Hello. The PM will present the Government's decision
to recognize Palestine. Go ahead. -Hello.
The horrors we have been witnessing in Gaza
are unacceptable and have to stop. All our actions,
including the decision to recognize Palestine,
have been aimed at this goal, how to end the horrors in Gaza
and alleviate the suffering of Palestinians.
Slovenia, as a member of the UN Security Council,
has a bigger responsibility as it had in the past.
Therefore, today's decision is being watched by the whole world.
When we decided on our future path,
we were trying to achieve balance
between the interests of the West, the Arab world
and the interests of other UN member states
that elected us to the Security Council.
Our approach is innovative, because we want
to achieve our goals in the UN
through the dialogue that will be initiated by our recognition.
Our goals are immediate ceasefire,
stopping of conflicts, release of hostages
and the safety of Israel through the two-state solution.
Slovenia has consistently advocated for this in the UN.
Two thirds of states accepted these positions.
I believe the recognition will inspire others
to do the same. Slovenia has been involved
in talks with EU member states that share the same position
to use the recognition as a starting point
to put pressure on Israel to stop the conflict.
I appeal on Israel to stop attacking Rafah and Gaza
and to start negotiating instead of looking for a military solution.
The negotiations have been going on and I want our recognition
to accelerate them. I want to avoid any misunderstandings.
The Government was unanimous, the coalition is unanimous
and I believe that because of this, we will have a bigger impact
on the international stage despite being a small country.
This is our main goal. Our goal is not internal,
we just want to help Palestinians.
Thank you. The PM will answer three questions.
Gašper Lubej, Al Jazeera. If I understood correctly,
certain criteria have to be met
before you send this to the Parliament. Is this true?
The decision is not classified. We do not talk about criteria,
but about our expectations for everyone involved in the conflict.
We will monitor the progress. I am talking about a ceasefire,
the release of hostages and the reform of the Palestinian government.
If the progress is faster, the recognition will be faster.
We have set the deadline, 13 June,
as the last day to finish the process.
Uroš Esih, Delo.
You said the decision was unanimous.
Why are the other partners and the foreign minister not here?
They are all in favour of the recognition.
The Left has been advocating for it since its foundation
a decade ago. Would this not give more weight to the decision?
We agreed that I present our decision myself as a PM.
The other partners have been clear about their position.
You summarized it. They thought it was not necessary
to be here because they have been clear. I will not comment on it,
but the coordinator of The Left has been very clear
and was very glad about our decision,
maybe even more than expected. The coalition is unified
and sees this as a very positive step
although it will be made gradually.
The last question will be asked online.
Lucija Kavčič, Demokracija. Go ahead.
Hello. I want to know whether the Government has decided anything
on the Italian announcement to prolong border controls
and to propose to the EU Commission
to exclude Slovenia from Schengen? Have you already decided
what you will do about it? -This is not related to the topic
and we have not talked about it yet.
We have not received an official notification yet.
Thank you. If it is about Palestine.
The government will send the proposal to recognise Palestine
to Parliament by 13 June at the latest, or could that change?
We set 13 June as the deadline to assess the progress in this field.
That is when we have to give our final assessment, yes.
Thank you, Prime Minister. The Deputy PM
will answer all other questions. -Thank you.
I now invite Matej Arčon
to present all other decisions made by the government today.
Go ahead, Deputy Prime Minister.
Thank you. I would first like to extend my congratulations
for Europe Day and the 20. anniversary
of Slovenia's accession to the European Union.
I am very happy and honoured that we will be celebrating
this important anniversary tonight in my city, Nova Gorica,
where, a little over 20 years ago, we took our first step into the EU.
I am truly looking forward to tonight's event
and the memories of the journey we have made,
as well as the future of that region,
as Nova Gorica and its neighbour, Gorizia, will be organising
the year-long event for the European Capital of Culture next year,
the preparation for which is already intensely underway.
Regarding today's government meeting,
the Prime Minister already presented one of the central points.
Today the government adopted the starting points
regarding the erection of the Independence monument,
as we are also nearing National Day.
In a little less than a year, a 23-member commission
has also set the location of the monument,
which will stand on Republic Square by the flagpole,
where the Slovenian flag was flown for the very first time.
The message that this monument must convey
is that the unity of society
lies in the very process of gaining independence.
The starting points will be followed
by a public international competition.
