WEBVTT

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Hello and welcome
to our news conference

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in the wake of the 184th
government meeting.

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The first to present
the conclusions

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is Culture Minister Dr. Asta Vrečko.
The floor is yours.

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Hello, everyone.

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At today's meeting,
the government approved

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the new Bill on the Slovenian
Press Agency.

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It's the last in a series
of three media laws,

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which we've overhauled.
That was our commitment

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both in the coalition agreement
and at the Culture Ministry.

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The existing media legislation
had been dated,

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more than 20 years old.
It wasn't in line

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with other laws and was
no longer appropriate

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for present-day circumstances.
You'll remember that during

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the former government's term,
under Prime Minister Janez Janša

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and the editorship of Uroš Urbanija,

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STA experienced various kinds

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of political pressure with
the intent to destroy the agency.

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That's why the government has
adopted a constructive approach

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in passing a new bill
that will protect STA

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from potential political pressure,
ensure it a stable,

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predictable operating environment,
and strengthen its independence.

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The media, all of them,
make our society democratic.

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The media enable our right
to be informed.

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With their provision
of truthful, verified,

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and credible information,
they also strengthen democracy

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and our democratic society.

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This is why our bill strengthens
STA's independence,

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both financial and institutional.
It also updates the elements

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from the previous legislation
that have proven to be unsuitable.

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Most of all, it introduces
a clear distinction

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between commercial
and public operations

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through new methodology.

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I feel that this leaves
STA in safe hands

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and that it will no longer
be subject to political pressure.

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This bill regulates
the functioning of a modern

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media market
and a democratic society.

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In this process,
our government followed

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all the European guidelines
and examples of similar laws

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and agencies abroad.

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STA's role in Slovenia
is exceptionally important.

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In an era when we need
to rely on our media

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to provide us with credible,
confirmed information,

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and there's a flood of fake news,

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it's right that we have
a legal basis that enables

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employees at STA to work
without distractions,

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political pressure,
or financial instability.

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That's why we approved
this bill today.

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It's the final step in our overhaul
of media legislation

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that began with the first
public broadcasting amendment.

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The second public
broadcasting amendment

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is now in the National Assembly
and that's where the STA bill

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is now headed. Thank you.
-Any questions?

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TV Slovenia?
-Barbara Vidmajer, TV Slovenia.

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Can you tell us more
about the bill?

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Is the length of news
items defined by the law?

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And why was that proposal
included in the first place?

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Can you start with that?

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The main text of the law
is devoted primarily

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to strengthening
the autonomy of RTV...

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No, not RTV. I thought of you,
since you're from RTV.

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The autonomy of STA,
its financial stability,

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and the distinction between
its public and commercial elements.

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The process took
an exceptionally long time.

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We had promised to get the bill
approved by the end of the year.

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That has happened, but it took
a lot of inter-ministerial

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coordination, mostly involving
the Finance and Culture Ministries.

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We're dealing with
complex mechanisms

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governing commercial
and public operations,

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the distinction between
public service

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and market elements
with state subsidies.

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Various articles of the bill
emerged because of this,

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but today's bill was
unanimously supported

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by all the players: STA,
the Finance Ministry,

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and the Culture Ministry.

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I believe the bill is a good one.

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I addresses the challenges that
STA had to face in recent times.

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You mentioned public
and market-based operations.

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Does the bill still contain
a clause allowing

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the government to set
the STA's price list

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for subscribers, and don't
you think this violates

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STA's autonomy?

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In this case, we followed
the example

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of other such institutions,

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namely news agencies
and corporations.

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We've included that clause
in our bill

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in agreement
with the Finance Ministry.

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We discussed this frequently
with STA.

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Other entities
are regulated this way,

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but the bill is still headed
to the National Assembly.

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Other concerns that the government
could interfere,

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or that there could be
the perception of interference,

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even though our government
has proven repeatedly

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to be on the side of independent
media, which it has strengthened

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financially and legislatively...
To dispel any such perception,

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we removed such clauses by analogy
with similar entities.

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One such element will stay
by analogy.

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That's the only reason.
The others were removed.

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Does the clause on the reduced
term of the CEO

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of STA to four years remain?

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I believe that's still there.

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The regulation is the same.

