Pahor said in a video address posted on his web page on Saturday that he had had exhaustive talks with Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek and central bank Governor Boštjan Jazbec in the past days.

The president said that the government's plan was to restore normal economic framework through bank reconstruction. "Only then will we prove that we have invested taxpayers' money wisely and responsibly into the recuperation of the bank system."

"I believe it is necessary....to privatise state-owned banks and attract foreign investors - not only for the banks but also to revive the economy in general," he said, echoing the position presented by Finance Minister Uroš Čufer and the governor on Thursday.

Jazbec reiterated for the Saturday edition of the daily Večer that Slovenia must privatise the bank system and determine accountability for the problems.

He added that Banka Slovenije cooperated closely with the police and the prosecution. He added that criminal claims are being filed every week relating to Probanka and Faktor banka, which are undergoing a controlled winding-down.

But "one must know that Banka Slovenije does not have the powers to prosecute crime," he said.

Slovenia must show that it has broken off the tradition of ineffective state asset management, he said. Privatisation is needed because Slovenia cannot allow to have its citizens bail out banks again.

The governor believes that political stability and support for reforms will be key in Slovenia's efforts to restore its reputation.

"To be honest, political developments in Slovenia do not help in our efforts to restore economic growth as soon as possible," the governor said.