Alarming Tolerance of Evil

So shortly after Christmas, which is supposed to be a time of a reflection and good spirit, starting a blog with such a heading was quite a dilemma. Nevertheless this Christmas news has somewhat showed a stark contrast where we should become highly alert:

Slovakia has now for half a year been under a 'right' coalition, and while the surface of the waters seems to have calmed down, a tense undercurrent is noticeable. An undercurrent, which cannot be simply compared to a coalitions' role like in other democratic countries. 

Whereas the present government is balancing between surfacing unveiled corruption scandals from the previous administration and trying to change legislation to such an extent, where control mechanisms would prevent further damage, giving it sometimes an impression of hasty fire-fighting, criticism of the opposition would be natural.

Criticism, however, which tries to over-shout its own gross faux-pas becomes fairly embarrassing, but the more dangerous, when taken into account that such criticism perhaps is even shared by a considerable part of the population. Moreover, especially when it receives medialisation - that gives it a certain cachet. 

The president himself has aired some of his own 'reflections', which are to say the least ambiguous. Labelling the present government as causing nervousness is a bit not-done. Although president Gašparovič has frequently proven to be a mere principles-lacking puppet of our soviet-craving comrade Fico, his vision - perhaps misty by the Christmas punch - has been a bit inappropriate. Being surprised about the dramatic outcome for the then looting SNS coalition-partner, proves a horribly poor ability of political judgment. Or is it a slight nostalgic sorrow of the vanished wishful statehood of old style totalitarianism with extremist nationalism?

Concurrently, Ján Slota, the high priest of ancient Slovak values and boss of the very same SNS, has formally congratulated Lukashenko on his 'democratic victory' to be re-elected, keeping Belarus as the last bastion of dictatorship. One would expect no-one taking Slota too seriously, but the repeated signals coming from people like Fico, Slota or Gašparovič are not so much a sign of the personal views of these three anachronistic musketeers, it reflects a certain dangerous sentiment within the society.

While Brussels is preoccupied rather with butter-quotas, labeling of wines, it is seriously underestimating the immature systems within its EU borders. Democracies are not merely democratic because there are "free" elections (in contrast to the example of Belarus), but especially what the accountability of politicians is especially in between these elections. Brussels has become too complacent to deal with so-called internal national discussions. These streams could lead to a serious drift of ideologies, which might become uncontrollable. 

As Hungary will take over the EU presidency from Belgium in January, there is one interesting paradox in sight: A country, which would like to focus to bring minorities together, is currently led by a prime minister, who seems to be overly favourable to the wishes of the fascistoid Jobbik, having called for the sacking of  the rather successful National Theatre director Róbert Alföldi - just because Alföldi is on Jobbik's  'hit-list' for being a jew and a homosexual, and thus un-Hungarian. Not very flattering for the new presidency of the EU. 

If we continue sticking our heads into the sand, such an alarming tolerance of evil will easily thrive on and on.  As in Hungary also Slovakia will easily fall prone to a renewed wave of 'arianisation', hatred and intolerance to others. Although the 19th century is a long way behind us, these immature democracies remain a constant breeding ground for dangerous thinking.

A Bitter Reality

Hardly a few months in office, and with some (usual) balancing acts of a new government, the coalition of Iveta Radičová is seriously in danger. On the one hand, it could be an acceptable fact of the state of politics were Slovakia a democracy. Despite an economic crisis, Belgium and the Netherlands have been somewhat functioning, despite having been without a government - for various reasons - but the stalemate which Slovakia is facing could be far more dramatic. 

Four years of Fico government have brought the country to the edge, economically and morally; increasing re-emerging corruption, a choking political grip on the judiciary, looting of the state finances through dodgy over-expensive projects. The majority of the population have voted for a change, and the newly elected coalition have promised the necessary change to avoid worse.

The Greek tragedy lies in this, that one of the major issues, in order to elect a new General Prosecutor - to replace the controversially political Trnka - which could lead the country towards a more just legal functioning of the state, the very coalition itself is putting almost literally a knife to Ms Radičová throat by repeatedly being unable to get a majority for a new candidate. The only possible reason is that within the coalition (and most probable within the ranks of Ms Radičová SDKU-party) a few members secretly vote for the much criticised Trnka.

Sadly, the signal is clear. What is most frustrating: that we felt bad on how the Fico government was continuously lying but that now the elected "coalition of hope" seems to play the same kind of game. Some players high-up desperately need to hide their personal interests over the promised reforms of a more transparent politics. One does need little speculations on who those persons might be, but a speculation is merely a speculation and hardly a proof. Appearing on TV and without blushing declaring not having realised the controversy of supporting Trnka's candidacy is more than a 'smoking gun'. Slovak politics seems not to change at all. Need I say more?

Wishing Ms Radičová all the strength and luck for tomorrow. 

Wiki-gate

Although the current Wikileaks-fever seems to be slightly off-topic to a Slovak blog, nevertheless I cannot help to hook up on these developments, and finding out that still we have a big issue here as well.

While the whole diplomatic world is baffled and slightly annoyed - to use an understatement - I cannot help but frown: A mass media howling has been unleashed of putting thousands at risk, claiming that disclosure is a criminal offense and I could go on. In my view a slight wrong message.

As I am currently working on an anti-corruption audit, the very same problem arises; the more secrecy there is, the more hidden i.e. corrupt practices are possible and transparency can disclose such malpractices and prevent further. An organisation, which is not willing to disclose information is suspicious, and classifying something as "secret" is the easiest way to manipulate. Under current western legislation it could even be trespassing the law. 

Despite my full understanding of the unease of disclosure of let's say military classified data, I do not see any harm in the vast majority of information that has appeared on Wikileaks. The attributes labelled to Putin, Berlusconi or Kom Jong-Il are far from a surprise to me, and I do not the US State Department telegrammes to confirm that. But in return, neither I myself was pleased how meekly European governments had to provide the Bush Administration with data on citizens in their so-called war against terrorism - which in my view was for a great part instigated by Mr Bush and his fellas' arrogant behaviour in the first place. 

What disturbs me is the statements of several politicians, or Canada's Prime-Minister's advisor, who even uttered that Mr Assange should be put to death or not to forget one of Slovak parliament members Mr Šebej muttered that he should be put behind bars. For what?! Are we now starting to pronounce hysterical fatwahs to a right of information? And frankly, there's much that needs to be answered on the world political level. And to Mr Šebej, who knows quite well how it was to live under a secretive totalitarian regime that kept records on suspicious citizens. So where is the borderline? Are we now supporting such totalitarian practices again? Let's not play the overly conservative more than pro-American ally here and let's remain a clear head.

This very moment, Slovakia's government is still hanging on one thin thread, due to the repeatedly failed elections of the next General Prosecutor. It is a great disgrace, and visibly a few people have an interest that the dubious Mr Trnka remains in place, perhaps to be able to keep their murky businesses from the past under the carpet. This all at the expense of the present Cabinet, that was supposed to be the hope for better reforms. My question therefore is; is being sheepishly meek and allowing a selected few to do murky, foul business at our expenses the current ideology of being a free democratic (global) society?

The Wikileaks are a sore on the wrong spot so to say, but such things happen if you play with fire. It is in no way the end of the world, and admittedly, I do feel a certain sympathy for Obama and Clinton, for they inherited much of this from the previous administrations, so personally they are not directly responsible for most of it, but politically they have to bite the dust a bit. The world will turn on, but hopefully a world, where we have realised, that we all have a right to these information. The signals given now by officials are more than uncalled for.