22 Feb 2020, 09:34 AM

SDS Calls for Investigation of Petrol Deal with Russian Firm under US Sanctions

STA, 18 February 2020 - The Democrats (SDS) called on Tuesday for an emergency session of the parliamentary Public Finance Oversight Commission to examine a cooperation memorandum signed last September by the state-controlled energy company Petrol with a Russian company subject to US sanctions.

The memorandum with T Plus was signed as part of a visit to Moscow by outgoing Prime Minister Marjan Šarec and envisages cooperation with the T Plus Group and Schneider Electric Russia in the field of energy efficiency.

Petrol's chairman at the time Tomaž Berločnik said the two projects planned involved work on the optimisation of district heating. He valued them at "a few million euro" and potentially at a few dozen million in the future.

However, citing documents published by the US Department of the Treasury, the SDS is pointing out that T Plus is part of the Russian Renova Group, which is subject to US sanctions along with its billionaire owner Viktor Felixovich Vekselberg.

The sanctions were introduced in April 2018 over interference in the 2016 US presidential election, with the US also freezing Vekselberg's assets.

The SDS is puzzled by how the government, Foreign Ministry and the SOVA intelligence agency could allow the memorandum to be signed, and what is even worse, to be signed during Šarec's official visit to Moscow.

The party claims all of the listed institutions as well as the PM and the management and supervisory bodies of Petrol and state asset manager SSH had obviously failed to fulfil their duties.

The SDS says that Petrol now runs the danger of becoming subject to retaliation measures on the part of the US, which could undermine government revenue and the value of state assets, while the SSH and government could also be compromised.

"The signing of the memorandum under to auspices of the Slovenian government could also bring negative consequences for other areas of transatlantic cooperation," the party wrote.

The SDS is thus proposing that the Public Finance Oversight Commission ask the government to have the SSH draw up a report on the matter, to have Petrol withdraw from the memorandum and to have authorities examine whether official duties were neglected, money laundered or terrorism financed as part of the memorandum signing.

20 Feb 2020, 09:36 AM

Row Over Spying, Police, Hungary & Slovenian Politics Heats Up

STA, 19 February 2020 - Tensions are running high as the police and the Democrats (SDS) clashed over the jurisdiction of the parliamentary Commission for Intelligence and Security Services Oversight (KNOVS), which wanted to investigate on Tuesday allegations that police had been spying on coalition party heads on behalf of outgoing Prime Minister Marjan Šarec.

Three KNOVS members made an unannounced visit to the police headquarters yesterday, investigating the suspicion that Šarec and his state secretary Damir Črnčec abused the police to gain information to extort party leaders in coalition-building talks with the SDS.

Šarec and Črnčec - the latter ran both national intelligence agencies under Janša's rule - both denied the allegations, with Šarec saying that the media "close to the SDS...are obviously describing their own methods".

He believes the SDS, whose MP Žan Mahnič led Tuesday's visit by KNOVS, is abusing the commission for political purposes.

"Independent institutions are investigating Hungarian funds which are flowing we all know where and attention has to be diverted," he said in reference to alleged by-bass funding of the SDS or the media associated with the party through circles close to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Črnčec denied the allegation through his lawyer, and posted a lengthy post on Facebook this morning, criticising Janša. He also wondered why and for how much Janša had "sold Slovenia's national interests to Hungary".

He said in a post that Janša's and him parted ways parted when he had realised that "the SDS apparatus operates on the principles of a mafia business, where all paths lead to its leader and his inner circle".

Meanwhile, the police force also issued a determined response, underlining it is not "a dislocated unit of any politician or of any political organisation."

Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar said in a statement that the three members of KNOVS had tried to gain access to information that were beyond the scope of their legal powers.

The police said they wanted the names of police officers who potentially accessed records of certain MPs and information about ongoing investigations, including in cases without covert methods, the latter being in the domain of KNOVS.

Bobnar said the police would not give in to pressure from anybody and called for an election campaign built on arguments and not made-up stories at the expense of the police force and threats to its leadership. She vowed that the police would do everything in its power to prevent the spread of fake news within the force.

She also noted KNOVS deputy chair Žan Mahnič warned her she might want to think about her future because she would face criminal charges if the commission finds out that she was covering up political abuse of the police force. The statement interpreted as a threat was witnessed by Bobnar's deputy, as well as the boss of the criminal police departments.

