The two posts were vacated on Thursday by Janez Šušteršič and Senko Pličanič, respectively, after the Citizen's List (DL) left the coalition over a graft report that found Janša had run afoul the country's integrity law.

Janša reportedly first asked fellow coalition New Slovenia (NSi) president and Minister for Slovenians Abroad Ljudmila Novak to replace Pličanič. She declined, saying the "two departments are demanding and require specific competences, experience and the whole person".

"I cannot accept this responsibility," the head of the only coalition party that continues to stand behind Janša and his Democrats (SDS) told the press ahead of today's government session.

According to unofficial information, NSi member and former Higher Education Minister Mojca Kucler Dolinar is to become state secretary at the Justice and Public Administration Ministry.

Moreover, state secretary in the PM's office Bernard Brščič and SDS MP Andrej Šircelj, who heads the parliamentary Finance and Monetary Policy Committee, will reportedly become state secretaries at the Finance Ministry.

The appointments, which come after the DL's withdrawal and the pending departure from the coalition also of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and People's Party (SLS), mean the SDS now controls half of the 12 ministerial posts in the cabinet.