Presenting the motion to the press on Wednesday, SDS deputy group leader Jože Tanko said that more than EUR 1bn in state guarantees had been secured for all deposits, including those exceeding EUR 100,000, in the two small private banks.

He said this was more than EUR 160m. "We are against socialising the obligations of those who have above-average assets," he said, adding that this would cost EUR 200 per capita.

Tanko added that Čufer violated the banking act by refusing to reveal the names of those who will be fully repaid deposits exceeding EUR 100,000, and criticised him for failing to withdraw EUR 600m of government deposits in the two banks on time.

He also noted that responsibility for the situation at both banks would have been revealed with stress tests and the transfer of non-performing loans to the emerging bad bank. "These procedures will be largely avoided with the supervised liquidation."

The largest opposition party first revealed the plan to subject Čufer to an interpellation vote soon after Šircelj's dismissal from the Bank Asset Management Company (BAMC) was announced. Tanko said today Šircelj had not been removed because of his incapacity, but that other reasons had prevailed.

While the SDS argues the Finance Ministry has failed to apply standard legal procedure in the dismissal of Šircelj, the coalition parties as well as the SDS's fellow opposition New Slovenia (NSi) have been pointing out that is incompatible to simultaneously serve as an MP and a non-executive director of the bad bank.

The fellow opposition New Slovenia (NSi) however failed to join the motion, which has only been signed by 26 SDS deputies. The NSi and the fellow opposition People's Party (SLS) said that their vote would depend on Čufer's arguments in his response to the motion.

The coalition Social Democrats (SD) meanwhile responded to the motion by saying it was unnecessary, and the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) said it would not endorse it. The ruling Positive Slovenia (PS) and the Citizens' List (DL) are yet to examine the proposal.

Branimir Štrukelj, the head of the KSJS trade union confederation, said that the biggest opposition party wanted to destabilise the country by demanding the ousting of the finance minister.

Dušan Semolič of the ZZZS trade union association is also reserved about the motion. He told the STA that trade unions had frequently criticised Čufer, but always in relation to a concrete decision.

The SDS is moreover proposing that the government budget proposal for the coming two years be withdrawn from legislative procedure. The planned revenues will not be reached because of the changed macro-economic forecasts, Tanko said.

While saying the SLS did not sign the motion to support it, MP Mihael Prevc said that the main problem was the 2014 budget. Since it is unrealistic and introduces additional tax burdens, it will not take Slovenia out of the crisis.