May, 2022 | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

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.

Apr`es Moi, Le Déluge

News broke this afternoon that Studio City, the iconic RTVSLO programme, long a thorn in the side of soon-to-be-ex PM Janez Janša and his cronies, is to have its host Marcel Štefančič, jr. axed and its format radically altered. This, obviously, was not entirely unexpected.

Marcel Štefančič, host of Studio City, circa 2013. — *Studio City and its host Marcel Štefančič, jr., circa 2013 (photo by yours truly)*

All the evidence pointed to something like this. Not in the least because the outgoing regime and its recently-installed peons at RTVSLO spent the last couple of months dismantling every single bit of programming that dared look at the government with a critical eye. Studio City was right at the top of that list. However, that it should be done on 3 May, the World Press Freedom Day, is – not to be too direct – sadistic.