At the end of this spring, the Duh casa Society was faced with an unexpected setback. The Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT) terminated its coverage of the rental costs for our premises in BTC, where for the past three years we had been successfully carrying out our core activities. The stated reason for the withdrawal of support was of a legal nature, but we neither fully understand it nor find it justified. Considering our achievements over the last three years, we maintain that the decision of the MDT to withdraw support represents a serious setback for the most vulnerable members of society.

Had the situation remained unchanged, we would have been forced to vacate our premises in BTC in September, which could have eventually led to the discontinuation of our activities. The search for suitable premises is both burdensome and unpleasant, and one we have already faced on numerous occasions. Given the nature of our work—entirely volunteer-based, with extremely limited financial resources—renting premises independently is simply unrealistic. For this reason, we consider it highly irresponsible on the part of the state (i.e. the MDT) to leave our activities—which directly address and effectively resolve issues of digital accessibility for the most disadvantaged—once again without institutional support.

In this situation, BTC d.d. stepped forward and immediately offered its support. At a joint meeting with representatives of the MDT, the latter confirmed that state support would not be possible. A representative of BTC, however, stated that if the state could not provide assistance, BTC would step in. In early August, BTC informed us that it was preparing a new location for us, again situated in the basement of the Emporium building in Ljubljana. The arrangement will be sponsorship-based, which means that we will not bear any rental costs. At the time of writing, the premises are still being prepared. The relocation of our equipment and infrastructure, the setting up of the work environment, servers, connections, and electrical installations are still ahead of us—tasks that will certainly take at least another month. Updates on the relocation process and the resumption of our activities will be regularly published on our website and social media channels.

The new space covers approximately 165 m², almost the same as the previous premises. It will allow us to establish a comfortable and functional working environment. Since our activities can at times be somewhat noisy and involve handling of electronic waste, we are especially grateful that we have been offered a location slightly separated from other tenants. This will ensure that our work does not disturb others while giving us the flexibility to fully adapt the space to our needs.

We therefore extend our sincere gratitude and recognition to BTC d.d. Our activities do not bring the company any tangible economic or financial benefits. On the contrary, they entail a number of costs (premises, electricity, logistics, internet, the time and dedication of volunteers, etc.). Our only “return” is the common good, measured not in financial terms but in the improved digital accessibility and empowerment of the most vulnerable in society. We warmly thank the representatives of BTC for recognizing our situation and responding with such generosity. We look forward to all the positive outcomes that will be achieved thanks to your support.

Thank you, BTC.