By: G. B.
It appears that President Nataša Pirc Musar has now laid her cards on the table and explained why her congratulations to the new prime minister were so cold. In doing so, she put outgoing PM Robert Golob in a very awkward position, as he had spun a story on Friday about Janša supposedly sending him to Dob.
President Nataša Pirc Musar expressed concern after Friday’s election of Janez Janša as prime‑minister, particularly regarding the announced changes related to RTV Slovenia (RTVS), the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK), and the prospect of a direct confrontation with trade unions, Radio Slovenia reported. She assessed that such moves would not bring peace and prosperity to the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Bogataj Days of Protection and Rescue in Nova Gorica, the president said she hoped for as much political cooperation and as few ideological battles as possible under the new government. At the same time, she voiced concern about some of the coalition’s plans, such as amending the RTVS Act and abolishing the KPK.
“RTV is a public service. If the changes move toward state financing instead of the licence fee, we will be talking about state television, and that is not good,” she argued. This, of course is a deception, because under the current system, RTVS is running a completely biased news programme. With so-called public funding.
Regarding the KPK, she said we must ask what is currently missing “that prevents us from effectively prosecuting corruption”. “If you ask me, the legal basis exists, we have a special prosecutorial group, what is missing are additional funds and qualified staff. Abolishing an institution simply because you dislike it… that is not good,” she insisted.
Pirc Musar stressed that the most important aspect of independent oversight institutions is their independence, especially in appointment procedures and financing. She announced she would speak up if necessary.
According to the coalition agreement, the new coalition plans to amend the RTVS Act with the aim of creating a modern, professional, and impartial public broadcaster. Parliament is already considering a bill submitted last November by Resni.ca, which proposes abolishing the mandatory RTV licence fee and switching to budget financing. The coalition document also announces the creation of a new prosecutorial unit, Skok, which would incorporate the current KPK.
Even before the coalition agreement was signed, SDS and NSi MPs submitted an amendment to the Labour Relations Act that would abolish employers’ obligation to deduct union membership fees directly from employees’ salaries. Trade unions see this as revenge for their referendum campaign against the emergency development law. They fear the proposed changes aim to weaken them financially and silence them.
According to TV Slovenia, Pirc Musar also commented on some statements and actions of outgoing PM and Freedom Movement leader Robert Golob during the formation of the new coalition.
After Golob claimed in parliament on Friday that Janša had openly threatened those present at the last meeting of the National Security Council, “including me, saying he would send me to Dob”, she clarified that she had not understood the situation that way. “I did not hear what Prime Minister Golob described. In the heat of political tension, people interpret words differently. Personally, no one threatened me,” she said.
Regarding Golob’s revelation about discussions on a possible technical prime minister, she explained that she had spoken with both the incoming and outgoing prime minister about several scenarios. “But what happened on the day when he (Golob) personally suggested that I propose a technical prime minister was not coordinated with me, nor with Mr Janša. If we are talking about such solutions for the good of Slovenia, I expect coordination,” she told STA.
This put Golob in an awkward position, as two things became clear: that he had simply invented the story about Janša threatening him with prison, and that he himself apparently wanted to carry out the manoeuvre with a so‑called technical prime minister, while conveniently “forgetting” to inform the president.
In short, Golob is leaving the office of prime minister, but his lies continue.