Ivan Šuker has survived Sanader and manages Prime Minister Kosor. He ‘eats’ economy ministers for breakfast and neutralizes economic advisors in an instant. Only the Americans could remove him. But he takes loans from them.
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Written by: Miodrag Šajatović |
Šuker is not to blame for becoming so powerful. This was enabled by leaders without a clear economic vision, for whom borrowing was the pinnacle of thought. |
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After testifying before the parliamentary Investigative Committee on the privatization of INA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ivan Šuker reportedly had his chair shaken. Not only did they criticize him at the HDZ Presidency, but according to newspaper articles, ambassadors from EU countries also expressed that it is ‘unacceptable for one of the key people in the government not to have read the contracts with MOL regarding the privatization of INA.’ It is indeed hard to believe that Ivan Šuker could be removed from the position of Minister of Finance. Sometimes it seems that he will remain in that position forever. When the governance of Croatia from 2000 to 2010 is seriously analyzed, it will turn out that the main players were neither Ivica Račan nor Ivo Sanader nor Jadranka Kosor. The longest tenure and continuous behind-the-scenes influence belongs to Ivan Šuker. He survived Sanader, immediately took Prime Minister Kosor under his wing, and he ‘eats’ his biggest opponents in the government – the economy ministers – for breakfast. They flee to some other ministry (Vukelić) or end up in Remetinec (Polančec) out of desperation. The current Minister of Economy Popijač is not even acknowledged by Šuker. The economy minister’s board is soap-sudsy the moment he agrees to resolve the fate of the shipyards. Šuker has never wanted to dirty his hands with such matters. Thus, the ‘shipyard workers’ will ‘tear apart’ yet another poor economy minister, an endangered species that even an HDZ membership card does not help to survive. The politically cunning Šuker has such a political instinct that his removal would require the engagement of the United States itself. But the cunning Šuker is currently borrowing for Croatia from the U.S. at interest rates that make American investors smile. It should be noted that no scandal has directly stuck to Šuker in which he would be suspected of having his fingers in the jam somewhere. He successfully escaped in the case of the removal of Hrvoje Vojković from the position of President of the Management Board of Croatia osiguranje. Šuker was the chairman of the Supervisory Board there. In presenting dirty laundry, he defended himself with a defense à la Kameta, in the style of ‘I knew nothing.’ Since Vojković ultimately withdrew from threats to ‘say everything,’ everything calmed down. In Polančec’s case, however, things are more complicated. Vojković was left an open corridor for withdrawal. Polančec is left in complete encirclement and now has nothing to lose. Therefore, he will probably not give up trying to drag his long-time enemy – Šuker – down with him into political ruin. Borrowing? It doesn’t matter If one were to attempt to define Šuker’s economic program (journalist colleagues conveniently forget that he is also the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy), it would be seen that it boils down to ensuring that salaries for public services and ‘pensions’ for retirees are paid on time at all costs. And that he does not offend any of the groups in the HDZ or the coalition HSS. How much he will borrow for the country does not concern him in the slightest. It is incredible that there is not even a trace of desire in Šuker to rise above the role of the treasurer of the ruling coalition. So far, this has ensured his political survival. Today, it is somewhat awkward that the ‘ungrateful’ people to whom he ensures salaries and pensions are, in surveys, 80% dissatisfied with his work. In all this, Šuker should not be overly blamed. The problem lies in the party and the system that allowed any Minister of Finance to become so powerful in the government. Wise prime ministers know that the Minister of Finance (responsible for filling the budget) and the Minister of Economy (responsible for development) will constantly quarrel. But it is up to the prime ministers to achieve balance. Of course, a prerequisite is that this prime minister has a correct vision of the country’s economic development. Since this was lacking in Sanader, and so far in Prime Minister Kosor, the political motivation of maximizing votes and staying in power has created Šuker as he is. Overall, it is shown that prime ministers in the HDZ government can change, but that actually nothing will change. Minister of Finance Šuker is one of the personifications of resistance to change, and as long as he is in his position, it will be a sign that there will be no radical turnaround in Croatian economic policy. He neutralizes economic advisors and their proposals in an instant. The problem is that many underestimate Šuker. And he knows when to yell at dissenters, when to be nice and charming, and when, to entertain the boss, to take the wheel of the official van and be Prime Minister Sanader’s driver from Banski dvori to the entrance of the Westin hotel. |
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