By Dr. Matevž Tomšič
The new faces that the centres of power from the Slovenian “deep state” have been serving us on the political scene for more than a decade do not mean any added value, no freshness in terms of new innovative ideas, approaches and solutions to the key problems facing society. The only thing they bring are new and new contributions from Slovenian political bizarreness. We are witnessing its escalation with the appearance of Golob’s government.
This is exactly what happens when naturists without the necessary knowledge, skills and experience enter the national political arena, who, more often than not, by coincidence occupy positions that far exceed their capabilities (according to the so-called Peter’s principle, which becomes even more obvious in conditions of negative selection). And then they imagine that they are the “crown of creation” and that, as such, everything is allowed to them. Both with their “wise thoughts” – which are not – and with their “unconventional behaviour” – which is nothing more than a lack of tact – they make the Slovenian public “happy”.
The most obvious example of this (but by no means the only one) is the current President of the National Assembly, Urška Klakočar Zupančič. Her entire tenure as head of the Central Legislature is a single excess in both words and deeds. A few days ago, for example, she became famous by declaring that entrepreneurs (personified by “Joc Pečečnik and those similar to him”) should start “thinking less capitalistically”. She clearly does not understand the fundamental principles by which a modern market economy operates. If the aforementioned did not think “capitalistically” enough, then they would not be what they are. Entrepreneurs or businessmen are nothing more than capitalists (the latter is a distinctly pejorative label for leftists). If they had not thought in this way, they would not have succeeded in setting up successful companies that represent the driving force of the Slovenian economy. They probably would have chosen a different career path; for example, one where you would be paid for your whole life out of taxpayers’ money – just like most of the people on Golob’s team, including the President of Parliament.
But she, who criticises the capitalist way of thinking, herself has nothing against the “life of luxury”, which is usually attributed to capitalists. So, she went to this year’s traditional New Year’s concert of the Vienna Philharmonic in the former imperial capital on a government plane. However, when it was revealed to the public, she apologised saying that it was a state visit, so there should be nothing wrong with such a trip. Some would even agree with her, saying that the government plane is exactly for these purposes. If we already have it, let the leading representatives of the country use it. However, we must be aware that every visit by a politician (even one who occupies one of the highest positions) is not yet a “state visit” (even if he is invited somewhere by his colleague from abroad). Klakočar Zupančič’s first January trip to Vienna almost certainly did not fall into this category. In addition, it is a relatively nearby destination that can be reached in a few hours by car. The cost of such a route would be significantly lower. In general, it would leave a significantly smaller “carbon footprint”, that is, it would put less of a burden on the environment. Preserving environmental sustainability is one of the main mantras of the current ruling group, because from their side we constantly hear about the need for the so-called green transition and careful use of energy. But now their highest representatives are spending it carelessly.
We have to deal with a kind of newly composed “new gentlemen” who has neither knowledge, nor breadth, nor taste; but thinks that they are worth “something more” because of political orthodoxy. They preach to the citizens to eat less meat (because it burdens the planet), but at the same time they use all the luxuries available to them. They want the public to listen to them, but not to observe their behaviour.