NEWS
Prime Minister's press conference
At today’s press conference following the government session, Prime Minister Borut Pahor spoke about the recently established Strategic Energy Council emphasising that energy is an important strategic issue for Slovenia’s future – it “supplies the economy with oxygen”. According to the Prime Minister, the Strategic Energy Council is a consultative body and will not adopt decisions on behalf of the Government; instead, it will gather different opinions and advice from which the Government will select the most suitable ones. Experts who are experienced in energy issues yet hold opposing views, are invited to become members of the Council. The Government will take into consideration any constructive warnings indicating whether the Government is acting fast enough and towards proper objectives. The latter certainly include a national energy plan which is crucial. The crisis is an apt period to invest in economic growth in the energy sector.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
He added that the topical events concerning the gas supply to European countries, including Slovenia, confirm the crucial significance of energy, a field so far lacking adequate attention. The Slovenian Government hopes that the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine will soon be resolved. However, both countries must fulfil their obligations to countries consuming natural gas.
The Prime Minister also commented on the start of the activities of the Staff Accreditation Council. It will assist the Government in selecting the most qualified candidates for members of supervisory and management boards in companies, the owner or majority owner of which is the state. The Council will give opinions and proposals, and function as a sort of barrier to any potential pressure in staff selection. “We do not want to see party loyalty overriding competency, since this would jeopardise our progress,” noted the Prime Minister. The task of the members of supervisory and management boards is to discharge their duties with full responsibility and according to their best abilities.
With respect to the economic situation in Slovenia, Mr Pahor expects economic and social problems to escalate this autumn due to the global financial crisis. Therefore, the Government will also prepare a second package of measures to ease the burden placed on the economic sector. In addition to symbolic savings measures, it will also introduce concrete ones in order to overcome the crisis. According to the latest analyses by economic experts, “light at the end of the tunnel” or upward trends can be forecast for the end of this year.
The Prime Minister also announced that by the end of this week, he will send the proposed amendment to the law on victims of war violence to the presidents of parliamentary parties, in hopes of obtaining as soon as possible an answer from them, whether or not they consider the proposal to be a suitable basis for further discussion. With this law, we would like to close yet another “transition issue” of Slovenian society, stressed the Prime Minister.