Speaking after a meeting of his Civil List (GL), the party ensuring the parliamentary majority to Jansa's five-party coalition, Virant said the party was giving Jansa ten days to step down as PM because of the corruption scandal, thus enabling the incumbent government to continue operating with a new PM who, according to Virant, should be nominated by the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS).
If Jansa fails to do so, the GL invites him to send to parliament a motion for a confidence vote in the government, in which case the party would vote against him and his cabinet.
"We expect the SDS, as the strongest party in the government, to nominate a prime minister designate within a reasonable time. This would enable the survival of the incumbent coalition and government and prevent political instability," said Virant.
Other parties in the coalition generally believe Jansa should step down, but his party supported him when the scandal broke, saying the accusations against him were politically motivated and that it would not agree to a confidence vote in Jansa or the possibility of an interim government.
Jankovic today said he was temporarily withdrawing as president of Positive Slovenia, the opposition party with the most seats in parliament, although he recently insisted he had not been in conflict of interest and that he would not resign either as party president or Ljubljana mayor.
Slovenian media believe the political turmoil that might lead to early elections could last, although President Borut Pahor has become involved in consultations on how to overcome the crisis.