Today, 6 December 2006, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, proposed that the National Assembly appoint the State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Ms Marjeta Cotman, Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.

Among the reasons the PM gave for his decision are Ms Cotman's professional knowledge and rich experience in the fields of social security and welfare, family policy, and employment. He stressed that the experience she had gained as the state secretary, and her knowledge of Slovenia's government and the National Assembly would enable her to successfully run the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.

The candidate for the new Minister is very well aquatinted with the Ministry's area of work and therefore does not need an introductory period. In the current situation she is the best choice available, said the PM by adding that he is pleased by the fact that the coalition partner, which occupied this Ministerial position at the beginning of the Government’s term in office, decided to put forward such a proposal. As far as the assessments of the candidate are concerned PM is of the opinion that it would be ungrateful to judge her before she began to work.