The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, in a special letter to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, has proposed the prompt establishment of a parliamentary European Affairs Committee. This will enable the representatives of the Republic of Slovenia to present and support coordinated Slovenian positions in European Union institutions, while at the same time Slovenia will be acting as a responsible member of the European Union.

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec)

 

In his letter, which was also sent to the attention of Borut Pahor, President of the Social Democrats, the Prime Minister stated that in European Union affairs the Government has been acting in compliance with the provisions of the Act on Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, which clearly delimits the competencies of both institutions.  This Act also determines that the positions adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in some cases become the positions of the Republic of Slovenia, whereas deciding on the more important political issues and legislative procedures involving amendments to national legislation is transferred to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. The latter discusses the Government’s proposals of positions, which become the positions of the Republic of Slovenia only after undergoing discussion at and adoption by the parliamentary European Affairs Committee, or in the case of foreign policy issues, also discussion at and adoption by the Foreign Policy Committee. 

 

Until such decisions are adopted, the representatives of the Republic of Slovenia submit parliamentary reservations in institutions of the European Union, thus blocking the decision-making process in these EU institutions.

 

The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union has prepared an ambitious Presidency programme. Tasks and assignments in certain very demanding legislative projects (climate and energy package, genetically modified organisms, etc.) and above all within the framework of the negotiation process on enlargement (opening and closing certain chapters) and preparation of harmonised positions in the face of the urgent situation in the financial markets, call for rapid political decisions on the part of the EU Member States. Under these conditions, the Republic of Slovenia also has to act in a timely, well-prepared and above all coordinated manner, wrote Prime Minister Janša in his initiative to the Slovenian Parliament.