WEBVTT

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Today, according to the mayor
of Hrastnik, the Government

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held its first meeting in Zasavje,

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and I am delighted to say

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that we could not have chosen
a better location, a better region,

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or a better company to visit

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to present the Employee
Participation in Profit Sharing Act.

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We approved it today
in the Government

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and it will now go through
the parliamentary procedure.

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The purpose of this Act
is multifaceted.

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On the one hand, it reduces
the burden on companies

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that have profits for payments
to employees in three possible ways,

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either in the form of money
or in the form of equity shares.

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Even more important than this,
in my opinion,

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is that in this way, not only do
employees receive the deserved money

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and participate
in the results of their work,

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but with this mechanism
we can also significantly strengthen

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employee loyalty to companies.

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We are reducing the gap that exists
between employers and employees.

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Everyone works towards the same goal
and is rewarded accordingly.

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With this Act, I dare say,

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along with the other two acts,

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the Ownership Cooperatives Act and
the Mandatory Christmas Bonus Act,

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we are trying to cover
the entire area,

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starting with universal rights
such as Christmas bonuses,

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moving on to ownership cases

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and profit sharing
in such a way

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that the capitalist environment,
which is sometimes very harsh,

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where the owner has practically
the first and last word,

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can be transformed
in the way it already works

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in the company
we are visiting today.

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Dewesoft has been
an inspiration to us in many ways.

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Not that we wanted to tailor
legislation purely to their model,

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because they are
far ahead of us,

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but in terms of inspiration
on how to get other companies,

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or the majority of companies
in Slovenia, onto this path.

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Each company will then decide
which path is best for it.

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I believe that

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by bringing workers
and management closer together

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in achieving common goals,

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companies will also be able
to achieve even better results.

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And, as we have seen
today in Zasavje,

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they will also give back more
to the local community. -Thank you.

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Minister Han, please provide
the details. -Thank you.

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First of all, let me say that
capital without ideas and knowledge

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is essentially dead capital.

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That is why I am pleased that,
after two years of coordination,

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we have brought
the Act to the Government

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and adopted it.

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I would like to thank both the trade
unions and the business community

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who participated in this,
and all the ministries.

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The key is that this Act,

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which deals with
employee profit sharing,

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which we already have,
but has simply not come into effect,

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will be simpler to use,
if I may say so.

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In short, I would like to say
that company owners

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will be able to distribute 33% of
their profits among their employees.

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In this case,
employees will pay 30% tax,

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which will be relatively favourable
in view of the current situation.

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This will enable employees,

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who are the driving force
behind companies,

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to receive higher salaries on
an annual basis, if they so agree.

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What Mr. Knez
also said at the meeting,

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we will be able to
retain them in a way,

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because human resources
are a problem at the moment.

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That is one part.
The other part is the share scheme,

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which, in the long term,
will keep employees in the company.

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These are the things
that we have adopted.

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During the adoption phase,

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we will see if any further
adjustments are necessary,

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but I think we have done
a relatively good job today.

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Now, the founder and president
of Dewesoft, Mr. Knez,

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and then questions
from the press.

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I am very pleased
with this visit.

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I think we have created
a very constructive dialogue.

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It is very important
for Slovenia

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to create an environment

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that will be competitive
and interesting in the future.

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I think we still have
a lot to do in this area.

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My main takeaway
from this meeting is

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that we need to establish
respect and trust.

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If we respect athletes,

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if we respect doctors
and firefighters,

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then we need to look at how
we respect businesspeople.

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I believe that in recent years,
entrepreneurship has been boosted.

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Entrepreneurship is positive.

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If we look at respect for politics,
the story may be a little different,

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but I think that if we want
to progress in Slovenia,

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we must also create
respect and trust in politics

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and establish
a constructive dialogue.

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This is certainly a good act,

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but it seems that there
is still an element of fear.

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Certain restrictions
arise from this,

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which then place excessive
obstacles on companies

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to put this into practice.

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So I hope that we will continue
to take steps forward in the future

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so that Slovenia will remain
and become successful.

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Thank you very much. Go ahead.
-Lili Pušnik, STA.

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About the Employee Participation
in Profit Sharing Act.

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Are you in agreement
with the business community,

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and do you expect less friction than
there was with the Christmas bonus?

