Month: February 2007

The Prez allegedly insulted these people while visiting Ambrus in late December 06 (source)

Slovenia is apparently regressing into a post-communist state. Yes, it is not a mistake. We are regressing. We’ve had the privilige of jumping from a relatively liberal socialist state/republic to a relatively inconspicious democratic market economy. The phase in between is called “a post-communist state“.

I fell a slight addition to the rather inadequate definition of post-communism by Wiki is necesary: On a political level, a government of a post-communist state often uses all means necesary to remove its political oponents. Since a post-communist government’s file rouge is actually anti-communism (in all its forms and manners) it often employs exactly the same methods as its counterpart in communist times.

Well then… After successfully removing Mitja Gaspari, the Prime Minister’s henchmen went after Janša’s current arch-rival. The President of the Republic of Slovenia. A never-before-heard-of group calling itself “Citizens’ Initiative – Stop Communist Mafia” has filed charges against Janez Drnovšek for allegedly abusing his powers – amongst other things, granting clemency to Danilo Kovačič and for offending religious feelings of the people of Ambrus

Am I the only one seeing a pattern emerging? First dig up some suspicious looking papers (if none exist, fabricate!), then make sure they get into the hands of “your” journalists, create a media frenzy and make as many people as you can throw mud at your target.

Or to put in the now-legendary words of former president Milan Kučan, when – some 10+ year ago – he described tactics of Janez Janša: “First comes discreditation, followed by elimination – physical, if necesary”

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out, what’s happening. Janša is shaping this country according to his own image. He is enacting “Ordnung und Disziplin” as he sees fit. The only real obstacle is the President, who is up for reelection in the autumn and what we are seeing are the first steps of yet another character assasination. And although the Prez is still somewhat undecided on whether to run again or not, the smart money is on him running again should attacks on him persist, if only out of stubborness.

Luckily, the President is slightly more protected than the Governor, so Drle was quick to respond.

I just wonder… Who’s next?

A slip of a tongue by Jože Tanko

I love this country 😀 Some time ago I quoted Robert Newman who in turn quoted an issue of The Times which – contrary to the prevalent WMD-rhetoric – unknowingly qouted true reasons for war in Iraq.

As you probably know, dear readers, this country (S-Love-Enia, can you feel it?) is currently in between Governors of Central Bank (much like some people are in between jobs, lawyers, appartaments…). After Prime Minister JJ orchestrated an assasination-of-character of the original candidate Mitja Gaspari, the Prez nominated another candidate: former minister of economy, former rector of Ljubljana University and a self-declared general pain-in-the-arse Jože Mencinger. Drnovšek later withdrew the nomination, claiming to have done so upon a strong negative response by the PM. The latter, however, denied ever having a formal confabulation with the Prez (the link is unfortunately only in Slovene). Here is a short and translated excerpt of PM’s press release:

So until yesterday evening we had a dotty Prez, who claimed to have had talked with the PM and a mischevious PM, who claimed exactly the opposite.

Enter Jože Tanko, chief whip of Janša’s party SDS, who experienced a classic Freudian slip (or parapraxis) during yesterday’s press conference. In terms of Slovene politics this is also called “Shooting oneself in the knee”. Tanko’s statement can be found inside this piece by TV SLO, here is the translation:

In other words, Janša and Drnovšek did talk about Menciger’s nomination. At least according to Tanko 🙂 Liar, liar, pants on fire…