Ljubljana - A lack of focus on development, a continuing deficit and the annulling of parts of income tax reform were the chief grievances of the opposition as parliament discussed the supplementary budget for 2022 on Tuesday. The coalition insisted the revised budget was an appropriate response to the current situation and uncertainty.

"The proposed supplementary budget is neither development- nor goal-oriented," Suzana Lep Šimenko of the opposition Democrats (SDS) said about the budget in which expenditure is increasing by roughly 4% to EUR 14.6 billion and projected revenue is 9% higher at EUR 12.5 billion.

Lep Šimenko, argued that funds for investment were being cut, especially in construction, and that this was the case even though the government was not taking the austerity route.

She moreover accused the government of a poor performance in the phasing of EU funds, while also expressing puzzlement at how the government planned to reduce the budget deficit by EUR 2 billion by generating EUR 1.7 billion in the final four months of the year alone. "We're wondering how," she said.

Jernej Vrtovec of the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) meanwhile rejected the claims of Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič that the revised budget was needed because the previous government had been handing out pre-election candy.

"All the measures adopted in the past were definitely adopted with the good intention of helping business and the people," Vatovec said, arguing the energy crisis was the obvious reason for the needed changes.

The coalition for its part argued the updated budget was the right response to the circumstances, with Borut Sajovic of the Freedom Movement speaking of the challenges of the energy crisis and of the budget also tending to those who are the most vulnerable.

While Sajovic also reiterated that no ministry was getting fewer funds than had been envisaged in the original budget, Milan Jakopovič of the Left highlighted the uncertain situation in healthcare, the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, the decline in real wages and other ongoing issues.

Meanwhile, looking at the year to come, Suzana Lep Šimenko was critical of the government's annulling of the increase of the general tax relief and the cut in the tax rate for top earners.

Vrtovec argued the "announced increased tax burdens for those who produce additional value in Slovenia is definitely not good".