Slovenia erects eight-metre high Donald Trump effigy

Slovenia erects eight-metre high Donald Trump effigy

Alongside a chainsaw-hewn statue of Melania Trump, another Slovenian village has created a matching eight-metre high effigy of her husband Donald, which is set to terrify tourists.

The Balkan nation is home to many idyllic natural charms capable of tantalising Australian tourists, but we’re sure this recently erected effigy of the President of the United States is certainly not one of them.

In the village of Sela pri Kamniku, around 30 kilometres north of the capital, Ljubljana, architect Tomaz Schlegl has created an eight-metre high, saluting statue of Trump complete with hair, blue suit, white shirt and red tie.

Donald Trump effigy Slovenia

Donald_J._Trump_at_Marriott_Marquis_NYC_September_7th_2016_04

The right arm of the Trump effigy is pointed in the air, in what appears to be a salute, although commentators have also compared the pose to New York’s Statue of Liberty.

Schlegl told AFP he wanted the piece to serve as a comment on populist politics.

He adds that a mechanism in the head of the effigy allows the facial expression to change from “very friendly during the week to really scary over the weekends”, symbolising the hypocrisy of populist politicians.

“For the first time since World War II, populism is prevailing: look at [British Prime Minister Boris] Johnson, look at Trump, our president or [Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor] Orban,” Schlegl said.

“Where is this world heading?

“We want to open people’s eyes about what democracy is,” he said while he and volunteers put the finishing touches to the figure.

The statue has, however, ignited mixed reaction from Slovenian locals.

One man reportedly ploughed a tractor into the statue. The statue emerged unscathed, despite threats from the irate villager to burn it down.

“Our more traditional neighbours, country folk, claim it’s ugly and say it does not fit in this beautiful landscape,” Schlegl said.

Some villagers have, however, backed the statue and even volunteered time over the past few weeks to build it, according to Schlegl.

Under pressure from other villagers, the owner of the land which the statue stands on has reportedly given it permission to stay for two months. It is due to burnt on be 31 October, on Halloween.

Sela pri Kamniku’s Trump statue joins an equally controversial sculpture of his wife, Melania, built near her childhood home of Sevnica.

Melania Trump statue Slovenia

Melania Trump

Schlegl reportedly came upon the idea of building the sculpture as a reaction to the Melania monument.

Slovenia is the world’s first country to be declared a Global Green Destination, and is among the most sustainable on the planet. The Slovenian Tourist Board also recently revealed its tourism goals for 2019 during its week-long roadshow to Australia and New Zealand.

Seeing the two Trump monuments was not on the list.

Featured image: AFP/Jure Makovec

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