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.