NEWS

Prime Minister`s press conference

At today' 69th regular session, the Slovenian Government, alongside other resolutions, gave its consent to the 2010-2011 Operational Programme and Financial Plan of the Public Agency for Technology of the Republic of Slovenia (TIA). Furthermore, it adopted the Information on the work of the Interministerial Commission for preparing Slovenia's positions regarding the issue of natural gas terminals in the Gulf of Trieste and its off-shore area. The Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, and the responsible ministers first outlined the major resolutions, and Mr Pahor then answered a number of topical questions.

  

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

  

In 2010, TIA's main priorities will focus on promoting cooperation between companies and development and research institutions, as well as on increasing the volume of public fund investments in the afore-mentioned institutions in compliance with the Barcelona objective and on strengthening human resources by intensifying the employment of young people with doctoral degree in the corporate sector.

  

At today's session, the Slovenian Government also took note of the Information on the work of the Interministerial Commission for preparing Slovenia's positions regarding the issue of natural gas terminals in the Gulf of Trieste and its off-shore area. It imposed upon the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning the task of proposing, as soon as possible, to the European Commission the organisation of the 2nd Technical Meeting in connection with the construction of natural gas terminals in the Gulf of Trieste, and to report accordingly to the Government. Furthermore, the Government ordered the preparation of documents for the preliminary proceedings before the European Commission, in which it will request the Commission to institute proceedings against Italy should the latter insist on the construction of these terminals in the said area.

 

(Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA)

  

At the press conference, Prime Minister Pahor congratulated the bronze medal winner in women's cross-country sprint, Petra Majdič, and went on to say that Slovenia has a heroine who has demonstrated the meaning of victorious mentality in sports. "Everyone who pursues sports can understand her situation. A perfect physical shape does not suffice, as it is ultimately the character that decides. Petra Majdič has proven that one can also win after being almost brought to one's knees; one does not give up, one gets up and goes on," said Mr Pahor and added: "She is my great inspiration, she can be a great inspiration to all of us, as her feat demonstrates that we can overcome all difficulties and be finally victorious."

  

Later at the press conference Prime Minister Pahor announced that tomorrow in Brussels, Slovenia would give its consent to the opening of the chapters on the environment and fisheries concerning Croatia's EU accession negotiations, the reason for this decision being that Slovenia has been given appropriate guarantees regarding the prohibition of the implementation of the ecological and fisheries protection zone pending the ruling of the Court of Arbitration, which is expected to define the Slovenian-Croatian border. The European Commission further committed itself that before provisionally closing the chapter on fisheries, it would provide for the implementation of the section on fisheries as part of the Agreement on Border Traffic and Cooperation between Slovenia and Croatia (Sops) and the historical rights of Slovenian fishermen.

   

When asked about the responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture, Milan Pogačnik, in the bullmastiff affair, Mr Pahor said that he had spoken to Mr Pogačnik who had given his assurance that the answer to the interpellation motion would be ready by the beginning of next week, while the Government would discuss it at the regular session next Thursday. Prime Minister Pahor said that his decision to refuse the resignation offered by Minister Pogačnik was right, as all relevant circumstances require appropriate clarification. "If Minister Pogačnik had resigned, I would not have known why. Perhaps for the sake of political peace only. I do not find this right. It first needs to be established what went wrong, in order to prevent such conduct in the future," said Prime Minister Pahor at the close of the press conference.