New Ministers No Surprise

New ministers: the current government's last line of defense.

The list has been coordinated between Pahor's Social Democrats (SD) and the only remaining coalition party, the LibDems, which put forward Oresic and Jarc.

Pahor confirmed after a government session that he will tie the ministerial vote in parliament - probably at the next regular session that begins on 19 September - to a confidence vote.

He said the candidates were "fighters" like himself, and that, contrary to most of those he was talking to before putting together the original cabinet in 2008, they were aware they were facing an extremely tough task.

"I value their readiness to offer their knowledge in these difficult times knowing that in the end parliament will not decide so much on them than on me."

Oresic, who is to fill the post vacated by Zares member Darja Radic, is an energy expert and the director for West and Central Europe at the international energy group EFT. He is an LDS member.

His nomination was received favourably by the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS), which said in a press release that he is an experienced entrepreneur with whom it will be possible to "find a common language".

Economist Branko Janc, a three-term former LDS deputy (1992-2000), would succeed LDS president Katarina Kresal at the interior ministry. Kresal resigned in August over a controversy surrounding the lease of a building for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

At the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Lah Turnsek would succeed Zares president Gregor Golobic. Lah Turnsek, who has been the head of the National Institute of Biology since 1996, has told the STA that she is not a member of any party.

The nominee for public administration minister Zdenka Vidovic, to replace Zares member Irma Pavlinic Krebs, was a deputy president of the Court of Audit between 2001 and 2004.

Judging from her work experience at the top auditing authority, Vidovic feels that public employees "do not work as much as employees in the private sector". If she is appointed, she will first find out "how much people work, what their work load is," Vidovic told the private POP TV station.

She said she did not find the proposal for a cut in public sector pay the best solution, but she also expressed her belief that her proposals would probably not be appealing to the trade unions either.

Public sector trade unions would not comment on Vidovic's nomination arguing that they did not know her, but they voiced the hope that she would give sufficient attention to social dialogue if elected.

Culture minister candidate Samo Bevk, who is seeking to replace Zares member Majda Sirca, is a history professor. He is serving his fourth term an SD deputy.

Bevk told the STA that the situation in culture was not so bleak, pointing out EUR 20m more was available this year than in 2008.

His priorities include speeding up the renovation of the Ljubljana opera house and a successful execution of Maribor's stint as European Culture Capital in 2012.

Most of the remaining candidates said they would not make statements until the hearings in front of parliamentary committees, which are conducted before the vote in the National Assembly.
 

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