WEBVTT

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Hello. Here to present
the decisions

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from today's government meeting

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is Finance Minister
Klemen Boštjančič.

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Thank you. Hello to everyone.

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As we had announced,
the government

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analyzed the measures proposed
by budget users

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and which will help us
ensure that Slovenia

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will remain financially
stable, credible,

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and development-oriented.

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This step will reduce
the estimated deficit for 2026.

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According to the April
spontaneous scenario,

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it's at 3.4% of the GDP.
This will be reduced

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to the previously estimated 2.9%
of the GDP.

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I'd like to emphasize
that the difference

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between these two projections
is not the result

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of a single decision,
but several factors.

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They include a minimum wage hike
and associated transfers,

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higher healthcare costs,

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expedited use of cohesion funds,
which means greater

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payouts to the EU budget,

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the introduction of winter bonuses,
and costs associated

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with the Velenje Coal Mine.

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In order to keep
the deficit below 3% of the GDP,

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at 2.9%, the government
analyzed a range of measures

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totaling €370 million,
which is 0.5% of the GDP.

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We will ensure a portion
of this amount

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through greater revenue
from taxes on corporate income.

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Because of good economic
performance last year,

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we estimate an additional
€120 million

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in additional revenue
that had not been forecast.

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A further €250 million
from reduced spending

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will come from various ministries
and the Health Insurance Institute.

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The largest share of adjustments
will be made in defense,

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about €100 million.

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Other measures will
be proposed by all ministries

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based on their spending plans.

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The final measures will be approved
at next week's government meeting.

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It's important to emphasize
that this isn't a linear cut

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in public spending
or the dismantling

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of the welfare state.
It's a temporary, targeted

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adjustment of public spending
at a time when we need

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to maintain trust in
public finances and ensure

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stability in the years ahead.
I'd like to stress something else.

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This government has had
a responsible public finance

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policy throughout this term.
It's not something I say offhand

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or because of political
circumstances,

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but on the basis of specific data,
credit ratings,

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and international institutions.
Over the last four years,

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we managed to gradually reduce
the deficit and increase

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spending for the public good,
strengthen the welfare state,

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repair the damage
from natural disasters,

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and maintain the economic
stability of the state.

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We're following
the same responsible course today.

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We're not kicking the can
down the road,

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we're not hiding the numbers,
and we're not waiting

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for the next government.
We're acting on time,

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transparently, and with
a clear goal: to maintain

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financial stability and allow
the state to keep its commitments

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to the public in the future.
Public finances aren't

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and shouldn't be
an ideological question.

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I hope this realization
is shared by those

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who have spent the last
four years, and particularly

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the last months, manipulating data
and damaging Slovenia's credibility,

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not just at home
but also abroad.

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We're leaving public finances
within the permissible

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deficit range, below 3%,
and with a public debt

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of 65.7% of the GDP.

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What will happen to public
finances now, especially

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after the passage
of the emergency bill,

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is the responsibility of those
who voted for it.

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Next Thursday, the government
will approve the decisions

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made at today's meeting
and make the necessary

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redistributive adjustments.
-Thank you, Minister.

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A question from STA.
Go ahead.

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Manja Delašjava, STA.

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How many proposals
for spending cuts have you received?

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I don't want to get
into specific proposals.

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About half of all ministries
have submitted

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specific proposals. We discussed
them not just today,

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but also over the past
few days.

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As mentioned, today we determined
the amount,

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based on the allocated
spending of each ministry,

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that each one will need
to make available for cuts.

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We instructed the ministries
to inform the Finance Ministry

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about the measures by Monday.

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We'll take a closer look at them
in the next few days,

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analyze their financial impact,

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and wrap things up
by approving the measures

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on Thursday.

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What is the approximate value
of the proposals you've received?

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As I mentioned,
we're not far

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from the number we need
to reach. I won't get

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into specific numbers today.
I'll share them

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after next week's
government meeting.

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You mentioned several areas
where most of the savings

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will come from. Where can
you make further cuts?

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As the Finance Minister,
I have my own views on that,

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but each minister is responsible

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for the functioning of
his or her own ministry

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and everything that goes with that,
so I don't want to

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impose my views,
but I've stated many times

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which areas deserve
more attention.

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No more questions? We've
received a written question

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from Erika Štular of Radio Slovenia:
What do you expect tomorrow

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regarding GDP growth
in the first quarter?

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The Statistical Office
will publish its data then.

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I say, let's wait
another 24 hours.

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I'll respond tomorrow to
the data provided

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by the Financial Office.
I don't want to prejudice

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what the Financial... Statistical
Office will publish tomorrow.

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Thank you very much. This
concludes today's statement.

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Thank you.