The Slovenia Times

Politics

President Appoints Head of Anti-Graft Commission

08.09.2010

By STA

President Danilo Tuerk appointed on Tuesday former Interior Ministry State Secretary Goran Klemencic the new head of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption to succeed Drago Kos, whose term expires at the end of September.

Joze Koncan and daily Dnevnik journalist Rok Praprotnik were appointed his deputies out of twelve candidates who applied for the three posts.
The president explained his decisions for public broadcaster Radio Slovenija by saying that Klemencic was an experienced legal expert, especially in the area of internal affairs.
Koncan is an economist, who has also gained experience from working at the National Assembly, while Praprotnik is a well known journalist, who is promoting the social values crucial for the work for this kind of commission, Tuerk said.
Klemencic was appointed for the period of six years, while his deputies will serve five-year terms. All three can be reappointed to their posts only once.
The appointments were made based on the new act on integrity and prevention of corruption, which was passed in May and which cut the number of officials at the independent corruption watchdog from five to three.
According to the government, the aim of the act was to establish a system that effectively prevents corruption and promotes transparency and integrity in the public sector.
The president expressed hope that the new officials would take over at the end of the month and do their work successfully. He also thanked the incumbent commission led by Kos for its work.
According to the president, corruption prevention efforts are "one of the most important areas promoting the rule of law".
The incumbent commission welcomed the timely appointments of the new officials by saying that it would allow for "a smooth transition and transfer of authorities from the incumbent to the new leadership at the end of the month".
The new act will expand the commission's scope of work, as it will also have to oversee the integrity of some 2,500 public sector bodies and enhance activities preventing corruption, the commission said.
Praprotnik said that being appointed deputy head of the commission was "an honour and a huge responsibility". He also welcomed the appointment of Klemencic as the head of the anti-graft body, noting that he was a person with "high personal integrity".
Koncan also said it was an honour to have been chosen and that he will try to do his work as best as he can although he knows it will be difficult. He added that he does not know Klemencic in person yet, but he does know his previous work.
The coalition Social Democrats (SD), Zares, Liberal Democrats (LDS) and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) expressed their support for Tuerk's choice in their responses, stressing the qualities of Kelemencic and his deputies.
The senior opposition Democrats (SDS), on the other hand, claim the new anti-graft team is a "guarantee for the protection of the current government, its supporters and their own corruption", adding that Praprotnik is a "court journalist" who is now getting paid for firing his cannons against the SDS-led government in the previous term.
The incumbent ruling politicians can now enjoy all the privileges and increase their wealth without a care, while politicians from the opposition will have to be careful even who they have coffee with, the SDS wrote.
The opposition National Party (SNS) noted that the choice was obvious, adding it is in a large extent a case of paying back political debts. SNS president Zmago Jelincic warned that Slovenia was becoming a police state, where a series of staged processes could be expected to get the adversaries of the current political leadership out of the way.
The opposition People's Party (SLS) meanwhile said it expected Klemencic to be appointed head of commission, while the names appointed as his deputies were a bit of a surprise. The party added that only time will show how the body will work and wished the new team success in its work.