Gregor Perič

Ljubljana – All but one parliamentary party welcomed Slovenia’s offer to accept Ukrainian refugees, although there was some scepticism whether the country has the capacity or would even need to take in between 180,000 and 200,000 as suggested by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs. The opposition also raised unequal treatment of refugees depending on their origin.

Ljubljana – Four centre-left opposition parties have tabled motions of no confidence in Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič and Education Minister Simona Kustec. The main charge against Dikaučič is the failure to appoint delegated European prosecutors. Kustec has been accused of failings regarding getting schools ready for the new wave of the pandemic.

Ljubljana – A group of coronavirus deniers and anti-vaccination protesters stormed the headquarters of the Slovenian public broadcaster last night, managing to get into the newsroom studio before the police intervened.

Ljubljana – Advocates and opponents of the changes to the waters act, to be put to a referendum vote on Sunday, stressed the need to protect water as they faced off on public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening. However, the advocate said the new law will better protect water, whereas the opponents said it will endanger it.

Ljubljana – Speaker Igor Zorčič will not call a plenary session to debate the opposition Left’s party programme after the coalition Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi) requested this last week, arguing the programme contained elements suggesting the Left could act against the country’s constitutional order.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša sent a proposal to appoint Marjan Dikaučič, an official receiver, Slovenia’s new justice minister to parliament on Friday after the candidate was put forward by the Modern Centre Party (SMC).

Ljubljana – Igor Zorčič remains speaker as only 45 MPs voted to dismiss him in a secret ballot Friday, one short of the needed majority, just like in the first attempt on 30 March after he quit the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC). Two ballots were invalid while no MP voted against as the centre-left opposition and unaffiliated MPs obstructed the vote.

Ljubljana – The three coalition deputy groups filed in parliament on Monday a proposal to dismiss Speaker of the National Assembly Igor Zorčič after he and another two Modern Centre Party (SMC) MPs left the SMC deputy group and the coalition on Friday over different views on the SMC’s role in the government coalition.

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.