Roman Žveglič, a vice-president of the Trade Union of Farmers, has become the president of the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry (KGZS) to succeed Cveto Zupančič, who is bidding farewell after two four-year terms.
Žveglič, an ex-MP for the now non-parliamentary People’s Party (SLS), beat SLS leader Marjan Podobnik in a 29:25 vote on Tuesday after both secured 27 votes on Monday.
The vote came after the new KGZS council – elected in late September and early October – met for a maiden session to elect the chamber’s new leadership.
Podobnik’s candidacy was opposed by several new councillors, who argued the chamber should be led by a farmer not by a political party leader.
They thus put forward Žveglič, who was elected a council member for the trade union. They argued he was the only one who could beat Podobnik and “lead the chamber honourably and in line with common sense”.
Thanking council members for the trust, Žveglič said he hoped he would not let them down and added there would be much to do during the coming four years.
It should be clearly defined what an active farmer is and what family farms are, while small farmers who have a hard time entering the market should be taken care of, he said.
He announced cooperation with all agricultural NGOs and businesses “so that we can start changing things in Slovenian agriculture for the better”.
He believes that the transfer of know-how from expert services to farmers should be improved. “Here we’ll have to work hard,” he told the press.
Beef sales will have to be looked into, with the KGZS acting as a link between farmers and businesses as well as consumers, with improvements also needed in food traceability.
Before the vote, Žveglič announced he would run the KGZS as a professional president, meaning this would be his full-time paid job.
Although the leadership contest between Podobnik and Žveligč was bitter, Podobnik has already congratulated the new president on Twitter.
The new council also elected Marjan Golavšek and Janez Šimenc the chamber’s vice-presidents, the KGZS said in today’s press release.
All the new bodies of the largest non-governmental agricultural organisation, including a new governing board, will assume office on 2 November.
The KGZS council as the top KGZS body features representatives of physical and legal persons from agriculture.
Physical persons represent a number of agricultural societies, while Podobnik was elected a council member as a representatives of legal persons.
