By: Dr Matevž Tomšič
Lights and lines have stirred up quite a commotion in the Slovenian public in recent days. Specifically, the flashing lights on the car of one of the government members and the lines of people waiting in front of a health centre in one of the smaller towns. Both – each in its own way – symbolise the character of the current ruling group very well. Above all, they reflect its incompetence and arrogance.
The scene with the flashing lights is linked to the now-resigned Minister for Digital Transformation, Emilija Stojmenova Duh. In the spring, she was in such a rush on her way to Vienna Airport that her car was using flashing lights, even though their use is explicitly prohibited abroad. This did not escape the attention of the Austrian police, who fined the violators. The matter likely would have remained hidden from the public if the minister had not attempted to have the fine revoked through the Slovenian ambassador in Austria. When the minister became a liability for the government due to her incompetence – most notably demonstrated by the scandal involving 14,000 obsolete and overpriced computers purchased by her ministry – the story was made public to “motivate” her to step down voluntarily.
We might wonder why a minister who does not lead a key national department (such as foreign or internal affairs or defence) would even need a car with flashing lights. In cases of urgent official travel, there is usually a police escort that, if necessary, clears the way for the convoy using such signals. Could it be some unfulfilled childhood fascination with vehicles that emit lights and sounds (just as children love police or fire trucks)? More likely, it reflects the arrogance of power, where someone in a political leadership role begins to believe they are above the law. The mentioned minister is not the first to engage in such blatant violations. Former Speaker of Parliament Dejan Židan and former Minister Marko Bandelli have used flashing lights, and former Minister Patrick Vlačič drove on the emergency lane of the highway. Stojmenova Duh was the first to do this abroad, where, unfortunately for her, such showing off is not tolerated.
Even more shocking were the scenes from Slovenska Bistrica, where a line stretching hundreds of meters formed in front of the local health centre, as people waited to register with a personal doctor. This was reminiscent of the times under the former communist regime when people often had to stand in line even for basic necessities. The reason for this bizarre situation was that many people were left without their personal doctors due to the departure of some physicians. This is a widespread issue in Slovenia, where many supposedly stand for quality public healthcare. Such lines are evidence that the system is not functioning, that there are serious anomalies within it, and that it might even be on the verge of collapse. This is despite Robert Golob’s claims that resolving healthcare issues is one of his government’s main priorities.
Prime Minister Golob blamed the management of the local health centre in Slovenska Bistrica for the problems with assigning personal doctors, indirectly blaming the leadership of the municipality (which appoints the director of this institution) – a municipality from the opposing political camp. This is a clear double standard, as in the case of issues with the operation of a health centre in Ljubljana, where Golob’s political mentor Zoran Janković is mayor, the local authority was not held accountable (recall that former Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan was forced to publicly apologise to Janković for his critical remarks).
Above all, this is a massive display of hypocrisy by the Prime Minister. He and his associates are the main culprits for the shortage of doctors due to their ongoing campaign against healthcare professionals. Scenes like the one in Slovenska Bistrica are merely the logical consequence of these actions.