By: Sara Bertoncelj / Nova24tv
These days, you can often hear Boris Sovič explain to the media how his dismissal from the position of President of the Management Board of the energy company Elektro Maribor was “politically motivated.” However, he always forgets to mention the fact that he was also appointed to his position in the company in the same way – on the basis of a political decision. Sovič comes from the ranks of the Social Democrats, and in 2007, Borut Pahor appointed him to the post of Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the state of Israel. On Monday, the so-called Constitutional Arch Coalition parties convened an extraordinary session for the political defence of their political cadres or directors – in addition to Sovič, we also have Robert Golob and Andrej Ribič.
Boris Sovič was once the Mayor of Maribor, and he comes from the Social Democrats party (SD). We still remember him for his poor management of the Maribor municipality, and he also spent most of his career in various state-owned companies. He was also an MP at one point. He is a member of the Association of the National Liberation Movement of Slovenia, led by Tit Turnšek, which we already wrote about a few years ago – he also appeared at the infamous SD party picnic, where the two politicised judges Matjaž Štok and Slavko Gazvoda were also present. The two judges went after another Mayor of Maribor, Franc Kangler, who was also Sovič’s opponent. Well, a few days ago, Sovič confirmed that he was dismissed from the position of President of the Management Board of Elektro Maribor, and he will temporarily be replaced by the head supervisor, Jože Hebar. Sovič is, of course, emphasising that this was a political dismissal. But who appointed him to the position in the first place?
Sovič is a prominent member of the political cadre; he was appointed by politics
During the first government of Janez Drnovšek, Sovič was the State Secretary for Energy, and in 2007, after the end of his mayoral career, he became Slovenia’s ambassador to Israel, based on an agreement between Borut Pahor and Janez Janša, who led his first government at the time. This agreement was actually a hidden part of the then-listed Partnership for Development between Janša’s government and Pahor’s Social Democrats, Požareport highlighted yesterday. Sovič then became the President of the Management Board of Elektro Maribor in 2012, so at the end of the term of Pahor’s resigned government, and at the beginning of the second Janša’s government’s term. “Among the supervisors who “politically independently” appointed and supervised Sovič, we also have the famous political dissident Ciril Pucko, and Sovič’s party colleague Andreja Katič, who later also became the Minister of Justice,” Požar wrote.
Požar also reminded everyone that most residents of Maribor remember Sovič as a very kind and well-spoken but at the same time inefficient Mayor, who “did nothing for Maribor.” Some also point to his controversial victory in the 1998 mayoral election, when he defeated the then-legendary Maribor Mayor, Alojz Križman, who was then allegedly even abducted, as part of an agreed local political conspiracy.
The Constitutional Arch Coalition is defending its people and their privileges
After not receiving enough support for a new term as President of the Management Board of the company Gen-i, Robert Golob staged a theatrical spectacled called a press conference, and on Monday, the so-called Constitutional Arch Coalition parties convened an extraordinary session for the political defence of its party cadres or directors – in addition to Golob and Sovič, we also have Andrej Ribič, the dismissed President of the Management Board of Elektro Ljubljana, who was also a founding member of the political party Zares.
And to make it more clear why they are this desperate to hold on to their jobs, we just need to look at their salaries – for example, Robert Golob received 370 thousand euros in 2019 and 540 thousand euros in 2020. Such high salaries, received by directors in the energy sector, not to mention the other “bonuses” that come with these positions, are very difficult to give up just like that, without a fight. Apparently, some people feel as if the position of president is theirs to occupy for the rest of time.