Mahnič later tried to downplay this, announcing that a different parliamentary commission that is already looking into alleged politically-motivated prosecution would look into the spying allegations and demand the material that was denied to KNOVS.

The commission demands that the police provide within 10 days a list of all interventions into police records for any of the 90 MPs, all the cabinet ministers and the outgoing prime minister.

The General Police Administration said that the police had started checking the allegations and that the state prosecution would be kept informed.

Most parliamentary parties have expressed concern over the allegations. They believe that the matter should be investigated and all suspicions clarified.

According to reports by news portal Požareport, the alleged mission by Črnčec and Šarec targeted friends of Zdravko Počivalšek, the outgoing minister of economy and the head of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) and MPs of the SMC, as well as MPs of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB).

Meanwhile, the Left's MP Miha Kordiš labelled the developments as usual political scandaling, and took aim at the SDS.

The party and Janša have abused state institutions many times, he said, adding that Črnčec also belonged to that school of thought. It would not be surprising if the prime minister "has developed this bad habit too", he said.

17 Feb 2020, 08:15 AM

Janša Tells SDS to Prepare for Election

STA, 16 February 2020 - Addressing a ceremonial session marking the 31st anniversary of the Democratic Party (SDS) in Murska Sobota on Saturday, its leader Janez Janša said that the next snap election is likely close. He repeated that the SDS was open to cooperation with everybody in the spirit of constitutional values.

Janša has launched coalition-building talks after the resignation of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec. He has been talking with the Modern Centre Party (SMC), the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and New Slovenia (NSi).

While the NSi already gave its leader Matej Tonin the mandate to negotiate a partnership with Janša, the SMC and DeSUS, both partners in the outgoing coalition, have not yet decided whether they would join this coalition.

The SDS is the biggest party in the National Assembly, however, Janša was unable to put together a coalition after the 2018 election, as most parties refused to enter a partnership with Janša.

Unless a new coalition is formed by early March, Slovenia will hold an early election, an option for which the SDS says it is ready. Indeed, the party has been faring very well in public opinion polls.

In his speech today, Janša said that new faces spring up ahead of every election and this will also be the case this time. "Although it is known that such attempts do not work, things can obviously still be manipulated up to a point."

He also said that the SDS was open to cooperation on the basis of values stated in the Constitution. After every fall of a government or before an election, there are always discussions whether it is possible to put together a government that would not open ideological issues, he said.

Janša believes it is possible to build a majority coalition solely on the values of the Constitution. If these had been in focus and not undermined, things would be much different today.

He also invited the parties that refuse to cooperate with the SDS to "come out of the woods after 75 years, stop living in the past and turn to the future". Janša's invitation to talks has been rejected by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), the Social Democrats (SD), the Left and the National Party (SNS).

14 Feb 2020, 09:56 AM

SDS Accuse LMŠ of Leaking Classified Info on Hungarian Financing of Slovene Media

STA, 13 February 2020 - The Democrats (SDS) have accused the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) of leaking classified information to journalists about Hungarian financing of media outlets with close ties to the party, accusations that the LMŠ denies.

The head of the SDS deputy group, Danijel Krivec, yesterday sent a letter to Jani Möderndorfer, the chair of a parliamentary inquiry into the financing of political parties, implying that the vice chair of the inquiry and LMŠ MP Aljaž Kovačič, and another LMŠ member, were looking at documents on money transfers from private Hungarian companies in the safe room of the National Assembly on 31 January and 3 February.

The documents in question had been obtained during the parliamentary inquiry and were labelled as classified.

Later that week, media reported of the allegedly controversial financing of the SDS from Hungary, publishing data on transactions, which Krivec thinks "could not have been obtained legally", as NKBM rejected media requests for an insight into the transactions.

Krivec therefore proposes that the chair of the parliamentary inquiry into alleged money laundering at NKBM, Jani Möderndorfer of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) reports Kovačič and other unknown perpetrators to police.

Krivec also proposed to parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan that the issue be discussed by deputy group leaders.

The LMŠ rejects the accusations, saying that its MP and vice chair of the inquiry, Kovačič, has the right and duty to go through the documents that are relevant for the inquiry.

"After all it is his task and duty as member of the inquiry to get acquainted with the content before it is put up for debate or a vote," said LMŠ deputy group head Brane Golubović.