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Non-governmental organizations

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are calling on you to cancel
the artificial intelligence platform.

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Will you do so?

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We have been coordinating
the Act for two years.

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First, internally between the business
community and the trade unions,

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and I think that the Act

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is sufficiently coordinated
that there will be no opposition.

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And artificial intelligence.
-I must ...

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First, on the topic
of the business community.

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I am convinced that every step
the Government takes

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towards strengthening
cooperation is welcomed.

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This is not the first step,
quite the contrary.

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Even during the energy crisis,
we had a very active dialogue

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and provided assistance
during the floods.

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Today,
in a time of declining orders,

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we have launched
a reduced working hours scheme

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and continue to have
enormous development incentives.

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I think that what the founder
and director of Dewesoft said

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is something
we need to think about.

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When we all enter into a relationship
with respect and trust,

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then we can build
a common future.

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Sometimes,
unnecessarily confrontational words

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may be heard too often,

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but not related to development.
I rather talk about the development

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and respond to the questions about
conflicts, although they are never

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dominant in these debates,
as we've seen today.

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About appeals about the platform.
I don't know about these appeals.

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I believe that people urging
don't know the real purpose.

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Right now we are negotiating
that Slovenia would establish

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a national platform.
Its main purpose is a safe access

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and storage of our data.
Whoever works with AI today,

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which is most of us,
is sadly exposed to the fact

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that our data
is freely available to strangers.

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The main purpose
of the national platform is

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to limit this access to data,

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so the multinationals can't use it,
but only the user herself or himself.

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This is the purpose and people urging
against it, probably aren't aware

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that with establishing
such a platform

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we will improve the security level
of an individual, a company

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and public services.
-Next question.

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Mr. Prime Minister, we are
in Zasavje and our region is the one

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to consider all these.

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What can the residents of Zasavje
hope for, because of your visit?

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Can we expect some real changes

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or assignments
that will happen soon?

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And the second question,
connected with the new Act.

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When will it enter into force?

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All the meetings in different regions
have both components.

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They have a local
and a national part.

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The Act is a part of a national one,
but we wanted to introduce it here,

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because Zasavje is one
of the pioneers of the co-ownership

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and a participation of the workers
in results of their work

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and making an added value.

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Specific project with mayors
are after this press conference,

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when we will have lunch together,
so will talk more about it later.

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We will discuss also
the Balanced Regional Development Act

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as one of the basic tools
to address not only Zasavje,

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but all the regions
that are in a development deficit.

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In the afternoon we are planning
very specific projects,

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for example,
to visit of a nursing home

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and opening one
of the hospitals outside the region.

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This visit is more important

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also because
we were able to make sure ourselves

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that Zasavje after long decades,

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when it was marked by the heavy
industry, coal industry

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and electrical industry, also because
of cutting-edge companies as Dewesoft

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embarks on a new path
of advanced technologies.

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And this is really

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the only right way
for the other regions as well.

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We don't try
to develop regions that lag behind

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with traditional approaches, but we
try to use more good practices

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that are already present in Zasavje,
to develop all of Slovenia.

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We are here to learn, too.
That's what I'm trying to say.

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Only one more question.

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Are regions staying as they are?

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What about statistical regions?
They change every few years.

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We've heard many times
that some municipalities will merge.

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Litija recently
became a part of Zasavje.

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We are still the smallest region.
Are you planning something here?

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Not in this tenure.

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Now we are discussing mainly,

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how to give more authority
to the development regions.

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We want to transfer
some jurisdictions

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from a national level
to the regional.

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We will do it gradually

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and carefully monitor the results.

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TV Slovenija. -A question
for the Minister of Economy.

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Yesterday, the deadline
for registration of companies

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and invitation for productive
investments has expired.

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When shall the companies,
Dewesoft among them, know,

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whether they were successful?

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And for the Prime Minister.
The President of the State

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doesn't agree with four
ambassadorial candidates.

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She is urging you
to withdraw these names.

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Will you consider it?
And who are these four?

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As far as the invitation
is concerned,

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I'm happy that we repeated it

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and we've learned that all things
were not regulated the first time.

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I was happy to prolong it
for one year

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and the execution as well.
The European Commission allowed it.

