SLOVENIA: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AND PEOPLE'S PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000137 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/NCE FOR SSADLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SENV SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AND PEOPLE'S PARTY LEADER TALKS POLITICS Classified By: COM Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Slovenia's Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, and leader of minority GoS coalition partner, Slovene People's Party (SLS),Janez Podobnik took a break from a flurry of recent media criticism -- regarding his decision to compensate a private construction company for disaster cleanup work it did in 2001 without a contract -- to lunch with COM February 16. Podobnik, who took over leadership of the GoS Roma task-force in November 2006, was positive on Roma issues and GoS efforts to resolve them. As usual, he was eager to speak out on Slovenian-Croatian bilateral issues, saying that contentious issues like the nuclear power plant and the Ljubljanska Banka dispute could be solved, but cautioning on border disputes saying that Slovenia must believe in its territorial integrity. Podobnik also opined on the hot topics of Slovenian politics -- potential candidates in this year's presidential race and the disintegration of the formerly powerful center-left Liberal Democracy Party (LDS). End Summary. -------------- Cooperating well with Roma Community -------------- ¶2. (C) COM hosted Minister of Environment, Janez Podobnik for lunch February 16. Conversation began with a discussion about the Roma, a contentious topic in Slovenia since a highly publicized incident in October 2006, when a local community pressured a Roma family to leave their home. Because of his ministry's competency over spatial planning issues for the country, Podobnik was assigned to take over the internal GoS working group on Roma issues in November ¶2006. Seventy percent of all Roma settlements have been illegally constructed, and Podobnik's ministry is charged with regularizing or relocating these communities. Podobnik first informed COM that the Strojan family, subject of a widely publicized relocation last summer and fall, were currently living in a property owned by the Ministry of Defense. The children were in school for the first time and seemed to be adjusting well. Podobnik was confident a permanent housing arrangement would soon be found for the family. Podobnik was generally upbeat on the situation of Roma in Slovenia, citing the successful model of community relations employed by the Mayor of Krsko in the Southeastern part of Slovenia near the Croatian border. He had positive words for the leader of the Roma community in Slovenia, Joze Horvat Muc (a recent IVLP visitor to the U.S.),and said the Slovenian statute which requires Roma representation on local municipal councils with sizable populations has proven to be a very positive move and has contributed significantly to easing tensions between Roma and majority communities. -------------- Croatia: No Solution is a Solution, Too. -------------- ¶3. (C) Podobnik and the SLS have long been vocal on territorial disputes with Croatia. Prior to the 2004 parliamentary elections, Podobnik was involved in a scuffle with Croatian police after planting a symbolic linden tree on the property of Josko Joras near the Secolvje border crossing with Croatia (the Croatians consider this property to be Croatian). On Krsko nuclear power plant and Ljubljanska Banka disputes, Podobnik suggested solutions could be found. Podobnik feels strongest, however, about the border disputes and told COM that Slovenia must "believe in its territory" and that "each square meter is important." After saying that arbitration was a "normal international tool" he wondered if there was any chance to get another American involved to help with negotiations. COM responded that, recalling former Secretary of Defense Perry's experiences in 1999-2000, it SIPDIS would be highly unlikely. Podobnik also criticized what he termed President Drnovsek's "freelancing" on the Croatia issues and said bluntly that Drnovsek and Mesic would not be able to solve these problems. It is not clear that Podobnik truly believes a solution to the border issues with Croatia is necessary since he claimed, "no solution, is a solution, too" suggesting the status quo works for him. (Note, And it's good for politics, too, End Note). -------------- Presidential Predictions -------------- ¶4. (C) Turning to politics, Podobnik, like every other pundit in Slovenia, has his predictions on how the presidential race will shape up for December elections. He said SLS was behind Lojze Peterle, former Prime Minister, current Member of European Parliament, and member of another coalition party, New Slovenia (NSi). Podobnik thought that Social Democrat (SD) Borut Pahor would not run since his party seems to be steadily climbing in the polls - as Liberal Democracy (LDS) continues to spiral downward - and SD feels it has a real shot to get into government in 2008, though probably not to actually form the government itself. Former UN Assistant Secretary General Danilo Turk also came up in this context, but Podobnik said that while he was an attractive candidate, he did not think Turk was interested in this sort of politics. He does seem, however, a natural for foreign minister at some point. Podobnik also shared his view of current President Janez Drnovsek saying that he finds him to be a bit "odd" these days. Podobnik thought Drnovsek, a smart man, would not decide about running until the last minute at which point he would present himself to the people as the best choice, above the fray and with the interests of humanity on his side. -------------- Political Left Still in Flux -------------- ¶5. (C) On the rise and fall of political parties Slovenia has witnessed over the last 18 months, Podobnik saw the "partnership" between SD and SDS as favoring Pahor and the SD. As he put it, in each of these meetings between the government and the opposition (LDS does not participate), "everyone wants to know what Pahor thinks," not what Jansa thinks. This is giving Pahor a bit more clout in political circles. COM suggested Jansa's cultivation of Pahor may also be viewed as a warning to some smaller coalition partners (i.e. SLS) that SDS could find new partners, if necessary. Podobnik acknowledged this could be true, but he did not seem concerned that his party's position would be at risk. 6.(C) Several important parliamentary members of LDS have defected from the party recently and have gone on to form an "independent" group within the Parliament. Of these, Podobnik suggested former Minister of Economy Matej Lahovnik could assume leadership of a new party. Podobnik said LDS needs a leader to act as a catalyst and create some energy in the party, and Jelko Kacin was too inflexible to be that person. Podobnik threw out a few other names that have been around Slovenian politics for years, but none seemed to rise to the top as an obvious leader of a new party, should one be formed. -------------- In the Headlines -------------- ¶7. (C) As Minster of Environment, Podobnik has been recently enjoying the barbs of Delo journalist Rok Praprotnik - who more often writes sharply critical columns about the Minister of Defense. Podobnik is being heavily criticized in the press, and some are even calling for his resignation, over an out of court settlement he reached to pay the company PUH for uncontracted earth works it performed after a 2001 earthquake buried much of the town of Mangart in north western Slovenia. On the evening of the day of the lunch with COM, Podobnik was scheduled to appear on one of Slovenia's talk shows to defend his position on PUH. He seemed confident in his position, though press the following day did not sound convinced by his performance. There are rumors that he is close friends with the owner of PUH. ROBERTSON