Ljubljana - While MPs are debating the revised budget for 2022 on Tuesday, Prime Minister Robert Golob said that the draft document was a stepping stone to ensure that Slovenia survives the current energy crisis as unscathed as possible. To guarantee energy supply, nationalisation of an energy company is possible soon, he added.

Addressing the MPs, Golob said that along with the crisis the EU had been faced with specific trends that no one could have predicted. In this context, he mentioned the recent nationalisation of Germany's leading gas importer Uniper.

This is why the government has set aside EUR 750 million in the budget segment that is dedicated to financial claims and investment to secure funds for recapitalisation of the energy sector if this proves necessary.

It is quite possible that soon, within the next month, Slovenia will also have to nationalise an energy company. "This is not about socialism or communism, but about tackling the energy crisis and ensuring a stable energy supply," the prime minister said.

Under the revised budget proposal, expenditure will increase by EUR 600 million to EUR 14.6 billion. Revenue should stand at EUR 12.5 billion, up by some EUR 1 billion compared to the original budget.

The budget deficit is expected to be slightly lower but will remain at more than EUR 2 billion.

Given the situation, this deficit result is very good, said Golob, adding that expenditure and deficit could be even lower than planned at the end of the year.

"But this revised budget already shows the outlines for 2023, when we will no longer have the luck to be able to plan the budget in such a balanced way."