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This was the case with each
of our laws, beginning with the one

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from the beginning of our term,
which eliminated politics

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from the management
of RTV Slovenia,

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something we carried on
with the Media Act,

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with new provisions
for the independence of newsrooms

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and additional funds. The Media
Law guaranteed €6 million more,

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while the proposed public
broadcasting legislation

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sets aside an additional
€12 million for RTV Slovenia.

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In the case of STA, we're also
moving toward funding

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from the national budget.
These steps for the independence

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of the media in Slovenia
are very strong.

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The government has proven
its financial

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and legislative commitment.
We've made our intentions

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a reality and even exceeded
the funding plan.

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The current STA bill is another
decisive step in this direction.

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Any other questions? STA?

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Have you decided
to retain the provision

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for an assessment
every ten years

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of the need for STA
and its public service remit?

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We removed that as part
of our final agreement.

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That provision, Article 6,
is no longer present.

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And about the clause limiting
the length of news items,

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was that provision removed
from the bill? -It was.

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Thank you, Minister.
Have a nice day.

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We're now joined
by Minister Aleksander Jevšek.

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He'll present another
important decision

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approved at today's
government meeting.

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I invite him to take the floor.

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Go ahead, Minister Jevšek.

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Thank you very much.

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The government has approved
a bill on the development-oriented

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restructuring of the Savinja-Šalek
Coal Region.

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It is intended to ameliorate
the consequences

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of the gradual abandonment
of coal mining in the region.

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With this Act
we would like to ensure

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that at the transition to low-carbon
and sustainable economy and society

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nobody will be left behind
or pushed aside.

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The SAŠA Act brings the development
restructuring measure to the region.

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A 10-year programme of restructuring
the SAŠA coal mining region

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in the field of economy,
energy, environment

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and social cohesion,

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strategic projects
of sustainable development,

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a system reform of the district
heating of Šaleška Valley,

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reorganisation of the energy site TEŠ
to the renewable energy sources,

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a strategic project a Valley
of start-ups and high-growth firms,

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and a conservation of the Slovenian
Coal Mining Museum

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and development
of a cultural and creative sector.

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The funds for implementation of this
Act will be in the period 2026-2035

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provided from the programme
of the European cohesion policy,

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from the national budget within
the financial plans of the Ministries

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and from the municipality budgets
of the SAŠA region

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in the amount
of 282,225,000 Euros.

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When preparing the Act
we considered the legislation,

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connected with the gradual closure
of the Velenje Coal Mine.

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Measures are being
complemented by the ones

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in the Act of the gradual closure
of Velenje Coal Mine.

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In the regulation about refinancing
of an accelerated and fair exit

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from the coal and in the regional
plan for the fair transition

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for the SAŠA coal mining region,
which is approved by the EC

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as a part of the programme
of the European cohesion policy.

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I would like to emphasize
that restructuring of SAŠA region

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is being intensively carried out
for some time.

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Namely, with the European cohesion
funds of the Just Transition Fund,

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which was founded to help
the coal mining regions

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to enter a new era.

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In the green technology era,

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low-carbon production
and energy efficiency.

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Numerous projects are being
carried out in the region.

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They are supported
by the European cohesion funds.

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From northern part
of the third development axis,

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building an economic
and business infrastructure,

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incubators to transforming
a district heating in Šaleška Valley

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and some other smaller projects.

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At the moment approximately
190 million Euros is directed here

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from the European
and national funds.

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Thank you.
The questions, please.

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Nobody?

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STA? No? Okay, Minister.
Thank you very much.

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Thank you. Goodbye.

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Now, the third speaker,
the Minister of Defence.

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Borut Sajovic.

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He will introduce
an important personnel decision

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at his department
from today's government meeting.

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Minister Sajovic, go ahead.

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Hello
and thank you for coming.

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Today, the government has
under the section of staff matters

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unanimously relieved
Colonel General Robert Glavaš

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from the office of the 9th Chief
in the history of our state.

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On this occasion,
I would like to thank the Chief

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for his excellent work for safety
and resilience in this state.

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We shouldn't forget
that he did the longest tenure

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among all the chiefs,
namely, more than five years.

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This is important
for the stability of this state.

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Thank you again.

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The reason for his retirement
is of course

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the Defence Act
and reaching the appropriate age,

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when our uniformed personnel
should retire.

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Next, we unanimously appointed
the brigadier Mr. Boštjan Močnik

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Force Commander
of the Slovenian Army

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as a new 10th Chief
of the Slovenian Army.

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He is one
of the youngest brigadiers,

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but he has
great knowledge and experience

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at home and abroad.

