Janez Janša | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

Panic! At The Right Wing Disco

Well, fuck me sideways and call me Sally. For a bunch of right wing culture war issues meant to prop up the legislative referendum on parliamentary inquiry, Sunday sure was a barn-burner. As you probably know by now the YES camp won the vote on disenfranchising third-country nationals on local level, and the one on tying welfare benefits to public work.

Of the four referendums last Sunday, the right-wing Janša government lost both key votes. By the thinnest of margins the people cast a majority vote rejecting abolishing RTV SLO fee and changing rules for parliamentary inquiry. — *(L-R) Tallies on parliamentary inquiry, RTV SLO, welfare benefits and 3rd country nationals (source)*

Crucially, however, the NO camp won the all-important vote on removing safeguards of a parliamentary inquiry and abolition of RTV SLO fee. The margins of victory are thin as fuck, but they do exist. And the resulting panic in the right wing coalition of Janez Janša suggests that his government is much shakier than he would like you to believe. Today’s shakeups and resignations in the parliament support that notion.

Culture War Referendums, Part Two

More on referendums this Sunday. Contrary to the legislative referendum (see Part One in the series), there is no turnout or quorum requirement in a consultative referendum. It’s a straight-up whichever-side-gets-more-votes type of situation.

A really sad mock-up ballot in a follow-up to the four referendums on Sunday, This time we do votes on RTV SLO, welfare benefits and voting rights of third-country nationals. It all boils down to decency. — Another mock referendum ballot. This one is even worse.

In addition, results of a consultative referendum are, as the name suggests, wholly legally non-binding. In theory, they are politically binding, but going on recent experience, a popular vote suggesting a certain policy direction is not worth a pair of fetid dingo’s kidneys, if it doesn’t align with a per-existing government agenda.

Culture War Referendums, Part One

To say that Janez Janša’s ruling right-wing coalition is making a mess of things would be an understatement. Firstly, this here blog abhors using such milquetoast language, so the correct term would be incompetent twats. Secondly, despite appearances to the contrary, Janša’s minority government is shaky as fuck. In fact, judging by the last couple of weeks, his coalition partners keep picking up bad weeks to quit sniffing glue.

Slovenians will vote in four referendums this Sunday, each referendum more damaging to democratic values than the other. On the picture is a sample referendum ballot. — *A referendum ballot (photo by yours truly)*

And thirdly, whatever coherent policy they had is locked up in a referendum bid against the Logar/Vrtovec omnibus bill. And having apparently hit “empty” in their ideas tank about two weeks after taking office, the Glorious Leader and his ilk are doing the one thing they always knew how to do. Wage culture wars. Which is why the good people of Muddy Hollows will vote in four referendums this Sunday, each more damaging to democratic values than the other.

Zoran Stevanović And The Truthers

No, this is not a blog post about Zoran Stevanović and his high school rock band. Primarily because there’s no record of Zoran Stevanović ever being a part of, let alone leading a high school rock band. But also because, in the unlikely event of Zoran Stevanović leading a band in high school (or at least being a part of one), rock is not exactly the genre one would put him in.

Zoran Stevanovič and Resnica were in the news a lot lately. He is in way over his head, Boris Mijić is still around and Katja Kokot is the only one having fun. Also in the picture are Aleksander Štorek and Nedeljko Todorović. — *(With apologies to The High School Reunion. I hear they’re great, book them here*)

If Stevo had a band, it would be a cheap pop wall-of-sound act. In mono. Much like his party. And like Phil Spector, wall-of-sound inventor and music industry’s biggest asshole by a country mile, Stevo is cranking up the volume and compression. All in an attempt to hide the fact that Resnica are a bunch of lying insignificunts who took the most toxic and corrupt traits in Muddy Hollows politics and ran with it. Unsurprisingly, it turns out they suck at that, too.

Who’s Who In Janša 4.0 (Part Four)

Welcome to the fourth and final part of the primer on the fourth government of Janez Janša. As promised, it includes the three remaining ministers as well as the Resnica duo currently rampaging in the parliament. It was about fucking time pengovsky finished this write up, because in the mean time shit in Muddy Hollows was happening left, right, and centre. Well mostly right, but still.

The entire complement of Janša 4.0 government meeting president Nataša Pirc Musar. Somewhere in the picture are Polona Rifelj, Mihael Zupančič and Suzana Lep Šimenko. Missing are Zoran Stevanović and Katja Kokot, for obvious reasons. — *Team Janša 4.0 meeting the Prez the other day (source)*

There are two or three referendums lined up. A potential violation of international law. An SDS MEP being kicked out of EPP. Resnica playing even bigger dumm-dumms than they are. And interesting developments in Ljubljana mayoral race. But first, read below or click here for parts one, two and three.

Who’s Who In Janša 4.0 (Part Three)

Welcome to part three of the fourth Janša government primer. Click here for parts one and two. Both readers can be reassured that pengovsky knows he needs to hurry the fuck up. Things just keep piling up, including but not limited to Bibi Netanyahu starting to collect on his black-cubed debt.

Janez Janša and his cabinet in the inaugural government session. — *Janša 4.0 in session (source)*

But before we get there, we’ve still got at least two installments of the series to speed-run through. For this part in the series, pengovsky promised Franci Matoz and a couple of randos, but is it actually a bit heftier than that. So, let’ get going.

Who’s Who In Janša 4.0 (Part Two)

Slovenia celebrates 35 years of independence today. Yay, us! Events were organised, flags were waved and speeches were held. But in a classic case of plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, it was also a night for retribution, vindictiveness and exclusion. Because it’s our turn now. That is to say, their turn. Which is mostly why president Nataša Pirc Musar got booed through a part of her address to the nation during last evening’s main celebration.

Janez Janša and members of his cabinet. — Team Janša 4.0. Again. Because pengovsky couldn’t be bothered to find a copyleft pic from last night (source)

This is also why prime minister Janez Janša trampled on long-established rule of PM and Prez alternating in delivering these things. Instead, he insisted that they both address the nation. Because that’s just how he rolls. Rules for thee, but not for me. Naturally, the far right element had a lot to say about freedom of expression last night. You know, decorum is for pussies, because fuck your feelings. Needless to say they go apeshit if/when situation is reversed. But through all of this, members of Janša’s cabinet politely clapped their hands. So, let’s go and meet some more of them. (And click here for part 1 of the series.)