"We have found a way to continue talks in all the areas that were questionable," Sustersic said after talks with Jankovic.

Party president Gregor Virant did not wish to comment, but he did say that Jankovic was leading the negotiations much better now.

Even before today's meeting, Virant expressed a wish for a broader coalition to be formed.

Sustersic said the parties were much nearer now substance-wise, and that the Virant List would now sent its proposals to Positive Slovenia also in writing.

The parties agreed that a recapitalisation of the NLB bank from the state budget was a bad solution and that a rise in VAT was not needed at the start of the term, Sustersic said.

He said that another key issue was a chapter on corruption in the coalition agreement, which the parties would work out together with more concrete measures.

Jankovic said that the parties had found common ground on economy and that they had gone through all points.

He labelled the discussion as very good, noting that he was satisfied with Virant's election as the speaker of the National Assembly. Talks on the distribution of government departments will follow.

Asked whether he would resume talks with the People's Party (SLS), which had ruled out the possibility of entering a coalition led by him, Jankovic said he would talk will all parties.

He also said that a meeting with the head of the Social Democrats (SD) Borut Pahor yesterday was constructive and that the party's comments on the programme proposed showed "a desire that a government is formed".