NEWS
Prime Minister’s press conference
At today's 76th regular session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, alongside other resolutions, adopted the National Programme for Diabetes Control – 2010-2020 Development Strategy, the National Programme for Palliative Care and the amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the Slovenian Government. The Slovenian Prime Minister and the Minister of Health outlined the major resolutions, and Mr Pahor then answered a number of topical questions.
(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)
The ministerial corps today adopted the National Programme for Diabetes Control – 2010-2020 Development Strategy. Diabetes belongs to those chronic illnesses, which due to their high incidence and demanding and complex way of treatment represent a major public-health issue. Successful control over this disease calls for coordinated action between the health-care system and the society as a whole. The National Programme constitutes a strategic basis for taking action in the field of prevention, early detection and treatment of diabetes, and for ensuring monitoring, research and training in this area. The National Programme as a whole is based on cooperation between stakeholders within and outside the health sector. Furthermore, the Slovenian Government adopted the National Programme for Palliative Care (PC), which provides starting points for the introduction of comprehensively organised palliative care in the Republic of Slovenia. This requires legal bases, financial means, the organisation of a PC network and appropriate training for persons pursuing this specialised activity. The document represents the basis for drawing up an action plan aimed at the introduction of a comprehensive PC in Slovenia.
At the press conference Mr Pahor further said that all conditions would be met in order to enable the LDS political party (Liberal Democracy of Slovenia) to remain in the coalition should it wish to do so and if its further cooperation in the coalition depends on the three proposals submitted by this party. Prime Minister Pahor also announced that to this end, he will duly notify the LDS President, Ms Katarina Kresal, so that "as regards this aspect, the coalition and the Government can proceed with their work in a normal manner." Elaborating on the publication of the transcript of the meeting between the Minister of Justice Aleš Zalar, the State Prosecutor General Barbara Brezigar and the Higher State Prosecutor Branka Zobec Hrastar, Mr Pahor said that none of the involved has any objections to the publication of this transcript, subject, however, to the review of the transcript regarding any possible sensitive data. "The prosecutor who is in charge of one of the files in the pre-trial criminal procedure will have to review the transcript in order to establish whether or not it contains any statement that could threaten the conduct of the investigation," added Mr Pahor.
When asked about the reorganisation of KAD and SOD Prime Minister Pahor said that the state must have a clear picture as to why it wishes to have ownership in a certain company. Where there is an interest in owing a property, the latter must be managed so as to provide profits and not produce losses. Mr Pahor also said that the strategy of managing state property should be such as to "make sense".
At the close of the press conference, the Slovenian Prime Minister said that the Government would continue to implement cost-cutting measures launched in 2008. So far, the Government has saved one billion euros and "if we were more ambitious we could have saved even more", emphasised Mr Pahor, adding that in this year "we will absolutely use this room for manoeuvre". He went on to say that taken altogether, he is satisfied with the results, and highlighted the fact that "we were among the first governments to decide to introduce cost-cutting measures. Slovenia resolves its problems well and I am quite optimistic that it will continue to do so, thus ending this year with a positive balance sheet," added Mr Pahor.