Ljubljana - The ruling Democratic Party (SDS) has responded to the resignation of the STA director Bojan Veselinovič with the party's MP Mojca Škrinjar expressing the hope "this act will end the STA saga".

Škrinjar said she hoped a new director of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) would start implementing the agreement and government regulation that ensured STA financing and that the agency would operate in line with the law and Slovenia's needs.

She said the SDS believed the government regulation on the STA public service guaranteed the agency's funding. She said the STA regulation and law upheld the STA's independence.

Veselinovič resigned today over what he said were unsuccessful talks with the director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija on the STA public service agreement for 2021.

Veselinovič said he could not consent to "terms with which a government representative is extorting for the payment of the public service, which the STA has been providing free for the 273rd day".

Other coalition parties have not yet responded to the STA's request for comment.