The ruling Slovenian Democrats (SDS) updated their programme at the electoral congress on Saturday, emphasising core values such as freedom, human dignity, justice, solidarity and patriotism, as well as rapid economic reforms in the general framework of sustainable development.
The programme, which was adopted unanimously, stresses the need to free the labour market and capital from obstacles that hinder development. The party's long-term goal is to raise productivity to the level of the most successful OECD countries by encouraging enterprise and cutting red tape.
The tax code will be simple and user friendly. SDS further promises to take good care of public finances, denounces direct state ownership of companies and defines liberalisation as deregulation and the creation of a friendly business environment.
To achieve sustainable development, the SDS will also work towards a socially just society based on a globally competitive economy. The most important means of providing for social security is jobs, where the party will seek a balance between a dynamic labour market and job protection.
The programme also states that the party will make efforts to cut payroll taxes, which would increase competitiveness by reducing labour costs.
Slovenian schools should strive to become the best in the world, which is to be achieved with a more varied offer of public schools and competition from the public sector. Overall, the education system must respond to the needs of the economy.
Among other things, the programme envisages the establishment of additional universities to boost competition and raise the quality of higher education.
In health care, the programme stresses the need to introduce new know-how and urges frugality in the use of expensive procedures. The state should also allow the privatisation of less demanding forms of health care to improve efficiency.
In foreign policy, SDS stresses the need for the country to provide for its security within the EU and NATO. The party also "welcomes efforts by the US to expand the area of peace, prosperity and democratic values", and says Slovenia should help countries in SE Europe to join the EU.
The programme moreover promotes regionalisation and devolution, among other things with the formation of new municipalities in line with the people's interests, and the transfer of state jurisdiction in particular in spatial planning, transport and energy to the local communities.
To ensure freedom of information and media independence, the party calls for an accountable and autonomous media industry, diverse ownership of media outlets and, in particular, independent, ethical, professional and autonomous journalism.
Leader of the ruling Slovenian Democrats (SDS) Janez Jansa has said Saturday's congress of the party in Portoroz was a success.
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