PM Pleased with Slovenia's Overall Condition
Inflation rate meet the euro changeover criteria, economic growth will reach 4% by the end of the year and Slovenia's international position is better than ever, Prime Minister Janez Jansa assessed Slovenia's state of affairs after his first year in office.
Jansa told the press on Friday that the government and the central bank managed to keep inflation below predicted levels, despite a growth in oil prices. Slovenia was thus able to "meet the final Maastricht criteria for the euro changeover", he said.
He added that the country's economy will grow by 4% in 2005, which is a "good result in comparison with similarly developed EU countries".
Slovenia was also successful in chairing the OSCE and has moreover established the necessary infrastructure in preparations for its stint as the EU chair in the first half of 2008.
The country's most important achievement on the domestic scene in 2005 was passing Slovenia's Development Strategy. "This document allowed us to successfully draft the framework of the economic and social reforms to boost the country's economy," Jansa added.
The government also improved the system of phasing the EU funds with the country rising from the last to third place among the EU's newcomers in drawing the money. Jansa said that Slovenia will "almost surely" be a net receiver by the end of 2005.
The PM also stressed that for "the first time in Slovenia's independence" the number of civil servants will drop by the end of this year, but mentioned no figures.
He was pleased with the number of bills drafted by the government and the measures it has taken. He especially stressed the new companies bill, the doubling of development funds for the business sector, tax relief for R&D and corrections of the tax legislation.
The government has also simplified a large number of administrative procedures for the citizens as well as reduced the prices of such procedures, and taken many measures to improve the educational system.
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