Branislav

Ljubljana – Eleven parties contesting the upcoming general election participated in a debate about their arts and culture platforms held by a group of cultural NGOs in the Kino Šiška arts centre on Monday. They focused on four themes: the legislative framework, budget and resource allocation, decentralisation and dialogue.

Ljubljana – The parliament passed the resolution on the 2022-2029 national culture programme on Tuesday. The coalition expressed its support for the strategic document, which comes after the last of its kind in 2017, while the centre-left opposition was against it, saying it does not offer solutions to address the status quo in this field.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly passed in a unanimous vote on Friday amendments to the penal code that redefine sexual consent in line with the concept that only yes means yes. MPs said during the debate that the credit should go to NGOs, which mobilised the public to create a genuine social movement.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly has narrowly rejected opposition-sponsored changes to the act on the construction of a new railway line between the port of Koper and Divača seeking to strike out the option that allows foreign capital to be invested in the project. Coalition MPs pointed to the role of foreign countries in the port’s development.

Ljubljana – A proposal to reshuffle parliamentary working bodies to include four unaffiliated MPs who have recently defected was rejected on Tuesday after the first was voted down last week. Nevertheless, the centre-left opposition parties and the unaffiliated MPs intend to keep trying so that, they say, democracy is not undermined.

Ljubljana – The college of deputy group leaders has voted against making four newly unaffiliated MPs, including the speaker, members of parliamentary bodies in a victory for what is formally a minority ruling coalition.

Ljubljana – The executive council of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) discussed on Thursday the possibility of its leader Zdravko Počivalšek resigning as economy minister and returning to the National Assembly to secure an additional vote for the party, which recently saw three MPs leave its 8-member deputy group. It is yet to decide how to proceed.

Ljubljana – Four members of parliament, including Speaker Igor Zorčič, will form a new deputy group in parliament on Friday after three of them parted ways with the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) and one left the opposition Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) deputy group. This is expected to lead to the appointment of a new parliamentary speaker.

Ljubljana – Gregor Perič has replaced Janja Sluga as the chair of the Modern Centre Party’s (SMC) deputy group after three SMC deputies, Sluga and Speaker Igor Zorčič included, voted in favour of the ouster of Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti, signalling a rift in the deputy group.

Ljubljana – Speaker Igor Zorčič and the head of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) deputy group Janja Sluga said they would not take part in yesterday’s session of the SMC council, pointing to alliances party leader Zdravko Počivalšek was forging behind the scenes. The council’s meeting meanwhile ended with the party closing ranks around Počivalšek.