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He is very renowned as a Force
Commander of the Slovenian Army.

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He is an outstanding
expert and leader

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of the fundamental pillar
of Slovenian army,

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which I, as minister,

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would like to see further developed
in the coming years.

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And I am convinced that,

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with the exceptional colleagues
that he has,

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he will certainly
also succeed in this task

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for the greater security
of this country,

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because he is
a young but mature man

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with an extensive
theoretical knowledge

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and international experience.

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I am convinced that,
in addition to his leadership skills,

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for the good of this country,
this homeland,

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he will also be able to
address young people

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who have been
extremely successful

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in strengthening the system
in recent years.

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Thank you. STA, go ahead.

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Hello.

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As far as the name is concerned,
did you perhaps consult

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with the commander-in-chief
of the Slovenian Armed Forces

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before the appointment?

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Did you also talk to her

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about when and if Mr. Močnik,
who is now a brigadier,

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will be promoted
to the higher rank of major general?

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The President and I
are in regular contact

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and have a cordial and excellent
constructive relationship

00:16:31.752 --> 00:16:33.599
for the good of the country.

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We have consulted
on several occasions,

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most recently yesterday evening,
and were in agreement.

00:16:42.810 --> 00:16:48.715
And I expect that we will proceed
with the appointment today.

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Today, the President
has her first protocol obligations,

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and on Monday
or early next week,

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i.e. before the end of this year,

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we will send
the relevant legal basis

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or request for the rank
of major general.

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I am confident
it will be resolved in a few weeks.

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Perhaps as Minister of Defense,

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what do you expect
to be the priority tasks

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that Mr. Močnik will
tackle in his new position?

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Where do you see the biggest
challenges awaiting him?

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I praised the work
of the previous chief,

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especially his calmness,
prudence, ability to connect,

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and appropriate communication
with the public.

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The Slovenian army
is taking an important step,

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and we can now say
that the modernization

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and upgrading of our equipment
and structures has been successful.

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We have excellent data
regarding personnel.

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The last two years
are the first in history

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where more people are joining
our ranks than are retiring.

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There has also been growth
in the area of scholarships.

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We have almost
695 scholarship recipients,

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we are strengthening
our contractual reserve

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and, of course, the equipment
and items we are purchasing,

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where we are equipping ourselves,
we also need to implement,

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so we will continue
with this successful process.

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However, it will also be challenging
on the international stage.

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The situation in the world
is not easy, it is not simple,

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and I am confident
that the new chief,

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Brigadier Boštjan Močnik,

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will be able to meet
the challenges of integrating

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the military with politics
and civil society.

00:19:01.493 --> 00:19:06.918
Barbara Vidmajer. -You also said that
Mr. Močnik was young and mature.

00:19:07.001 --> 00:19:11.144
What ultimately tipped
the scales in his favor?

00:19:13.338 --> 00:19:18.618
When a system
is modernizing and growing,

00:19:18.931 --> 00:19:25.556
it is always necessary to look at
its strongest pillar and foundation,

00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:30.433
and in terms of organized structures,
that is the Slovenian Armed Forces.

00:19:30.516 --> 00:19:34.515
He was now the commander
of the Slovenian Armed Forces.

00:19:34.598 --> 00:19:37.881
The processes
have been successfully initiated.

00:19:37.964 --> 00:19:40.582
We need to keep up the
pace and build on them.

00:19:40.665 --> 00:19:45.396
And there is no one better
acquainted with these systems,

00:19:45.698 --> 00:19:48.831
with these things that we still
need to build on and strengthen

00:19:48.914 --> 00:19:53.115
than someone who has been facing
these problems so far.

00:19:53.198 --> 00:19:55.494
You mentioned quite
a few priority tasks.

00:19:55.577 --> 00:19:59.192
Which of all those listed would you
say will be the most difficult,

00:19:59.275 --> 00:20:01.275
the hardest nut to crack?

00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:08.787
All of these things are such that,
through dialogue, cooperation,

00:20:08.871 --> 00:20:13.149
connection,
and above all, Slovenian unity,

00:20:13.233 --> 00:20:15.538
we will certainly
be able to tackle them.

00:20:15.621 --> 00:20:17.301
Any more questions?

00:20:17.385 --> 00:20:21.621
If not, this concludes the press
conference. Thank you, goodbye.

00:20:21.704 --> 00:20:25.204
Thank you very much.
Have a successful day.