He added that Kovačič and his college had acted in line with the rules, recording the date and the documents they had inspected. Meanwhile, Möderndorfer labelled the demand inappropriate and a pressure on the parliamentary commission.

Kovačič rejected the allegations that he had leaked the confidential information to the press, while SDS head Janez Janša said that only two people had looked into the data on transactions of private companies and that they were both from the ranks of the LMŠ.

Kovačič, on the other hand, said that he and his colleague had definitely not been the only ones looking into the documents. "I'm probably one of the few people who always sign their names when they look into documents. If I wanted to play James Bond I probably would not have been doing that."

Web portal Necenzurirano.si reported of transactions of funds originating from Hungary from accounts in the UK and Hungary to Slovenia on Monday. It said EUR 4 million had been wired, of which EUR 1.5 million landed on the bank accounts of two media companies that are behind the TV channel and web site of Nova24TV, both of which are co-owned by senior SDS officials.

The remaining EUR 2.5 million was reportedly wired to North Macedonia to finance the purchases of media companies with ties to the biggest opposition party, the centre-right VMRO-DPMNE.

The National Bureau of Investigation has confirmed it is investigating the funding of some media outlets close to the SDS.

The SDS has denied the accusations on several occasions, and has even threatened the outgoing PM, Marjan Šarec, with a lawsuit over the statements he made on public TV regarding the financing of the SDS from Hungary.

Möderndorfer confirmed for the STA on Wednesday that he had received the letter from the SDS, which he labelled "highly unusual". "I admit I am surprised this came from someone who has no access to the documents of the parliamentary commission and is neither its member nor substitute member," he said.

All our stories about Hungary and Slovenia are here

12 Feb 2020, 10:03 AM

NBI Examines Hungarian Funding of SDS-Friendly Media

STA, 11 February 2020 - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI, Nacionalnega preiskovalnega urada – NPU, “Slovenia’s FBI”)) is investigating the funding of some media outlets close to the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), public broadcaster TV Slovenia reported. The police refuse to comment.

The media are suspected of having received funding from Hungarian business people with close ties to Fidesz, the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, TV Slovenija said.

The news comes after web portal necenzurirano.si reported on Monday that EUR 4 million were transferred since August 2018 from accounts in the UK and Hungary to accounts in Slovenia.

EUR 1.5 million allegedly ended up on the accounts of media companies NovaTV24.si and Nova Hiša, the broadcaster of the TV programme and publisher of Nova24TV.

The rest allegedly went to North Macedonia for the purchase of media companies from the circle of Macedonia's biggest opposition party VMRO-DPMNE.

Necenzurirano.si also said that the funds were the key source of income for NovaTV24.si and Nova Hiša.

In 2018, total earnings of NovaTV24.si reached EUR 1.54 million, only EUR 300,000 more than the total sum of Hungarian funds since August 2018 until today. Whereas the earnings of Nova Hiša in 2018 reached EUR 324,000.

The portal said that the two media are close to the SDS, because several party members sit on the management board of NovaTV24.

SDS leader Janez Jaša accused NBI head Darko Muženič in a tweet today that he had allowed millions to be laundered in NLB bank and was now investigating the media that reported about it.

The SDS has repeatedly rejected speculation about illegal funding for the party from abroad. What is more, the party has threatened to sue outgoing Prime Minister Marjan Šarec for saying that the SDS had received funds from Hungary.

11 Feb 2020, 09:16 AM

SDS Expected to Lead New Coalition Talks

STA, 11 February 2020 - The opposition Democrats (SDS) are expected to conduct a fresh round of coalition talks with three parliamentary parties after the resignation of PM Marjan Šarec. The potential coalition partners, Modern Centre Party (SMC), New Slovenia (NSi) and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), have not officially confirmed the talks.

The first round of talks was held last Friday and SDS head Janez Janša announced the second round for today in the invitation to that meeting.

DeSUS leader Aleksandra Pivec labelled the first meeting as "the SDS testing the ground to see if there was readiness to continue", noting content or staff had not been on the table yet.

So this is expected to be on the agenda today. It should therefore become clear in the coming days if the parties will be able to overcome their differences. For now, all parties are tight-lipped about the talks.

The three parties are still checking the sentiment among their members, with the situation being the most turbulent in the SMC.

