Slovenia's new government expected to be voted in

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's National Assembly will convene on Friday evening to approve Slovenia's new center-right government as soon as the final four ministerial nominees undergo their hearings before the relevant parliamentary committees, according to the Slovenian Press Agency STA.

The government, the third one to be led by Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) leader Janez Jansa, is expected to meet for its first session soon after it is sworn in to adopt additional measures designed to curb the coronavirus spread in the country.

Jansa announced Thursday that the new government would form a crisis headquarters at its first session and take sweeping lockdown measures.

This was in response to an urgent appeal by Slovenian infectious disease specialists for public life to be brought to a standstill as the Slovenian government declared a coronavirus epidemic on Thursday after the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 96 in the country.

Last month, Slovenian President Borut Pahor nominated Jansa as the country's prime minister after four parties had reached an agreement on forming a center-right coalition.

Jansa formally nominated his 16-member cabinet on March 6.