sex and politics

Sex, booze and fags… What more could a guy want?

(via email)

So sue me! (source)

A shocker! Contrary to my expectiations, PM Janez Janša went ahead and actually filed a suit against his predecesor Tone Rop. The date is obviusly not a coincidence, as Janša seems to be on a brink of a breakthrough in negotiating a settlement of several Slovene-Croatian disputes. This settlement (if sucessful) wil have been achieved with Croatian PM Ivo Sanader, with whom (according to Rop claims) Janša has coordinated border incidents in the Bay of Piran just prior to Slovene 2004 elections, when he got elected as PM and replaced Tone Rop in office.

Also, the filing of the suit comes only days before Iztok Podpregar, former top Slovene spy, who broke the news of allegend Janša’s involvement in the incidents to Rop, is due to testify before the parliamentary committee overseeing the intelligence services. Podbregar is expected to be quizzed especially about the supposed eavesdropping on Janša and Sanader.

Janša’s move could mean any number of things: If the dispute with Croatia is settled, the question of his involvement would suddenly become less important. Not because his alleged actions would be any less… how shall I put it… deplorable, but simply because it would become so last Tuesday and noone would care to open issues that were barely closed.

On the other hand it could be that Janša is running scared and is trying to bluff his way out of a very bad predicament. Namely -if Rop’s allegations are true (as hinted at by the German secret service) than Janša has nowhere to hide and can only hope that the other fellow will blink first. Knowing Rop, this is not likely to happen.

And thirdly, it could be that Janša is only covering his bases. If the deal with Croatians does not go through, he can still try to pin it on Rop, saying that the latter undermined Slovenia’s negotiating positions by his claims.

Anyways, the ball is now in Rop’s court. As Janša is filing a private suit, the burden of proof lies with Rop, meaning that in order to win the case, Rop must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that his allegations are correct. Short of producing the transcripts and/or several strong material witnesess, I fail to see how that can be done. So I asume Rop’s got his bases covered - why else would he play such a dangerous game?

But the sad part is that we now have two people, who - each in his own time - were (are) the most informed and powerful men in this country are due in court to decide who knew what and when. Again…. this is not you calling your neighbour a cunt and him calling you a pussy, but about two prime ministers, one basically accusing the other of high treason. This is impeachment stuff, and not a matter for a disctrict court.

Only in Slovenia, ladies and gentlemen, only in Slovenia

UPDATE: Hours ago PM has replaced three ministers and Director of SOVA. See my comment @ 4:41 pm for details.

OK, so the title is a bit misleading, but still… Slovene People’s Party (Slovenska Ljudska Stranka - SLS) is opposing the proposed setllement of disputes between Slovenia and Croatia which Janša and Sanader have agreed upon Sunday last.

As always, one can always on SLS to stir the shit a bit - as it has done prior to 2004 elections, when party’s president Janez Podobnik created an international incident at border crossing Dragonja, where he tripped over a fence and then claimed that he was viciously pushed by Croatian police who were trampling on the sacred Slovene land.

Janez Podobnik tripping over a fence (source)

Janez Podobnik was the only party leader who - only days later - was not elected member of the parliament, and it was in my opinion this incident which tipped the scale. Warmongering was never well received in this part of the world. But today, as Janša and Sanader seem to be on a brink of a breakthrough, Podobnik (who is now minister of enviroment) must (must) oppose their agreement, otherwise his pre-election stunt would turn out to be a load of bullshit that it was.

It’s a hefty bill of political folly to pay… If they supported the agreement, they would admit to their true intentons in 2004… If they opposed it (which they did), they risk looking uncooperative, which would not be well received. Add to that the fact that SLS is a member of the ruling coalition (it’s a tough gig, I know :D) and you can see why it is entirely possible that the party is on the night train to the Big Adios

But just to give you full disclosure, SLS has a special place in my heart - but I’ll write about that some other time. Suffice it to say that they’ve prevented a coup d’etat…