Jurij Lep

Ljubljana – The parliamentary Defence Committee approved the draft resolution on the general long-term programme for the development and equipping of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) until 2035. The resolution is strongly opposed by the Left party, which plans to propose a consultative referendum.

Ljubljana – The Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) will hold a congress on Saturday to elect what will be its third leadership in a year and a half. Last December, after less than a year under Aleksandra Pivec, the party again elected its ex-boss Karl Erjavec, but he stepped down in March. There are three contenders now.

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.

Ljubljana – Janez Cigler Kralj remains labour minister as the opposition-sponsored motion of no confidence was defeated by 44 votes to 38 in the small hours of Friday. The National Assembly was thus eight votes short of voting him out of office.

Ljubljana – Two months after the expiration of public and commercial news service contracts between the STA and the government, which had previously been renewed annually, the STA restricted access to its news items for the government administration on Monday. Parliament Speaker Igor Zorčič believes the time has come for the matter to be resolved in court.