Slovenia´s agriculture minister resigns

˝I'm resigning due to all the pressure that has been put on me,˝ Pogacnik told journalists at a news conference.

LJUBLJANA, March 10, 2010 (AFP) - Slovenia's agriculture minister Milan Pogacnik resigned Wednesday, a day after police detained him as part of a sweeping investigation into corruption.

"I'm resigning due to all the pressure that has been put on me," Pogacnik told journalists at a news conference called by him and Prime Minister Borut Pahor.

He added the corruption allegations against him "are false".

Police said Tuesday they had detained four people, including members of parliament, as part of a large-scale investigation into economic crime, corruption and other irregularities.

The police did not name the detainees, but local media said Pogacnik and two members of the parliamentary nationalist Slovenian National Party (SNS), including leader Zmago Jelincic, were among them.

Their offices and homes were also searched, reports said.

Private online channel 24ur.com added Wednesday that Pogacnik was being investigated for offering a construction permit to Jelincic in exchange for SNS's support during a confidence vote in parliament.

The centre-right opposition had moved the vote against Pogacnik, blaming him for an incident last February when three dogs attacked and killed their owner in Ljubljana.

The deal between Pogacnik and Jelincic was discovered by chance during an investigation of another SNS deputy, Srecko Prijatelj, who was also detained Tuesday after allegedly receiving more than 300,000 euros (400,000 dollars) in bribes from a businessman, 24ur reported.