The Slovenia Times

Opposition announce vote of no confidence in education minister

Politics

Ljubljana - Four centre-left parties are planning to file a motion to vote Education Minister Simona Kustec out of office, arguing that two weeks before the start of the new school year, it is still not clear how primary and secondary schools will organise the education process while the epidemiological situation in the country is deteriorating.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by Tanja Fajon, leader of the Social Democrats (SD) after a meeting of the leaders of the remaining three parties - the LMŠ, SAB and Left.

Fajon told the press that the no-confidence motion could be filed to the National Assembly within a week.

"It's as if the education minister has not been here for the past year and a half," Fajon said in reference to what the opposition sees as Kustec's inaction during the coronavirus epidemic.

The four parties are mulling more interpellation motions, including against Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak, which Fajon said would be panned by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ).

The other three party leaders did not speak to the press.

The centre-left opposition has mounted an ouster motion against Kustec in spring, but she survived it in a 41:38 vote, as 46 votes are needed to sack a minister.

It seems to be clear that voluntary self-testing will be introduced for secondary schools students and for kids in the last three years of primary school.

Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar said yesterday that for students under 18 years of age, tests will be paid for by the state.

If the country entere red stage of the epidemic, testing is expected to become mandatory and more frequent than once a week, yet many issues are yet to be agreed on.

Several meetings are scheduled for Wednesday between kindergarten, primary and secondary school head teachers, and representatives of the education and health ministries.

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