The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, tonight sent a request to the President of the National Assembly, France Cukjati, that a motion of confidence vote be tabled in the National Assembly.

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

In his request, the PM wrote that the Government has to face a triple challenge. After the euro changeover, the process of adopting the package of economic and social reforms has been concluding. Following extensive negotiations, the Social Agreement for the period 2007-2009 was signed. According to Mr Janša, the latter enabled the harmonisation of amendments to employment legislation. These and the new regional legislation, which is vital for faster and more just future development, are now being discussed in Parliament. Extensive preparations for the elimination of internal borders, which will happen soon, and the historic challenge of the EU Presidency, have also been concluded.

 

Mr Janša said that before the incumbent Government was formed, the National Assembly had almost unanimously accepted the offer for Slovenia to preside over the EU as the first of the new EU member states. "This spring, the coalition parties and two opposition parties, that is, their deputy groups, signed an agreement on collaboration on preparations for the EU Presidency," wrote the PM, adding that as the beginning of the Presidency is approaching, the fundamental consensus on mutual cooperation on the project has been disintegrating.

 

"The signatories to the agreement are announcing motions of no confidence, and ideologically motivated referenda. The interpretation of the results of the presidential election is being thwarted, as if the Government had taken part in them. The rude false allegations about violations of human rights and controlling the media, which individual opposition parties have been directing at the Government, are disseminated abroad through various organisations," stressed the PM.

 

"I estimate that in the current conditions the ability of the Government to work effectively is in danger. Instead of Slovenia joining ranks in the face of its second greatest challenge, some people are deliberately opening debates about the past and reviving ideological divisions, and while investing extraordinary efforts abroad, the Government is forced to answer senseless allegations that arrive there from Ljubljana," said Mr Janša in his letter to the President of the National Assembly. The PM will speak in more detail about the motion of confidence vote at the next session of the National Assembly.

 

In last night's interview on RTV Slovenia, the PM expressed expectations that a motion for confidence vote would be put forward as soon as possible. "Depending on the result, I will decide on further steps," he said, adding "I will tell you in advance that I will not count votes, such as from Mr Žnidaršič – who says one thing and does another when the time comes to cast his vote – as being ones that will provide this Government with solid support."

 

The PM stressed that the coalition doors are open to anyone who wanted to help negotiate the said challenges. "We also accept the fact that they should be most critical towards the Government during the Presidency. But we ask them to consider that the same people cannot be in two places at the same time, that they do not threaten with referenda campaigns in the first half of 2008, and do not put forward motions of no confidence for things we all know are not the fault of ministers," concluded Mr Janša.