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Prime Minister Pahor attends meeting of the Government Co-ordination Group for drafting and implementing measures related to the international financial crisis

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, today attended the regular meeting of the Co-ordination Group of the Slovenian Government for drafting and implementing measures related to the international financial crisis. In his statement to the press after the meeting, Mr Pahor said that, today, the so-called crisis group, headed by the Minister for European Affairs and Development, Mitja Gaspari, and particularly entrusted to date with the preparation of short-term measures for mitigating the impact of the economic and financial crisis, has "redefined itself into a group that from now on will be preparing an exit strategy." This will also form part of the report for the Stability and Growth Pact submitted by EU Member States to the Commission on an annual basis. The report will also identify measures to achieve these goals.

 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

 

Prime Minister Pahor went on to say that the ministers have been assigned a heavy task to speed up the preparation of both short-term and structural measures, since "another heavy task of co-ordinating goals and measures is later ahead of us, to finally obtain a transparent and effective system." Mr Pahor also said that the main objective of the Slovenian economy is to surpass the competitiveness of our most comparable competing countries, which, in the long run, will ensure well-paid jobs and a secure social system.

 

"If we proceed in a prudent and methodical manner, with clear objectives and determination, then our goal for next Christmas is to record one-percent economic growth at the annual level and to keep the number of unemployed, as the second most important performance criterion, below 120,000," he added.

 

At the close of the press conference, Minister Gaspari also emphasised the importance of dialogue with social partners and recalled that "there are no absolute restrictions for the necessary change, and social partners will also have to accept certain changes required not only by circumstances, but also by our desire to continue with successful economic development." Among structural changes, Mr Gaspari highlighted pension, health and labour-market reforms, and the introduction of more effective state property management.