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Fakin, whose second four-year term at the helm of the Slovenian Health Insurance Institute (ZSSS) ends on 15 May, told the press on Monday that SMC secretary general Erik Kopač and deputy government secretary general Jaka Slokan called on him on Friday to withdraw the candidacy.

"They urged me to withdraw the candidacy with an argument that I don't have the party's support in parliament and that they want to carry out a reform with their representative," Fakin said. He added that he will not withdraw, labelling the proposal as inadmissible interference in the appointment procedure.

Fakin noted that the candidate for ZZZS director general is first voted on by the executive committee and the general assembly of the institute, before being put for confirmation to parliament. "This is the first time something like this happened in the institute's history," he added.

According to Fakin, the pressure is coming from "individuals working behind the back of Prime Minister Miro Cerar and Health Minister Milojka Kolar Celarc". He has already informed the ZZZS executive committee and Minister Kolar Celarc about this.

Fakin believes the reason for the pressure is that he has "prevented lobbies from breaking into the public purse" for eight years. "I'm afraid that someone is trying to open the door to lobbies," he said, pointing in the direction of construction and pharmaceutical lobbies.

Fakin stressed that the positions of the ZZZS and the programme of the SMC are similar when in comes to healthcare.

"I don't understand why they want to carry out a reform with their representative. Healthcare reforms are not prepared by the ZZZS, but by the ministry, where they already have their representative."

Besides Fakin, also in running for the ZZZS director general are doctor Miro Lasbaher, the head of the ZZZS finance department Janko Štok and former State Secretary at the Interior Ministry Zvonko Zinrajh.

The ZZZS executive committee will carry out the first round of interviews with the candidates on 15 January.