Category: Slovenia

Michael Buble on renting a government jet

As PM Borut Pahor is trying to find his way out of the PR-minefield he wandered into by picking Dimitrij the Eternal as his aide (all the while reasuring everyone that everything is under control), The Prez inadvertantly sat on a firecracker of his own. Namely, it emerged that his office spent close to € 90.000 renting a jet for a two day trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina in mid-October. His office issued the statement saying that was the asking price and that there was little that could be done about it, considering the high level of the visit and the fact that the protocol demands that the President visit government of both entities as well as the federal government.

This week The Prez shot over to Checz Republic which is due to take over EU presidency on 1 January and spent additional € 30.000 on jet-rent, while the media compared that to € 15.000 PM Borut Pahor spent on his two day trip to Brussels. As a result, the Office of the President in a somewhat unprecedented move asked the Court of Audit to go over the procedure of rent-a-jet and the Office’s expenses in this matter. Apparently The Prez doesn’t want to be perceived as lavishly spending in the face of the recession.

Honestly, 120 k€ in a week seems a bit too much, but the last president who flew lightweight to Bosnia was Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski who was killed in a plane crash due to pilot error, bad equipment and even worse weather.

In the other hand, how come the PM spent € 15.000 on rent-a-jet when national carrier Adria Airways, operates a busy route from Ljubljana to Brussels, six times a day, seven days a week? If the PM wanted to set an example, he could have traveled business class on the 6.45 from Ljubljana International and still make the EU summit in plenty of time. Tickets start as low as € 700 on a weekday, even lower if you make it a weekend.

But I have the feeling that all this was actually leaked intentionally, with the sole aim of prepairing the public for the return of the attrociously expensive Falcon 2000EX which the Slovenian government under PM Tone Rop bought in 2003 with the deal being more or less negotiated in the fading moments of Janez Drnovšek’s premiership. At the time it was largely perceived as a misuse of public funds by an already over-pampered government.

Five years later, the government spending some 150 k€ in two months for air fares is perhaps betting that the public might look a little more favourably on the government having its own jet airplane instead of wasting more taxpayers’ money. Not that the plane doesn’t need maintaineance, but it could at least have its own callsign. Red Bull One?

Dimitrij Rupel as PM Pahor‘s personal adviser has sparked his first resignation. Slavko Ziherl of LDS, State Secretary for Health resigned Friday, citing Rupel’s nomination as a reason.

Slavko Ziherl to Dimitrij Rupel: “This government ain’t big enough for the both of us!” (source)

Ziherl said that he cannot be in the same government with Rupel whom he dubbed the most problematic and the most expemplary member of Janez Janša’s cabinet. Ziher’s party president Katarina Kresal said she completely understands Ziherl’s decision and will not dispute it, while Ziherl himself shot from relative anonymity to popularity – he got all the votes in a radio popularity contest on Monday.

However, it is entirely possible that Ziherl only used Rupel’s nomination as an excuse to quit a job he didn’t even start (he was due to take office on 15 December) and wasn’t crazy about in the first place. Slavko Ziherl is LDS vice president, Ljubljana city councilor, director of Ljubljana psychiatric hospital and one of nation’s foremost authorities in the field. He has his work cut out for him as it is, especially since trouble seems to be brewing in LDS of Ljubljana yet again (more on that as details emerge).

Whatever Ziherl’s motives, it is now paintfully obvious that the new Prime Minister lost this particular PR battle. Actually, it was a text-book definition of shooting oneself in the foot. Want proof? In less then ten days more than 14.000 people joined one particular Facebook group. How’s that for a public outcry?

A man for all times: Dimitrij Rupel in 1990 (left) and 2004 (right)

The initial shock of PM Borut Pahor keeping Dimitrij Rupel as a senior government official is over and we can take a look at it once more.The consesus seems to be that Pahor flipped. Gone bananas. Down the toliet. Whacko. Went David Blane. Lost it. Went nuts. Tripped the light fantastic. Slammed his head with a golden brick with a lemon-peel wrapped around it. You name it.

