A couple of days ago Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković provided us with another juicy remark – this time aimed at parliamentary chief whip of Janez Janša’s SDS Jože Tanko. Namely: Zoki was rather eloquent in his support of Mitja Gaspari and then of Danilo Türk during the presidential campaign. Furthermore, he said that Lojze Peterle is too close to the ruling coalition which is actively seeking to harm Ljubljana.
In the heat of the election campaing SDS of course responded by Tanko demanding a public appology. And on Tuesday last (one decision by the constitutional court and one electoral result later) mayor Janković struck back at Tanko, slamming him pretty hard:
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself 🙂
Funny thing is though, that Spanish king Juan Carlos did basically the same thing to Hugo Chavez the other day. But he did it in person while his PM Zapatero was unsucesfully trying to be both calming and assertive. Anyone speak Spanish around here? 🙂
Basically it was like this:
(-Crappy Engrish… just done quickly-)
Zapatero (aka Shoemaker): -We’re in a place where there are democratic governments, which represent their citizens in a Spanish-American community that considers respect as one of its core values. You can be completely opposed to a certain ideology, -I’m not getting close to the former president, Aznar-, but Aznar was chosen democratically by Spanish people, and I demand, demand…
Chávez: -Tell him to respect.
Zapatero: -I demand from you… just wait a sec…
Chávez: -Tell the same to him.
Zapatero: -I demand that respect, for one reason, and…
Chávez: -Tell the same to him, president.
Zapatero: -Of course.
Chávez: -Tell the same to him…
Da King: -Why don’t you f***** shut the f***** up, you ***** ?
(Well… in a mild way, “why don’t you shut up” but he was thinking that)
Bachelet: -Please, let’s not start a discussion, you had time to present your position… finish, president.
Chávez: -Aznar may be Spanish, but he’s a fascist and a…
Zapatero: -president Hugo Chávez, I think there’s something essential here; to respect and be respected. We have to try not to enter the game of insulting each other. You can disagree completely with some ideas, denounce the behaviors, w/o the need to insult.[…] I’m sure all people present here and all latinoamericans want all democratic governors to be respected […] be respected , today [raising voice] and tomorrow, even if we disagree with each other’s ideas [Applauding]
Chávez: -The government of Venezuela keeps for itself the right to reply to any aggression in any place, space and tone.
[Applauding]
Pravzaprav, it was the other way around with Chavez telling Juan Carlos to shut up because he was a fascist, and the truth is that Juan Carlos was actually a fascist sympathiser and this truth has been surpressed in Spain.
So it should actually be HUGO Jankovič!
Govorim malo špansko!
Harsh… Really harsh.
Yikes! I just watched it again. You’re right! Juan Carlos did tell him to shut up and then Chavez made the fascist comment, I’d heard it reported the other way. Thanks for posting primary source material!
Nonetheless, I doubt Jankovič would want to be spoken about in the same sentence as that fascist…
@Disablez: Thanks, man! I don’t speak a word of Spanish and now I see that the whole thing is even better than I thought at first 😆
@camille: Tudi malo slovensko govoriš 😉
@Michael M.: Indeed. What Zoki doesn’t realize that somewhere down the road these statements will come back to haunt him. Either politically or otherwise. But then again, mayor of Maribor also has somewhat of a in-your-face approach, doesn’t he?
There was one time I totally agreed with Chavez. On his tour through Central America (or maybe South America) he said that Bush is the most stupid president in the entire history of USA. It sounded so much better in Spanish.
I kind of liked Chavez at the start, but with his recent crackdown on media and above escapades I’m heavily revising my opinion of him. He ain’t making any friends this way…
Well, somehow I like Janković’s way to express himself. That way it’s at least more funny and more honest than something like: “I do not agree with all of what Mr. Tanko said..”
And then I wonder why some people think he’d be a good replacement for JJ. 🙂