SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

Tanja Fajon Tested On Ukraine

Two weeks into her term in office, Tanja Fajon is faced with an important test of her foreign policy chops. And not in a way she was (probably) hoping for. An open letter advocating a new, purportedly more sensible approach on Ukraine made its way into the media. The letter was signed by eighteen people of varying importance. Most of them are (or were) academics, some of them are regular TV pundits, still others are political has-beens, looking to reclaim some of the old fame.

Foreign minister Tanja Fajon speaking on the phone. — *Foreign minister Tanja Fajon doing her level best to imitate Ursula von der Leyen (source)*

In all honesty, the text would have probably gone the way of various other letters and petitions that float around in Muddy Hollows at any given time, were it not for the fact that former presidents Milan Kučan and Danilo Türk attached their signatures. Which seemed to kind of complicate things. At least for Tanja Fajon and PM Robert Golob.

The First Government of Robert Golob

Robert Golob finally put the ministers into his prime-ministership. The parliament voted on his cabinet yesterday and – to nobody’s surprise – approved the whole lot. Only it didn’t. Because this is not the cabinet Robert Golob wanted. Rather, it is the cabinet he can have at this moment.

Robert Golob and his (first) government, pictured immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. — *The initial setup of Golob government (source)*

This is a direct result of SDS moving to call a consultative referendum on the new Government Act. It stopped Golob’s redesign of the executive dead in its tracks and forced him to adhere to the existing layout. But the Big Bird will eventually get his way and a cabinet he really wants. So in a way, yesterday we saw the swearing-in of Robert Golob’s first government.

Robert “Big Bird” Golob And His Flock

In an event that surprised a grand total of zero people, Robert Golob was appointed The Big Bird on Wednesday evening. The only thing that was a bit uprising was a shorter-than-expected debate on the National Assembly floor. Even though the show kicked off at 3 PM, Golob was sworn as the new PM-elect early enough to (presumably) take a shower and have a quick bite before he made the rounds on late-night news programmes.

Robert Golob during his swearing-in ceremony in National Assembly. — *Rober Golob during his swearing-in ceremony (source: Matija Sušnik/Nat’l Assembly)*

Both readers will remember from pengovsky’s earlier writings on government-forming in Muddy Hollows that Golob’s swearing-in debate and ceremony was only Act One. The dude now has to present his cabinet (that is to say, his – well – flock) and have them sworn in as well. Then, and only then, will Golob take the reins of power from Marshal Twito.

Days Before Leaving Office, Janša Manages To Get Convicted

The odious affair of Janez Janša slandering two female journalists finally reached some sort of conclusion yesterday. Only days before leaving office, the outgoing PM was sentenced to a three-months suspended prison sentence. But it looked right up to the fucking end he will get away with labeling Eugenija Carl and Mojca Šetinc Pašek as prostitutes.

A map of Europe representing Slovenia as the only country whose prime minister (Janez Janša) is a convicted criminal. — *It’s funny because it’s true. (source)*

Namely, the story of Marshal Twito verbally assaulting the then-duo of journalists (Šetinc Pašek was since elected MP) is, in fact, two interwoven stories. On one hand, it is the tale of Janša’s self-described war on the media, that has earned him a lot of bad press. But at the same time, it is also a tale of Janša’s legal subterfuge and general disregard for the judicial system. The same judicial system he so frequently rails against as being out to get him.

Muddy Hollows Seats A New Parliament

Slovenian parliament constitutes for a new term today, kicking off a power-transfer process at the end of which Janez Janša will be looking at the PM’s office from the outside in. When that milestone is reached, Robert Golob of Gibanje Svoboda party will become the tenth person in history with an Outlook footer that says “Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia”.

Inaugural session of the new Slovenian parliament. All 90 MPs were present as were many onlookers. President Pahor opened the new parliament. — *New parliament in session (photo: Matija Sušnik/National Assembly)*

Golob spent the past weeks busily getting all of his ducks in a row. He concluded a coalition agreement with Tanja Fajon of SD and Luka Mesec of Levica. In the process he probably saved the former’s ass and gave the latter a chance of a lifetime. Somewhat surprisingly, SAB and LMŠ leaders Alenka Bratušek and Marjan Šarec get to play along, too.