The process was led by the president of the commission,
State Secretary Mr. Medved from the Ministry of Defence.
Today we also adopted the SDH strategy,
which will be presented by Minister Boštjančič.
A very important message is that the coalition is unified.
We coordinated the strategy interdepartmentally
and are sending it into procedure.
On one of the previous press conferences,
there was a question regarding apartments.
When the National Assembly approves the SDH strategy,
the green light will be given for the company DSU
to begin designing and building so-called affordable apartments,
which is one of the commitments of our coalition.
That is all from me. -Thank you.
The Deputy PM will also answer questions about current affairs.
Nastja Stopar, RTV.
I have a question about a different topic.
How do you view the formation of new lists
and that three former candidates
and a former member of the Freedom Movement
will be on the list of the Greens of Slovenia?
I view it democratically.
Society is organising either through political parties or lists
and voters have a greater range of options.
What I find more important
is that all parties and lists must call on voters
to participate in the elections on 9 June.
It is our duty and responsibility
to participate in these elections in as great a number as possible.
We also owe it to the European Union,
which we are benefitting from greatly.
I can see in your eyes that you are interested
in the people from my party, who went to another list.
It is very simple. Until the very last day,
until we finally set the order on the list itself,
we intentionally left the order open,
because we wanted to prioritise team spirit.
We did not set the condition "either I'm first, or I'm out."
That is why priority was given to other people,
who want us to act as a team, not as individuals,
"either I'm first, or I'm out." That is the answer.
Do you perhaps see it as revenge, that all three went to another list?
Look, it is their personal decision.
I find it more important that we stand united
and that we prioritised young and experienced people.
Irena Joveva, as the lead candidate,
is an excellent example that personifies all of that.
She has five years of experience, she is young
and I believe that she will be an excellent lead candidate.
Maybe another question about the judges.
The Government recently presented the draft intervention act.
The judges have not given an official response yet,
but are expected to do so today. They're displeased because
the draft is similar to the one from the beginning of April.
A year after the constitutional decision. What's your comment?
I wouldn't go into the displeasure of the judges now.
The intervention act,
which is in interdepartmental coordination for the time being,
and I cannot comment on the details at the moment,
needs to happen regardless of the displeasure of the judges.
We will implement the decision of the Constitutional Court,
and it will enter into force on 1 January 2025.
In the meantime, the pillar negotiations are ongoing,
where we will determine public officials' salaries.
As I have said many times, we want to finish this as soon as possible,
and implement it with 1 January 2025.
Whether it will coincide with the intervention act or not,
is a matter of negotiations,
and the conclusions of those negotiations.
We have a question in the media centre,
and then Lucija Kavčič can get ready.
Marko Gregorc, Pop TV. You started with today's holiday.
There was some controversy yesterday.
There is a celebration in Nova Gorica.
The Prime Minister will stay in Ljubljana,
because it is also a municipal holiday.
Why such a decision by the Prime Minister?
He was here, but he commented more on Palestine.
Do you know why he decided to celebrate in Ljubljana,
and not to have lunch with Mr Prodi?
We were very surprised by the article on your TV,
because none of this is true,
that he intended to meet for any kind of lunch,
there was no invitation from either side.
Whether the Prime Minister will attend
the ceremony on the occasion of the holiday
is, of course, his decision.
He will certainly take part in the evening ceremony,
where he will also be the keynote speaker,
and last but not least, he also comes from Nova Gorica.
Lucija Kavčič, over Zoom. Go ahead. From Demokracija.
In South-Eastern Slovenia,
the Romani people are still a hot issue.
The mayors also initiated or filed for changes to four acts.
Given that the Government promised
to prepare a new package of drafts,
I'm wondering if they are anywhere close to being ready.
Or when they will be ready. Thank you very much.
I don't have a timeline, but I know that negotiations are underway
with the Office for National Minorities,
that they are in regular contact both with the local communities
as well as with the Romani people.
So, the competent office will give you the answer.
We will discuss this in detail when it's on the agenda,
and when the material is ready.
That's it, no more questions. Thank you. See you in Nova Gorica.
I invite the Deputy Prime Minister
and Finance Minister Boštjan Klemenčič to present
the state's capital investment management strategy.
Klemen Boštjančič. I apologize, Minister.
It's okay, I respond to both names.
We can tell you it was an inside joke, I wrote it down.
