WEBVTT

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This week, I took part in quite
a few consultations, including some

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with constitutional scholars,
and the conclusions were unanimous,

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namely that the referendum question
approved by the National Assembly

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last week is unclear and misleading.
Therefore, the only rational step

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is that the decision on
the referendum question

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is repealed. Today, the Freedom
Movement launched an initiative

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to repeat the vote in order
to repeal the referendum question.

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At today's meeting, we proposed
to all the parties present

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that we launch this initiative
together, and I sensed

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a great willingness to get
this vote done.

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That was the most significant
result of the meeting,

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where we exchanged frank opinions

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on defense and security policy,
as well as on what happened

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in the National Assembly last week.

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I'm happy to take your questions.

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Miha Orešnik, N1.
Mr. Prime Minister, do you have

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the necessary votes for
this proposal,

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at least from the coalition
partners? Have you checked

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the level of support for that?
What will happen during the vote

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this time? Have you discussed
your options

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at today's meeting with
the other parties?

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That wasn't the purpose
of today's meeting.

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We'll have enough time
before the vote

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to ensure the majority
that is needed for the repeal.

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I'm sure we'll be successful.

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Žana Vertačnik, POP TV.
If we understood you correctly,

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you don't know yet whether
you'll file the proposal

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by yourself,
as the Freedom Movement,

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or you'll be joined by others?
I'm also curious about the timeline.

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The proposal has been filed.

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So you filed it by yourself?
-Yes.

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After the meeting.

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Rok Šuligoj, TV Slovenia.
Since the second largest

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parliamentary party wasn't
present at the meeting,

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how to you see the absence
of their representatives

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and what can you expect from them?

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Also, will you, in accordance
with today's proposal,

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tie a confidence vote
to the vote on the proposal?

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I've already answered the question
about the confidence vote.

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My only response in to laugh,

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but I'd like to add
that the security of our citizens

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is any government's primary task,
and ours in particular.

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Whoever plays political games
instead of focusing on security

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isn't acting in a constructive,
statesmanlike manner.

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Turning down
an invitation to a meeting

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tells us more about them
than I could.

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The first time the initiative
was voted on,

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a strongly anti-NATO initiative,

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they could make an excuse
that they didn't know

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what they were voting on.
Now it's obvious to everyone

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that the referendum question
isn't just unclear and misleading,

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but that it's aimed against
the NATO alliance.

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Anyone who votes for this now
won't have the excuse

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of not reading the statement
of purpose. I believe this message

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will be considered by everyone,
including those who were absent.

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We're curious about your call
for a possible second referendum

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on Slovenia's NATO membership.

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As we understood it,
the fate of that depended

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on the first, already confirmed
referendum.

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Every government wants and needs
to have a clear framework in which

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it can carry out its policies,
security-related or otherwise.

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When the first unclear
and misleading question

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was voted on, a government
could have been prevented

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from carrying out security policy.

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That's why we announced
that if the referendum question

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were retained, we'd call
for a second referendum

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where the people could clearly state
whether they wished to remain

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in NATO, whereby we would need
to fulfill our obligations,

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or if they wished to leave
the alliance.

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If the first referendum didn't
take place,

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we wouldn't have called
for that referendum.

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I believe that the rational
way forward

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is to repeal
the referendum question

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as voted on last Friday.

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In this case, our second initiative
likely becomes unnecessary.

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But, Mr. Prime Minister,
you're now talking about repealing

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the referendum question.
To be clear, you suggested

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a repeal of the decision
to call a consultative referendum.

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We suggested a vote
to repeal the decision

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that was made last week.

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Mr. Prime Minister, in the week
since the vote took place,

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it's been said that Slovenia's
international reputation

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has suffered. How do you
perceive that damage?

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Whom did you speak to this week?
Did anyone contact you

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and what was
the nature of your conversations?

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I'm convinced that our reputation
would suffer the most

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if this or any future government
lacked the mandate

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to fulfill NATO obligations
while remaining a full member.

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This is why allowing an unclear
and misleading referendum

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would cause our reputation
to suffer the most.

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I'm confident that the steps
we're about to take, including

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today's initiative and the repeal
of last week's decision,

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will do the most for this,
in terms of responsible statecraft

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and to help Slovenia's reputation.
The country will affirm its status

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as a trustworthy ally.

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We can't claim to be
a trustworthy ally

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while making light of fulfilling
or not fulfilling our obligations.

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A question on another topic.

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Are you familiar with
the latest threats

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from the management of Petrol,
namely that they plan to close

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30 additional locations?
Do you perhaps have a list

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of those locations?

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How do you intend to settle
this dispute

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and what is your message
to the people in the affected areas?

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First of all, any form of extortion

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to ensure higher prices
and profits

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by the management
of any company or owner

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is unacceptable to us.

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If we backed down for a single
company, Petrol in this case,

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we'd probably face similar extortion
attempts from other companies.

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The government is not obligated
to ensure anyone has a profit.

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It's obligated to ensure
the well-being of the public.

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It's clear that when prices
are regulated

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at service stations away
from the highway system,

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when comparing the prices
on highways,

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the regulated prices were far
more affordable.

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The government will ensure
that the public's standard of living

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is protected as much
as possible.

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That's the only commitment
we can make

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and the only task
we need to fulfill.

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I find it unfathomable
that the management,

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and some owners
who are pressuring the management,

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are playing games with
the reputation of their company.

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Ultimately, the people
are their customers,

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and I have information
that some of their customers

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are beginning to turn their backs
to the company

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because of its monopolist
extortion.

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Are you familiar with the details?
-Just what I learned from the media.

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Do you know which locations
we're talking about?

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Mr. Prime Minister, I'd like
to return to the topic

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of today's meeting. It seems
that the referendum snag

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created tensions between you party
and its coalition partner,

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the Social Democrats.
How do you see your relations

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after yesterday's and today's talks?
Do you still see a future

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for the coalition
in its current form?

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I'm mystified by your question
because this isn't a topic

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from the coalition agreement

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or the government's policy program.

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This topic was introduced
through the backdoor.

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That's how it happened.
Everyone voted on it

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according to their conscience
and principles.

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Based on this week's meetings,
I believe that things

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are much clearer today
than last week.

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And because things are now clear,
namely that the question

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was unclear and misleading,

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I trust that both the coalition
partners

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and everyone else
can think this through.

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I don't base my view
of the future of the coalition

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or relations with
the party you mentioned

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on this case.

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I'm not interested in clearing
things up,

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but rather in preparing
a foundation

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that will respect the will
of the people,

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while setting up a framework

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for the government
to carry on its work.

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There are no disputes
within the coalition.

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Thank you very much.