Crisis in Slovenia

Until Germany's credit rating is chopped, they will not wake up.

Anyway what I wrote yesterday about the serious accusations against Janković was confirmed this afternoon.
First the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and after that the State Prosecutor General confirmed the news.
Also the Pensioners' Party decided to enter the center-right coalition and start talks.

Greetings from a pro-Slovenian in Trieste/Trst!

1) I am sure Slovenians will find a way out of the current mess. They are a sensible, hard-working people.

2) As an Italian, I apologise for Silvio Berlusconi's Italy - which is/was the real epicentre of this stupid crisis which has just engulfed Slovenia also. Without Silvio as a poster-boy for Mediterranean corruption, nepotism and incompetence, the EU would have dealt more effectively with the Greek crisis from the beginning. Clearly, at every step of the way, instead of gifting a few billion to help out Greece, the Germans and other northerners have been thinking "but behind Greece there is Italy" - which is ridiculous. We Italians know there is not enough money in the world to "bail out" our country - only we are capable of doing that.

3) I am sorry - I personally have never been a Communist - but have always been a Socialist. Before we start shouting "Communist!" to discredit politicians à la Berlusconi/Orban - I would urge Slovenians to re-read the biography of the man who is saving Italy today: President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano. An historic leader of the Italian Communist Party - head of its centrist, pro-American wing.

4) I know, I know - it takes Naples and upside-down Italy to produce a pro-American Communist. Perhaps you Slovenians remember something about why the good Italians were attracted to the Left in the 40's...
With a bit more intellectual honesty, we might also admit that Communism in both our countries had precious little to do with Russia and more to do with the Protestant tradition. (Is not Kucan from a Lutheran family?)

5) On the other hand, yes, Slovenia's Communists (belonging to whatever party today) were in power forever - obviously leading to corruption. There are better ways to address that problem rather than Civil War, eh?

6) Whatever his defects, Kucan, well-respected both among ethnic Italians and Slovenians in Italy, has/had hitherto shepherded his country carefully and successfully on the European stage over the last 20 years. I think his own supporters should admit he blew it this time. Sponsoring Jankovic was a mistake. The man is obviously polarising - and at the worst possible moment. (In the meantime, the campaign to discredit Pahor was disgusting. I have met and chatted with the man in the past and he was a conscientious leader, whatever his failings: these would have been difficult years in which govern for anybody).

7) Slovenia has lost most of its traditional markets to the South - I believe strongly in the Euro - but clearly the currency chaos sparked by devaluations of non-Euro currencies is hurting Slovenia's exports. A somewhat weaker Euro would help everyone at this point. Thankfully, this is already happening.

8) Slovenians shouldn't slash their own wrists about current problems: let's face it, Slovenia is surrounded by
a) Severe economic crisis in Croatia
b) Severe economic crisis in Hungary
c) A stupid, but prolonged economic crisis in Italy
d) Economic crisis which has especially hit banks in Austria

How much can a small country of 2 million people resist conditions in its own neighbourhood?

9) That being said, Slovenia has a small military - it should be used to capture the individuals responsible for the fradulent bankruptcies: F--k Liechtenstein.

10) Djilas was a great man. My family were partisans in Italy also and I honour their traditions and old alliances.

Finally, with some €8.6 trillion in aggregate private savings, Italy alone has enough resources to rescue Greece as well as Slovenia. We are still the epicentre of and key to the Euro-crisis. Aaarrgghhhh! The rage against Berlusconi for dragging us all into this crisis - completely predictable! Why did Angela Merkel's CDU/CSU provide political coverage all these years for the man? Couldn't she see that protecting his mediatic manipulation/domination within a G7 country could only lead to financial disaster?

Anyway, I am sure we will all make it through this crisis.

wow...after all, it is not just a pristine alpine country this Slovenia...how did the Economist miss all of this?

“Most outsiders believe that the best option for Slovenia is a technocratic government..”

Why the idea for a technocratic government was suggested by the outsiders immediately after the elections (before the winning party - Positive Slovenia, even started serious coalition talks with other parties??

Why the American ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli invited all the parties (right after the elections) for a talk (not covered by the media until recently - 40 days after the elections)??

I was personally very surprised to hear about the so called "technocratic government idea" that was mainly expressed by the right wing parties, just 2 weeks after the elections!! Not to mention that the only party, which refused the American ambassador’s invitation for a talk, was the winning party – Positive Slovenia (party that was born 1 month before the elections, by the Slovenians demanding new faces in the political scene).

