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Southeast Europe
August 3, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 13
industrial sectors, which can barely cope with the rising prices of electricity and natural gas. The low costs of energy and labour have been so far the main engine of the industrial growth in the country, but these drivers have shown their limits.
Former comedian Sarec closes in on prime minister post in Slovenia
bne IntelliNews
The small far-left Slovenian Left (Levica) party has decided to support a minority government led by Marjan Sarec without participating in it, if the decision is endorsed at the party’s internal referendum.
Sarec’s List of Marjan Sarec (LMS) is now close to forming a government in coalition with four small parties plus the support of Levica. It appears to be the only way out of the political deadlock that has crippled the country since the June 3 general election, without resorting to snap elections.
The coalition consisting of LMS and its partners will have only 43 MPs, but with the votes of seven Levica MPs it will be able to form a government in the 90-seat parliament.
Sarec’s talks with Levica have lasted since the parliamentary elections when LMS took second position, just after established player on the Slovenian political scene Janez Jansa and his Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS).
Jansa failed to form a majority after Sarec refused to partner with him. Former comedian Sarah
Romania’s industrial production index increased by only 1.2% y/y in May and the average growth rate calculated for the rolling three months eased to 2.1% y/y — the weakest performance since September 2016.
lacks political knowledge, skills and experience, and his party is without a political programme, but other politicians have agreed to join him as they are united in wanting to keep Jansa out of office.
The deal with Levica is most likely based
on a guarantee that the party will get high level positions in state-owned enterprises or institutions, as is common in post-communist countries, especially for left oriented parties.
According to Levica’s president Luka Mesec, the party decided that the draft coalition agreement that had been the subject of negotiations for the past several days was a good enough basis to endorse Sarec as prime minister designate on the evening of August 1.
Only ten members of the leftwing party’s council voted in favour of joining the coalition as a full- fledged member, with 21 voting against and several abstaining. However, the resolution on backing Sarec in parliament was adopted with 21 votes in favour and ten against, though it will still be put to the party's rank-and-file in an internal referendum, Slovenian Press Agency (STA) reported.