Remember this story? Or this one? Or the one before? In the Muddy Hollows history of stupid, PM Robert Golob and his falling out with interior minister Tatjana Bobnar will hold an infamously prestigious spot. The story simply refuses to go away and like the ghost of Christmas past, keeps haunting the PM.
In this latest iteration, the prosecution filed for a judicial investigation into whether the Apex Avian abused office with regard to appointing the chief of police back in 2022. And now the coalition is rankled and the opposition is calling for Golob’s resignation.
Pengovsky will not be spoiling anything by saying that Golob will obviously not be resigning any time soon. At least not because of this. He still might resign to ensure that the 2026 elections are held on March 8 (because dates!) but that’s another story.
Nothingburger with stamina
That said, it is getting increasingly hard for PM Golob and his people to wave this one away. For a nothingburger, this story sure has stamina.
Just to recap, after Golob and Bobnar fell out, the latter filed a complaint with the KPK over Golob’s alleged undue influence in appointing the chief of police. The anti-graft body has already drafted its findings but has yet to release them.
Separately, however, the police launched a criminal investigation as well. Some time ago they referred their findings to the prosecution. And this is the part of the story that is currently, well, clipping Golob’s wings.
Cover your ass
One way to spin it is that the prosecution took a long look at what the cops sent them and said maybeeee, but since they’re not really quite sure, they asked the court to give it another look. Certainly this is what Team Golob would like you to think.
And they do have something of a point. The prosecution could have opted for filing charges over Bobnar accusations directly, but didn’t. And Golob’s attorney was quick to point out that from his point of view nothing has really changed.
On the other hand, this could be interpreted simply as the prosecution passing the buck(et full of shit) to the court. Basically, this could simply be a case of CYA. Either the case against the PM is strong but the prosecution felt it needed backup in delivering the blow, because politics.
Or the case really is weak, but the prosecution doesn’t want to be the one to dismiss it, because politics, and wants the court to do it for them. I’m sure the judge that draws this case is looking forward to it about as much as having a root canal.
tHe DeEp StAtE
There is, of course, a third interpretation, one that Janez Janša is a particular fan of. As usual, Marshal Twitto sees this as the Deep State in operation.
In his twisted interpretation, it is all part of the plan to keep Golob on the leash. Which is why according to the Glorious Leader the pOwErS tHaT bE are slowly bleeding the PM dry, making him easier to dispense with, should they need to find a new centre-left leader before the spring election.
Janša’s theories always rest on a very basic, and very mistaken, proposition: that there is a group of people in this sorry little excuse for a country who actually know what they are doing.
Which is why the coalition is now grumbling, but is ultimately powerless to do anything about it. Because it’s not like they haven’t been along for the ride since the beginning. And the likes of Anže Logar and Vladimir Prebilič are breathlessly demanding that Golob “do the politically responsible thing and resign”, which is obviously not going to happen either.
Arrogance, hubris and a bump in the polls
In fact. Robert Golob and his GS party are actually seeing a bump in the polls lately. Sure, this the result of some well-timed-but-expensive economic populism on mandatory Christmas bonuses. But six months before the election, who’s counting, right?
Come March, Robert Golob might indeed find himself bled dry of political support. Or at least severely hampered in that department. But should it come to that, it will not be because some shadowy cabal said so. It will be due to his arrogance, hubris and political stupidity.
