Slovenia Bulletin: New parliament meets under PM-designate Janša

ponedeljek, november 15, 2004

New parliament meets under PM-designate Janša

The first session of the newly-elected parliament was held on 22 October [SW / 13.10.04 / Drnovsek Calls Maiden Session of Parliament for 22 October]. France Cukjati (SDS) was elected Speaker of Parliament, with a vote of 58:26 [SW / 22.10.04 / Parliament Inaugurated].

However, the big story surrounding the inaugural session of parliament was about the seating arrangements. Three days of negotiation were required before the seven blocs could agree on where to sit.

SDS Leader Janez Janša was named Prime-Minister-Designate, and is currently putting together a proposed list of ministers to form his government. This will be the country's eighth government since multi-party elections were first held in 1990, and its first since joining the EU in May [SW / 09.11.04 / SDS Leader Jansa Receives Mandate to Form Govt].

Among the new government’s first decisions has been to eliminate the Ministry of Information Society. Its duties will be transferred to the Economics Ministry and to a proposed Ministry of Public Administration. Another proposed change is the division of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport into a Ministry of Education and Sport, and a Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. There is also a proposal to transfer authority over energy from the Ministry of the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy to the Ministry of the Economy [SW / 04.11.04 / SDS Announces Changes to Government Cabinet].