NEWS

Prime Minister's press conference held after the Government's 147th regular session

After today's 147th regular session of the Government, Prime Minister Pahor first emphasised that the ministers supported his decision to fill the vacant positions in the government and to relate the vote of confidence to the vote in the National Assembly. In his opinion, this is the best option Slovenia has. With regard to the names of individual candidates, Prime Minister Pahor explained that he needed some time for consultations and that he would build his team shortly. If the vote of confidence is passed, Prime Minister Pahor expects 'that the government will gain sufficient political authority and legitimacy in order to reach an agreement on early elections without exacerbating the political crisis'. However, Borut Pahor has no intention of persuading the deputies to give their support to the government before the vote of confidence takes place. 'If they consider that the arguments I am going to present are appropriate, let them support the vote of confidence; if they think that this decision is wrong, then they should not,' said Mr. Pahor and pointed out that the government was a minority government which could implement some measures only with the support of the National Assembly. 'If the deputies do not wish to support unpopular measures, then they should not support the vote of confidence solely for the purpose of ensuring Slovenia's political stability,' added the Prime Minister.

   

With regard to the forthcoming visit of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to Slovenia, Prime Minister Pahor said that political relations between Slovenia and Germany were excellent and attempts were being made to augment them even further. In this way, the Prime Minister dismissed rumours that he had not spoken to the German Chancellor for six months. He said, however, that relations with Germany had been strained for more than six months. 'Before the Trakošćan Agreement, Germany and its Chancellor showed very little understanding for Slovenia's blockade of Croatia's accession negotiations, and I received no support from the German Chancellor for my actions,' explained Prime Minister Pahor and added that relations between Slovenia and Germany began improving after the Trakošćan Agreement which laid down the framework for resolving the border issue between Slovenia and Croatia and the continuation of Croatia's EU accession negotiations. Slovenia gained  considerable standing with Germany after reaching the agreement with Croatia to settle their border dispute through arbitration.

   

At today's session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia commenced discussions on the proposed Certified Cash Registers Act which will finally be approved at a meeting by correspondence. The two major objectives of the proposed act are to reduce the grey economy and tax loopholes for taxable persons using cash in their transactions, and to ensure higher revenues derived from VAT and other charges.

   

At today's meeting, the ministerial corps also took note of the report on the urgent need to upgrade the Karavanke tunnel and took a position to complete the construction of the second tunnel tube by April 2019. This position will be advocated on an operational level in negotiations with Austria.

   

Currently, the first stage of the facility, i.e. a single tunnel tube of the two originally planned, is operational. Traffic through the tunnel involves a higher risk compared to the traffic through a tunnel provided with at least minimum safety installations. Ordinary and major maintenance and repair is provided for the facility; certain activities (the renovation of the load-bearing structure due to active rock geology) are carried out while the traffic is moving and at a slower pace than usual. With regard to the minimum safety standards laid down by the European Union in 2004, the tunnel should be appropriately upgraded by 2019. The most complex, lengthy and expensive projects are those relating to the construction of escape routes and ventilation upgrades.