NEWS
Prime Minister's press conference following the Government’s 112th regular session
At today's session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, alongside other resolutions, adopted a Development Strategy of Gambling in Slovenia and a Programme to remedy the consequences of damage caused to the economy by September floods. The two competent ministers presented the adopted resolutions, and Prime Minister Pahor then answered some topical questions.
The Development Strategy of Gambling in Slovenia, adopted at today's session, includes an overview and analysis of the situation in the area of operating games of chance in Slovenia in the last eight or ten years and an overview of the European market of gambling and competitiveness. Moreover, the strategy defines the mission, vision and strategic goals of the development of gambling in Slovenia. It also defines priority areas in gambling and general development goals applying to the entire area of gambling as well as specific goals for individual priority areas. The Strategy presents strategic definitions of individual systemic issues concerning the regulation of games of chance such as: different types of games of chance, ownership structure of concessionaires, gaming levies, division of gaming levies, supervision, policy of granting concessions and socially responsible operation of games of chance. Furthermore, the strategy defines a framework of the state functioning and provides basic guidelines for its operation in the area of gambling.
At today's session, the Government also adopted a Programme to remedy the consequences of damage caused to the economy in Slovenia by floods between 16 and 20 September 2010. The Government decided to provide funds, out of the budget reserves fund, to remedy damage in accordance with the programme; in 2011, the funding will amount up to EUR 6,010,716.16 and to EUR 3,997,757.44 in 2012. The Government imposed on the Ministry of the Economy and the Slovenian Enterprise Fund to implement the mentioned Programme and furnish everything necessary to allocate funds for remedying damage caused by the natural disaster to beneficiaries. Aware of the need, on the one hand, to act swiftly in remedying damage to the economy caused by natural disasters, and bearing in mind, on the other hand, strict rules for granting state aid to economic operators applicable in the EU, the Government and the Ministry plan and carry out activities to provide intervention assistance to economic operators that suffered damage caused by flood between 16 and 20 September 2010.
On the subject of the contract with Patria, Prime Minister Pahor said that a final decision about terminating the contract would be taken by the Minister of Defence, Ljubica Jelušič, since the decision to purchase armoured vehicles had been adopted by the Ministry of Defence or previous Minister of Defence, Karel Erjavec. Prime Minister Pahor was convinced that Minister Jelušič would take the right decision but said that "in my opinion, her decision will prompt different reactions among ministers, deputies and the public." According to the Prime Minister, a decision to terminate the contract at this moment "implies a danger of compensations." It would, therefore, not be reasonable to support a decision to terminate the contract until the situation changes, even if, given the current situation, the country would need money for other purposes.
Prime Minister Pahor also touched upon a report on Bosnia and Herzegovina drawn up by his Special Rapporteur on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former President of the Republic of Slovenia Milan Kučan. He said that the report is classified as confidential and that it is very good. The next step will be a discussion with the President of the Republic, Danilo Türk, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Žbogar, and the Former President, Milan Kučan. At this meeting "we will decide how to proceed with the report after it has been translated into English."