During a recent government meeting, officials were briefed on a proposed set of measures designed to secure financial reserves and reduce the public fiscal deficit for the current year. According to explanations provided by Boštjančič, the outgoing government aims to lower the projected deficit from 3.4 percent of GDP—a figure derived from the April spontaneous scenario—down to 2.9 percent of GDP through the implementation of these new measures. The divergence between the initial and targeted deficit projections, he explained, is not attributable to any single policy decision but rather results from a combination of several economic and budgetary factors.
Key contributing elements include the mandated increase in the minimum wage and associated social transfers. Furthermore, the budget faces increased expenditures due to higher costs within the healthcare sector. Another factor cited is the accelerated drawing down of cohesion funds, which, while beneficial, simultaneously necessitates higher scheduled payments into the European Union budget.
In addition to these structural adjustments, the proposal incorporates the costs associated with introducing a winter allowance, alongside other necessary expenditures. These combined budgetary adjustments form the basis for the government’s strategy to achieve the targeted reduction in the national fiscal deficit.
