Slovenia presidential election set for November 11

PanARMENIAN.Net - Euro zone member Slovenia will hold a regular presidential election on November 11, Parliamentary Speaker Gregor Virant said on Wednesday, July 25, according to Reuters.

One of president's duties will next year be to nominate a central bank governor who will also sit on the ECB's governing council next year as the mandate of the present Governor Marko Kranjec expires in June 2013.

Slovenia adopted the euro in 2007 but is now burdened by recession, high unemployment and rising amount of non-performing loans in state-owned banks.

Otherwise the president is mainly a ceremonial figure who is elected for a five-year period. The incumbent President Danilo Turk, who is independent but enjoys the support of the main opposition party the centre-left Positive Slovenia, said he would run for re-election, while the previous centre-left prime minister Borut Pahor also plans to run. Most opinion polls show Turk is likely to be re-elected.

A member of the European parliament Milan Zver will be a presidential candidate of the centre-right Social Democrats of the Prime Minister Janez Jansa.