Modern Centre Party

Ljubljana – The National Assembly will vote Monday on a motion of no confidence in the Janez Janša government. The opposition seems unlikely to muster the required majority, but the vote is expected show the relative strength of the opposition and coalition and end weeks of strife on the political stage.

Ljubljana – Janez Poklukar, the director of Slovenia’s largest hospital UKC Ljubljana, has been nominated for health minister nearly two months after the resignation of Tomaž Gantar.

“Poklukar will be the new health minister,” Prime Minister Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Friday after formally submitting the nomination to the National Assembly.

Ljubljana – Deputy groups of the coalition New Slovenia (NSi), Democrats (SDS), Modern Centre Party (SMC), the opposition National Party (SNS) and both minority MPs have requested a session of the parliamentary interior and justice committees regarding what they see as stepping up of ideology-based hostility, ostracising and attacks.

Ljubljana – The parliamentary Home Affairs Committee endorsed on Thursday a bill redrawing electoral districts in line with a 2018 Constitutional Court decision. MPs of the coalition Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi), Modern Centre Party (SMC) and opposition Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) have backed the proposal.

Ljubljana – The opposition Social Democrats (SD), Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), the Left and the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) have filed an ouster motion against Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti. Talking to the press on Friday, opposition MPs listed a number of arguments, among them ineffective Covid crisis measures in the culture sector.

Brdo pri Kranju – The leaders of coalition parties stressed on Thursday their commitment to continue working together as the government faces a vote of no-confidence in parliament. They plan to analyse the situation by 15 February, according to Prime Minister Janez Janša. A cabinet reshuffle is also possible.

Ljubljana – Parliament passed in the early hours of Wednesday the eighth economic stimulus law that is to deliver boosts, worth around EUR 320 million, to mitigate the impact of the epidemic. The key measures are state shouldering of the minimum wage rise, the extension of the furlough scheme and introduction of fines for vaccine queue-jumping.

Ljubljana – Four opposition parties have filed a motion to oust Education, Science and Sport Minister Simona Kustec over what they see as “unprofessional and harmful policies” in organising child care and education during the epidemic, which has led to the longest school and kindergarten closure in Europe. She was urged to resign before the vote.

Ljubljana – The parliamentary Home Affairs Committee discussed on Monday integrity at the Court of Audit and the conduct by its president Tomaž Vesel in the wake of alleged conflict of interest caused by his work at FIFA. The session was boycotted by four opposition parties and ended with two proposals, one of them being for Vesel to resign.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly determined on Wednesday in a 51:13 vote that changes to the foreigners act tightening up conditions for residence for foreign nationals in Slovenia as well as amendments to the international protection act aiming to prevent asylum law abuses are fit for further debate. Both bills were met with mixed reactions.