Its vice president, Ksenija Klampfer, the outgoing labour minister, left the party yesterday in protest of the talks with the SDS. The party's former president and founder, Miro Cerar, has also ruled out being part of a Janša-led government.

SMC head Zdravko Počivalšek said it was perfectly understandable that opinions differ but he thinks issues should be discussed rather than "doors slammed".

He has been arguing that the way to an operative and strong government leads through dialogue not a policy of exclusions.

10 Feb 2020, 11:18 AM

SMC Vice Leader Quits in Party to Protest Talks with Janša

STA, 10 February 2020 - Ksenija Klampfer, the outgoing labour minister, has stepped aside as a vice-leader of the Modern Centre Party (SMC), quitting the party in protest at tentative coalition talks with the Democrats (SDS). Meanwhile, Miro Cerar, the former leader of the SMC, has ruled out being part of a government led by SDS leader Janez Janša.

In a letter addressed to SMC leader Zdravko Počivalšek and distributed to media outlets, Klampfer says her decision to quit is due to her disapproving of how the party is being run, in particular after Prime Minister Marjan Šarec's resignation two weeks ago.

Listing her achievements as minister of labour, the family, social affairs and equal opportunities, Klampfer says that her discussion with Počivalšek the morning before Šarec's resignation showed that "work is not appreciated, that more than work it is populism that counts".

"Under your leadership, the party is increasingly moving course away from the views of people who brought the party the nobleness of socio-liberal values (...) My belief is being confirmed with daily calls by party colleagues who are getting ready to quit the SMC," she writes.

Noting that back in 2017 as the head of the Maribor administrative unit she banned a concert by Croatian ultra-nationalist singer Thompson, Klampfer says that she has never since received any support for her efforts from the party leadership, not even as she encountered problems as minister.

"As vice-president you have never engaged me in the party's work and this makes all the accusations and insults related to that all the more unacceptable. I have somehow reconciled myself to that, but what is happening today I cannot accept.

"We are negotiating on joining a right-wing government, with a completely different ideology. With a party that openly supports Thompson's ultra-nationalism and the far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, who is being followed with concerns by whole Europe."

Adding that the SDS also denies climate change and has a different view of the Second World War, Klampfer says that she believes a person and politician needs to stay true to themselves and their values.

Arguing that despite the storms it has gone through, the party still has a lot of good and capable members who believe in solidarity and dialogue, and who are strangers to rightist ideology, Klampfer appeals to Počivalšek to reconsider where he is taking the party, and to listen to people.

Počivalšek responded with a written statement regretting the decision and expressing surprise. "Slamming the door may be momentarily likeable, but it is also politically immature," he said.

"True, the political circumstances have changed substantially in recent weeks, but this should not absolve the party's leadership of its responsibility to voters and deter it from looking for solutions for the benefit of the party."

He thinks the fact that Klampfer notified him of her decision at almost the same time as she informed the media sheds light on the true background of her decision - "yielding under the weight of public pressure on the SMC to subjugate its future political decisions to the interest of other parties."

Klampfer resigned after the party, set up shortly before the 2014 general election by Miro Cerar, a later prime minister who has served as foreign minister in the outgoing government, entered talks with the SDS in a bid to form a government coalition to replace the Šarec government.

As leader of the party until September 2019, Cerar had been ruling out a coalition with SDS leader Janez Janša. According to the right-leaning magazine Reporter, Cerar has written a letter to Počivalšek too, reiterating his opposition to a Janša-led government.

"Since entering politics I have always advocated the same principles and opposed the politics personified by Janez Janša," Cerar says in the letter.

"I obviously support the efforts by the SMC leader to lead dialogue with all parties but with the goal of forming a coalition to be led by a person who implements democratic values in practice and higher political culture. In case a government is formed under Janša's leadership I cannot take part in it."

Cerar also expressed regret that Šarec failed to justify their trust, arguing that he had not run the government in a unifying enough way, and failed to provide the conditions to smoothly continue the planned work and reforms.

Počivalšek said the SMC had always been liberal and tolerant to other opinions, which was why he saw Cerar's letter as "an expression of his own will and opinion, to which everyone in the SMC is entitled."

Before resuming talks with the SDS on Tuesday, the SMC met the LMŠ today to discuss the possibility for the two parties to run on a joint slate in a potential snap election. The details of the talks have not been disclosed yet.

