Notes On Slovenian Recognition of Palestine (Part 5)

In an inexplicable bout of na¨ivete, pengovsky really did expect Slovenian recognition of Palestine to actually happen this time around. Well, not so fast, said Janez Janša.

Slovenian recognition of Palestine is once again bogged down in parliamentary procedure.
Recognition of Palestine is once again bogged down in parliamentary procedure

The recognition will still likely happen, but probably not before the EU/referendums vote on Sunday. And oddly enough, there is a non-zero chance this somehow ends up helping Robert Golob.

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Like A Bad Penny, Borut Pahor Keeps Turning Up

While pengovsky was in the US chasing the solar eclipse, Borut Pahor was apparently chasing an EU gig. After none of the high-profile jobs he so often hinted at panned out (to great astonishment of a grand total of zero people), the former president would now like to be the EU’s Kumbaya man for Kosovo and Serbia.

Borut Pahor and Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić
Aca Vučić and Borut Pahor (right) (source)

Officially styled as EU Special Representative for Belgrade – Priština dialogue and other Western Balkans regional issues, it is a thankless job. The gig mostly involves coming up with excuses to organise meet-ups between Aca Vučić and whoever Kosovo’s top ćulaf is at any given time, while allowing the two countries can continue to pretend the other doesn’t exist.

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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.

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Ukraine War Forces Slovenian Politics To Think Foreign Policy Thoughts

In all honesty, it is a bit self-serving to try and look at Russian war against Ukraine through the lens of Muddy Hollows and its political cesspool. But seeing as this is an utterly self-serving blog, pengovsky will go right ahead. PM Janša, on the other hand, will stay put, as the Russian aggression preempted his photo-op in Kyiv planned for today.

Flags if Ukraine in the government district in Ljubljana.
Ukrainian flags in the government district in Ljubljana (source)

This, incidentally, should make the Glorious Leader available for a court-date in a defamation case against him. But he’ll probably claim an emergency NatSec Council meeting or something like that. And for once, he may not be lying through his teeth to get out of a court date.

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Janša Tweeting Stupid Shit Again Has Real World Consequences

Harold Wilson once observed that a week in politics is a long time. Slovenian PM and everyone’s new favourite whipping boy Janez Janša proved once more that the late British leader was right on the fucking money. In case you spent the last 72 hours under a rock or trying to evacuate Kabul, the story is that the Glorious Leader again buckled under the tiniest of pressures from European Parliament and had suffered Twitter meltdown.

Janez Janša sends out an antisemitic tweet depicting George Soros at a centre of a conspiracy involing several MEPs
Marshal Twito dabbling in antisemitism

However, in an apparent attempt to keep things interesting, Janša laced his latest temper tantrum with a healthy dose of antisemitic dog-whistles, misogyny and choice conspiracy theories. Moreover, to erase what little diplomatic standing he had generated for himself and for the country he unfortunately leads, Marshal Twito started a diplomatic kerfuffle with none other than The Netherlands. Cue eating popcorn gif.

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