Slovenia is considering options for reaching a deal to write-off the debt of poorest citizens, just like Croatia has done, according to a release from the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.
Labour Minister Anja Kopač Mrak discussed Croatia's experience as she met her counterpart Milanka Opačić in the Croatian town of Umag on Monday.
The ministry underscored the write-off in Croatia was a matter of agreement between ministries, municipalities and companies rather than a law.
The write-off applies to overdue electricity and telecommunications bills and loan instalments. It would only apply to the debts of the poorest that are all but impossible to repay, the ministry said.
The press release said Kopač Mrak deemed the write-off good practice, but noted that "Slovenia is in a different position. Inquiries are therefore being made whether a similar arrangement is possible in Slovenia at all."
The comments come after the option of such a debt write-off was rejected by the parliamentary committees on finance and labour last week as they discussed the idea at the request of the opposition United Left (ZL).
The radical left party's deputy group leader Luka Mesec argued that "after the state bailed out banks with billions, it is high time to bail out the people who have been impoverished by the process".
Source: SloveniaTimes
Photo sources: Dalje, Telegraph
