LJUBLJANA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian President Borut Pahor said he prefered an early general election for a new prime minister rather than putting forward a prime minister-designate for the approval of the National Assembly after the resignation of Prime Minister Miro Cerar on Wednesday.
He believed that it makes more sense to call early general elections, expectedly in the second half of May, as he said in an announcement from his office on Thursday after he received Cerar to get acquainted with the reasons for resignation, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).
"President Pahor has assessed that the resignation of the prime minister will result in early election, expectedly in the second half of May," said the announcement.
Though Pahor will not propose a prime minister-designate to the National Assembly, a proposal can be also put forward by the parliament.
The president will consult on this and possible dates of the early election with the heads of deputy groups next week, the STA reported.
Cerar presented his resignation to Parliamentary Speaker Milan Brglez on Thursday after announcing the decision on Wednesday. It came in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling to annul the result of a September referendum that approved the government's biggest investment program, a railway project worth 1 billion euros (1.23 billion U.S. dollars.)
The blocked 24-km Second Track Divaca-Koper railway project is intended to connect the coastal cities of Koper and Divaca, and extend to Ljubljana as well. Media reports said Cerar has considered the project vital for Slovenia's development.
Under the law, the National Assembly has to acknowledge his resignation within seven days.
