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.

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Cooperating well with Roma Community
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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.

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Croatia: No Solution is a Solution, Too.
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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

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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).

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Presidential Predictions
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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.

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Political Left Still in Flux
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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.

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In the Headlines
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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