The government has prepared amendments to the state budget as this year's economic forecast is not in line with the forecast from November 2013, when the present budget was originally adopted. Besides that some of the planned expenditure does not meet the required amount. The budget revenue has also been affected by the dropping of the real estate tax.

With the amendments this year's revenue will drop by 64 million euros and stand at 8,56 billion euros. Expenditure will increase by 462 million euros and is planned at 9,95 billion euros. The budget deficit will thus reach 1,39 billion euros, which will be 170 million euros more compared to the previous year.

Cerar: Public finances are the key
As the opening speaker of the parliamentary session PM Miro Cerar highlighted some of the positive signals. The government expects an above 2 percent economic growth this year. Cerar also highlighted the decrease in unemployment figures. However despite all that PM Cerar did acknowledge that the situation in Slovenia was still difficult. Public finances are at the center of attention. According to Cerar only long-term sustainable public finances, alongside the functioning of a legal state, can ensure a solid base for stable economic growth.
"In the medium and long-term we must not and cannot spend more than we create," warned PM Cerar. He said the supplementary budget was focused on investment. The PM added that the planned investments include the finishing of the emergency care units, the construction of certain railway sections, flood relief measures and the establishing of a state cloud computing center. He also emphasized that the state budget amendments are urgent and will keep Slovenia on the right path.
Mramor: The most difficult budget amendments ever
Finance Minister Dušan Mramor said that the proposed supplementary budget was probably one of the most difficult ones that has ever had to be adopted in Slovenia, given the fact that we are now "at the bottom". The finance minister is of the opinion that it will be easier in the future. He also warned that without economic growth there can be no sustainable public finances. Mramor also said that the dropping of the real estate tax and the increased loan interests account for only one percent of the deficit.

Misplaced EU funds to blame
With the amendments the government also wants to lower the deficit to below three percent of GDP. According to Slovenian methodology the deficit will stand at around 3,62 percent of GDP, mostly because of the misplacement of European funds from the old programme period, which Slovenia will get back in a few years.
Without taking into account the misplaced European funds, the budget deficit would be below three percent of GDP. According to EU methodology it would stand at 2,89 percent of GDP.