PRESS REVIEW FROM SLOVENIA

Ljubljana, 8 May - DNEVNIK: CROSS-EXAMINATIONS - Candidates for the new cabinet cross-examined by parliamentary bodies had little new to tell. Because the parties of the new ruling coalition criticized the old government for what they failed to do or did wrong, it was expected that the new ministers would show more fortitude and give some concrete proposals for short term moves. It is of course possible that the ministers are hiding their cards up their sleeves, but the more worrisome thought is that they will do no more than make cosmetic modifications of the previous government. There are two reasons for their silence: one is that the opposition didn't miss the chance to tell them that they will be ministers for only six months, the other that they do not know how the parliament will vote next week. The fact that the candidates survived the cross-examinations safe and sound, does not mean that things will go as easy in the parliament as they did in the case of Peterle's government two years ago, says Joe Poglajen.