By: Mag Andrej Aplenc
Some time ago, I wrote that with Robert Golob’s government, we have a soft dictatorship in Slovenia. Everything this government does confirms this thesis, and we are already witnessing the beginning of its disintegration. The main reason for this is its incredible incompetence.
Before continuing, let me mention a major recent political development: Anže Logar’s departure from SDS. I just note it for now; the future will reveal which new parties will emerge in the next elections. As for myself, I can only say that I will vote for SDS and Janez Janša.
The police have filed a criminal complaint against Prime Minister Robert Golob. The reason for this is the investigation into claims made by former Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar regarding Golob’s interference in police work. It has now been a year since her testimony and the testimony of former Police Chief Boštjan Lindav before the National Assembly’s investigative commission, which is examining allegations of political influence on police operations. The statements from all involved are sharp and contradictory, and now the case is in the hands of the prosecutor’s office.
The government is in financial trouble because it raised the budget to €17 billion, which is extremely high. We know that in 2025, strict European budget rules will apply, and we also know that the European economy is slowing, which is already affecting Slovenia’s economy. Because of all this, we can expect serious financial challenges not only for the current government but for all of us.
The green party Vesna has filed a motion with the Constitutional Court for a review of the constitutionality of, and a temporary suspension of, the ordinance calling for a referendum on JEK 2 (a nuclear power plant project). They argue that the referendum question is “highly misleading and suggestive.” It is hard to imagine anything more absurd. Slovenia has no energy sources other than the Sava, Soča, and Drava rivers. We have no oil or natural gas, and we import about 25 percent of the electricity we consume. Furthermore, the Šoštanj power plant, TEŠ 6, is now on the brink of bankruptcy, which threatens us with very high costs for imported electricity. This, along with other factors, reduces our industry’s competitiveness, and we know that Europe’s economy is already struggling. It should be clear to everyone that we are critically behind on building a new nuclear power plant. The new JEK 2 should have been commissioned long ago, but the government is senselessly calling a consultative referendum on this issue.
The second block of the Šoštanj power plant has no coal, yet they fiercely opposed a proposal to burn waste there, which experts say is possible. Meanwhile, we hear that Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković is planning to build a waste incinerator with a 300-meter chimney on the Ljubljana Marshes, which would significantly increase PM10 air particle pollution. The Jožef Stefan Institute estimated in 2003 (21 years ago!) that air pollution in Ljubljana causes around 125 premature deaths annually; today, this situation has likely worsened. No one has assessed how much additional harm the planned incinerator would cause in the air-stagnant Ljubljana basin.
Levica party MP Miha Kordiš submitted a recommendation to parliament urging the government to end all forms of military assistance concerning the war in Ukraine. This is entirely at odds with the stance of the European Union.
We all know our healthcare system is collapsing; over 100,000 citizens lack a personal doctor, and reports speak of distress among women due to a shortage of gynaecologists. The government seems indifferent, as it proposes an amendment to the healthcare law that doctors strongly oppose.
The construction of the oncology department in Maribor is another example of the current government’s incompetence. Due to a delay of more than a year, the contractor reportedly announced additional costs of over €2 million. When construction will be completed, no one knows.
Of course, I could list more examples that would be impossible even in Butalci (name of fictional Slovenian characters who are considered fools). We all know that because of this, public trust in the current government is plummeting. It is quite possible that Prime Minister Robert Golob will call early elections. Apparently, he once said that he needed at least two more terms to complete his plans. Well, he will not get those terms, but Janez Janša will certainly need at least that much time to repair all the damage this government has done to Slovenia.