LJUBLJANA, June 17 (Hina) - Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek on Monday confirmed that he had definitely decided to run in the presidential election and that his candidacy half-way through the current coalition would not
destabilise the country but would give it a new quality.
LJUBLJANA, June 17 (Hina) - Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek
on Monday confirmed that he had definitely decided to run in the
presidential election and that his candidacy half-way through the
current coalition would not destabilise the country but would give
it a new quality. #L#
"We need to prove that the Slovene government can function with
another prime minister. Slovenia's stability with a new prime
minister will not be diminished, in fact this would add a new
quality," Drnovsek stated on Monday in an interview for Slovene
Radio.
He confirmed that his decision to run in the autumn presidential
election was final and that he had spoken about this to coalition
partners in the government as well as President Milan Kucan.
Asked about his health, Drnovsek said that he felt ready for a five-
year mandate as the president of the sate, that his recent
experience with lung cancer had strengthened his character, and
that his health had been estimated as good.
Three years ago, Drnovsek had a kidney removed due to a malignant
tumour, while last year he was diagnosed with lung problems during a
regular check-up.
Drnovsek said that he felt quite ready to take on the presidency
should he be elected. That function is less demanding than the
office he has been in for the past ten years, he added.
He said that he did not expect any delays in Slovenia's integration
into European structures because this was more or less a concluded
matter and an irrevocable process. He pointed to the possibility of
shorter postponements as a result of political circumstances in
Europe due to elections in France and Germany, the Irish referendum
regarding the Nice agreement, or problems in subsidies for
agriculture in those countries where the European Union is to
expand.
Drnovsek said that NATO's invitation to Slovenia for accession
following the autumn summit in Prague was "very realistic", and
that his government would increase its campaign in convincing the
public that accession to NATO would strengthen national security.
(hina) sp sb