NEWS

Prime Minister's press conference following the Government's 137th session

After the Government's 137th regular session, Prime Minister Pahor, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, gave assurances that the food on the shelves of Slovenian supermarkets is safe. 'I can say this on the basis of all the information available,' he said.  He added that the ministers responsible for agriculture and health respectively were obliged to notify the Prime Minister of any information relevant to the health of the public. 'In the event of such, we will take swift and appropriate action,' he promised.

  

Ahead of the referendum to be held on Sunday, Prime Minister Pahor and Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Ivan Svetlik once again urged the citizens of Slovenia to back the pension reform. Prime Minister Pahor asked the citizens to trust his judgment, saying that the adoption of the pension reform would benefit us all, especially those living in difficult conditions. 'A different decision would mean that a solution to the problem – which is deteriorating every day – is being put off, he said. He cautioned that the pension reform would not be a panacea for all the problems, but argued that its rejection would make the situation even worse. That is why he hopes that the referendum will be successful and that Slovenia will thus avoid getting into a position where foreign statesmen decide on its fate, as has been the case with several other countries. The Prime Minister said that the reform was based on solidarity; he expressed his fear that those who would benefit most from the pension reform will vote against it, and eventually will regret not having made a different decision. With regard to the opinion of the leader of the opposition that the reform is not necessary, but if it has to be made, it should be based on introducing individual accounts, Mr Pahor commented that Janez Janša was fundamentally mistaken about the situation in Slovenia and the international community. He cautioned that the system of individual accounts would be of particular benefit to those who are better off and can afford to save for old age thanks to their higher income. Those less well-off, in contrast, cannot afford to save money.

   

At today's session, the Government adopted several important laws and amendments, which were presented by the relevant ministers. One of them was the Act amending the Criminal Code, which amends the existing Act in several important respects.  It introduces and defines measures to combat white collar crime more effectively. The amendment proposes a definition of the term 'economic activity' which would include 'every activity which is performed for payment in the market' and 'every activity which is performed professionally or in an organised way for an agreed and determined payment'.  With this definition, various infringements which are included in the wider definition of the abuse of a position and authority or in cases of corruption which are not regarded as economic or for profit will be considered economic crime. These include cases which emerged in practice with regard to abuse or bribery in health-care and sports activities, education, research and other activities outside the economic sector, including humanitarian, charitable and other similar activities. To ensure the appropriate penal protection of the budget and other public finance funds, a new criminal offence of the diversion of public funds has been introduced. Thus, the amended Act introduces greater responsibility of persons managing public funds, as in the case of mismanagement, the entire community suffers. In addition to introducing the aforementioned changes, the amendment defines measures for better protection of children as victims of crime, redefines criminal offences related to road safety, and regulates compulsory psychiatric treatment.

  

The proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act will ensure more effective and expeditious criminal proceedings and more effective proceedings in the main hearing. The key new element envisaged by the amendment is the introduction of a new intermediate stage of criminal proceedings after the indictment and before the scheduling of the main hearing ('the pre-trial hearing').  This will enable shorter and simpler criminal proceedings and more effective proceedings in the main hearing. The main purpose of the pre-trial hearing is to establish whether a defendant pleads guilty or not guilty, as this determines subsequent proceedings. A highly significant novelty is the introduction of plea bargaining, which enables the state prosecutor and defendant to agree as to the conditions under which the defendant will plead guilty before the court.

   

The ministers also agreed on the text of the proposed law on the media, which repeals the existing Media Act of 2001. The most important changes introduced by the law relate to the greater autonomy of journalists and the media. The law increases the autonomy of editorial staff in appointing an editor-in-chief, defines the code of ethics for journalists as part of the employment contract between the journalist and the publisher, and introduces several other measures. The law also regulates the protection of media pluralism and diversity, particularly by regulating state aid to the media or funds for co-financing the exercising of the public interest in the media, restricting ownership and concentration, and ensuring the transparency of media ownership. The proposed law also now regulates harmonisation with EU law.