The backlash was instant. All over the newspapers letters to the editor are full of people spitting venom at Pahor, people threatning to quit the party, lamenting their vote for Social Democrats, with emotions ranging from disbelief to sheer anger.So the question on everyone’s mind is: Why? Why flush down entire (and I mean entire) political capital Pahor has so painstainkingly accumulated over the years. Why going from a hero to a zero in an instant, when he lives for and is addicted to ratings. It just doesn’t make sense.

Or does it.If one looks around, one will see that there is little to no reaction to Pahor’s naming Rupel for special envoy for foreign relations. Nobody is even seriously asking, what the fuck a special enovoy for foreign relations is. Does he handle the Middle East crisis? Hope not. We’d have World War III on our hands within a fortnight. Does he negotiate with Croatia? If so, wouldn’t it be better if he were called Special envoy for Croatia? Besides, Rupel has been negotiating witht Croatia for his entire carreer and no good came out of it. Does he do special ops? OK, I’m pushing it… Point being that nothing is known about his job description. And yet, noone is saying a thing about, although eighty percent (according to some polls) of people are going apeshit. PM Pahor only says that he realises that he’s not very popular right now. Gregor Golobič of Zares is trying to play it down as much as he can, although I can totaly imagine him fuming with rage upon hearing the news, especially since his fellow party member Ivo Vajgl (my favourite for the post of FM) took Rupel apart piece by piece during the election campaign (’twas a sight to remember). Katarina Kresal of LDS, the most rabid of the four coalition members is only saying that Pahor can pick whomever he sees fit. Karl Erjavec of DeSUS is maintaing radio silence.

President Danilo Türk will not comment on it.

Former PM Janez Janša has not spoken in the matter (apparently he’s enjoying a vacation) and his party is awaiting further instructions. Even Dimitrij Rupel is keeping awfully quiet. And remember, he used to be all over the news, happily giving statements and arguing with reporters if need be, even telling them flat out a couple of years ago that “it is no use picking fights with the ruling coalition”. So what is it that bought Dimitrij Rupel yet another stint in the government?

Some say Pahor is simply infatuated with Rupel. Indeed Pahor’s praise of Rupel seems to support this theory. Upon naming him, the PM extolled Rupel’s virtues, experience and connections. The whole thing was starting to resemble a Miss Universe contest. Pahor conveniently forgot that for all his years in diplomacy Rupel is still considered a walking natural disaster and that his black book of contacts probably does not include Hillary’s private cell number, making it only partially useless. Pahor also forgot that Rupel played the role of Judas a couple of times before and that he always collected his thirty pieces of silver. That Rupel publicly questioned and went against decisions by every single President this country had. And that he used to tell media what to report and how to report it. And?

Nothing. Not a single beep. From anyone.

So, let’s speculate: If Pahor were trully simply infatuated with Rupel, the two would have hugged and cuddled in public to the point of being asked to get a room. Rupel would jump up and down in front of cameras like an orangutan and bark at microfons near and far, while Pahor would try to persuade people that this time Rupel really is a new man. Given Pahor’s performance while assembling his ministers and coalition as a whole, this option seems less and less likely. Why would somene be so good in assembling his government and then fuck up in picking his advisers?

In seeminlgy unrelated news, however, the plot thickens in the Patria affair. It turned out that the initial eight APCs delivered are rusty, leaking, with paint falling off and have a not-so-new and completely inadquate complement of armament. Former CEO of Patria Jorma Wiitakorpi was re-arrested and again released, pending further investigation, which is due to finish in some three months, when the trial is finally scheduled to begin. The authors of the incrimminating programme on Finnish television maintain that they have evidence that proves that former PM Janez Janša was indeed bribed.

Now, as noted earlier, Janša is awfully quiet these days. Not only did he not comment on Rupel’s switcheroo, but did not say a word ever since Pahor took over as PM – with the sole exception of Janša’s speech in the parliament on the day the new government was sworn in. But apart from that – nothing. Niente. Nada. Zero. Zilch.

