Ljubljana - The Modern Centre Party (SMC) council decided late on Wednesday not to endorse Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) leader Karl Erjavec as candidate for prime minister-designate. The SMC remains open for dialogue and cooperation with all parliamentary parties "in light of constant one-sided provocations" by the ruling Democrats (SDS), the party said.

"The party council members are very bothered by constant one-sided provocations of the senior coalition partner," reads a press release issued by the SMC after an hours-long council session.

Such provocations run contrary to the coalition agreement and put the SMC in an unequal position, the party said, adding that it would remain open for dialogue, "particularly with those parties whose programme is similar to ours" and who have to step up their efforts when it comes to cooperation.

The press release added that the SMC continued to play an integrating role in Slovenia's political arena.

SMC leader Zdravko Počivalšek later said that the decision by the council was unanimous. "We do not see in the Constitutional Arch Coalition or Erjavec the kind of reliability and stability that is necessary now to successfully conclude the fight against the epidemic and the start of economic recovery, which is our priority."

He underlined that the SMC was "very displeased" with unilateral moves by the largest coalition party and wanted to work with it to "constructively determine how to continue cooperation without this frequent nerve-racking."

"In every coalition the SMC is a corrective force for balance and an engine of results. We will continue acting this way in the future."

Počivalšek also said the SMC would draw up a programme to revitalise the party and continue uniting the political centre until the next election.