March 30 (SeeNews) - The Slovenian government has adopted a 3 billion euro ($3.3 billion) financial package to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease and cushion its impact on the domestic economy and society, prime minister Janez Jansa said.
"The package aims to save lives and health and preserve the important capacities of our country, such as the economy, public services, education, science, culture and others," Jansa told a news conference over the weekend. A press release of his speech was uploaded on the government's website.
Jansa said that the state budget will cover all costs arising from the measures included in the package.
"This mega act includes a wide range of measures and addresses a number of areas to stem the epidemic and mitigate its effects. In fact, it covers everything that needs to be done to ensure that we as a society can function normally after the end of this epidemic," Jansa noted.
The measures included in the package will be enforced from April 1 until May 31, with the possibility to extend some or all of them until the end of June.
The package includes freezing the payment of social and other contributions for everyone, introducing a basic income and write-off of obligations for self-employed, as well as crisis allowances for pensioners, students, large families and for other socially disadvantaged people, Jansa said.
Furthermore, partially non-taxable remuneration will be available for those who work regularly during this period, while an additional remuneration worth up to twice the average salary will be awarded to all who are more exposed to the disease than others during the fight against the epidemic.
At the same time, the deadline for payments due from the state budget will be reduced to 8 days.
"If anyone finds a gap, in the sense that issues of others are addressed, but their own issue has been left out, there will be time and room to deal with it in the second package," Jansa said, adding that the government has already begun drafting the next relief package.
He, however, warned that certain stricter restrictions will have to imposed to handle the crisis since people continue to disregard existing restrictions and medical recommendations.
"In the coming weeks we will all be put to the test, particularly our responsibility and solidarity towards healthcare workers and coronavirus patients," Jansa said.
As of Monday morning, Slovenia reported that 11 people have died from the coronavirus, 28 were under intensive care, while the number of infected has topped 750.
($=0.906495 euro)