Asked by the SLS's Franc Bogovič about the impact of the real estate tax, passed last week, on rural areas, the underprivileged etc., Bratušek said that the real estate tax was among the most widespread forms of taxation in the EU and that Slovenia did not stand out in terms of the burden imposed.

She believes that the SLS has remained alone in its opposition to the tax and is persisting above all in order to protect its many mayors, whose operations will have to be much more transparent now.

The PM referred to the fact that the tax will replace levies that are now being collected and determined by municipalities.

The prime minister rejected accusations that the government had failed to consult the public before adopting the tax, saying she had personally met with representatives of farmers as well as small business.

Bratušek argued that a crisis tax, proffered by the SLS, would have been a much worse solution, claiming that property levies for an average family would increase by only EUR 3 now, whereas a crisis tax would have meant a tenfold increase for people receiving the average wage.