The other competing theory is, that Pahor is overdoing it with his trademark bipartisan approach. Even when he was President of the parliament (2000 – 2004) he was constantly berated by members of his own SD that he is neglecting party interests and is not pushing coalition agenda enough. Pahor usually replied that his responsibilities as President of the Parliament are chiefly to the voters and not to the party he run. This time around he took a similar approach, saying that he was elected to govern in an efficient and responsible, but not neceasrily always popular manner. Which a) is in flat contradiction with his carefully styled and non-polarising public image and b) does not explain why he chose Rupel over some other promiment members of Janša’s government. He could have chosen, say, Gregor Virant, former minister of Public Affairs who served as a state secretary on ministry of internal affairs as late as the last LDS-run government, headed by PM Tone Rop.

So, why Rupel, who is a very polarising figure and upon closer inspection does not fit Pahor’s pattern of bipartisan politics, does little to bring new quality to Pahor’s team (both “new” and “quality” being the operative words here) and is making Pahor about as popular as a fetid dingo’s kidney.

One of the reasons that comes to mind is of course the possibility that Rupel was privy to some sensitive information. Is he blackmailing Pahor? What with? Red bull? Possible extra-marital affairs? Pahor was rather frank on both counts when he blamed his mid-campaign kidney inflamation on Red Bull overdose and (on another occasion) said that he’s running for PM and not for Pope. Furthermore, why would only Rupel be in posession of such information and not other members of Janša’s government?

As a foreign minister Rupel had access to intelligence information, together with the chief of Slovenian Intelligence Agency (SOVA), the PM, defence minister and interior minister. Interestingly enough, the President of the Republic is not a member of National Security Council by default (Rop’s government took the decision in 2002 and to my knowledge it hasn’t been changed). Spy chief aside, Rupel is the only one of the above who is not directly linked to the Patria affair.

So, could it be that Rupel played the role of Judas once again only that this time around he sold Janez Janša to Borut Pahor, collecting his 30 pieces of silver in the form of a desk job charged with ore prospecting and wasting time. Under this scenario, Rupel handed over information about Janša’s involvement in the Patria affair. Either that or on Slovene-Croat relationship, where – let us remind ourselves – Janša was accused of orchestrating border incidents prior to 2004 parliamentary elections.

The Prez slammed the final nail in Dimitrij Rupel’s ambassadorial ambitions’ coffin om Tuesday. While giving an interview on state radio, he said that “people who represent this country, must enjoy the country’s complete confidence, which includes the confidence of the President of the Repulic. (…) When these nominations were made, I was not given complete and benevolent infomation, and that’s why there’s no trust on my part”

I guess there’s no turning back now… People whom Dimitrij Rupel used to boss around hold key posts now and his carrer depends on them. Make that past tense. Because unless President Türk and Prime Minister Pahor come to some sort of a weird agreement, Rupel’s carreer is over. Ende. Schluss. Finito. Fin. Vege.

But hey! It’s strictly business 😉

EDIT@1630 hrs: Talk about putting a foot in my mouth. Today PM Borut Pahor named Dimitrij Rupel as his special envoy for foreign relations. I’m beyond speechles. Why, Borut?

Igor Lukšič, Borut Pahor and Gregor Golobič. Photo by Aleš Černivec/Delo (source)

Dear Prime Minister!

I hope you will forgive me for writing this a couple of days late. You know how it is: things to see and people to do. I must admit that I’ve enjoyed your address to the parliament Friday last, when the MPs voted on your Cabinet. You seemed bold and resolute in tackling the economic crisis and the impending recession head-on. You outlined ten points of your platform, which – I assume – is a summary of the coalition agreement.

