US embassy cable - 04LJUBLJANA1089

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 001089 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, SI, OSCE 
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: NEW GOS CABINET CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  In a 51:37 public vote on 03 December, the 
National Assembly confirmed the proposed cabinet of PM Janez 
Jansa.  MPs from Jansa's four-party coalition plus the two 
national minority representatives supported the slate of 15 
candidates.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U) Exactly two months after elections the Slovenian 
National Assembly confirmed the new GoS cabinet.  With just 
one "up-or-down" vote for the entire package, the Parliament 
voted in Jansa's slate of 15 ministers-designate.  All 49 
members of the governing coalition parties (SDS, NSi, SLS, 
DeSUS) and the two MPs who represent the Hungarian and 
Italian national minorities voted for the cabinet.  Thirty- 
seven opposition party MPs (from LDS, ZLSD, and SNS) voted 
against, with two abstentions. 
 
3.  (U) While Jansa's original proposal included 16 
candidates, Minister-Designate without Portfolio for Local 
Self-Government and Regional Development Ms. Darinka 
Mravljak (SLS) resigned after difficulties in committee 
hearings.  She explained she was withdrawing for "personal 
reasons."  By law Jansa has three months to fill the slot; 
however, SLS has said it will propose a replacement for 
Mravljak by 13 December, with a vote expected to follow by 
the end of December 
 
4.  (U) The new ministers and their main priorties, as 
presented during their parliamentary comittee hearings, are 
as follows: 
 
-- Dr. Andre Bajuk (NSi), Minister of Finance.  His 
prioritis are: registering state and municipal property and 
state obligations and claims; reforming the currnt state 
accounting system; analyzing effectivenss of state property 
management. 
 
-- Dr. Dimitij Rupel (SDS), Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
Hispriorities are:  Slovenia's 2005 Chairmanship-in-Office 
of the OSCE; Slovenia's 2008 presidency of the EU; enhancing 
relations with Croatia (including avoidance of future 
conflicts); strengthening relations with U.S. 
 
-- Dr. Gregor Virant (not affiliated but close to Jansa's 
SDS party) Minister for Public Administration, a newly 
established ministry under Jansa's government.  His main 
priorities are:  breaking down administrative barriers for 
Slovenian citizens; combating the arrogance of public 
servants; transparency in public administration. 
 
-- Mr. Dragutin Mate, Minister of Interior (no party 
affiliation, but close to Jansa since Slovenia became 
independent).  His priorities are:  improving prosecution of 
white-collar crimes; improving training opportunities for 
the police; improving internal relations at the ministry and 
relations between the police and local communities. 
 
-- Mr. Karl Erjavec (DeSUS), Minister of Defense.  His 
priorities are:  ensuring top physical condition of 
soldiers; assuring enough financial resources for purchasing 
equipment and weapons between 2008-2012 through basic 
development funds; adoption of the status law on the 
military; selling disposable real estate worth SIT 6 billion 
(approx. USD 335,000); decreasing the number of 
administrative employees in the ministry. 
 
-- Dr. Lovro Sturm (NSi), Minister of Justice.  His 
priorities are:  improving the operation of the judicial 
system to decrease court backlogs; adoption of the Law on 
Religious Freedom and Religious Communities. 
 
-- Dr. Vasko Simoniti (SDS), the Minister of Culture.  His 
main priorities are:  increasing the share of state money 
for culture; protection of the Slovene language; increasing 
visibility of Slovenian culture abroad. 
 
-- Mr. Andrej Vizjak (SDS), Minister of Economy.  His main 
priorities are:  assuring fair competition before selling 
state monopolies; greatly increasing budget share for 
tourism; privatizing Slovenian ironworks. 
 
-- Mr. Andrej Brucan (SDS), Minister of Health.  His 
priorities are:  settling the `agony' surrounding the 
purchase of radiation devices for Oncological Institute; 
adoption of the Law on Equalization Schemes to prevent 
social inequities; larger involvement of private but 
monitored capital in health; and increasing taxes on alcohol 
 
and cigarettes. 
 
-- Dr. Milan Zver (SDS), Minister of Education and Sport. 
His priorities are:  increasing the percentage of children 
who attend kindergarten; more private kindergartens; 
improving personnel and infrastructure in schools; 
decreasing stress of pupils while maintaining high 
standards; improving the quality of knowledge; more autonomy 
for teachers; cheaper textbooks. 
 
-- Ms. Marija Lukacic (not affiliated, but close to SDS), 
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Her priorities 
are:  educating farmers; further developing a comprehensive 
land policy. 
 
-- Mr. Janez Drobnic (NSi), Minister of Labor, Family and 
Social Affairs.  His priorities are:  adoption of the Law on 
Collective Bargaining; decreasing regional differences in 
unemployment; increasing employment levels, especially among 
disabled and older workers. 
 
-- Dr. Jure Zupan (NSi), Minister of Higher Education, 
Science and Technology.  His priorities are:  rejuvenating 
and improving university personnel; settling the problems 
with continuing education; increasing resources for 
research. 
 
-- Mr. Janez Podobnik (SLS), Minister of Environment and 
Spatial Planning.  His priorities are:  constructing one or 
two incinerators for waste; supporting `green' energy; 
increasing availability of apartments for younger and 
married people. 
 
-- Mr. Janez Bozic (SLS), Minister of Transport.  His 
priorities are:  using traffic policy to improve Slovenia's 
highway network; construction of a second railway track 
between Divaca and Koper. 
 
5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The vote on the cabinet went exactly as 
expected.  What remains to be seen is how enduring the 
governing coalition will be, with SLS having a history of 
switching sides at opportune moments and with DeSUS party 
leader Anton Rous reportedly taking cues from former 
President Milan Kucan for the time being.  Nonetheless, 
Jansa has managed perhaps the most efficient change of 
government after an election since Slovenia became 
independent.  This purposeful efficiency was demonstrated by 
the immediate swearing in of Rupel, who assumed office right 
away in order to travel to the OSCE ministerial on 04 
December in Sofia.  The remaining cabinet members will 
assume office during the week of 06 December.  END COMMENT. 
 
ROBERTSON 
 
 
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