Slovenian economic situation can’t be compared to those in Italy and Greece. Even if it takes 3 more months to get a new government, Slovenia will still not be, economically looking, in the line with Italy or Greece, which “apparently” needed the technocratic government because of economic reasons. Who are the people that are demanding the end of democracy (aka technocratic government) in Slovenia??

The very problem in Slovenia is that people voted for change, and that change, like it or not, is rappresented by mr. Janković.
The voters expressed a lauder NO to Mr. Janša, who failed to cool the economy between 2004-2008. The growth in Slovenia those days was based on the real estate-building bubble. I can affirm that Mr. Janša politics was linked only to his personals interess to stay at power and failed in any important reform at all. If he gets another chance to return to power he will act more like Mr. Orban in order to destroy opposition, to slave the institutions and the media. My bet is that if gets the top job, in one year from now, Slovenia will be there, where Hungary is today, on the edge of a ravine.

Dear Economist,

you overlooked an important fact about Slovenia! On 17th of January the acting prime minister Mr Pahor will talk to all of the parliamentary parties leaders about six laws he will put before the new parliament (budget reform, spending, etc.), and, judging for the party leaders words and actions, they will pass the laws with a big majority (60to70 of the 90 votes).

Since we have Mr Pahor doing his job it is of no importance that the parliament is tied at 44:44 (with 2 votes minority representatives). Perhaps we wont get a PM for half a year (new elections), but all of the parties and Pahor agree on the reform laws so they will be passed in a week or two.

The markets are "made" in the US and UK to redirect the attention from their problems! Yes, the euro area has obvious problems, but they are moderate and significantly lower than the problems of the U.S. (and England).

One would think that in today's global world the competition and exchange of ideas would bring out the best out of people. But it is enough to go through commentaries from USA to Europe to China to realize that the global winner, bursting from the depths of human souls and resulting in all modern human calamities is human stupidity.

Let me illustrate this on the case of Slovenia, a tiny reflection of the global world. People tend to take sides, left and right, which today is ridiculous. There are many rich people on the left (one of them is Mr Jankovic). They are being called communists by the right where you can find many hard core communists of 20+ years ago (not least Mr Jansa, now hailed as the leading anti-communist, but graduated in the "Science of defense", a Yugoslav "science" producing communist robots. The main work of these robots was repeating communist slogans, warning of the permanent "threat" from the West).
Turning to economy, when Jansa government took power in 2004, what were his economic policies? He eliminated 20 % tax cut for capital investments. (When the "communist" goverment took over in 2009, they immediately reintroduced a 30% tax cut in the midst of crisis, Jansa reacted that they were incompetent and should have introduced a 40% cut). He sold gov. stake in the largest retailer Mercator (where Jankovic was CEO)in exchange for control over Slovenia's largest newspaper (perceived by him as hostile) which he later lost anyway (not to mention the low sale price, the rise of tycoons and repercussions on the Slovenian food industry today). He paved way for scores of his "friends" as CEOs or would be tycoons to the largest and well standing companies (Port of Koper, Intereuropa logistics, Istrabenz etc.) which in times of 7% annual growth (Jansa claimed it a result of his super-mind, but in reality financed through 10 billion credit balloon that is bringing down the banks down) ended up bust or with 90% stock value depreciation in just 4 years. In the end of 2008 (remember the crisis?) before the elections, Jansa even claimed, that the crisis would not reach Slovenia (due to his genius), he raised public employee salaries (to gain votes), and lowered state-highway fees by 50% (again to win votes)etc. I merely scratched the surface of the disaster list that led to 2009-2011 crisis.

Jankovic himself is not an angel, but with proven and simple managerial skills (find the right people, set up a schedule and execute) at least he is not an ideologist, and likes to be praised for results, which is (considering other alternatives with mostly political profile) what Slovenia needs today.

Now Jansa effectively blocked Jankovic, and it seems will be the next "savior" of Slovenia. It reminds me of the USA and Italy where the angels of madness such as Bush and Berlusconi, brought down everything they could, leaving the blame to their successors, and they or their photocopies will soon get the hold on power again, helped by the people's (global?) stupidity virus (or inherent IQ characteristic).

"Mr Janković received just 42 votes out of 47 cast in the 90-strong parliament."

Economist recently gave the lowest rating for SLO political culture. Balot was secret but 43 members of 3 parties abstained under party command. Now we hear some legal experts justifying it as opportune. Ugly Balkan nationalism underneath as Mr. Jankovic father was Serb and he was born there. Ljubljana blossomed under his two mandates. Also largest wholesale chain Mercator. Mr. Jansa is communist convert, no genuine Christian right party here.

