NEWS

Prime Minister’s press conference

At today’s 63rd regular session, the Slovenian Government, alongside other resolutions, adopted the proposal for the Act amending the Excise Duty Act and took note of information about the drafting of the Minimum Wage Act and about the negotiations for the conclusion of the 2010 social agreement. 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.

 

(Foto: Matej Leskovšek/STA)

 

At today’s session, the Slovenian Government took note of information related to the drafting of the Minimum Wage Act and negotiations for the conclusion of the 2010 social agreement. By the end of January 2010, the Government will agree to the texts of the Minimum Wage Act and the Act amending the Excise Duty Act. If the social agreement concerning essential measures in the labour market is not concluded by the end of March, the Government will propose necessary amendments to the legislation governing this area in April. The Minimum Wage Act aims primarily at regulating the minimum wage that would be consistent with a minimum cost of living, to identify the method of adjusting the minimum wage and the method of supervision and imposing sanctions on employers violating the Act. Prime Minister Pahor explained that more information would be available next week, adding that "we believe we have taken the best decision and  planned appropriate measures to ease the burden on the economy, so that we will be able to attain the objective of increased competitiveness that was not achieved last year."

 

He also touched upon the preparation of an exit strategy, stressing its absolute priority for the Government.  "To respond properly, we need a strong government and a strong coalition. We will therefore arrange for the government to work smoothly and efficiently and seek wide support from deputies," said Mr Pahor, before announcing a meeting of the Co-ordination Group of the Slovenian Government for drafting and implementing measures related to the international financial crisis to be held the next day.

 

Today, the ministers also agreed on the text of the proposed Act amending the Excise Duty Act; it will be submitted to the National Assembly and discussed under an emergency procedure. One of the main objectives of the Act is to fully harmonise national legislation with the acquis and to ensure regular budget revenue during the period of weak economic growth through computerisation i.e. by introducing a computerised excise movement control system in the internal market.

 

At the conclusion of the press conference, Prime Minister Pahor also announced that he had informed the Court of Audit of his decision to follow the Court’s call to dismiss the Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning, Karel Erjavec.