Valruzia

[Aethan]

INTERVIEW | Krystian Barela: "If I could go back in time, I would not do anything differently" 

Former Chancellor of Valruzia accepts an interview with us following his resignation to allow a coalition government led by his party 

May 5706

Chancellor Barela posing with his wife, boyfriend and two children

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After fifteen years at the helm of the Marble House, Krystian Barela is no longer the Chancellor. Following the 5705 elections, the man who reshaped Valruzia’s constitutional architecture and survived one of the most publicized personal scandals in modern history has stepped aside. He did so not just because of a loss at the ballot box – for the first time, Forward Valruzia surpassed both Barela's Sovereign Valruzia and the Communist Party of Valruzia to become the largest party – but also as the necessary price to secure a stable coalition with the Communists and the Socialdemocrats, as they demanded.

We met with him at his private residence in Nowogard, where he appeared relaxed, flanked by his wife, Ksenia Gajda, and his long-time partner and former bodyguard, Klemens Adamczyk.

On Leaving the Chancellery

Valruzia Today: You spent 15 years as Chancellor. How does it feel to be a private citizen again, Mr. Barela?

Krystian Barela: It is a transition I have been preparing for, though perhaps not as soon as I had hoped. There is a certain weight that leaves your shoulders – the weight of being the final word on every crisis. But my commitment to Valruzia hasn't changed and will certainly not change after this period in my life. I am still a professor, still a trade unionist, and still a member of my party. I have simply traded the public eye and scrutiny to return back to my clients, to my students, to a day-by-day simple life.

VT: Your resignation was the "red line" for the KPW and the SPR. Do you feel betrayed by your former, and potential, partners?

Barela: I have always said this: politics is not about feelings, it’s about parliamentary arithmetics and fighting for what you think it's worth. For both parties, and especially although I have already had experience ruling and working side by side with the Communist Party of Valruzia, my figure was too tied to the so-called "crisis" of 5698. I'm no fool, and I already knew for a long time that the KPW had me in their eye for the very first moment I dared to enter into a coalition government with Forward Valruzia during my first term, they just had no incentive whatsoever to ask for my downfall. Don't mistake my words, I'm most certainly disappointed at the attitude the KPW has displayed during this negotiation. But if my person was the only thing standing between Valruzia and a stable, progressive government, then the choice was easy for me. The movement is bigger than the man. I stepped down so the good work could continue, and I know Marzel [Zagórski] will do a great job.

VT: What was the opinion within your party?

Barela: As general secretary, it was entirely my decision, and everyone respected that. Of course, there were voices both against and in favor of my resignation to allow for this new government to happen, but I made it clear: my duty is with Valruzia. And if with my simple resignation I could build a new coalition government based on trust, so be it. But I also made it clear to my counterparts within the KPW and SPR: they now bear responsibility of the fate of this government. And the citizens will know that. They were the ones that pointed at me, now they must face the consequences of that decision, and the ones they make while at government.

A Legacy 

VT: You turned Valruzia into a bicameral republic. Many argue the Parliament of the Regions has only added bureaucracy. What is your response?

Barela: I respond by pointing to the stability we’ve enjoyed since 5693. Before the reform, the Voivodeships felt ignored by the center. By giving them a direct voice in the Parliament of the Regions, we integrated the periphery into the heart of the State. I don't see anything wrong with that.

VT: However, since then we have seen the rise of the People's Front of Kampania, a regionalist political party that has now gained representation in the Sejm.

Barela: And I see nothing wrong in that either. You see, the Sejm represents the will of the people. But truly representation. And if the FLK has got enough support, then so be it. What could not be allowed was the previous system, in which the national Sejm was held prisoner many times by the will of deputies who only thought about more benefits for their region instead of the benefit of the nation as a whole. And that's why I think the parliamentary change we made was good enough and necessary.

VT: You also passed the AI Sovereignty Law, perhaps the most restrictive in the world regarding high-risk systems. Do you fear this will stifle innovation?

