NOMINATION OF DR JANEZ DRNOVSEK AS THE CANDIDATE TO FORM THE NEW GOVERNMENT
Statement by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kucan - Press Conference

Ljubljana, Presidential palace, 31 December 1996


Ladies and gentlemen,
I am grateful to you for responding to my invitation to this conference. I would also like to thank you for reporting on my activities connected with the task entrusted to me by the Constitution of proposing to the National Assembly the candidate for prime minister.

Today I concluded my consultations with the leaders of the deputy groups, and so finished the second round of consultations which should help me in deciding whom to propose to the National Assembly as the candidate to form the new government. As you know, I did not consult merely with the leaders of the parliamentary groups, as I am charged to do by the Constitution, but also with the leaders of the political parties that are represented in the National Assembly and which can provide an authentic interpretation of the interests and positions of the parties. I also talked to the representatives of various state and national institutions responsible for and with an interest in the stability of the country, as well as with certain figures who have experience in these affairs and who might be able to help me in this task. All of those whom I invited for talks, cooperated and were in my assessment very useful. It seemed to me necessary to broaden the circle of consultations. Firstly given the situation following the elections, and in order to preserve the stability of the country. Secondly, in view of the relations that emerged in the National Assembly after the elections and in view of the difficulty involved in forming a coalition which would be able to set up a stable government with sufficiently solid support in the National Assembly. And thirdly, in order to seek the most appropriate person to form a government in these conditions with the approval of the parties, a person who could command stable and adequate support for the decisions which lie before the Slovene government.

Let me remind you of the criteria which I have endeavoured to observe here, and about which I spoke at previous press conferences. First and foremost is the candidate's commitment to carrying out the national programme, which was adopted through the plebiscite and through our independence. Then there is the candidate's commitment to seeking a fundamental consensus demanded by the very nature of the still uncompleted tasks of this programme, and the way in which this programme has been adopted - in other words with a high level of national consensus. Then there is the ability to form a competent, stable and responsible government. And following on from this, a government which would be orientated to the outside world, open, modern, recognisably Slovene, able to identify the national interest and ensure the competitiveness of Slovenia in the world that is emerging today. Then there is the orientation towards economic efficiency and success on the principles of an open market economy. Added to this is the orientation towards ensuring social security, individual prosperity and solidarity, as well as public prosperity. Then there is the orientation towards guaranteeing security in the law, the consolidation of the state based on the rule of law, with respect of the law and equality before the law, based on respect of human dignity and protection of human rights. And finally, there is the pro-European orientation, with the decision on the sovereign and ultimate positioning of Slovenia within the Euro-Atlantic structures.

I have to tell you today that all the consultations did not actually make my decision any easier, in spite of the clearly established criteria and defined goal, with which all those to whom I spoke agreed. None of those with whom I spoke had any different position with regard to the desired goal. This goal is a stable government with sufficient support in parliament, since this is in Slovenia's interest and it accords with the nature of the tasks which await the government, the parliament and the country as a whole.

For the moment there is scant readiness on the part of the parties to cross over the boundaries and divisions which they set up in the National Assembly after the elections. There is no readiness to try to form a coalition which could set up a stable government, with solid support, and for this reason there is also no majority consensus on a candidate. Indeed there is no consensus on any candidate, and in the current circumstances there cannot be, regardless of the universal agreement on the criteria and goals which any candidate would have to fulfil. There is still a division into two party groups, neither of which has the required majority.

I must say that I am surprised at the inflexible position adopted by the parties, a position which is becoming even more entrenched. If they insist on digging themselves in so deeply, then one consequence could be the division of the electorate itself, in other words of the Slovene public. In that event I fear that life in this country will no longer be pleasant. Instead of searching for a way out through serious consideration of a stable coalition, which might take responsibility for the decisions that lie before this country, it is my impression that support is being courted among one or two deputies who might be swayed into voting for a particular prime minister to form the next government. Yet this would be happening in spite of the leadership, or against the will of the party leaders, against the will of the leaders of deputy groups, and without the deputy groups and the parties - from which such support would derive - being prepared to assume institutional responsibility for the working of a government formed or elected in such a way. This is not the goal which I understood and which would accord with my conviction of what is good for this country and for the life of the people living in this country. In these circumstances I have done everything within my jurisdiction to bridge the political gaps which the political parties created in the National Assembly following the elections. As I have said, there is no willingness among the parties as yet. Through consultations I wished above all to give the parties and the deputy groups time and opportunity to see the facts clearly and so to come to an agreement about a coalition of divergent parties, which would in my firm opinion, and given the circumstances in which we live, be the optimal solution in view of the nature of the tasks that lie ahead of us and in view of the need for the greatest possible degree of national consensus. Particularly for certain tasks.

