We recently reported that the mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, was the godfather behind the expulsion of Klemen Grošelj from the Freedom Movement (Gibanje Svoboda) party’s list of candidates for the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, apparently at the suggestion of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who is terribly annoyed with Grošelj. Meanwhile, Janković is known to have a very strong influence on Robert Golob.
Since Prime Minister Robert Golob has responded in recent days to the accusations about the (non-)inclusion of Klemen Grošelj on the list of candidates of his party, Grošelj, who is now standing as a candidate for the Greens of Slovenia party (Zeleni Slovenije), has now also publicly responded to his claims.
Namely, Grošelj explained the whole background of his separation from the Freedom Movement party. We are publishing his statement in its entirety below:
“I categorically deny the allegations made by the President of the Freedom Movement party and Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Robert Golob, that I have at any time made any demands or conditions regarding my inclusion on the Freedom Movement party’s list of candidates for the elections to the European Parliament.
To clarify, I would like to refer to the timing of the pre-election developments in the formation of the Freedom Movement party’s list of candidates and my known role in it: on the 8th of January this year, I asked the Prime Minister and the Party whether he was counting on me as a Member of the European Parliament in the forthcoming campaign, or whether I could expect to be a candidate. At that time, the first of many candidacy procedures was already underway in the Freedom Movement party. I received the answer that I was very much counted on, both in the forthcoming campaign and as a candidate for the highest offices in Brussels. I myself did not set any conditions related to the candidacy.
At the same time, as chair of a delegation of observers of the parliamentary elections in Serbia, I was attacked by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who called me Serbia’s greatest enemy because the international observers had deemed the Serbian elections to be undemocratic. No one in Slovenian politics reacted to this attack by Vučić. This brutal attack on an MEP – and his own MEP, at that – was not condemned by the Prime Minister, nor by anyone from the party that I represented. Silence sometimes speaks louder than a thousand words. I should point out that I was elected unanimously among the members of the delegation as chair.
On the 27th of March, just before the meeting of the Party Council, the Prime Minister invited me to a separate conversation and referred to me as the ‘enfant terrible’ of Slovenian politics. He informed me that he had decided to put me on the list at the 8th spot – as he specifically said, the unelectable position – and that I should think about my future. At the same time, he offered me various other options.
After thinking it over, I called him in the evening and asked him about the possibility of placing me in 9th place, as that is where those who are honourably removed are placed. He replied that he would think about it and take it into consideration if possible. I must admit that I was expecting a different answer and that, all things considered, this should not have been too much of a problem. This honourable removal was the only thing I asked for. After careful consideration, I called the Prime Minister and President of the party two days later and told him that, in light of all the events described above, I was withdrawing from the list of candidates of the Freedom Movement party and then from politics. However, the Prime Minister refused to accept this. He started to offer me different options if I stayed on the list and was not elected. He offered me ambassadorial posts in the USA, in Russia, other posts in Brussels, and also the post of National Security Council adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office. I did not accept these offers. We agreed that I would think about all of this and let him know what my decision would be before the 6th of April.
On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, in the evening, I received a message from the Prime Minister asking whether I had managed to think things over. I replied in the early hours of the next morning that I had and that I was withdrawing. I quote my reply: ‘It is true that I expected more, but I am not disappointed, because I have kept my expectations very low, I have stuck to the saying – in goes the Pope, out comes the Cardinal, rather than feeling betrayed. But that is not important. For me, the 8th place on the list, notwithstanding all the arguments I have read (in the media), is, above all, a vote of no confidence in my work as a Member of the European Parliament, as well as in the work of the party and, last but not least, in me personally. Therefore, after careful consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the list of candidates, and I will inform the party of this during the day.’
There was no particular reaction to this. And so, I did what I said I would, and I informed the party. Although I did not speak to anyone else about my decision, in the afternoon, questions from the press started to come in.
On the 4th of April, I was literally shocked by a journalist’s question about the rumours of Vučić’s influence on my placement on the list. I must admit that I was shocked, because I had not thought of this possibility even in my worst nightmare. I did not comment on that. However, the claim was published in the media.
On the same day, I received a call from the President of the party, Dr Golob, and from Vesna Vuković (the then-Secretary-General of the party), asking me to call a press conference immediately after my return from Brussels and to deny all allegations of interference by Serbian politics. At the same time, Vesna Vuković pointed out that, as a husband and father, I will make the right decision. I refused to call a press conference because I knew nothing, formally or informally, about what was or was not going on behind the scenes about my inclusion on the list.
When I landed in Ljubljana, I received a message from the Prime Minister saying that he had a final offer for me and that I should call him immediately. He greeted me, and I quote, ‘What’s going on Klemen, you misfortune of a man, how many interviews have you given so far?’ I said, ‘None,’ and he was satisfied with that. He then offered me 3rd place on the list, arguing that my ratings were now predicting a better outcome. From the context, it was clear that this was an attempt at damage control for the media publications about the influence of Serbian politics on my place on the list.
(He did not offer me more, saying that this would be a way of knocking down a better candidate on the basis of past merits. And he later threw this one over his shoulder, despite the ratings and past merits).
As we had agreed, I told him in the evening that, given the circumstances, I could not accept the offer and that I was withdrawing.
After leaving the Freedom Movement party, I promised myself I would stay quiet on the matter, because I find it undignified to wash your dirty linen in public. However, in view of the recent discrediting of me by the man who occupies the office of Prime Minister, I consider that this commitment to silence is no longer appropriate.
I interpreted yesterday’s appearance by Mr Golob – which was inappropriate and unworthy of a Prime Minister –as an attack on me and an attempt to discredit me. It is interesting to note, however, that the Serbian government apparatus is already fully activated in discrediting me and in supporting Mr Golob, the President of the Freedom Movement party. I have proved my integrity through my work in the European Parliament, through my academic career, and through my work in Slovenia, and no one can take that away from me.
Dr Klemen Grošelj”
C. R.
