Committee Puts Insurer Triglav on Strategic Assets List
The classification of Zavarovalnica Triglav as one of the companies that are off limits for privatisation was insisted on by the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), which encouraged the opposition argument that an initially promising strategy had been ruined by political horse trading.
The long-awaited strategy is set to improve management of state share holdings, with the core goal of achieving a return on investment of 9% by 2020.
The categorisations of the key assets has been dividing the coalition but also the opposition, with the radical United Left (ZL) again arguing the document presented a strategy for privatisation and conservative parties saying it did not go far enough.
The ZL had unsuccessfully put forward several amendment proposals, including on inserting non-commercial goals related to employment, worker participation in decision making, as well on reincluding in the classification companies that were already slated for privatisation in 2013.
While the ZL moreover wanted household appliance maker Gorenje, pharma company Krka and energy trader Petrol on the list of strategic companies, the coalition did adopt an amendment affecting railways operator Slovenske železnice.
Passenger and freight transport, infrastructure, construction and towage have been defined as strategic, which is why the state is to keep more than 50% in these railway investments.
Alenka Bratušek of the opposition ZaAB was meanwhile especially bothered by the coalition amendment allowing changes to the strategy after a year.
She said the original goal had been the adoption of the strategy with broad consensus, while now it will be possible to change it in line with the wishes of each government.
MPs of the ruling Modern Centre Party (SMC) meanwhile defended the strategy, speaking about poor results related to state management due to political meddling and rejecting the horse trading argument.
SMC deputy Tilen Božič said putting Triglav on the strategic companies list was justified given the criteria in the strategy.
On the other hand, departing from the line of the coalition SocDems, the party's MP Janko Veber said he would not back the strategy, since it envisaged the privatisation of banks, which he feels leaves the state without the tools for individual sector strategies. "Nothing will be in our hands if banks are owned by foreigners," he said.