The Slovenia Times

Crisis Manager Starman New President of Citizens' List

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Starman was endorsed almost unanimously to replace Gregor Virant, who resigned as leader after the party barely won 1% in the recent eurovote, at the meeting featuring around 150 party delegates.

The 63-year-old former manager of several well-known Slovenian companies was unrivalled in his bid for the job, after Virant refused to sign off on a nomination for reelection put forward by a number of the delegates.

In his address, Starman said his top priority will be to put the party back on track from its drop in the ratings following spells in both the right-leaning and left-leaning cabinets that have governed Slovenia since the 2011 parliamentary election.

Announcing a pro-business and anti-corruption platform, he said the aim was to "hand back this country, which has been hijacked and pillaged, the into the hands of the people".

As part of today's congress, the party endorsed an election manifesto featuring 112 measures dealing mostly with boosting economic competitiveness and improving political culture in the country.

Among the listed priorities are tax cuts, reductions in public debt, accessible health and schooling and measures to create opportunities for young people.

Admitting he lacks experience in politics, Starman said he was determined to show that he still had what it takes to resurrect a struggling organisation.

He also expressed belief that the DL can still emerge the winner of the 13 July snap poll. "If we get the required support, I'm confident that we can make good things happen for the people."

Touching on the DL's struggles in the polls, he assessed that while taking many steps in the right direction the party "may have caused itself harm with certain statements in the past".

In spite of the leadership change, the heart of the party will continue to beat to the same tune, said Starman, who indicated that an anti-corruption platform will remain a key feature.

Another leading priority of the party will be to improve the conditions for doing business, where he intends to apply his experience from the business sector.

Starman oversaw the restructuring of a number of high profile Slovenian companies that ran into trouble in the 1990s and early 2000s.

He entered politics in 2004 on the ticket of the Democratic Party (SDS), winning a seat in parliament, before returning for another spell in business in 2008, as part of which he was put in charge of restructuring the collapsed clothing giant Mura.

He joined DL when it was formed by Virant and several supporters ahead of the 2011 parliamentary elections.

Virant, the outgoing interior minister, announced today he was temporarily withdrawing from politics. This is the only right thing to do after the party's recent battering in the polls, he said.

Maintaining that he does not regret any of his decisions, Virant assessed in his address that he may have been "too undiplomatic for politics", while also being overly naive and idealistic at times.

"I was convinced that we live in a normal country and that the damning 2012 report from the Corruption Prevention Corruption spelled the political end of [Democratic Party - SDS leader] Janez Janša and [Positive Slovenia - PS leader] Zoran Janković.

"Instead, in a paradoxical twist, it spelled the beginning of the end of my political career," he said.

Touting Starman's economic credentials, Virant assessed that he would make for an excellent party leader. "Given that Slovenia is currently not in the best economic shape, he is just the man this country needs."

In a ceremonial handing over of the baton, Virant handed Starman a model airplane, in an apparent reference to scandal regarding cheap airfares that plagued him this year. "I wish you have a more comfortable flight than I did."

With an election looming, Starman delved into possible post-election alliances, announcing that his party was ready to form coalitions with anybody "supporting our basic premise that we must restore order in this country".

Virant, who announced he would stay a member of the DL, meanwhile assessed that the party should focus on forming alliances in the centre, where he currently sees only the recently-established Party of Miro Cerar (SMC).

The party also held elections for the three vice-presidential positions today. Current vice presidents Alojz Selišnik and Saša Markovič were reelected and Rihard Braniselj, the head of the DL group in parliament, was elected third vice president.

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