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Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek has announced a vast programme of privatisations and an increase in the Value Added Tax from 20 to 22 per cent on July 1. Expected for several days, the measures, which were made public on May 8, aim to preempt the risk of a banking crisis without calling on international aid.
For now, the government has set aside plans for an “emergency tax”, although it may be introduced at a later date if the new measures fail to have the intended impact, explains Delo. The newspaper adds that the goal is to reduce the country’s spending deficit, which is expected to rise from 4 per cent of GDP in 2012 to 7.8 per cent in 2013, to 3.3 per cent in 2014. It has also entered into negotiations with unions with a view to cutting public service salaries.
Fifteen state-owned companies are to be privatised. They include the country’s second largest bank, Nova KBM Bank, its main telecoms operator, Telekom Slovenia, the Adria Airways airline, and the operator of Ljubljana airport.
A conversation with investigative reporters Stefano Valentino and Giorgio Michalopoulos, who have dissected the dark underbelly of green finance for Voxeurop and won several awards for their work.
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