We have learned from reliable sources that a new parliamentary group is being formed within the National Assembly – supposedly by the deputies Igor Zorčič (SMC), Janja Sluga (SMC) and Jurij Lep (DeSUS). They also invited Branislav Rajić (SMC) to join them.
A rumour has been making rounds for quite some time in the National Assembly that some deputies – from the DeSUS and SMC parties in particular – are forming a new parliamentary group. This time, we received confirmed information that it is being established by the Speaker of the National Assembly Igor Zorčič, the leader of the SMC party parliamentary group Janja Sluga, and Jurij Lep. They also invited MP Branislav Rajić to join them, but he is supposedly still undecided, even though he insisted after the SMC council session that the party president Zdravko Počivalšek still has the unanimous support of the SMC MPs.
After the latest session of the SMC council, it became clear that things are currently very tense in the SMC party, as a small part of the party was unable to replace president Zdravko Počivalšek. Zorčič also publicly expressed his dissatisfaction on Sunday’s show Politično (Political) with Tanja Gobec. And MP Jurij Lep was the only member of the DeSUS parliamentary group who supported the failed Karl Erjavec. Three deputies are needed to form a parliamentary group.
Počivalšek is trying to keep all of the potential in the SMC party When asked by the STA whether the SMC party would suffer a lot of damage if its vice-president Zorčič and the leader of the parliamentary group Sluga left it, Počivalšek said the following: “I cannot talk about what would happen if it happened. I have been and am continuously striving to keep all of the potential in the SMC party.” “We also had quite a few in-depth discussions, and we are planning to have some more. The fact is that, as liberals, and in this particular case as well, we do not have the same views on all matters, but in the end, we find common ground,” Počivalšek responded to Zorčič’s point of view. According to Počivalšek, the SMC party has already proved that they know how to join forces and successfully move the story forward. There has also been a lot of speculation about how Počivalšek supposedly wants to change the leadership of the party. On Monday, he said that they would try to find a solution for how the party will operate in the future. He also stated that the party’s bodies are already talking about this and announced that SMC MPs would vote against the interpellation of Minister of Culture, Vasko Simoniti, which will be discussed by the National Assembly on Wednesday. He reminded everyone that the SMC party is a part of the coalition. When asked whether or not all SMC MPs will vote against the interpellation, Počivalšek said that we would just have to wait and see.
“SMC is a centre party; we try to unify people. We have a lot of power, which we will also realise in the next elections as well,” the president of the SMC party stated. He added that there are also a lot of people who are trying to tell them in which direction they should go. In the current government, Počivalšek said, SMC’s role is also unifying, and they are focused on the realisation of the coalition agreement. He reiterated that they would do everything they can to connect the liberal centre. They see those who are willing to work for the benefit of Slovenia as possible partners in their future political work. He did not want to speculate about connecting with specific parties, such as the newly formed party Naša dežela (Our country).
Sara Kovač
