Ljubljana - Former Health Minister Tomaž Gantar has left the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS). Gantar, who also served as a party vice-president, announced the decision at a session of the DeSUS executive committee on Thursday. He told the STA he had been waiting for a proposal to consolidate the party, but given the developments he realised he had enough.

The decision was not easy considering that I'd been a DeSUS member for ten years, Gantar said, adding that he would never wish to sabotage the party.

However, following the recent developments in DeSUS, he had been expecting resolute steps to ensure the situation settled down.

He said he had been very preoccupied with the developments in the party and now lacks will and energy to continue the same way as so far, so he decided to leave.

Meanwhile, the executive committee is still discussing efforts or short-term measures to consolidate the party. The discussion is expected to focus on the coming election congress as well after former DeSUS leader Karl Erjavec stepped down on 10 March. The DeSUS interim head is Anton Balažek.

At the meeting today, the executive committee took note of the fact that in line with the party statute Jože Podgoršek is no longer a member of the party after failing to step down as agriculture minister following the party's exit from the coalition.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Janez Janša said that Podgoršek could remain a member of the cabinet as long as he enjoyed the support of DeSUS MPs.

The party said in a press release after the meeting that the executive board had discussed the party's plans for until its congress expected in June. DeSUS intends to step up its basic mission of focusing on pensioners, vulnerable groups and intergenerational cooperation.

It remains a moderate opposition party in the centre of the political spectrum standing for the rule of law and welfare state, the release said.