I was most pleased to hear that you intend to use the crisis to develop the propulsive sector of Slovene economy and that you do not intend to waste scarce financial resources to support companies with no future, while re-educating the laid-off workers and equipping them for jobs generating a higher added value. You also said that you will increase tax breaks for low-income taxpayers, so that people earning the minimum wage will be totally exempt from paying taxes. A lot of families will need that break in the coming months. You also announced that your government will stimulate reinvesting capital gains and better regulate the financial market. In this respect you promised to fully support the Competition Protection Office and prevent any interference in its work, even in open cases like those of Laško Brewery and Mercator. You said the same about Attorney General, being fully aware that she is a close political ally of your predecessor Janez Janša.

Economic woes aside, your determination to shift the focus of the decision-making process to the parliament is a badly needed change in political culture this country needed. Indeed, throughout your speech you used conditional phrases such as “if today you confirm this government”, although you knew very well that you will win the vote. I applaude you for giving the parliament at least that much credit. Afterall, you were President of the Parliament from 2000 to 2004 and know how to go about these things. You even said that you will subject regulation acts passed by the government to parliamentary debate.

And last but not least, you promised to set an example for the challenging times ahead and waived the customary 100 days of honeymoon each government enjoys while it sets in and also promised to pay for representation costs in Slovenia (lunches, clothes, other services) out of your own pocket.

Big words, sahib.

But then again, you were always big on words. Admittedly, you recognised that at the time you yourself lack specific economic knowledge to tackle the crisis, but will rely on your all-star team instead. However, you should bear in mind that you were not elected to snow us with big words, but because you flat out promised to do a much better job than Janez Janša. Even more – you echoed people’s worries about the economy, while Janša refused to admit that there is a crisis approaching, and this too got you elected. What I am trying to say is, that you will have to deliver regardless of the crisis. You will not be able to feign ignorance four years from now and say “I didn’t know it was going to be that bad”. You knew, we all knew. Except Janša. But that’s why you’ll be the one answering during Q&A sessions of the Parliament.

Secondly. I’m sorry to say that, but somethimes you do take things too far. Yes, the dialogue. Yes, the parliamentary debate. Yes, on bringing the opposition on-board as well. Yes, the constant re-examination of one’s own basic positions. Yes, on looking at an issue from different angles. Yes, on taking time to decide. We’re rather similar in this respect, you and I. But at the end of the day it is you who has to take the decision and sometimes you’re limited to taking an educated guess. It’s called having cojones and you’ve already proven once that you have them. From now on, this is a daily task. This includes your proposal to subject regulation acts to parliamentary debate. There is no need to do that. Even if some sort of legal mumbo-jumbo is produced to give you cover to do so, this is a complete waste of time. If you even as much as attempt to pin the responsibility for wrong decisions on the opposition, it will create an air of distrust within the electorate which did not elect you with what one might call a landslide majority. But I’m sure there’s no need to remind you of that.

Actually, what got you elected was a record turnout in the city of Ljubljana, where mayor Zoran Janković campaigned hard for The Trio. He said that he will support those parties which will give back the 57 milion euros the state took from Ljubljana when it changed the law on financing municipalities. You yourself did not exactly promise to give back the money, but recognised that Ljubljana was unjustly deprived of it. You would do well to pay that political debt as soon as possible, because you do not want an angry mayor and his citizens on your case. You might contemplate curbing mayor Janković’s political ambitions, which as we all know are quite high, but I strongly urge you not to antagonise him. Janez Janša did just that when he removed him as the head of Mercator and look what happened. You won the elections. Catch my drift?

Oh, and that thing about your paying the representation costs yourself. Nice PR, but it won’t last past new year. Was it really necesary to put that in your keynote speech?

Dear Prime Minister!

