Aleksandra Pivec

Pivec was born on 26 March 1972 in Ptuj.[1] Her family is known for wine-making.[2]

Pivec has a Bachelor of Science and a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Ljubljana.[2][3] Her thesis was on the optimisation of wine fermentation processes.[1]

Pivec worked at the Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj for 17 years, including 6 years as its director.[2][4] She served as state secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad from 2016 before being appointed Minister for Agriculture in the government of Marjan Šarec on 13 September 2018.[1][2] She gained wide media exposure as a minister, appearing at numerous events across the country.[2]

Pivec became leader of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia on 18 January 2020, defeating Defence Minister Karl Erjavec, who then resigned.[5][2] In the campaign leading up to the election, the media had focused on Pivec's failure to report money she made consulting for a state-funded tourism project to the anti-graft commission as required by law.[2][4] She became Deputy Prime Minister in the government of Prime Minister Janez Janša on 13 March 2020.[4] On 9 September she resigned as President of DeSUS and on 5 October she resigned as Minister of Agriculture, being acting Minister until 15 October, and terminated her membership in DeSUS. The resignation came after a call for interpelation after scandals of corruption erupted at her visit to VinoKras and Municipality of Izola. Party DeSUS denied her support at voting for her interpelation. Anti-corruption commission confirmed she acted corruptively which Pivec challenged at a court only the verdict to be confirmed by said court. She continues to play victim and denies any wrong doing in both scandals.

• Berovič, Marin; Pivec, Aleksandra; Košmerl, Tatjana; Wondra, Mojmir; Čelan, Štefan (February 2007). "Influence of heat shock on glycerol production in alcohol fermentation". Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering. 103 (2): 135–139. doi:10.1263/jbb.103.135. PMID 17368395.
• Kostevšek, Anja; Petek, Janez; Čuček, Lidija; Pivec, Aleksandra (1 October 2013). "Conceptual design of a municipal energy and environmental system as an efficient basis for advanced energy planning". Energy. 60: 148–158. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2013.07.044.
• Kostevšeka, Anja; Cizelj, Leon; Petek, Janez; Pivec, Aleksandra (December 2013). "A novel concept for a renewable network within municipal energy systems". Renewable Energy. 60: 79–87. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2013.04.013.