The opposition is putting pressure on government. The United Left party has drawn up a draft bill on a one-off debt write-off, and the SDS party an amendment of law on social assistance benefits. The government has not taken position yet on the proposed drafts, but the Minister of Labour has announced a comprehensive package dealing with help for the socially most threatened.

In our country more than 290,000 people live below poverty line, and more and more people cannot pay for basic living expenses. One time help would not solve long-term problems. Without a job it is very difficult to fight poverty, and the question of social justice arises as well. "Middle class is the most affected; they remain just above the poverty limit, and we should ask ourselves what kind of message would debt write-off deliver," said Martina Trbanc from the Social Protection Institute.

We should establish a systemic approach towards solving their problems. Rudi Klanjšek from the Maribor Faculty of Arts thus suggests introduction of universal basic income. "It solves the problems of those just above the census. A number of details should be defined, but it is one of the available systemic solutions,'' he explains.

Urška Valjavec, Radio Slovenija
Translated by G. K.