutual help. Despite trying to achieve a compromise, the municipality of Ljubljana is ignoring the activities held in the factory. Their goal is to stop the rich abundance of activities held in Rog opposing the capitalist ideas of gentrification of the centre of the town and adjusting it to the tourists and the established art scene. In short, their goal is the eviction of the current users and demolishing of all the buildings except the main one, which is supposed to be renewed. (Factory Rog is a complex of five buildings plus the main building and all of these are constantly housing activities). There is a constant presence of 100 people supporting our cause at the area of the factory all the time these days.

Every support is more than welcome. You can show your support by sharing the information, think of possible ways of solving the situation and THE MOST IMPORTANT – COME TO THE FACTORY! TOGETHER WE WILL PROTECT ROG !!!
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Following is the official statement of the Rog Factory users:

The question of the Rog Factory is a political question. After Monday’s morning, it is in our interest, as well as in the interest of the municipality of Ljubljana, to calm the situation down. However, in contrast to the municipality, we are in full control of the situation. The Rog Factory is today a de facto autonomous area and we, the people of Rog, are also controlling the entry. Before Monday’s aggression by the security sent by the municipality, the entry was under the control of the security company Valina. After Monday’s brutality, Valina is not welcome in the Rog Factory anymore. We will be protecting the entry by ourselves.

The municipality was the one who provoked the tensions by sending payed violent securities upon us. The mayor is personally choosing the violent means, we are only responding defensively. On Monday we proved that we are successful in doing so. It is of most perversion that the mayor, Zoran Janković, is now avoiding taking responsibility for the acts of his own securities. No one will carry out violence against us and we hope that Mr. Janković knows that. Every arbitrary step taken by the municipality made us stronger, and the farce that they performed on Monday forced us into full action. The movement is alive and well organized; it includes new and organized structures and is composed of more than one hundred individuals. We are prepared for new attempts of interventions into our community and we are convinced that we will ward them off successfully.

We are insisting on dialogue, which hasn’t yet been present, since the municipality is insisting on their ultimatum, which is demolishing and continuing with the project that is unacceptable for us. We see the possibility of dialogue only when the space for it will be open, and that is when the municipality will withdraw from the planned project. If they insist on the project, then everything has already been agreed upon and according to such an agreement, we cease to exist. The dialogue will begin when the municipality will acknowledge its partner in dialogue – the assembly of the autonomous Rog Factory users. This assembly is the only acceptable partner in dialogue, since it de facto controls the autonomous area of Rog Factory as well as has the power to normalize the tense situation.

Our demands are clear. The municipality should withdraw from the demolition plans and the project of the new Rog Centre. Without accepting this demand, which is of vital importance to us and from which we will not resign, anything is possible. We do want a cooperative relation with the municipality. The Rog Factory has an enormous potential and the flourishing of this potential is in public interest, and most importantly, in the interest of the city. Some contents, that the municipality is planning to implement in the new Rog Centre, are already being carried out by us and in the last few years we have been intensively including new users and opening new spaces. We suggest the municipality to rather focus on establishing contents in the ex-squats, such as the Cukrarna factory, which has been emptied almost two decades ago yet it still remains empty and in a critical condition. We will continue to defend the principles of our practice, which are making the Rog Factory a unique and an indispensable place of non-formal social, cultural and political production, which as such enables the cooperation of a wide range of users as well as experiments on the crossroads of activities which on first sight might seem foreign or incompatible among each other.

We demand for the municipality to come clear on how many bones they are still willing to break in order to appease to the mayor’s ego. How far are they willing to go to please the interest of the capital? We are calling for opening a common place for a true dialogue instead of escaping to violence. We hope that the municipality will see through that and avoid further use of force. You can find us in the autonomous Rog Factory. We are willing to talk to anyone, however, they cannot demand for us to agree to our own demise.

The assembly of the autonomous Rog Factory users

For more info check the FB https://www.facebook.com/ohranimorog page or just write us back.