"Mr Janković received just 42 votes out of 47 cast in the 90-strong parliament."

Economist recently gave the lowest rating to SLO political culture. Balot was secret but 43 members of 3 parties abstained under party command. Now we hear legal experts justifying it as opportune. Ugly Balkan nationalism underneath as Mr. Jankovic father was Serb and he was born there. Ljubljana blossomed under his two mandates. Also largest wholesale chain Mercator. Mr. Jansa is best known as undercover arms dealer and communist convert.

Slovenia is a deeply divided society and the outcome of the recent elections (44 centre-left MPs and 44 centre-right MPS) proves that.

Yes, it would be very nice to have a fully-responsible government as soon as possible, and no matter who the prime minister is -Janković, Janša or someone else. The economy is not in a good shape, structural reforms and measures to overcome the crisis must be adopted. Our public debt is currently around 45% and is increasing, the budget deficit is around 5%, the credit rate of our 10-years bonds is over 7%...

No matter all that, the Economist's idea to adopt a techocratic government is very cheeky. The power in Slovenia is still in people's hand and there is no need for the foreigners to interfere in our internal affairs.

And dear Slovenes, there is no need to transmit your sick affection for Janša our anyone else across Europe and the world. A grown-up person with common sense wouldn't do that!

Idiot's (business) guide to the World is the name of the game.

Has already begun Softer RHETORIC
"Janša's government" would be like in five years, Slovenia has developed a superior, the address is just one of the journalists' contributions to summarize what want to Janša's government did in five years!

The difference between should and will, as night and day. Some of it is wanting, and the other is to commit and deliver.

If we remember the pre-election rhetoric, of what occurs at present, when the flame of hope sprang again to Janša government, this is an amazing difference in rhetoric, almost softly rhetoric against one, so we were bombed from Janša media fans.

But people, Slovenians, citizens, voters!

You would not forget what they were doing in terms of 2004 - 2008!

Banks will provide housing on the market. The simplicity of the world. How come you do not ask why, this dwelling was did. Normal people can not buy a square meter, let alone housing. Be assigned a new elite that came to housing on preferential terms to be offered to foreigners and the new elite!

Productive to reduce taxes. Qualify this again. Since the taxes are actually collected and the basic lack of simple logic is that richer should pay higher taxes. Rich tax cuts have already been performed at that time. They begin to shout that we will be rich fled abroad. When did it already with their wealth, just all work together, that it was not.

Pension schemes and personal pension accounts it sounds nice, again, for our, your, their, privatization of the pension system would lead to disintegration and anarchy, which is now going on health care.

To intervene in judicial independence, autonomy and prosecutors take them into police. Interference with the independence of the judiciary would have been just grist to the mill, that their protagonists will never respond to anything.

The bureaucratisation to tackle what they say. If this were carried out by the end would be at least something useful, but before the end of term will be said to have run out of time and that they need at least one term.

Unemployed decreased to below 70,000? What do you think how? So that would be deleted from the register of unemployed and would introduce compulsory work after formem minister for labour Mr. Drobnič methodology!

If someone has something clearly, you remember something!

Janša will Slovenia sold in its entirety.

You know what the difference is between Jansa and Janković.

Janša is European, who don't care who will be master in these places. He as the "brains and wisest" policy will be gratefully accepted intermediation of foreign forces and the power that the government of Slovenia.

Jankovic is Slovenian, which cares for Slovenia and its people will never allowed to sell what we have.

Problems in Slovenia started betweem the years 2004-2008, those government shut up about future econaomic and financial crises, they laughed from many people warned them. The problem of Slovenia is form PM Janez Janša, once dissmised as defense minister, involved in arms illegal business.

The former mayor of Ljubljana Mr. Zoran Janković was not and is not former retail tycoon, you are non respectful to him, tycoons was born ubder PM was Janez Janša who was and still involved in many suspicious undercover corupted political actions.

now I'll translate what it means to username "RaspadSattiva" decays sattiva - sativa indica. in one word, a person who supports corruption. with its Post's can deduce that offers only the illusion of beautiful Slovenia. reality is something completely different. Open your eyes Europa

former retail tycoon

good times were just between the years 2004-2008

None of this happened overnight. It was surprising that good times lasted this long or was it just the image?

The project Stožice environmental laws have changed since football floodlights are not complying with EU standards. The contractor of building Stožice did not pay workers till today. Corruption is the most BIGGEST problem in Slovenia!!