NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor attends the Slovenian Economic Summit

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, today attended the Slovenian Economic Summit, where he met members of the management of a number of Slovenian companies and representatives of institutions and organisations linked with the corporate sector. Addressing the assembled participants, Mr Pahor emphasised that "the forecasts for the coming months indicate that the current gradual economic recovery will continue, with the indicators for the November economic climate reflecting the increased optimism of companies regarding expected exports and production, alongside an increase in consumer confidence."

 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

 

Prime Minister Pahor went on to emphasise that the recovery of not only the Slovenian economy but the entire European economy would be gradual, and that there were still risks of a new decline in economic activity, particularly due to potential liquidity and financial problems encountered by the companies and banks mostly hit by the crisis. "In response to the economic crisis, the Government devised and adopted economic policy measures in line with the European framework for action, which are intended to support the financial sector, to restrain the effects of the financial crisis on the real economy, and to provide social programmes of assistance. The public finance package of incentives was created by taking account of the characteristics of the Slovenian economy (i.e. its small size and openness). Its central aim is to limit the impact of the drop in external demand on production and employment," said Mr Pahor, particularly highlighting additional incentives ensured by the economic policy. Further implementation of an active employment policy, he added, is also of paramount importance. "Our anticipated goal is one-percent, export-driven economic growth in 2010, while the downward trend of private consumption is also expected to stop," he said. According to Mr Pahor, unemployment will also be curbed; total unemployment of 120,000 before Christmas 2010 could be considered success in this fight.

 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

 

Prime Minister Pahor and his Government have invested additional effort to maintain and accelerate the current impetus in the real economy. Heads of the key ministries have already started to prepare measures for exiting the crisis, while the Government has drafted long-term structural reforms focusing on indispensable institutional adjustments. "The exit strategy will thus consist of short-term measures to enhance the current trend of economic growth, as well as long-term changes," Prime Minister Pahor concluded.