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I won't predict anything, but I wish
that the specialist service

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look at it realistically
and assess it

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that the Zasavje and Šaleška region
will receive above all

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such companies
that will increase the productivity

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and give new workplaces.

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At the moment
I don't want to announce the dates,

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because it would be
irresponsible. Thank you.

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When will the Act
enter into force?

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Today it was adopted
by the government,

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it will pass to the National Assembly
and then the procedure follows.

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I'm sure we can bring it
in one month's time

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to life in the National Assembly.

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You know
what times we live in.

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There are a lot of acts
and the parliament will decide

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when they will discuss it.

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We confirmed candidates
for ambassadors.

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The foreign ministry
suggested them.

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All candidates passed
the necessary tests

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and were interviewed
by the commission.

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Politicians shouldn't be
involved in this.

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We have expert groups
dealing with it.

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I am surprised
that we are publicly talking

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about a secret procedure.

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It is inappropriate
and I don't believe

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the president has the authority
to tell the government

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what we can decide on.
We are autonomous

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and we followed
the ministry's suggestions.

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It is inappropriate
towards the candidates

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that will have
to introduce themselves

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to the Committee on Foreign Policy
and it is inappropriate

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to talk about names,

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especially using diminutive language
as the president has been doing.

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It is disrespectful towards
the candidates. -One more question.

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Did you really tell her
you understand her

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and that there is no hurry
in appointing ambassadors?

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It is unnecessary to talk

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about conversations
with others.

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I have never commented personal
conversations and I won't this time.

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What do you expect? The president
said she won't sign the appointments

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if these people will be on the list.
-It is her right.

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It has happened once

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that president Türk
didn't sign it.

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We can all make our decisions

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and are responsible for them,
but we can't meddle.

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I don't meddle in her work

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and she shouldn't
meddle in ours.

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She doesn't have
the authority to do it.

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You approved the Employee
Participation in Profit Sharing Act.

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It has been in a drawer
for two years.

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The Ministries of Finance and the
Economy didn't reach a compromise

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for the act to be discussed.
Is it a coincidence

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that you approved it a couple
of months before the election?

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The act has been coordinated
at the Economic and Social Council.

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It was coordinated with everyone,
employers and trade unions.

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In the last couple of weeks,

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we have been working
on safeguards

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and levels.
The ministries had to agree on it,

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but the basic points were agreed
as broadly as possible

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and that takes time

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if we want to find solutions
everyone agrees on.

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We wanted to find solutions

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that will be accepted because we
want the act to be implemented.

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Is there anything new
regarding long-term care

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or were you just informed
about the report? Are you satisfied?

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Nursing home residents
have to get their assessments.

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Will it be possible
until January?

00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:15.560
I talked
about this on Friday.

00:18:16.737 --> 00:18:21.627
In the afternoon,
I will visit a nursing home

00:18:21.747 --> 00:18:26.120
to make sure in a direct dialogue
with the management

00:18:26.388 --> 00:18:29.680
that everything is being done

00:18:29.909 --> 00:18:35.784
for the January bills
to be lower

00:18:35.904 --> 00:18:41.600
and the rights of residents
will be respected.

00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:45.776
They have ensured me

00:18:45.896 --> 00:18:51.120
that the process will be finished.
I will tell you what I hear today.

00:18:51.552 --> 00:18:57.967
Minister,
are you satisfied with the act?

00:18:58.313 --> 00:19:03.923
You had to put safeguards in place
because of the finance ministry.

00:19:04.043 --> 00:19:08.320
Which safeguards
and are you still satisfied?

00:19:08.729 --> 00:19:13.723
I am satisfied.
There are different paths in life.

00:19:14.101 --> 00:19:18.387
Acts are alive.
We have had this act already,

00:19:18.507 --> 00:19:24.278
but it didn't work.
We will pass it as soon as possible

00:19:24.398 --> 00:19:27.671
and if we see

00:19:27.791 --> 00:19:31.400
we didn't reach our goals,

00:19:31.520 --> 00:19:35.480
we will change it.
I want to thank social partners

00:19:35.600 --> 00:19:39.922
and ministers
that were a part of this story.

00:19:40.042 --> 00:19:43.880
It wasn't easy, but we have the act.
-Thank you.

00:19:44.001 --> 00:19:46.429
The conference is over.
-Thank you. -Thank you.