NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor meets the leaders of the parliamentary parties

After today's meeting with the presidents of the parliamentary parties and the deputies of the national communities, the Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, said that an agreement had been reached to call on the deputy groups to endorse a proposal to initiate the procedure to amend the constitution to introduce a golden fiscal rule, under which government debt must not exceed a specific level. 'Today, we have not yet decided on the level not to be exceeded, as the Government must first ensure that the level and the structure of this constitutional restraint are substantiated,' explained Prime Minister Pahor.

   

He went on to highlight that this is a very important and visionary decision because the EU Summit of 30 January is expected to adopt a decision requiring that the supreme legal acts of the EU Member States include the obligation concerning the aforementioned golden rule adopted under the inter-governmental agreement on a fiscal pact for the euro area. Prime Minister Pahor pointed out that the meeting's participants had agreed not to make the constitutional amendment introducing the golden rule conditional upon other constitutional amendments. 'The introduction of borrowing restraint conveys an important internal and external message. A constitutional restraint on borrowing will be binding and will have to be followed by the government. All future governments will therefore face a decision as to whether to comply with it or stop governing,' stressed Prime Minister Pahor.

   

It was also agreed at today's meeting that the Government will table a package of six acts in Parliament; they are intended to respond to some of the key challenges currently faced. Parliament will read a public finance bill as a priority and in parallel with the constitutional amendments; the Council of the President of the National Assembly will decide whether other legislative proposals will follow an urgent or regular legislative procedure.

  

Prime Minister Pahor also welcomed the agreement reached on the appointment of the president and two members of the arbitration tribunal and declared it a great success for all who were engaged in resolving the Slovenian-Croatian border issue in an amicable manner. 'The appointment of the members of the arbitral tribunal enables the countries to draw up a memorandum, but this was not on the agenda at today's meeting. We have only agreed that, on the one hand, the procedure must be very transparent, while, on the other hand, a certain degree of confidentiality must be ensured in the preparation of defence,' emphasised Prime Minister Pahor adding that he was optimistic about the work of the arbitral tribunal. 'All four of the candidates proposed were acceptable to the Slovenian Government. We only provided the leaders of the parliamentary parties with their names, given that under the arbitration agreement the appointment of the arbiters is within the competence of the Government,' concluded Prime Minister Pahor.