The possible 3+1 or 1+3 coalitions that were proposed did not lead to this result, nor indeed could they. In the talks, which I myself am in no way denigrating, there was no equality among the participants as was determined by the election result. In the situation where no party has the necessary majority, where no party has succeeded in forming a coalition with majority support of the deputy groups, and with a sufficient number of deputies composing it, I decided first to offer the opportunity of trying to form a government to the party which won the highest number of votes in the elections and which has the most deputies in the National Assembly. This party is the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. I therefore propose to the National Assembly as the candidate for prime minister Dr Janez Drnovsek, who is the president of this party and whom the party also proposes as leader of the new government.

My decision is not simply formal, in following the logic of proposing the party which received the most votes, although this criterion is decisive. It is also linked to the fact that Dr Drnovsek has led the government for almost five years. The public has been able to form its own opinion on the achievements of this government and on the work of Dr Drnovsek, including his successes and failings. What is beyond a doubt is that this is a man who has developed important international activities, who has contributed not simply to his own standing but also to the standing enjoyed by this country, and who has shown a certain ability to bring people together and to make connections. In my assessment Dr Drnovsek also fulfils the criteria that I have identified and which will enable us to realise the goals in the period ahead of us: to enhance the standing and prestige of Slovenia as a successful country in transition, to protect and consolidate its pro-European orientation and to enable Slovenia to play a more active role in bringing peace to the Balkans, which represents both a European and world problem. I wish to be absolutely precise here. My view does not mean that Slovenia can only be brought closer to these goals through Dr Drnovsek's candidature, nor indeed that in my opinion Dr Drnovsek alone fulfils these criteria. It does appear necessary, however, for me to stress that Dr Drnovsek's candidature does bring Slovenia closer to these goals and that Dr Drnovsek himself does fulfil the criteria. In the consultations I have held, some very weighty remarks and cautions were expressed over the work of the government and over Dr Drnovsek's methods. I have acquainted Dr Drnovsek with these remarks, and I believe that if he is able to form a government and to lead it, he will try to eliminate these drawbacks and keep a close watch on them.

Following my consultations I therefore talked to Dr Drnovsek, and I have his agreement that even in the circumstances where all my consultations and efforts have not succeeded in securing the necessary majority support in parliament, he will accept the candidature. I will formally submit this proposal to the National Assembly after the holidays, on 3 January 1997. This will therefore still be within the time stipulated in the standing orders of the National Assembly. I resolved to act in this way for two reasons. Firstly, so the candidate as well as the deputies and parties would have sufficient opportunity and time, now that they have the formal proposal which I shall be sending to the National Assembly, to reconsider the current situation, their own position, their own responsibility, the possibilities and possible support for my proposal. And secondly, so that the candidate himself, now that he has been nominated as the candidate to lead the government, now that he is in an active role, will have enough time to ascertain for himself in talks with the parties what his chances are of gaining support and forming a government. The calendar is such that the seven days which it is possible to gain according to the standing orders, has been pared down to only three days because of the two days of holiday and the weekend. Now that I have made my decision and am submitting my proposal to the National Assembly, it is also my duty to provide for the candidate the proper conditions, and therefore enough time, to conduct the necessary talks, although my own talks with the parties did not produce the desired result. It is up to the National Assembly, on receiving this proposal, to weigh up the justification of this proposal, to assess the suitability of the candidate, to review his past work, and to verify his ability to bring together and lead the government, as well as his ability to face the challenging period that lies ahead of the government, the parliament and the country.

Today I also appeal to the deputies, to weigh up my proposal with all due political and human wisdom, taking into account that they are the representatives of all the people, as is written in the Constitution, and that they are responsible to all the people. May they decide in such a way that is good for Slovenia, for its national interests, for the benefit of the country and the welfare of its citizens. May they find such wisdom and responsibility as they were able to find in the task of electing the speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly. I expect the same degree of wisdom now, when they are faced with the task of forming working bodies of the National Assembly, and in this way enable it to function in the task which lies directly ahead of it, that is, the election of the prime minister.