Geržina said he decided to withdraw his candidacy because of a long-term campaign aimed at discrediting him. In a statement sent to PM Miro Cerar and Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec, he wrote that in the past few month, and especially last few weeks, he was the victim of a carefully lead campaign aimed at discrediting him.

The "discrediting" allegedly began in May
According to Geržina the whole story regarding his discrediting began in May, when it was first heard that he could become the new Zagreb ambassador. Geržina says his successful candidacy was connected to the fact that his father is a high official in the DeSUS Pensioners' Party.

All of Geržina's efforts and later clarifications, that he has been a part of Slovenia's diplomacy from its very beginnings, that he has worked for the foreign ministry for 23 years, and that he fulfills all the criteria for assuming the post of ambassador in Zagreb, were allegedly ignored. He adds that the discrediting then continued with the help of media allegations, that the country's president had more trust in another candidate for the ambassador position in Zagreb.

Geržina says that many eagerly awaited the revelations of his wrongdoings during his service in Vienna, even before the publishing of the audit report on Slovenia's diplomatic network. Following the publication of the audit report on the 16th of August, Geržina was, of course, in the center of attention and media reports.

"Some media outlets and even individuals, sadly also from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have criminalized me and placed me alongside those fully convicted, criminally charged or discharged former ambassadors," wrote Geržina in his statement. He is convinced that it is not a coincidence.

Uneconomical conduct
The government has indeed already confirmed Geržina for Slovenia's new ambassador in Zagreb. He has also passed the hearing in front of the parliamentary foreign policy committee and has already received the agrément from Zagreb. His full appointment to the post only lacked the signature of President Borut Pahor, who in light of the audit report on Slovenia's diplomacy decided to put on hold the appointment of all new ambassadors.

Geržina was previously Slovenia's ambassador in Vienna. The foreign ministry audit report showed that he paid out to himself 4.500 euros for travel expenses for using his own car, even though he had an embassy car and driver at his disposal. Geržina explained that he used his own car because the embassy car was more often at the mechanic's shop than being used. Very often he also covered mileage from his own pocket and said his travel expenses were much higher than what he officially paid out to himself.

Aleksander Geržina will continue to work at the foreign ministry because he says he is a professional diplomat.

B. V., A. Č., translated by K. J.