07 Feb 2020, 09:54 AM

Pensioners’ Party Leader Received Death Threat Before Talks With Janša

STA, 6 February 2020 – The Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) leader Aleksandra Pivec has received a death threat warning her against entering a coalition with the Democratic Party (SDS), the commercial broadcaster POP TV reported on Thursday.

Pivec, the minister in charge of agriculture, confirmed for POP TV that she received a letter with inappropriate contents on Wednesday.

The letter bore her name and was sent to Parliament House, said Pivec, adding that she handed it to the police immediately.

She did not want to elaborate on the contents of the letter due to safety measures being taken. The broadcaster however said that the letter was a very direct threat against her life if she took her party into a coalition with the SDS.

POP TV reported that Pivec had been placed under police protection. The police, however, has not confirmed this for the STA so as not to undermine the safety of protected persons.

The police indicated, indirectly, that an investigation had been launched.

On Friday, Pivec is planned to meet with SDS head Janez Janša, who is testing the waters to see whether parliamentary parties are willing to form a coalition with the SDS after Prime Minister Marjan Šarec resigned on 27 January.

25 Jan 2020, 09:14 AM

SDS Proposes Raising Child Support from Aged 18 to 26

STA, 24 January - The opposition Democrats (SDS) tabled on Friday a proposal to raise the age of eligibility for child maintenance allowance from 18 to 26 or until parents are obliged to provide financial support for their children.

The party believes that the changes to the public guarantee and maintenance fund would reduce the number of cases where child support is not provided for those above the age of 18.

The amendment would ensure equal treatment of all those eligible for child support, said the SDS, adding that those who are furthering their education and are not employed after turning 18 are currently not entitled to financial protection and child support recovery and are thus worse off.

Children's right to maintenance is one of the basic children's rights, ensuring a favourable environment for their development, highlighted the party.

In 2017, some 4,300 minors received child support allowance, quite an increase compared to 1,900 in 2000. Given this surge, the party has concluded that unpaid child support cases are on the rise. Last year, some 17,100 persons of age and studying were eligible for child support, according to the SDS.

18 Jan 2020, 15:41 PM

SDS Bill Proposes Reintroduction of Conscription

The opposition SDS party tabled a bill for the parliamentary procedure to reintroduce compulsory national service last Thursday. The SDS deputy Žan Mahnič stated for the press that the proposal is likely to pass the first reading, since “the idea is supported by some other parties of the so-called left, including some parties of the coalition"

Slovenia abolished compulsory military service in 2003 when it opted for a defence system consisting of professional army only. At the time SDS was one of the main supporters of the change.

In the last six years, explained Mahnič, members of SDS have sadly watched the Slovenian Armed Forces collapse, pointing out that the number of permanent members is no longer sufficient to defend Slovenia in the event of a military attack or to work effectively in peace. In the event of an armed attack, explained Mahnič, Slovenia does not have a young generation, or even a middle-aged one, who would know how to handle weapons and be aware of basic military techniques. He also expressed a belief that reintroduction of compulsory national service would not only strengthen the Slovenian army, but also patriotism, national awareness and the psychophysical abilities of Slovenian citizens. However, missions abroad would still be performed by a professional army.

The SDS national service bill proposes a compulsory six-month military service for all male citizens aged 19 that can be postponed in the case of university enrolment, and 12 months of civilian service for conscientious objectors, working in non-military position. Women would be able to join on a voluntary basis.

Mahnič also cited an SDS poll which suggests that 70% of Slovenian citizens are in favour of the proposed bill, which will also require €10 million for an increase in logistic capacity and additional €23 million for workforce upgrade.

When asked about the political parties in support of conscription, Mahnič stated that ahead of the last elections coalition’s the pensioner’s party, DeSUS, was clearly supporting the idea, the nationalist party SNS is also in its favour, and it has also been discussed in in the coalition party of Alenka Bratušek (SAB), but their support of the bill remained to be confirmed.

Although having no firm assurance from the left-leaning coalition parties that they would support the bill, the right-wing SDS deputy Mahnič is certain that the bill enjoys support from the left since “the idea about compulsory military service has also been expressed twice publicly by Milan Kučan.”

Milan Kučan was the first president of Slovenia, who in popular right-wing theories is often seen as the main player on the left, albeit one who remains behind the curtain.

The bill’s first reading has not yet entered the parliamentary schedule.

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