The state's new investment management strategy is confirmed.
At the ministry, we wrote it with all the necessary caution
and above all responsibility.
We've been coordinating it with all stakeholders for a long time.
Because we wanted this document,
which is the state's basic tool for active ownership,
be of really high quality.
The strategy is not just a notation or a paper,
with it the investment manager, the Slovenian Sovereign Holding,
communicates its goals
in the management of state-owned companies
to shareholders, the wider capital market
and, last but not least, to the general public.
When preparing the strategy, we followed the prescribed structure
from the SSH Act and adapted it to the current situation.
Some companies were sold or went bankrupt after 2015.
And the Bank Asset Management Company merged with SSH.
The proposal of the new strategy
doesn't only include capital investments,
but also refers to wider investments of the state,
for example, also receivables and real estate owned by SSH.
The strategy includes 84 capital investments.
34 investments are classified as strategic.
With those, in addition to economic and financial goals,
SSH must also account for strategic goals,
which are determined by the strategy.
Eight investments are important.
These are the societies in which the state wants to keep
the key development factors in the country.
42 investments are portfolio investments,
with which the state tries to achieve exclusively economic goals.
Another thing that you are probably very interested in.
The answer is yes. Pošta Slovenije and Zavarovalnica Triglav
remain strategic investments of the state.
During the information or better misinformation in media
I have been explaining that privatization was never the aim.
This fear is being eliminated.
I repeat that Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft of the strategy
exclusively on professional criteria.
In this context Pošta Slovenije and Zavarovalnica Triglav
weren't foreseen as a possible privatization in a draft.
Pošta Slovenije is the only company, capable of implementing
universal postal services in the area of Republic of Slovenia,
although not on the basis of law, but with a decree of AKOS.
In Zavarovalnica Triglav the state has a 34% share
which is higher than it's valid for important investments
that is 25% plus one share.
In the phase of coordination with coalition and social partners
of Economic and Social Council
the stakeholders agreed with the Ministry's argumentation.
But common interest prevailed
to reinforce additional formal security of both investments
and we have classified them as strategical investments
with which the state is reaching other goals,
where we take into consideration societal interests.
Economic aim of the strategy is a rise in productivity.
The companies should do more with given resources.
One indicator of productivity is added value per employee.
Target return for the capital of the whole portfolio is still 8%.
We are taken in consideration a type and specificity of investments.
SDH shall adopt an annual plan for investment management,
where specific aims for investment management
as well as measures and directions for reaching them shall be defined.
Criteria for measuring the performance of investments
are being formed considering the type of investment.
The government shall give consent to both documents.
All three documents then give SDH the basis
for an active investment management and monitoring
the main goals of the individual company.
Today the government had the first budget meeting
and thus it started the process of preparing the budget
for years 2025 and 2026.
Considering the recent fiscal framework,
which defines the public financial spending for next three years,
can budgetary expenditures in the years 2025 and 2026
amount to 17.1 billion Euros.
Coordination of expenditures with submitters of financial plans
shall follow in the continuation of the process.
In the next month or month and a half.
The second budget meeting is expected in the beginning of July.
But the government shall certify the documents in September.
In the next year the expenditures for 2025 can rise
according to the last year's budget.
But proposals shall follow the medium-term goal for sustainability
of public debt and maintaining the deficit
under the limit of 3% GDP.
In the next two years there will be remedial measures
because of last year's floods
and measures to reinforce the growth and development of economy.
They will be supported with the European funds.
Thank you very much, Minister. Questions from journalists? Pop TV.
When presenting the draft of changes in investment management,
it was said that Pošta and Zavarovalnica Triglav are important,
because they are not meeting the technical conditions.
What has changed that it's not true anymore?
And what about Telekom?
Have you moved it to important investments?
In my opening speech I have explained,
why the companies have been put into important investments
and why we have moved them to strategical investments.
They are very specific companies.
As I've said, Pošta is implementing the universal postal service
by the concession from AKOS.
For this reason, it was an important and not strategical investment first.
We don't have an agenda to put it into privatization
and that is why we changed it.
I believe the first classification would be technically better,
but we have coordinated the document long enough
with coalition and social partners.
As far as Telekom is concerned, it's true,
it stays the same as in the draft.
Any more questions? There is nothing via Zoom as well.
Thank you both. Have a nice celebration.
See you soon. Goodbye.