Tanja Fajon | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

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.

Tanja Fajon Is So Done With This Shit

“This shit” being the clustefuck that are the Social Democrats right now. Foreign minster Tanja Fajon anounced yesterday that she will not seek another term as leader of the SD. Which, although somewhat unexpected, is completely understandable. At least as far as pengovsky is concerned. Because, Jesus fuck, this party…

*Tanja Fajon, soon to be ex-leader of the Social Democrats (source)*

As both readers know, the SD has just seen the insides of a meat-grinder mincer. This, after prominent party members were caught pants-down in a dodgy real-estate deal. Things got really fucktangular really fast, resulting in SD justice minister being booted out of the party. But hell hath no fury like Dominika Švarc Pipan scorned.

Showdown At O.K. Švarc Pipan

When a small-scale dust-up between Dominika Švarc Pipan and her detractors within the SD kept getting bigger and bigger, pengovsky realised it has been north of two months since the last post on this blog. As both readers surely know, adulting is hard.

Dominka Švarc Pipan surrounded by SD aparatchiks, with PM Golob in the background, during a commemoration event in spring 2023. — *Dominka Švarc Pipan surrounded by SD aparatchiks, with PM Golob in the background*.

But then the sussy real estate deal ballooned way out of proportion and started engulfing more and more people. To the point where senior SD kahunas are now making thinly-veiled threats against PM Robert Golob and his grip on power. At that point this scribe realised he better get scribbling.

The First Government of Robert Golob

Robert Golob finally put the ministers into his prime-ministership. The parliament voted on his cabinet yesterday and – to nobody’s surprise – approved the whole lot. Only it didn’t. Because this is not the cabinet Robert Golob wanted. Rather, it is the cabinet he can have at this moment.

Robert Golob and his (first) government, pictured immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. — *The initial setup of Golob government (source)*

This is a direct result of SDS moving to call a consultative referendum on the new Government Act. It stopped Golob’s redesign of the executive dead in its tracks and forced him to adhere to the existing layout. But the Big Bird will eventually get his way and a cabinet he really wants. So in a way, yesterday we saw the swearing-in of Robert Golob’s first government.