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CALL FOR SUPPORT FOR AUTONOMOUS FACTORY ROG
May 2016

Autonomous factory Rog is under threat of being destroyed by the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL), which is now preparing its partial demolition and projects to transform the complex into a center for creative industries. The MOL is planning to demolish four buildings at the end of May/ begining of June, and go on removing all satellite buildings of the main factory. This stage is dependent on the allocated financial resources.

Only one atelier is under threat at this very moment, but once the working area is established on the yard, the authorities can easily remove also the Skate park, the gallery “Kljub Vsemu”, the Concert hall, Circus’ headquarters, Social Center… The MOL does not possesses the financial means for the overall renovation and is pushing with demolition works only because the building permission is about to expire on 14th, June, 2016. We are asking you to support Autonomous factory Rog according to your possibilities.

You can help us in several ways:

· Signing the petition: http://www.pravapeticija.com/2fneomejen_rog_uporabe__support_autonomous_...
· Writing a statement or letter of support and sending it to the Municipality of Ljubljana: Mestna občina Ljubljana, Kabinet župana, Mestni trg 1, 1000 Ljubljana F: (01) 306 12 14 E: kabinet@ljubljana.si
· Organizing events in Rog or using our spaces for your normal activities betwen 26.5 and 14.6.
· Physical defence of the complex and logistical support in order to prevent the commence of demolition works
· Your proposal

We are organising a meeting on Saturday, 21.5 at 17:00 with all the entities and persons who want to support us and fight for our space.
For questions, suggestions and information, you can contact us at: skupscina.tovarne.rog@gmail.com

Important dates:
18.5. From 12:00 onwards: Working action - construction of all-Rog-bathrooms
20.5. From 12:00 - Blok party - picnic, music, mingling
21.5. At 17:00 - Meeting with support networks
25.5. At 17:00 - Youth parade for unlimited use of Rog factory
14.6. - Expiration date of building permission
15.5. - 14.6. - Critical period for beginning of demolition works

Since many of people/collectives, who support us, know little of our history and because some brothers and sister oranizations asked us for a model text that they can use for their support letter, we wrote a basic informative text below:

INTRO TO AUTONOMOUS FACTORY ROG

Rog factory is an industrial complex on the east edge of Ljubljana centre, which produced the famous Rog bicycles and was shut down in 1991. It remained abandoned and deteriorating for 15 years. In 2006 the area was occupied by engaged students, artists and activists, as a critical response to post-socialist transition process (privatization and de-industrialization) and the erosion of public and social spaces (individualisation and atomization of society). They pull their legitimacy from the needing of places for non-formal artistic, cultural and political activities (autonomy, alternative culture, horizontal political organization).

Rog’s users secured and cleaned the spaces and established ateliers, workshops, galleries, skate-parks, a concert hall, recreational facilities and a social center, among others. Despite the municipal efforts to block or unable the grassroot activities (refusal to sign the legal contract for temporary use, and not allowing the community to tap into public electricity network), the users turned to their self-initiative, collaboration and resourcefulness. After10 years, they have created one of the main axis of urban culture, critical thought and political activism of the city, the country and even beyond.

Today, there are around 15 organised collectives and around 20 individuals active in the factory, distributed in 35 spaces that are relatively self-sufficient and autonomous. The community is bond together through assemblies, which is the main political body. It follows the principle of direct-democratic decision making and consulting. The activities taking place in Rog can be summarised as:

· Artistic and cultural production - visual arts, multimedia and performance arts, graffiti, street theatre, circus, music production, art theory, philosophy and political theory
· Recreational and motoric activities - skateboarding, rollerblading, BMXing, kung fu, tai chi quan, silk dancing, break dancing and football
· Activism - grassroot political organising, networking, training and education, direct actions and building of horizontal political structures
· Social and music events - jam sessions, concerts, club events, experimental musical-performative-social events, picnics, gatherings, flea-markets, etc.

