PRIME MINISTER JANEZ JANŠA
- (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/BOBO)
Date and place of birth
17 September 1958, Ljubljana
Education
- degree in defence studies from the Faculty of Sociology, Political Science and Journalism (1982)
- classical gimnazija in Stična
- primary school at Žalna and in Grosuplje
Political career
2011: In the pre-term elections, held on December 4, 2011, Janez Janša was re-elected to parliament. Slovenian Democratic Party received 26.19% and 26 seats in the 90-seat National Assembly. Janez Janša, the nominated candidate for the office of the new Slovenian government was elected as the 10th Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia with 51 votes on 28th January 2012.
On February 10, 2012, the National Assembly sworn in the new government, which held its founding meeting on the same day. The 2012 - 2015 term Government consists of the coalition partners: the Slovenian Democratic Party, Civic List of Gregor Virant, the Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners, the Slovenian People's Party and New Slovenia - Christian People's Party.
2008 – 2011: Deputy and president of the SDS.
2004 – 2008: Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, elected on 9 November 2004 with 57 deputy votes out of 90. President of the largest parliamentary party – the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), which has 29 deputies.
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia, led by Janez Janša, consists of the following coalition partners: the Slovenian Democratic Party, the New Slovenia – Christian People’s Party, the Slovenian People’s Party and the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia.
On 19 November 2007, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia held a vote of confidence called by Prime Minister Janez Janša in relation to the forthcoming Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and reconfirmed the Government’s term of office.
Some of the major achievements of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia between December 2004 and December 2007 are also the measures which have directly affected the lives of citizens of the Republic of Slovenia, bringing about exceptional economic success, a higher rate of employment and the lowest ever unemployment rate. Most of the measures defined in the Framework of economic and social reforms to increase welfare in Slovenia and improve the standard of living have been implemented, which ranks Slovenia among the most successful EU Member States in achieving the Lisbon Strategy goals. The Government has regulated taxes and removed a number of administrative barriers in a modern way that is internationally comparable and socially sustainable. Measures for reducing the burden on the economy and for increasing competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets have been adopted.
During Janez Janša’s term of office, the Republic of Slovenia became a recognisable and successful member of the European Union. On 1 January 2007, it adopted the single European currency; on 22 December 2007, it eliminated internal borders and joined the Schengen area; and in the first half of 2008, it became the first Member State from the 2004 and 2007 enlargement rounds to take the helm of the Council of the European Union. In his capacity as President of the European Council, Janez Janša chaired two European Council meetings and four EU summits with non-EU countries, contributing significantly to the adoption of agreements in various areas of activity of the European Union (Western Balkans, Galileo, energy and climate package, liberalisation of the energy market, the fifth freedom).
2001 – 2004: Deputy and president of the SDS.
2000: Minister of Defence from June to October. Achievements: preparation of the second action plan for full NATO membership, realistic assessment of the implementation of the basic development programmes of defence forces for the period 1994 – 2003, adoption of a plan for their partial restructuring that was to be completed between 2000 and 2003, and introduction of the right to spiritual care for members of the Slovenian Armed Forces.
1997 – 1999: Deputy and president of the SDS, head of the Slovenian parliamentary delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly (NAA).
1995 – 1996: Deputy and president of the SDS.
1990 – 1994: Minister of Defence. Achievements: formation of the first Slovenian Armed Forces, which, together with the Slovenian police fended off the aggression of the Yugoslav Army in June 1991 and proclaimed independence.
1993: Elected president of the SDS for the first time.
1990 – 1991: Vice-president of the Slovene Democratic Alliance (SDZ); deputy, following the first democratic elections; and later, president of the party council.
1988: Arrested by the Slovene Secret Political Police (SDV) on account of his dissidence, detained in custody and tried before a military court without the right to legal representation, sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
1987 – 1989: Co-founder of MikroAda, a computer company functioning as a technical base for dissident activities (printed A Working Paper for the Constitution of Slovenia).
1983 – 1986: Active political opposition to the communist system via activities in newly emerging pacifist and environmental movements, writing of critical articles for the publications Mladina, Problemi and the Journal for the Criticism of Science, in which he discusses certain politically sensitive topics (political pluralism, conscientious objection, cooperation of the SFRY with dictatorships, use of Slovenian language in the armed forces).
1982: Appointed president of the Committee for Basic People's Defence and Social Self-Protection within the framework of the youth organisation Alliance of Socialist Youth of Slovenia (ZSMS). He was dismissed early and lost any possibility of employment due to his critical writings on the Yugoslav People's Army.