Karl Erjavec
Encyclopedia
Karl Viktor Erjavec is a Slovenia
n lawyer and politician. Since 2005, he has been the president of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
. From 21 November 2008 until 26 January 2010, Erjavec held the position of the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning in the government of prime minister Borut Pahor
. On 26 January 2010, after several months of judicial and political demands for his dismissal, Erjavec announced his resignation in the National Assembly
.
Erjavec was born in Aiseau
, Belgium
, into a family of Slovene immigrants. He moved to Slovenia in 1972, when the family returned home. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana
in 1985 under the supervision of the renowned legal expert Rajko Pirnat. He entered public service after democratisation in 1990, when the new democratic municipal authorities of the town of Kranj
named him as head of the local administration. In 1993, he joined the Slovene Christian Democrats
. Between 1995 and 2000, he worked as the secretary of the Slovenian ombudsman
Ivo Bizjak, his party colleague. In 2000, when Bizjak was named as Minister of Justice in the centre-left government of Janez Drnovšek
, Erjavec became the secretary at the ministry. During this period, he rose to prominence because of his decisive actions against corruption in the justice system.
In 2004, Erjavec joined Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
. Just before the parliamentary election of 2004, he joined the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
. The same year, he was elected to the Slovenian National Assembly. When his party joined the centre right government coalition of Janez Janša
, Erjavec became Minister of Defence. In 2005, he was elected president of the Democratic Party of Pensioners. After the parliamentary election of 2008
, the party entered the left wing government coalition of Borut Pahor
, and Erjavec was named Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning.
On 26 January 2010, Erjavec announced his resignation in the National Assembly
, and on 27 January 2010, he officially resigned in a letter to the Prime Minister. That happened after several months of political pressures that centered primarily on the demand of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia
for the dismissal of Erjavec as he failed to secure an efficient waste management
system. His resignation became valid on 2 February 2010, after the Prime Minister informed the National Assembly about it. On 12 February 2010, Erjavec was succeeded by Roko Žarnić. In January 2011, Žarnić stated that his predecessor had too little time to settle the issue of waste.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n lawyer and politician. Since 2005, he has been the president of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
The Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia is a Slovenian political party led by Karl Erjavec.DeSUS was a member of the government led by prime minister Janez Janša until 2008...
. From 21 November 2008 until 26 January 2010, Erjavec held the position of the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning in the government of prime minister Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
. On 26 January 2010, after several months of judicial and political demands for his dismissal, Erjavec announced his resignation in the National Assembly
National Assembly (Slovenia)
The National Assembly is the general representative body of the Slovenian nation. According to the Constitution of Slovenia and the Constitutional Court of Slovenia, it is the major part of the distinctively incompletely bicameral legislative branch of the Republic of Slovenia. It is unicameral...
.
Erjavec was born in Aiseau
Aiseau
Aiseau is an old small village of Wallonia , gathered with other villages in the municipality of Aiseau-Presles*Postal area: 6250 *Province: Hainaut*District: Charleroi...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, into a family of Slovene immigrants. He moved to Slovenia in 1972, when the family returned home. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
in 1985 under the supervision of the renowned legal expert Rajko Pirnat. He entered public service after democratisation in 1990, when the new democratic municipal authorities of the town of Kranj
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
named him as head of the local administration. In 1993, he joined the Slovene Christian Democrats
Slovene Christian Democrats
The Slovene Christian Democrats was a Christian Democrat political party in Slovenia between 1989 and 2000.It was founded as the Slovene Christian Social Movement in March of 1989. Its first president was Peter Kovačič Peršin...
. Between 1995 and 2000, he worked as the secretary of the Slovenian ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
Ivo Bizjak, his party colleague. In 2000, when Bizjak was named as Minister of Justice in the centre-left government of Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia . He was born in Celje, Slovenia, then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia...
, Erjavec became the secretary at the ministry. During this period, he rose to prominence because of his decisive actions against corruption in the justice system.
In 2004, Erjavec joined Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
. Just before the parliamentary election of 2004, he joined the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
The Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia is a Slovenian political party led by Karl Erjavec.DeSUS was a member of the government led by prime minister Janez Janša until 2008...
. The same year, he was elected to the Slovenian National Assembly. When his party joined the centre right government coalition of Janez Janša
Janez Janša
Janez Janša is a Slovenian politician who was Prime Minister of Slovenia from November 2004 to November 2008. He has also been President of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1993...
, Erjavec became Minister of Defence. In 2005, he was elected president of the Democratic Party of Pensioners. After the parliamentary election of 2008
Slovenian parliamentary election, 2008
Parliamentary elections for the 90 deputies to the National Assembly of Slovenia were held on 21 September 2008. 17 parties filed to run in the election, including all nine parliamentary parties...
, the party entered the left wing government coalition of Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
, and Erjavec was named Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning.
On 26 January 2010, Erjavec announced his resignation in the National Assembly
National Assembly (Slovenia)
The National Assembly is the general representative body of the Slovenian nation. According to the Constitution of Slovenia and the Constitutional Court of Slovenia, it is the major part of the distinctively incompletely bicameral legislative branch of the Republic of Slovenia. It is unicameral...
, and on 27 January 2010, he officially resigned in a letter to the Prime Minister. That happened after several months of political pressures that centered primarily on the demand of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia
Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia
The Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia is the highest body for supervising state accounts, the state budget and all public spending in Slovenia. The Constitution of Slovenia further provides that the Court of Audit is independent in the performance of its duties and bound by the...
for the dismissal of Erjavec as he failed to secure an efficient waste management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
system. His resignation became valid on 2 February 2010, after the Prime Minister informed the National Assembly about it. On 12 February 2010, Erjavec was succeeded by Roko Žarnić. In January 2011, Žarnić stated that his predecessor had too little time to settle the issue of waste.