Search for New Ministerial Candidates Begins

02. 12. 2013

Search for New Ministerial Candidates Begins


The search for ministerial candidates following the resignation of Economy Minister and Health Minister is expected to start this week. PM Bratušek is said to be planning to meet the candidate for economy minister in the second half of the week, with media mostly mentioning Alenka Avberšek of the GZS.

 


Along with Avberšek, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (GZS) executive director for legislation and policies, reports mentioned coalition Positive Slovenia (PS) vice-president Robert Golob of energy company Gen-I, Economy Ministry State Secretary Andreja Kert, the head of Slovenia's branch of Rail Cargo Austria Ivan Novak, Andrej Ribič from Elektro Ljubljana and Krištof Mlakar from the Ljubljana utility Vo-Ka.

 

Avberšek is a proponent of the "Oxygen for Business" policies proposed earlier this year by representatives of business and has told the STA that the future minister needs to represent the interests of business better than has been the case so far.

 

However, given that the Bratušek government has opted to increase revenues via taxes and burdens for the economy, there has been speculation that a minister from the ranks of business would face obstacles and that it might be better for a politician with strong political backing to take over.

 

An even tougher task probably awaits the prime minister when it comes to finding a new health minister following Gantar's resignation over the inability to secure support or consensus in the ruling coalition for urgent changes in the healthcare system.

 

Things have been complicated additionally by the demand of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), which had picked Gantar, for an overhaul of the government and a new coalition agreement.

 

Thus, there has been speculation that DeSUS could give up its claim on the Health Ministry and pick a new minister for Slovenians abroad or a new defence minister.

 

Meanwhile, the fate of another cabinet member, Infrastructure and Spatial Planning Minister Samo Omerzel, whose company has been cooperating with state-owned motorway company DARS, seemed uncertain last week.

 

Under the pressure from the public, Omerzel said he would not seek to extend his company's contract, said to be worth EUR 150,000, with DARS.

 

While Bratušek is to meet him this week to clarify the accusations, the opposition Democrats (SDS) said yesterday they would file a motion to oust him "if the prime minister does not take appropriate action".

 

Moreover, anonymous accusations over alleged cronysm regarding staffing at the Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences have been raised against Education Minister Jernej Pikalo of the Social Democrats (SD), which has fuelled theories that an overhaul of the cabinet is planned in which each coalition party would see one of its ministers replaced.

 

Source: TheSloveniaTimes

 

Search for New Ministerial Candidates Begins