NEWS

Prime Minister takes questions from parliamentary deputies

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, answered questions from deputies at the eleventh regular session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. Three questions were raised by opposition deputies and one by the coalition side.
 

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

 
Deputy Radovan Žerjav asked the Prime Minister about ratification of the Arbitration Agreement in light of the recent developments concerning a unilateral statement by Croatia on not prejudging the outcome of the border issue and on American support of such a statement.  In his answer, Prime Minister Pahor gave his assurance that the USA never acted as a witness to Croatia’s unilateral statement on not prejudging the border outcome. In the follow-up, the Prime Minister pointed out that he and his Croatian counterpart Jadranka Kosor signed the Arbitration Agreement as it was presented to the public and added that at the moment it was signed no unilateral statement was added to it.  Deputy Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti also raised a question concerning the issue of American support of the unilateral statement by Croatia with regard to the Arbitration Agreement. Prime Minister Pahor reiterated "that the United States was not involved as a witness to the unilateral statement by the Republic of Croatia, that all the necessary information on the issue was collected and that neither the deputy himself nor the general public should be worried about this". In addition, the Prime Minister explained that support of such a unilateral statement by any country had no legal effect whatsoever, as it concerns political support only.   
 

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

 
Deputy Andrej Vizjak then put forward a question regarding a halt in Slovenian energy policy planning and the issue of investments in renewable sources of energy.   In his answer, Prime Minister Pahor rejected the criticism of the alleged halt regarding national energy policy planning and investments by saying that no such halt ever existed.  "The national energy programme is being developed in accordance with the time schedule and is likely to be submitted for public debate in April 2010, as announced earlier," stressed Pahor. Deputy Franco Jurij asked a parliamentary question about the issue of economic diplomacy and future  foreign policy strategies that the present Government intends to pursue.   "Ever since taking office, the Slovenian Government has paid great attention to reorganising its foreign policy and foreign trade sectors," replied the Prime Minister. At institutional level, the Government established a new economic diplomacy directorate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, changes in the field of foreign affairs bring in important novelties with regard to competences and the importance of the economic diplomacy sector.