The debt write-off for the poorest has reopened the question whether Slovenia can still be considered a social state. There is no unambiguous answer. When considering social benefits and subventions an individual can raise from the state or municipal treasury, the answer is positive. But the basic problem remains that economy with a low value added prevails, and consequently salaries are low, while the unemployment rate is high – and as a result the number of people living in poverty is increasing.

The scheme for debt write-off adopted by the government will allow write-off of unpaid debts for utilities (electricity, heating, municipal services), for additional health insurance, tax charges, bills for kindergarten and meals in primary schools, or at reimbursement of the received social benefits. The debts which had expired more than a year before the end of 2014 are eligible for debt write-off.

Approximately 70 companies and municipalities have already joined the project. The Ministry of Labour advises to rightful claimants to check whether their creditors are on the list. The amount the state can spend on debt write-off is one million euros. Due to the restriction one of the criterion will be the chronological sequence of the applications.

The filled in forms must be handed in to the creditor by the end of October. In cases where all required conditions are fulfilled, an individual creditor and a debtor will make an agreement on debt write-off.

G. C., N. L.
Translated by G. K.