Coalition, Two Opposition Groups Sign Cooperation Agreement
The presidents of the four coalition parties (Slovenian Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi), People's Party (SLS) and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS)) and the opposition Social Democrats (SD) alongside the group of unaffiliated MPs signed an agreement on cooperation in the run-up to and during Slovenia's EU presidency in the first half of 2008.
The signatories, who also include the two MPs representing the Italian and the Hungarian minority, said after the event that the agreement would not hamper the role of the opposition before and during the presidency.
"The agreement is completely balanced and puts the same commitments on coalition and opposition deputy groups as well as on the government," Prime Minister Janez Jansa said after the signing. Borut Pahor, the president of SD, assured that the agreement was not undermining the rights of the opposition as defined by the constitution and the parliamentary rules of procedure.
Concerns that the agreement could tie the hands of the opposition were at the centre of criticisms directed at the agreement. The opposition National Party (SNS) and Liberal Democrats (LDS) cited them as the main reason for refusing to sign up. LDS President Jelko Kacin said after the signing that agreement was empty and in many points misleading.
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