The decision by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa to remove Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec from negotiations on the Ljubljanska Banka dispute most likely means that his meeting with Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic, scheduled for February 19 in Zagreb, will not take place, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
According to Slovenian news agency STA, Erjavec said that he would not comment on Jansa's decision for now, but noted that his meetings with Pusic had set a good framework to resolve the Ljubljanska Banka problem.
Erjavec and his Democratic Party of Pensioners (DESUS) have announced their withdrawal from the government for February 22. Erjavec might comment on Jansa's decision to remove him from negotiations with Croatia at a press conference early next week, diplomatic sources in Ljubljana said.
Jansa's office issued a statement earlier on Friday saying that the state-secretary in the PM's cabinet, Ambassador Tone Kajzer, would assume Erjavec's role in negotiations with Croatia on Ljubljanska Banka.
