Ljubljana - Janez Cigler Kralj, the head of the deputy group of the opposition New Slovenia (NSi), officially submitted his bid for the presidential election on Tuesday. Backed by the NSi and its MPs, he is counting on making it to the second round. He will advocate for hard workers and entrepreneurs as well as the marginalised.

As he filed his candidacy with the National Electoral Commission, he said that during his campaign and if elected he would strive for "those who are creative, those who are entrepreneurial and those who are competent to be respected and valued again", and for work that provides a decent living to be valued again.

He also plans to strive for all those who were forgotten in the last three decades and marginalised. A key priority of his will also be efforts to strengthen peace and security, including through modernisation and investment in the Slovenian Armed Forces.

Cigler Kralj also pointed to efforts at the European and global levels for the strengthening and uniting of all defence forces in the changing world, which he thinks needs joint action for peace and security.

Asked what election result he expected, the former minister for labour, the family, social affairs and equal opportunities said that his team was taking "one step at a time". First the goal is to get to the second round, he said.

NSi head Matej Tonin said Cigler Kralj's candidacy increased the chances of a second round, especially for right-leaning candidates. He thinks right-leaning voters now finally have their candidate and will subsequently turn out in the election in great numbers. The party has thus done a lot for democracy and Slovenia finally getting a right-leaning president, he said.