By: Moja Dolenjska
Back in March, when the Karigador affair broke out, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (CPC) assured the public that the decision in the case, in which Prime Minister Robert Golob is suspected of political interference in police staffing, was in its final stages and that a conclusion would be announced shortly. But four months later, there is still no decision, nor is there any indication of when it might be made. The CPC no longer claims that the decision will be announced soon.
When we asked the CPC yesterday when the decision, which they had previously claimed was practically ready, would be announced, they responded: “The matter you are inquiring about is in its final phase, but a final decision has not yet been made. We cannot provide any further information at this stage.” So, the case is still not concluded, and CPC no longer claims, as it did back in March, that the decision will be known soon. Instead, the matter now seems to have been pushed into an indefinite future. Which is, to say the least, quite interesting.
It is also notable that the KPK has been deliberating on this case, which broke out at the end of 2022, for nearly two and a half years. For comparison: when the affair involving Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec and the company Vinakras erupted in the summer of 2020 during the previous government, the CPC wrapped up its investigation in a record four months. While the case involving Golob is admittedly broader in scope, it still should not take the CPC this long to reach a decision. The prolonged delay clearly works in Golob’s favour. Even if the CPC ultimately finds violations, he would still have the option to appeal to the Administrative Court, which is already overwhelmed with cases. And by the time that court issues a ruling, the next elections will likely have come and gone.
