Lajčák's error

Politics should be a transparent business; it is where the mandate of the people is taken care of by a group of people that execute this task for the broad public. The core of the whole concept is indeed the mandate: Who gives it to whom, and who is therefore accountable to whom, where those who demand insight rightly get it. 

Admittedly, in reality this is very idealistic, where some other-than-public interests often interfere with the wishful state. Nevertheless countries like e.g. Sweden, New Zealand or Canada, among others, maintain a fairly high standard of this transparency and adhere to the principles more successfully than others do. But then, the people's general sophistication with this subject is essential to up-keep such a status-quo. 

Being aware of basic principles of the game is not just a theoretical subject, when once learned to pass your sociology class to be immediately dismissed to the trivia department. Its immediate appellation by the public once breached is vital for maintaining democracy's survival.

Slovakia is, regrettably, a state, which visibly at all level of government has little interest in any democratic principle at all. Despite perhaps the attempts of a few bona fide individuals, each government transforms the whole administrative system in such a way, that those shortly in power will succumb to maximise the reaping of wealth whilst they can. To this extent, an individual citizen could always demand rectification through legal channels, provided the judicial system will be fully independent.

Here we arrive at a major issue; while prime minister Fico has knowingly sold out the judiciary to a party that has serious interests to undermine justice, the systematic erosion of its impartiality and political pressure among judges has become more and more apparent. This trend finally was even noticed by foreign diplomats, who started to visibly attending and monitoring certain court hearings.

Slovakia has not no reason any longer to belong to be considered a constitutional state. Supreme Court president Harabin has choked justice to death with the blessing of Fico. The prime minister covering every inch of each scandal that pops up. Not only does Harabin extort huge amounts from the critical press to 'cleanse his good reputation' (speaking of which; he hardly had), his remark on the Western diplomat's interest he called it an act of 'spreading fear'. Even up to the point, where the journalists are being blamed of politicising justice (tried to find some sense in that statement, without any success).

Ruthless rulers do often end up, losing sense of reality. Indeed, in the EU it is unusual for diplomats to attend court sessions of other countries, but then, in the EU such gross violations of public interest is equally unheard of. The lamentation of Harabin reminds me of the joke, where a youngster in court, accused of killing both his parents pleads for clemency since he is an orphan. Slovak Foreign Minister Lajčák commented that "Slovakia is not a banana republic". Well, that's somewhat a misjudgement... De facto Slovakia IS a banana republic.

These gross violations, contrary to most corrupt governments, are hardly done in a sly way, trying to conceal. The sheer amateurish stupidity with which they are carried out is surpassing any disbelief. Perhaps the most ironic thing is, they are in fact, presented on a silver tray by the culprits, but the lack of public sophistication in this matter results in a complete apathy.

While 'banana republic' is perhaps to be considered more of an ironic expression, the reality is very harsh unfortunately. Perhaps even worse than we can only guess. Diplomatic pressure is now the only rope we can cling on.