The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) initially called off negotiations over a new social pact after the government had struck what the GZS calls a 'bad deal' with the public sector trade unions. The unions pointed out that workers did not bring about this crisis, adding that many business reps were at fault here as well. However, the GZS still maintains that the public sector is bloated and inefficient.

The unions responded in kind: they said that these so-called guardians of the economy like to turn a blind eye to the fact that a lot of underpaid, tax-paying workers are employed in the public sector. The unions said they wonder where these business reps get off judging the outcome of the negotiations.

David Švarc of the professional firefighters' trade union said, "They think the only way for the country to recover is to cut our firefighters' wages, even though it is criminal speculators who got the country into the mess it is in."

GZS boss Samo Hribar Milič agrees that it is criminal speculators who are responsible for the current situation. However, he still considers the public sector to be inefficient and poorly organized, which is why it needs to shoulder part of the blame for the situation we are in. "We cannot blame individuals, but the system really is oversized, inefficient, non-transparent, and mired in corruption," he said.

The GZS called on the government to make good on its pre-election promise to make the economy more competitive and lift burdens on businesses.

Urška Valjavec, Radio Slovenija;
translated by D.V.