The Prime Minister started by answering the question posed by Franc Trček from the United Left (ZL) about his opinion of the efficiency of the government measures to combat poverty, as almost all the citizens of Slovenia are affected by poverty.

Cerar answered that the most efficient actions against poverty are to increase labour activity, which happened last year. He warned however that nobody can be satisfied that the country is facing the problem of poverty.

According to his words there will never be enough social aid for all who would need it. He also warned that no government measure can solve all the problems, one of them being poverty, which are troubling the country.

He reminded of some government measures to reduce poverty by which, according to Cerar, the number of social assistance recipients was increased, as well as number of beneficiaries of social assistance in cash. Last year the government also prepared aid packages for the socially most threatened. "It is directed into improving the situation of those who have debts and depend on social transfers, and the package consists of three important measures: debt cancellation, help in case of eviction, and introduction of pre-paid cards," he explained.

With the beginning of this year the government also increased the minimum income, and within the struggle against poverty the attention is paid to the institute of social activation as well.

How to fight against tax havens?
The session continued with PM's answer to the question by Jože Horvat, the NSi member of parliament, on tax havens. The MP was mostly interested in the measures the government will take to return the money from the recently revealed tax haven back to Slovenia.

Cerar explained that the government is already cooperating with other countries to prevent hiding money in tax havens, as prevention of tax frauds and tax evasion are among the government's priorities. Among the already taken measures he mentioned the inter-sectoral working group founded in November 2014, whose task is to prepare measures for protection of economic and financial interests of Slovenia, among others things also prevention of the outflow of money to tax havens.

Cerar also draw attention to the fact that Slovenia is one of the 52 signatories of the Agreement on Automatic Exchange of Information on Financial Accounts.

A. Č., translated by G. K.