Horvat

Ljubljana – Parliamentary working bodies were set up at Wednesday’s session and can now start their work despite the fact that the opposition Democrats (SDS) did not nominate their candidates for chairs and vice-chairs in protest over the breakdown of these posts.

Ljubljana – The Left has withdrawn its motion for a consultative referendum on changes to the income tax act, as the government had indicated the referendum could be held on the same day as the general election. Left coordinator Luka Mesec said the party did not want to enable the government to build its election campaign on “promises of higher wages.”

Ljubljana – The coalition New Slovenia (NSi) on Friday launched a campaign promoting amendments to the income tax act, which will include the collecting of signatures in support of the changes in the run-up to the official election campaign.

Ljubljana – New Slovenia (NSi) met for a virtual congress on Saturday in preparation for next year’s general election where their leader Matej Tonin said this Christian democratic party should get the mandate to form a government in order to avoid the “inefficiency” of the centre-left and the “sharpness” of the senior partner in the current ruling coalition.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly passed on Wednesday amendments to the communicable diseases act after the Constitutional Court declared parts of the act and by extension the measures introduced during the epidemic unconstitutional.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly rejected in a 46:43 vote on Tuesday a proposal from the centre-left opposition for a consultative referendum on the government-sponsored bill on the national Demographic Fund.

The bill was adopted by the government last autumn and its passed a second reading in the National Assembly in March.

Ljubljana – A proposal to reshuffle parliamentary working bodies to accommodate four unaffiliated MPs, including the speaker of parliament, who have recently defected was rejected for the third time on Tuesday.

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 – Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti survived on Thursday a vote of no-confidence mounted by the centre-left opposition over several grievances, including his inaction during the epidemic and attitude to the self-employed and public media. 43 MPs voted to oust him, three fewer than needed for dismissal.