Prime Minister Golob: There can be no social welfare without a strong state that cares about people

SLOVENIA, February 10 - The Prime Minister thanked those present for the warm welcome and underlined that, through the long-term care project, the Government is working to ensure dignified ageing for residents. He particularly emphasised that the Government had reduced bills and ensured that older people would be able to cover the cost of accommodation in residential care homes with their pensions.

The Prime Minister later met representatives of the business community for a working lunch, after which he gave a statement to the media. He said that discussions had touched on the current pressing situation, particularly the minimum wage and all the consequences it entails. 

"We spoke about how the state can help ensure that the economy, and the Gorenjska region in particular, be more export-oriented and more globally competitive," he said, adding that the Gorenjska business community had already demonstrated its strength on several occasions. "It is our task and our duty to listen to them so that they can continue to demonstrate this," he underlined.

The Prime Minister said that discussions with representatives of the business community had focused on finding solutions. "The aim is to establish such a supportive environment in Slovenia that economic development will be faster than in the rest of the world. We are talking both about technological development – how to invest even more in digitalisation, robotisation and also artificial intelligence – and, on the other hand, about helping businesses spend as little time as possible dealing with administrative burdens," he said. 

"We discussed high energy prices. We will definitely have to take further steps in this area. The discussion also covered tax burdens on the most productive professionals. I drew their attention to the Act that will be voted on in Parliament tomorrow – the Employee Profit-Sharing Act. I believe that in the coming weeks, once the Act has been adopted, we will all be pleased to find that, on the basis of this Act, we will also be able to offer competitive remuneration to engineers, developers and sales professionals at levels comparable to those abroad. And that is also the main purpose of this Act," the Prime Minister summarised the discussions. 

As part of the Government’s visit to the Gorenjska region, Prime Minister, together with the Minister of Health, Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, and the Minister for a Solidarity-Based Future, attended a ceremony marking the start of major development projects at Zlato polje in Kranj, where four major investments are planned: a new Gorenjska regional hospital, a new unit of the Kranj Care Home, the Kranj Ice Hall and the Severna vrata facility, which will also house a community health centre and a pharmacy. At the start of construction of the new unit of the Kranj Care Home, those gathered symbolically unveiled a commemorative marker and planted a linden tree. 

In his address, the Prime Minister said that today’s visits in the Gorenjska region had further convinced him of Kranj’s development potential as the capital of Gorenjska. "Today we are talking about the public state, about healthcare, about care for older people, and also about how, through sports infrastructure, we will enable future generations to lead healthy lives. It is precisely this that best demonstrates what the right direction is if we are serious when we speak about social welfare. There can be no social welfare without a strong state that cares about people," the Prime Minister made clear. 

The Mayor of the City Municipality of Kranj, Matjaž Rakovec, summarised the planned infrastructure investments and said that significant progress had been made in the field of infrastructure during this term of office. He also thanked the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for ensuring that Kranj would receive a new regional hospital. "Kranj has made significant progress over the past four years. We are delivering tangible projects and realistic timelines, and above all acting with great responsibility towards our citizens," said Mayor Rakovec, thanking the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. 

Nadja Gantar, Director of the Kranj Care Home, said at the ceremony marking the start of construction of the new unit: "With today’s symbolic act — the unveiling of a plaque and the planting of a linden tree — we are not merely laying the foundations for a new building, but building a bridge between generations, between the past, the present and the future of our city. The care home that will stand here in Kranj will be more than just walls and rooms with a beautiful view. It will be a home of warmth, togetherness, dignity and care for older people."