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Referendum On Assisted Dying

On Sunday, the good people of Muddy Hollows will vote in a referendum on assisted dying. But pengovsky, either reader might exclaim, didn’t you guys already vote on that some time ago? The answer to which is, yes, yes we did. And now we’re doing it again. Only this time shit got dead serious.

Back in June 2024, in conjunction with the EU elections in Slovenia the people voted in four referendums as well. One of those votes was on whether this sorry little excuse for a country should formalise the right to assisted dying. Somewhat surprisingly, the people supported the idea. Even more surprisingly, the coalition decided that it is a good idea to pass the law eight months before the elections. But a grand total of zero people were surprised when Aleš Primc announced (and secured) a referendum challenge.

Stupid Before The Storm: Ghost of Bobnar Past

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.

Tatjana Bobnar and Robert Golob, back when this whole thing started and she accused him of abuse of office. Now the state prosecution and the courts are involved. — *Tatjana Bobnar and Robert Golob, back when this whole thing started*

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.

Stupid Before The Storm: Golob Hit By Bobnar Boondoggle

Initially, this was going to be the write up of PM Golob and his role in the magnificently messy end to the NATO referendum pissing contest. But stupid just kept coming. Plus, there was vacay, and things to see and people to do and… well, here we are.

Robert Golob probably feeling it, probably (source and source)

Slovenian political class did us all a solid and finally departed for their vacation. However, they are also about to return to Muddy Hollows, interfrastically, In the mean time, they’ve set some ticking time-bombs that are set to explode at the height of upcoming campaign season. What follows is a short series to catch up with stupid before the storm.

NSi Discontinues Matej Tonin

Matej Tonin, the Internet Explorer of Slovenian politics, will receive no further upgrades as of September this year. The NSi leader who came to power in a coup against Ljudmila Novak back in 2017 exited the stage in pretty much the same fashion, back-stabbed by his own party council.

Like Windows 10, Matej Tonin has reached end-of-support. There will be no further updates to the software. Ljudmila Novak would like a word while Janez Janša is chuckling. — *End of NSi support for Matej Tonin*

Namely, despite earlier assurances to the contrary, NSi honchos decided on Friday afternoon they are amenable to teaming up with Janez Janša and his SDS after the 2026 election. And so they did to Tonin what Tonin did to Ljudmila Novak, and cachiered him unceremoniously. Just as pengovsky prediced a year ago.

Janez Janša Forever And Ever

What do Janez Janša and PFAS have in common? Apparently, both are forever. That, at least, is one of the takeaways of the SDS congress that took place this past weekend. The other takeaway being that the Party and its Glorious Leader will (again) go for broke.

Janez Janša during his acceptance speech. With almost 40 years as SDS president he is basically a forever president. — *Janez Janša humbly accepting four more years as Party leader (source)*

Janša won his tenth consecutive term as SDS leader by a lopsided 98.4 % of the vote. This makes him the longest-serving living party leader in Europe, bar none. And even among the dearly departed party chiefs, the only one to have served longer than Marshal Twito is, well, OG Marshal Tito.

Coalition Loses Arts Referendum

That sound you hear right now is the sound of a can of whoop-ass being opened on the Golob government. In today’s referendum, the SDS-backed NO vote won with as much as 93 percent of the vote, which is about as clear a result as you can get. The coalition gambled by calling for a vote boycott and lost. Bigly.

Referendum ballot in today's vote on artists' pension bonuses — *Referendum ballot*

Maybe now Levica and GS will finally learn that calling for electoral boycotts is not really their thing. True, this referendum was an uphill battle for them from the start. But by choosing not to play and hoping for the best is not a strategy, either.

Janez Janša Has A Good Friday

Earlier today, Janez Janša was acquitted of abuse of office in a decades-old real estate deal. The prosecution was asking for a two-year prison sentence. Instead the Glorious Leader and two other people walked out of the courtroom free men.

Image of Janez Janša, depicting his not guilty verdict. — *Janez Janša is not guilty of abuse of office in the Trenta case*

Seeing as this was all taking place on the catholic feast of Good Friday, over the last few days social media in Muddy Hollows was brimming with hyperbole of Janša getting nailed to the cross. The fervently faithful were even comparing him to Jesus, suffering for our sins and such. But in the end, it was just a good Friday for the one true SDS prophet. Becasuse, to put it in the words of Mary Magdalene, he’s just a man.