Fico's blog

Slovakia's former prime-minister Robert Fico has opened a blogging-account with one of the critical newspaper sites - the very newspaper, which he harshly criticised in the past and labeled as being hyenas. But, as an individual he obviously has this right, so let's have peace with that. Blogging is a current global trend, and has become a truly effective tool to spread one's opinion. Prominent politicians do, as well as corporate managers up to the teenager next door.

Fico's blog has perhaps caused more irritation than interest, as the first article, where comrade Robert elaborates his serious objections against a public ballot - a bill that was passed by parliament this week - to nominate the next general prosecutor; a job, which has been rather controversial in the past few years. Not only agitating that the current government has "broken the neck of democracy", the very mere fact, that the author himself, has grossly trampled on democratic principles and allowed shameless looting of public means makes this presentation a nasty bitter taste.

In principle, the fact that a non secret ballot might be undemocratic - based on the assumption, that anonymity would prevent e.g. peer pressure, intimidation or blackmailing - normally would be plausible, provided that the democratic processes are traditionally well established. In our current case, where up to date on almost a daily basis scandalous tunneling and missteps of the appear on the surface, the involved parties  have a major interest finding a candidate, who should probably be open to somewhat leniency towards the culprits. I use to call it: being corrupt. 

In this light, a secret ballot (in fact multiple rounds) has proven rather an obstacle instead of moving forward. The several rounds of new candidates - almost resulting in the resignation of prime minister Radičová - were not only revealing the (as could be expected) the panic among the former masters, but sensing equally a high risks within the present coalition itself.

Despite the ludicrous attempt of the former prime minister Fico to again portray himself as a more than messianic defender of the nation (when having allowed the worst scandals), a  lawyer (when having performed miserably in the past) to pump his logic into the critical readers' minds, we must however admit one thing: Mr Fico has a tremendous impertinence bordering courage, that given the fact, where Fico himself creating in the past maximum havoc to justice thanks to his subservient buddies of former general procurator Trnka and mafia-friend-judge-minister-and-then-judge-again Harabin; where Slovakia's standing has been thwarted back into the dark years of Meciarism - and is now howling and crying over democracy.

And whereas in a civilised society, all discourses should take place for the sake of argument, it is especially this unheard of impertinence of a ruthless absolutist kleptoman-regent, is disqualifying him from any serious discussion. He is wailing now over what he seriously damaged in the past 4 years. But the tragedy is, that his populist rhetoric is unfortunately far more powerful, than the shy and clumsy PR of the present government to reply to him.