By: Dr Metod Berlec
In this issue of Demokracija, we devote special attention to the Long-Term Care Act, which was originally adopted by Janša’s government but later annulled by Golob’s government, which introduced its own version.
On July 1st, 2025, at least on paper, new rights under the long-term care system came into effect – namely long-term home care, e-care, and services for strengthening and maintaining independence. But in practice, nothing has materialised yet, because the Ministry for a Solidary Future, led by Simon Maljevac, has not managed to set up the information system needed to issue long-term care decisions. In addition, potential users and providers of long-term care still lack the necessary information to even begin offering services, while social work centres cannot issue eligibility decisions for long-term care, even though this right formally came into force on July 1st. Despite these missing key conditions for implementation, contributions for long-term care are already being collected.
Meanwhile, the problems of Golob’s government keep piling up. Macroeconomic indicators show a cooling of the Slovenian economy. Slovenia’s economic growth is below the EU average, inflation above the bloc’s average. The absorption of EU funds is disastrous, competitiveness rankings are falling. Suspicions about numerous questionable deals and practices are mounting – from authoritarian-style conduct in managing the National Assembly, to the adoption of a media law that will restrict media freedom, to corruption scandals. The scheduled signing of the purchase of emergency medical helicopters did not take place on Monday, as the opposition’s and the anti-corruption commission’s objections proved too strong.
Yet the newlywed wife of Prime Minister Robert Golob, Tina Gaber Golob, does not appear bothered. Instead, she exploits her position for activist foreign policy. As Bojan Požar revealed, she used government email under the title First Lady to write to Slovenian ambassadors, sending them a proposal – read: instruction – that each of them record a video expressing support for Palestinians in Gaza and condemning Israel, and then forward the videos back to her at the same email address. She did this even before marrying Golob.
Just days ago, she caused another scandal. On Instagram, she posted a video of herself posing with friends as a mafia bride. For background, she chose a provocative mafia-style soundtrack. The voice on the clip says: “I am Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria.” A concerned reader reacted, writing: “She presents herself in the image of a mafia ‘padrone,’ who builds his fame and wealth on the ‘blood’ of the poor, on money of illegal origin, cocaine, deceit, and intrigue. For some, (the Colombian drug lord) Pablo Escobar may be a model and an ideal. He is certainly not a symbol of a democratic and developed country where the rule of law prevails and where economic and intellectual progress matter.” In short, we have fallen very low!
