SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

Government Cleaning Up Its Media Act

While the title may be a horrible attempt at a journalistic ~~pen~~ pun (seriously, pengovsky!), we really should talk about the shiny new draft Media Act the Golob government adopted on the very last day of 2024.

A picture of a microphone in a podcast studio. The new media act finally addresses digital media as well. — *A picture of a podcasting studio which may or may not be symbolic…*

The text itself is a major overhaul of a woefully outdated piece of legislation. The existing law dates back to the days of linear television, printed press and national-language music quotas. As a result, the new draft addresses many problems at once, with varying success. It also made the political right wing head for the mattresses.

Vladimir Prebilič, Talk Dirty To Me

Vladimir Prebilič made a bit of a poo-poo yesterday in the European parliament. Addressing the recent tragedy in Novi Sad, where a collapsed canopy killed fifteen people and the role that Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić and his cronies played in this, he began his speech in Serbian.

Vladimir Prebilič during his ill-fated address. — *Vladimir Prebilič speaking in the European Parliament (source)*

This sent the more nationalistic elements in Slovenia, Croatia and even Serbia flying off the hook. It also showed Prebilič to be a political nincompoop, whose grandstanding came to a screeching halt on a point of order.

After 25 Years, Constitutional Court OKs IVF For Single Women

Early last week, the constitutional court ruled that a ban on IVF treatment for single women and women in same-sex marriages is unconstitutional. With this, the top court resolved the ur-cause of the gender and family inequality that has plagued Muddy Hollows since 2001.

An IVF -adjusted plaque of the Constitutional Court — *Constitutional court meets IVF*

Back then, the last Drnovšek government tried to enact equal access to IVF for women regardless of their marital status. The move was thought of as a simple and logical expansion of a well-established right. But it turned out to be the spark that lit the fire of a misogynist and (soon thereafter) homophobic culture war that lasted for the next quarter of a century.

The Little Referendum That Couldn’t

Talk about a massive political screw-up. After working up a rare case of bipartisan policy support, and on energy at that (!), major political parties on Monday abruptly walked away from a referendum on the second nuclear powerplant in Krško (JEK2).

A picture of Krško nuclear powerplant with a referendum question blended in. — *There will be no referendum on JEK2 in the near future*

pengovsky should note this does not mean JEK2 is cancelled. On the larger scale of things, this clusterfuck probably will not even count as a noticeable delay. Politically however, this is – to borrow a phrase – a bitchslap heard around Muddy Hollows.