Yours is a difficult task. And although after four years of paranoid proto-fascism your government is being viewed sympathetically by me and others like me, this does not mean that you have been issued a carte blanche to do as you please, or to do not as you please (which seems to be often the case with you). This includes your seemingly irrational affection with Dimitrij Rupel, whom you seem keen to dispatch as an ambassador to Austria. You may well think that the old Serbian adage “ili u zatvor ili za ambasadora” is a cunning way to get rid of Rupel, but I would like to remind you of the fact that while he was ambassador ot the US, Rupel engaged in a full-blown war of words with then-foregin minister Boris Frlec, to whom he was subordinated. In the end Rupel prevailed. Not to mention the fact that the current President of the Republic Danilo Türk (whom you nominated and supported in the 2007 campaigin) is vehemently opposed to name an ambassador who – as a minister – nominated himself to the post. And the fact that The Prez, in an unusualy direct statement, said that he simply does not trust Rupel. Do you really want to burden yourself, your new foreign minister Samuel Žbogar and the Slovene public with more of Rupel’s antics? I realise that you will want to have a hand in shaping the foreign policy, but you don’t have to fight for that privilege. It comes with your job. My humble advice, however is that you learn from historic evidence and act accordingly. People and things will not change simply because you’re the top dog now.

Prime Minister!

We seem to share a passion and respect for Winston Churchill and his speeches. The old bastard had a rare gift of foresight and although he was a political opportunist on a par with Karl Erjavec (anyone can rat, but it takes a certain amount of political ingenuity to re-rat), he knew long before anyone else that things were going down the drain. There are striking similarities between the global situation in 1930 and today. Churchill realised where a protracted economic crisis, a series of small- and medium-sized conflicts and a rise of populist leaders in impoverished and isolated countried lead. He had the foresight, but only because he embraced the past and learned from it.

I suggest you do the same. Had you already done that, you’d have known that Churchill drank brandy instead of whiskey.

Your truly,

pengovsky

Just me, stirring the pot…

As promised, a follow-up on a post from a week ago, where crni sparred with St. Luka, Davor and myself over what qualifies a person to be a minister for (in this case) higher education, science and technology.

Gregor Golobič during yesterday’s hearing (source)

As you know by now, PM-designate Borut Pahor nominated president of Zares, Gregor Golobič to the post. This sparked controversy, with one side (in our case personified by crni) arguing that Golobič is severly lacking experience in the field and is thus ill equiped for the job. The ultimate proof for that being that it took him close to 20 years to finish his studies and write his diploma.

The other side (personified by the above mentioned rogue band of die-hard communist cunts) however contended that Golobič has enough experience, not in the least because a ministerial post is inherently political (no lack of experience there). Add to that the fact that he his a proven techie, understands new tehcnologies and can add a stint in Ultra (a high-tech company) to his CV. Overall, the communist cunts conteded, Golobič’s broad “humanities” orientation with a degree in philosphy, political skill and IT experience make him an extremely suitable candidate for the job.

But.

What did the man himself say about his future job?

Firstly, during his hearing Gregor Golobič said that he is a politican and not an expert and as such does not have ready-made solutions. He went to add, that he has more questions than answers (probably deliberatly echoing Borut Pahor in his inaugural speech). As a minister, Golobič apparently will not deal in specifics of education and research – he will, rather, leave that to autonomus institutes and agencies – and will pursue public interest. In the field of research that means – according to Golobič – that he will give equal importace both to applied research, which must be co-funded by the private sector and basic research, funded apparently by state. (source)

Secondly, he will increase investment in R&D by 0.1 to 0.3 percent of GDP per annum, aiming to have 3% of GDP annually invested into R&D, a third of that coming directly from the budget, the rest from private sector. (source)

And thirdly, Golobič said something that might be considered his ministerial creed: Namely, that “in order to find the right answers one must be aware that one’s value is limited“.

EDIT:
Fourthly: On taking him nearly two decades to write his diploma and get his degree, Golobič countered that he was actually a student for only five of those 20 years and was lured away from finishing the studies by the turmoil of the 80’s, when he took up editorships, publicising and ultimately politics. He apparently also gave up his scolarship to pursue these interests. Fifteen year later he passed additional exams and finally wrote his diploma.

This were just a couple of excerpts from a three-and-a-half-hour long hearing. The entire trascript is here (Slovene only, I’m afraid)

Any thoughts?