Barela: I think that innovation without protection is just exploitation by another name. We saw the threat of displacement and the loss of data privacy. The "algorithmic productivity tax" wasn't meant to kill AI, but to ensure that if a machine replaces a worker, that machine pays for the worker's transition, for example. Technology must serve the people, not the other way around.

The 5698 Scandal and Personal Life

VT: Looking back at the so-called "Barela-Gajda Scandal" in 5698, you famously said on live TV, "I am not going to hide" in reference to your recently discovered three-way relationship between your wife, one of your bodyguards and yourself. Looking back, do you regret the way you handled it?

Barela: (He looks at Ksenia and Klemens) If I could go back in time, I would not do anything differently. My family is built on honesty. The scandal wasn't the relationship itself – it was the fact that people couldn't handle a family that didn't look like a centuries-old postcard. We followed every administrative protocol. We proved there was no abuse of power. There were all the necessary investigations, and none could find me guilty of something else than being a loving husband and boyfriend. I stood my ground because if the Chancellor hides his true self, he gives permission for every citizen to live in fear. If there's one thing I can regret now, just one, is not being able to legislate so any family in such a situation like mine could find their situation regularized and in conformity with the law.

VT: But it cost you your coalition with Forward Valruzia back then.

Barela: Everyone must bear the weight of their choices, and Forward Valruzia made a choice based on their electorate's discomfort. I respect that. But I will never apologize for being happy. I am the first openly bisexual Chancellor and I live in a polyamorous relationship. If that makes some people uncomfortable, it is a reflection of their limitations, not mine. I will not apologize for that, and my personal lifestyle should have no influence on politics, only the policies and decisions me and my government decided to implement. Nothing else.

VT: So you don't even regret your failed coalition with Forward Valruzia?

Barela: Every decision we take teach us some kind of lesson. I learned much about the experience of ruling along Forward Valruzia and sadly, mostly a negative experience. For me, they are not a trustful coalition partner, but now it is no longer up to me, and since they also have a new leadership, it is also up to them to show what trend do they want to follow. I'm now just one more citizen.

VT: Sure you had some opinions on the decision of the KPW and SPR.

Barela: See, the fact is that I don't. I only have – or rather, had – for the decisions me and my party did. It's them the ones that have to answer to their electorates. Polls consistently showed that among their voters, my figure had a good net approval rating,  and my policies were also viewed favorably. Therefore, it's now their turn to tell them why they decided that the best option was for me to step aside instead of continuing at the helm of a good government. Nevertheless, I have the outmost faith in Mrs. Zagórski, and I know he will continue doing an excellent work.

VT: Were you offered a place in this new Zagórski government?

Barela: As a matter of fact, I was. I will not disclose the positions I was offered, but Marzel wanted to count with my experience and leadership in this new cabinet. However, I turned down the offer. I knew it would only cause conflict with the coalition partners, and I had no interest in such a thing. My love for this country is bigger than my personal ego.

The Future

VT: Now what is next for Krystian Barela?

Barela: I am returning to University. There are many young minds who want to study labor law, and I think I have a few practical examples to teach them now (laughs). I will also remain active in Sovereign Valruzia. We have a lot of work to do to ensure the new coalition stays true to its promises. Do not even think for a second that you have seen the last of me in politics (laughs again).

VT: Are you aware of the words that the Foreign Minister of Kalistan, Sir Thomas Harney, said about you when asked about the issue in a personal interview?

Barela: I did, and I am grateful for his and the Kalistani Empress' words. Kalistan is a valuable ally and a close friend of Valruzia, and it's good to see that we can count on each other in times of need. In fact, I have been asked to teach some classes in some Kalistani universities, and I plan on accepting such offers since I find Kalistan to be a truly excellent nation to spend time in, and many of its students eager to learn new things.

VT: Any final message for the citizens who supported you for over a decade?

Barela: Only thank you. For the trust, for the scrutiny, and for allowing me to serve. Valruzia is a stronger, more modern, and more inclusive nation today than it was in 5690 when I took the reins of the nation. We have a more secure, we have extremely good employment numbers, a great healthcare system, a society to be proud of. That is the only statistic that matters to me.