NEWS

Press conference after the Government’s 119th regular session

Upon the proposal of the Ministry of the Economy, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the wording of the draft Act Amending the Promotion of Foreign Direct Investment and Internationalisation of Enterprises Act, and submitted it to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for discussion under an emergency procedure.  Upon the proposal of the Ministry of the Economy, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the wording of the draft Act amending the Prevention of Restriction of Competition Act and also submitted it to the National Assembly for discussion. The Government defined the text of the draft Act Amending the Agricultural Land Act to be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion.  Amendments are intended in particular for planning and protecting agricultural land and for agricultural operations. The objectives of the act are to maintain and improve the production potential and increase the agricultural land area for food production, sustainable management of fertile soil, landscape conservation and preservation and development of the countryside.

 

The Government defined the text of the draft Resolution on the Slovenian agriculture and food industry strategic guidelines up to 2020 – “Let’s secure food for tomorrow” and submitted it to the National Assembly. The resolution defines the vision and aims of the Slovenian agricultural development in the next medium-term period until 2020 and provides the response to challenges that the agriculture is facing in the 21st century. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia issued the Decree on the implementation of agricultural policy measures for 2011 laying down detailed procedures in connection with the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and detailed rules on the cross-compliance for the implementation of agricultural policy measures for 2011.  At today’s session, the Government adopted the Decree on public financing of higher education and other institutions. The decree regulates financing of the four universities, namely study and extra curricular activities, investments and major maintenance, development tasks, other university members such as university library, institute and tasks of national importance in the area of higher education such as application and information service and care for the Slovenian language.   At today's session the Slovenian Government took note of the Report on the execution of the Action plan for the implementation of the Small Business Act in 2010. In May 2010, Slovenia adopted, by way of Decision of the Government, a two-year action plan for the implementation of the Small Business Act with a view to improving the conditions for the growth and development of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises to increase competitiveness and activities for the improvement of a business environment.

 

At a press conference after the 119th regular Government session, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, answered questions asked by journalists. Prime Minister emphasised that the Government at its session adopted some decisions in connection with the situation in Egypt. He advised the citizens of the Republic of Slovenia who were still in Egypt including tour operators to this country to return home as soon as possible.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs planned to offer any necessary help to ensure a safe return home.

 

Prime Minister added that at today's session, the Government established that some priorities adopted in January were already implemented which was reported by some ministers through decisions adopted.  In connection with the contract concerning Patria, Prime Minister Pahor told that under item confidential, the Government had debated the regulation of the further solution concerning Patria, however, the final resolution should be adopted until the end of the month when the content of the subject matter was planned to be presented to the public. In connection with the working visit to the US, Prime Minister Pahor said that he was paying a visit to the US at the invitation of the US Vice-President, Joseph Biden, however, he anticipated to meet other important representatives of the American political life and business circles.  Moreover, he added that it was not usual that during these working visits the prime ministers were received by US President Obama, however, he did not exclude this possibility.

 

Later in the press conference, Prime Minister explained that the Government undertook to implement all the priorities successfully as this was the case in the exit strategy where only a few acts were left which had not entered into force yet. Moreover, a new package of acts will be adopted until the end of February. With regard to the reduced number of ministers, Prime Minister Pahor explained that an act and measures would be prepared in this regard; however, the competent ministries would prepare proposals first.  An amendment to the acts in the area of electoral legislation and the new election act were under preparation.

 

At the conclusion of the press conference, Prime Minister Pahor reiterated that it was very important in what way democratisation processes of the Egyptian society would continue and which are welcomed by Slovenia as a democratic society adding that Slovenia hoped that they would be carried out as peacefully as possible. Slovenia would like to maintain good relationships with Egypt, in particular economic relationships, since the trade in goods has recently been on the rise. “We do not wish that uncontrolled political process would lead to greater violence of unpredictable scale and would halt a peaceful process of democratisation that would threaten the already difficult social situation in this country.  Currently, I do not consider that the events could have specific consequences for Slovenia", explained Prime Minister Pahor. However, he repeated that at the today's session, the Government took a decision that the safety of the Slovenian citizens was the first priority and therefore decided to advise all Slovenian citizens to return home since the conditions were getting worse.  Prime Minister Pahor commended all the employees of the Slovenian Embassy in Cairo who helped the Slovenian citizens return home.