By: Miro Petek
The President of the country, Nataša Pirc Musar, after numerous missteps, recently indulged in yet another bizarre act – one that is hardly befitting of a head of state. In the Presidential Palace, she filmed herself eating tripe for social media. She referenced an old interview where she had stated that tripe was her favourite dish, but since people did not believe her, she decided to prove it with a video. Ridiculous.
What did the President of the country want to convey with this video? Primarily, how she is an entirely ordinary citizen who also enjoys downing a hefty plate of tripe, thereby attempting to get closer to the proletariat we see during lunchtime, eating goulash and tripe with a full basket of white bread. She wanted to create the illusion of accessibility and connection with the people, showing that she is not a vegan and is not interested in culinary extravagances with numerous courses and nearly invisible portions.
Her attempt failed, as it is well known that President Pirc Musar’s agenda is entirely in a different world – that of vulgar luxury and flaunting wealth. The wealth of the Musar couple has accumulated, and now they have power; what they need is respect and a positive public image, and that is what gives the President pleasure. These kinds of foolish posts are the result of withdrawal syndrome, when, together with her PR team, she feels she is insufficiently present in the media.
The President of the country should be doing what the constitution dictates, instead of dealing with nonsense, superficiality, self-promotion, populism, and, consequently, embarrassing the office. Not only Pirc Musar, but also the government and its president, Golob, have completely forgotten why they are in these positions: they skip participation in important international events or are no longer invited because of their political insignificance. When current politicians travel abroad, their primary concern is themselves. We no longer see proper footage or photos from conference rooms or meetings; our politicians are huddled together, smiling in palace corridors, museums, from a Falcon jet, from banquet tables, or African savannahs. We follow trivialities when the Prime Minister and his companion stealthily try to catch a glimpse of Dončić, Trump, Musk, or some foreign or local celebrity. All for a photo. How immature and adolescent their behaviour is!
These people have become addicted to self-promotion, attention, and status. Politics has become entertainment for them. Cameras, photographers, and news coverage in serious media are not enough; they themselves have become the media. They film and photograph themselves, hiring and paying people in their cabinets from the budget for these purposes. They just want to see themselves and be seen by others, of course, in a polished image, covering their inner emptiness. We are dealing with a pathological narcissistic culture, where politicians try to replace catastrophic leadership with their image and media presence. In Naples, the President was recently draped in some kind of ceremonial attire when receiving an honorary doctorate, to make her look even rounder. As for the significance of the award, she brushed it off with the statement that her honorary doctorate “also represents an opportunity to strengthen ties between Italy and Slovenia.” President Pirc Musar, spare us!
The culture of reasoned debate has disappeared from Slovenia. The Prime Minister shamelessly lies multiple times a day, fully aware that the media will not fact-check his statements because they are part of the environment that creates a false reality and an extension of the ruling elite’s propaganda apparatus. In Parliament, we listen to and watch charlatans and verbal hooligans with immunity, while addressing fundamental societal problems is entirely neglected.
Yes, things are not looking good for us!