Press Release
The Government approves the Slovenian Exit Strategy 2010 - 2013
At today's regular session, the Government approved the exit strategy as one of the key documents which comprehensively addresses the situation in Slovenia after the economic and financial crisis and includes a number of measures aimed at raising economic growth and competitiveness. In addition, the Government approved Pomurje Development programme, and discussed Slovenia’s status in relation to the EU budget.
Prime minister Pahor and Minister for Development Gaspari explaining the Exit Strategy, PHOTO: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
Exit strategy for greater competitiveness
The Slovenian exit strategy 2010–2013, which was approved by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia today, is a combination of economic policy measures, structural changes and institutional adjustments, and seeks to encourage economic activity, ensure the gradual elimination of macroeconomic imbalances and achieve a gradual increase in economic growth while considering social and environmental environment aspects.
One of the key objectives of the strategy is ensuring that short-term measures against the crisis and long-term structural changes conform. Thus the Government will ensure the transition to a competitive, socially and environmentally responsible and knowledge-based society by promoting creativity and innovation, and consequently improving the quality of life.
The main guideline of the economic policy measures is the consolidation of public finances by defining the extent of public spending with fiscal regulation, and the structure of public spending based on development priorities, which are in the long term aimed at creating jobs and knowledge, promoting and establishing creative companies, greater employability, activity and qualifications of individuals, and a development-based transport and energy infrastructure, whereby the emphasis included in all priority measures is also a gradual transition to an environmentally efficient, low-carbon society.
The goal of the exit strategy is economic growth, sustainable in the long-term and based on a combination of economic policy measures, structural measures and institutional adjustments. To attain these objectives, coordinated activities in all mentioned areas are essential.
To improve the development efficiency of the financial system, guarantee schemes and government guarantees will be updated and amended. Institutions offering financial aid to the economy will be re-structured so as to ensure more transparent access to funds. After a comprehensive appraisal, the maximum insurance base for the calculation of social contributions will be adopted to improve competitiveness by lowering the costs connected to jobs with a high added value. In addition, there are changes in the regulation of so-called “mini jobs”, which will significantly change the regulation of student work and employment relationships, contributing to the implementation of flexicurity. Government grants to companies aimed at keeping jobs will be replaced by improved measures on active employment policy, social programmes and lifelong learning policies, which will be closely tied to structural reforms. The introduction of a single entry point for social rights system will contribute to greater social cohesion, as it will significantly improve the efficiency of the system of social security and rights financing from public funds, while simplifying access to social transfers to which an individual is entitled. Institutional adjustments foresee changes which will enable the better functioning of markets and more efficient management of public property.
The exit strategy is to be approved by the National Assembly this month.
More information: Government Office for Development and European Affairs, Helena Vodušek, Public Relations (+386 1 478 2420, helena.vodusek@gov.si)
Slovenia remains a net beneficiary of EU funds
In 2009, Slovenia received a total of €595.010 million from the European Communities’ Budget. This means that it has remained a net beneficiary since 2008, having recorded a net budget surplus of €155,709,592.
One of the reasons for maintaining net beneficiary status was the improved capacity to acquire cohesion policy funds, with a 97% realisation rate. In 2009, among its efforts to combat the economic and financial crisis, the Government approved a series of measures to boost the acquisition of EU funds, which simplify the planning and approval of projects, streamline the payment, monitoring and reporting systems, and provide for more accurate planning of the implementation of the cohesion policy.
More information: the Ministry of Finance, Urška Štorman, Public Relations (+386 1 369 6436, urska.storman[@]mf-rs.si), Government Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Nina Omerza, Public Relations (+386 1 400 5555, nina.omerza@gov.si)
Foreign investment in Pomurje to create new jobs
The Pomurje Development Programme for 2010–2015 marks a turning point in the development of the country’s easternmost region, which borders Austria and Hungary. The programme is intended to create new jobs, while preserving existing ones, to facilitate development infrastructure, and alleviate the effects of the economic and financial crisis in the Pomurje Region.
When the textile giant Mura d.d. succumbed to the economic and financial crisis, over a thousand people lost their jobs, which further exacerbated social conditions in Slovenia’s least developed region.
Therefore, the key objective of the programme to boost competitiveness, which was approved by the Government today, is to create new jobs, particularly those with added value. The key development measures for restructuring the region (promoting business investment and creating new jobs, encouraging HR development, social entrepreneurship and promoting foreign investment) focus on three long-term priorities:
- Using geothermal energy and other renewables
The region has several sources of geothermal and other renewable energy that have been largely neglected. Projects can be devised to increase the amount of renewable energy, develop new technologies, and encourage the exchange of good practices and concepts, such as the use of renewable energy sources in public transport and promoting energy efficiency. The long-term goal is the region’s energy independence.
- Sustainable and competitive farming and agriculture
Pomurje is Slovenia’s breadbasket, and agriculture remains the chief economic activity in certain areas of the region. However, far-sighted development of agricultural tourism in connection with the organic cultivation of vegetables, fruit and herbs has great development potential.
- Tourism
The relative proximity of capitals (Ljubljana, Budapest. Vienna and Zagreb) has huge potential for the future development of tourism, which now mainly rests on geothermal and mineral water (thermal spas and baths).
The Government plans to earmark €33m between 2010 and 2015 for the implementation of the programme.
More information: Government Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Nina Omerza, Public Relations (+386 1 400 5555, nina.omerza@gov.si)