One year after the occupation - in 2007 - the municipality begin planning the renovation of the area into a “Creative centre Rog”, putting the emphasis on redeveloping the surroundings in order to build an attractive area for international artists and tourists. With the help of an EU-led project devoted to revitalisation of ex-industrial zones, they propose a public-private partnership to renovate the main factory building, the construction of a design hotel, up-standard apartments and commercial programmes. The public-private ration is 20-80%. One of the proposals also suggests the moving of 3 art academies to Rog, but their deans deny it, because of non-defined relations between academic and commercial programs and because they don’t want that their students - who are active in the factory - lose their studios/ateliers. The municipality could never find an investor because of global recession, so they downscale the project into an all- publicly financed “centre for architecture, design and visual arts” stressed on developing the creative industries economic sector and helping young designers into entering the labour market. The community of Rog users criticise the municipal project in the following points:

· Financially demanding project - the municipality doesn’t posseses enough funds to realize the project, and has not yet applied for EU funds. There is no guarantee that the municipality will finish the renovation project in the near future. There are enough construction caves in Ljubljana already.
· Spatially unnecesary - there already exist creative hubs with developed social and bussness networks in Ljubljana that the municipality can infratructurally and financially support
· Commodification of artistic and cultural practices - Economic instrumentalization, comercialization, precarious working conditions, low wages and no security for the producers
· Gentrification of the city centre - beautification of space, shift of focus from citizens to tourists and consumers, surveyance and prohibition of free use of public spaces, relocation of non-profitable uses and populations, etc.
· Non-participatory led project - current users were never included in concept-formation stage of the renovation project and were used only for testing the already formed programmatic and architectural proposal. They were only allowed to give opinions and suggestions which were not thoroughly considered
· Aversion toward grassroot practices - Municipal top-down approach is unwilling to recognize the existing practices and necessarily creates antagonism between Rog users and professionals working on the project
· Right to the city - city users and dwellers contribute to urban dynamics and therefore have a legitimate claim towards city matters.

We, the users of autonomous Rog factory do not accept the agreement for temporary use because of these facts:
There is no contract or other signed legal document between the municipality and the users. The users were prepared to sign such document, but the city officials refused and therefore prevented the legalisation.
The municipality never provided the minimal infrastructural and technical conditions. The users used their own time, resuorces and money to secure, maintain and manage the spaces.

After ten years of working in precarious conditions, regenerating the area with cultural activities and producing content of public/urban interest, we have a legitimate right to use and manage a property which is not legally ours.
Existing activities and horizontal mode of organisation carry greater potential for further development than the municipal proposal with its rigid organisational structure and commercial orientation.
We demand that the municipality step down from their project, which is doomed to failure, and recognise the potentials of existing activities and organisational structure. The municipality should provide the minimal infrastructural and physical conditions and should respect the autonomy of the users’ community. The users are capable of further self-renovation of buildings, providing new contents and self-managing the already existent and working creative factory Rog. We do not fight for the preservation of current state of affairs, we are struggling for our future autonomous development!

In 2007 the municipality started the Second Chance project, an EU-funding program for renovation of ex-industrial sites. The first proposal is a public-private partnership for renovation of the area into a creative industries centre, exhibition spaces, design hotel, parking garage and penthouse apartments. An idea was also to include the 3 art academies, but the deans were against the proposal because of undefined relations between commercial and academic programs, and also because they did not want that their students should leave their ateliers, which they already built by themselves. Because of the recession and lack of funds, the city could not afford the project, so they downgraded it into a publicly financed ”Cultural Center Rog”, engaged with architecture, design and visual arts. The emphasis is put on providing space for the development of creative industries. The users of autonomous factory Rog criticise the municipal plan in the following points:

Financialy overscaled
Spatialy unnecessary
Comodification of culture into creative industries
Gentrification of city center
Lack of participation of Rog’s users
Denial of grassroot practices
Right to the city

We, the users do not acknowledge the temporary use oral agreement anymore. A legal contract was never signed, MOL never assured the complex’s safety and basic infrastructure, the users relied on themselves and with their own funds, time and energy, and after 10 years of working in precarious conditions we have a legitimate claim of a place that produces contents which are of the highest interest. We are convinced that the heterogenity of the current activities and their non-institutional character carries a much larger potential that the municipal commercially oriented project. We will fight for our autonomy and self-determination!

Assembly of autonomous Factory Rog