Marta Kos | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

The Kos That Caught The (Enlargement) Car

Marta Kos is slated to be come the commissioner for EU enlargement in the next European Commission. The announcement was part of Ursula von der Leyen’s big reveal on Tuesday and it left Slovenian PM Robert Golob positively giddy.

Marta Kos, as she appears on the cover of her official European Commission CV. — *Marta Kos on her official European Commission CV (source)*

Despite ever-increasing evidence to the contrary, Muddy Hollows continues to see itself as something of a Balkan protector saint, when it comes to the EU. Which is why successive Slovenian governments were pining to win the enlargement portfolio over the past couple of commission cycles. Yesterday, the dog has finally caught the car. Now what?

Tomaž Vesel Dropped Like A Hot Potato. Will Marta Kos or Tanja Fajon Swoop In?

It was six months ago, almost to the day, when PM Robert Golob announced Tomaž Vesel as his party’s pick for a post in the next European Commission. And in the face of skepticism and concerns, the Big Bird was resolute in supporting the nominee. Until Friday afternoon, that is.

Marta Kos and Tanja Fajon are leading contenders for the next EU commissioner from Slovenia after Tomaž Vesel dropped out — *(L-R: Marta Kos, Tanja Fajon, Tomaž Vesel. One is not like the other two)*

Vesel wasn’t the strongest pick to begin with. But in doing what he does best, Golob was staunchly behind his man, until the moment he threw him under the bus. And so Vesel was probably as surprised as the media were yesterday afternoon, when he found out he was stepping away from the nomination. And pengovsky is only half joking there.

Robert Golob Shoots Himself In The Same Foot Twice

When pengovsky went on summer vacay, the presidential race looked like a no-brainer. Sure, a week is a long time in politics. But with Nataša Pirc Musar, Anže Logar and Marta Kos declaring early, things seemed pretty much decided. The only question was whether Logar would lose to Kos or to Pirc Musar in the second round. This scenario went to hell in a hand-basket when Marta Kos bailed out of the race late last month, leaving Robert Golob with a bit of a problem.

Marta Kos, Robert Golob and Milan Brglez. — *Kos, Golob and Brglez. Or, in aviary terms, blackbird, pigeon and nuthatch.*

Then things got really interesting really fast. First, the NSi launched their own candidate. This all but denied Anže Logar the chance to unify the right-wing vote in the first round. And then Social Democrats – after an intensive internal monolgoue – fielded Milan Brglez MEP as their man on the ballot. Finally, Robert Golob made a string of strategic fuck-ups and ended up looking as if he only entered national politics last year. Oh, wait…

2022 Presidential Campaign Season Is Now Officially Open

Presidential campaign season is finally on in Muddy Hollows. And it looks like it is going to be fucking awesome. Not necessarily in the constructive sense of the word. Be that as it may, there was movement on the presidential front just before the summer break.

Photo of Nina Krajnik and Nataša Pirc Musar in the first, albeit unofficial, debate of the 2022 presidential campaign. — *Presidential hopefuls Nina Krajnik and Nataša Pirc Musar sparred on N1. (source)*

Curiously – and most definitely awesome in the constructive sense of the word – four of the five candidates that have declared running for president thusfar are all women. OK, so there’s also this guy that goes by the name of SoulGreg, but he is not really important. What is important, is the fact that with the open 2022 presidential race, the field is about to get very crowded very fast.