After meeting political group leaders of the government coalition, Prime Minister Janez Janša described the coalition's work in the last mandate as successful and steady: the coalition partners were free of political turbulence and were able to focus on essential development issues and the needs of Slovene citizens.

 

(Photo: Srdjan Živulović/Bobo)

 

According to an analysis of the actual implementation of the coalition agreement, out of 706 concrete, measurable actions planned when the document was signed, 80 percent were, objectively speaking, fully carried out, some were partly fulfilled and only five percent were not accomplished, said Prime Minister Janša.  He also pointed out that these measures included events which could not be foreseen upon signing the agreement but were nonetheless dealt with efficiently by the coalition.

 

(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

One of the major achievements of the coalition agreement is the historic rise in the employment rate or the drop in unemployment, noted PM Janša. "After two and a half years of this coalition, unemployment in Slovenia is at a historic low while at the same time employment is at a historic high," said the PM, adding that the number of jobs is surely set to rise.

 

The coalition partners were also successful in reducing public spending, which had previously been on the increase ever since Slovenia gained its independence. "This is the first mandate that recorded a significant decline in public spending as well as in the cost of functioning of this country without in any way affecting social rights.  As of the end of last year, public spending saw a 3.2 percent decrease, which was by far the most significant result in Europe in this area. What is more, it was during this mandate that Slovenia had a budget surplus: last year was the first in the history of our country that did not end with a budget deficit, and it will be the same for 2008, the second year in a row to end with a budget surplus," stated the Prime Minister.

 

(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

Another tremendous achievement of the coalition, said PMJanša, was the setting up of mechanisms of competition protection, which is to have long term positive effects on the cost of living and on the status of consumers in Slovenia; as far as citizens are concerned, their status will improve thanks to the social agreement reached between employers and employees. In addition, the coalition partners managed to introduce, after fifteen years of effort, a transparent wage system in the public sector.

 

(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

Finally, Prime Minister Janša believes that the current government coalition can be seen as having additional value because it was the first in the history of Slovenia to give the opposition the chance to participate fully and equally in taking key development decisions. "We've given the opposition parties the chance to sign an agreement on partnership for development as well as to have full control over more activities and structures than was ever possible for the opposition," said the PM.