Beauty queens, headed by Miss Hawaiian Tropic Slovenia 2006 Manca Zver, presented on Monday an initiative to introduce tougher sentences for paedophiles, a public list of convicted paedophiles, and more funds for the victims of paedophilia.
As Zver explained to the press on Monday in Grosuplje, beauty queens propose the legislation be changed with the sentence for sexual abuse of children raised from 10 to 30 years in prison without the possibility for parole.

In most cases, she continued, paedophiles get the lowest possible sentence, which enables them to repeat the crime. In her view, psychological problems should not be an excuse for their acts.

Zver, who is the daughter of Education Minister Milan Zver, feels another problem are paedophiles with a high position in society, for whom it is difficult to believe that they are abusing children. "For such an act, every adult person should lose their rights," she added.

Zver triggered criticism with hostile statements against paedophiles in her recent show on the local broadcaster TV Paprika, when she hosted the opposition National Party (SNS) leader Zmago Jelincic.

She agreed with her guest that "paedophiles should be castrated and beaten up in a public place", and that lifetime imprisonment for paedophiles should be introduced.

The statements were criticised by Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek, who labelled them at a press conference last week as "horrible propaganda".

Hanzek moreover believes this proves the SNS has double standards, as the party recently called on him to release a convicted paedophile. "The SNS condemns paedophilia in public in order to prevent the solution of this problem or to protect a paedophile in reality," Hanzek also said.

Zver's statements were also criticised by the Slovenian Association of Journalists, which said at a press conference last Friday that media have been encouraging hostile speech by airing or broadcasting such statements in order to draw public or media attention.

Zver admitted at today's news conference that her statements were perhaps not the most appropriate, explaining that she was "carried away" with emotions and anger. However, she still insists that violence is permitted when it comes to protecting children.

Today's press conference was also attended by Jelincic and the head of the Association Against Sexual Abuse Katja Basic, as well as a number of other beauty queens.