Revenue is planned at EUR 9.2 billion, almost 15% lower than in the currently valid budget, and expenditure at EUR 13.4 billion, nearly 30% higher.

Instead of a small surplus, Slovenia will thus record a deficit not seen since the economic and financial crisis, but this was expected and is in line with the trend in the EU.

"The decline in revenue and increase in expenditure ... are a consequence of the economic slowdown during the Covid-19 epidemic and the measures adopted to protect the people and the economy," the Government Communications Office said.

Nearly EUR 3.1 billion of the budget expenditure is attributed to measures designed to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

Aside from the revised budget document, the government also adopted amendments to the budget implementation acts for 2020 and 2021.

In these bills, solutions have been put in place to accelerate the drawing of EU funds earmarked for the post-coronavirus recovery, and to simplify procedures.

An additional EUR 50 million was set aside for health institutions to help them cover costs associated with the pandemic.