Interview: Slovenian PM hopeful aims to slash red tape, reform courts

Krka dd Novo Mesto

06/03/2018 19:26

* Former comedian tipped to become PM after June poll
    * Slovenians disappointed with established parties
    * Sarec wants to keep state stakes in some firms

    By Marja Novak
    KAMNIK, Slovenia, March 6 (Reuters) - A former comedian
tipped to become Slovenia's next prime minister said on Tuesday
he would slash red tape to boost investment and shake up the
electoral and judicial systems if his party wins June's national
election.
    Marjan Sarec, 40, a newcomer to national politics, stunned
Slovenians last November when he won 47 percent of the vote in a
presidential run-off won by a former prime minister and acting
president, Borut Pahor.
    His centre-left party, The List of Marjan Sarec, formed in
2014, has only about 300 members, but opinion polls show it
winning up to 19 percent of the vote, ahead of its rivals.
    "We absolutely need to reduce bureaucracy," Sarec told
Reuters in an interview, adding that he wanted to devolve more
power to local communities to facilitate new construction.
    Slovenia, a tiny ex-Yugoslav republic of two million people,
joined the European Union 14 years ago and has seen strong
economic growth that is expected to reach at least 3.9 percent
this year.
    But many Slovenians are disappointed with established
parties over corruption and other issues, especially since their
country narrowly avoided an international bailout for its banks
in 2013.
    Sarec, who is currently mayor of the Alpine town of Kamnik,
said he would aim as prime minister to speed up court
procedures, which can drag on for years, by limiting the mandate
of judges. Most judges in Slovenia have unlimited mandates.
    Sarec said he also wanted to raise the threshold for a party
to enter parliament to "at least five percent" from the current
four percent, a level he said resulted in weak coalition
governments of at least three parties.
    "We have a weak state so we need a strong government," he
said.
    
    PRIVATISATIONS
    The International Monetary Fund says Slovenia, where the
state still controls about 50 percent of the economy, should
speed up privatisations, but the government has refused to sell
major companies over the past decade.
    "We need to keep strategic firms in state hands, like
(telecoms operator) Telekom Slovenije and (port operator) Luka
Koper," he said, adding the state should also not sell minority
stakes in companies such as fuel retailer Petrol  PETG.LJ  and
pharmaceutical producer Krka  KRKG.LJ .
    However, Sarec said Slovenia should sell majority state
stakes in its two largest banks, Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB)
and Abanka, in line with promises made to the European
Commission. But the state should retain at least 25 percent of
NLB to have a say in key business decisions, he added.
    Slovenia has promised to sell the two banks in return for
the Commission's approval of state aid to them in 2013.
    Sarec said his government would try to run a balanced budget
and reduce public debt towards 60 percent of national output,
which is the maximum level allowed for eurozone members, adding
that this would hinge on future economic growth.
    He said the new government would have to introduce pension
reform, including further promotion of private pension schemes,
to ease the burden of a rapidly ageing population on the budget.
    Sarec did not disclose possible candidates for cabinet jobs
but said he favoured independent professionals for some top
posts such as finance minister. 

 (Reporting By Marja Novak
Editing by Gareth Jones)
 ((Marja.Novak@thomsonreuters.com; +386-1-5058805, Reuters
Messaging: marja.novak.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))