NEWS

Press Conference of the Prime Minister, Borut Pahor

At today's 72nd regular session, the Slovenian Government, alongside other resolutions, adopted the proposal for the Public Interest in the Youth Sector Act and proposal for the Act Amending the Youth Councils Act, and adopted the National Programme of Measures for Roma for the period 2010-2015. The Government also adopted the proposal for Guidelines of the Republic of Slovenia’s policy towards the Western Balkans and a draft Declaration on the Western Balkans. At the regular press conference, the Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, and the responsible ministers first outlined the major resolutions, and then Mr Pahor answered a number of topical questions.

    

(Photo: Matej Leskovšek/STA)

   

The Government defined the text of the proposal for the Public Interest in the Youth Sector Act, and submitted it to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for discussion. The objective of the Act is mainly to define the youth sector, public interest in it and lay down the manner in which public interest in the youth sector will be exercised. The law aims to define youth work, holders and entities of public interest, determine the relations among them, establish the place and the method of coordinating the interests, develop mechanisms for accelerating development and define the  methods of co-financing public interest in this area. The law introduces a reinforced role of the principle of the autonomy in the youth sector as it also officially leaves the initiative to be exercised at the local level by local communities; it lays down the implementation of municipal plans for young people, assuming they will be actively and massively involved in the developments.

    

Today, the Government also adopted the proposal for the national programme of measures for Roma for the period 2010-2015. Furthermore, it imposed on competent state authorities to take a priority approach to the implementation of the national programme of measures for Roma for the 2010-2015 period.

     

At today’s session, the Government adopted the position of the Republic of Slovenia regarding the allegations made by the European Commission in the lawsuit against Slovenia concerning integrated pollution prevention and control; it also adopted Annex to the Concession Contract for the use of the natural assets of the Postojna cave system and the Predjama cave system, authorizing the minister of the environment and spatial planning for signing the Annex.

      

Members of the Government adopted the draft of the guidelines for Slovenia's policy on the Western Balkans which provide a basis and a tool for enhanced and more coordinated activities of the Republic of Slovenia in the Western Balkans. The guidelines mainly define the priority areas and measures required for improving the position of Slovenia in the Western Balkans, through a more synchronised and coordinated appearance of all entities – state, business and other.  The final aim is to create a favourable environment in the Western Balkans to pursue Slovenian national interests and the interests of the Slovenian economy, as well as to contribute to a sustainable stability of the entire region. Today the Government also adopted a draft Declaration on the Western Balkans that confirms the commitment of the Republic of Slovenia to the cooperation, assistance and development of the Western Balkans region, which is a priority region for Slovenia in terms of strategic foreign policy documents and orientations of the Slovenian economy.

      

At the close of the press conference, the Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, informed the public of his proposal to name Helena Kamnar the Government’s Secretary-General after the departure of the current Secretary-General, Milan M. Cvikl. The Prime Minister also informed the public of the letter addressed to him by State Prosecutor General Barbara Brezigar and of the letter submitted to him by Justice Minister Ales Zalar. Prime Minister Pahor gave his assurance that Mr Zalar enjoys his trust.

      

With regard to the upcoming conference on the Western Balkans, envisaged to take place on 20 March in Brdo near Kranj, the Prime Minister said he was in “daily contacts with the leaders of the countries that Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and he invited together to the conference. Since we are both hosts, we maintain a regular contact with Croatia. Besides, we keep in contact with EU representatives on a regular basis,” explained Prime Minister Pahor. He added that with the approaching date of the conference, the interest of international community in the conference is also increasing. He believes that postponing of the conference would not be a good message. “We still have some time left and we will make every effort to ensure the success of the conference,” promised Prime Minister Pahor.