Discussions on the draft of the third anti-corona act began earlier this week, and the government is expected to approve the proposal today, 20 May 2020. Some of the main measures envisaged are outlined below.
The main measure is a subsidy for part-time work on the basis of a proposal from the Ministry of Labour, which, according to the text of the draft, would be given to those employers who will not be able to provide 90 percent of work for at least 10 percent of employees. Thus, the subsidized work of employees would be reduced to 20 to 36 hours per week, and the subsidies would amount to between EUR 112.13 and EUR 448.52, which could be used for a maximum of five months.
The Ministry of Labour also proposed expanding the range of beneficiaries of national aid, which would also benefit providers of social care services at home, private providers of institutional care and providers of family assistance at home. An increase in salary subsidies for the disabled is also planned.
The Ministry of the Economy focuses its proposals mainly on special aid for catering and tourism, for which, among other, it proposes extending the measure of temporary lay-off for one month, that is until the end of June. For other sectors, temporary lay-off is not expected to be extended. With regards to tourism sector the envisaged vouchers for the promotion of additional consumption in tourism have attracted a lot of public attention. These are to be paid in the amount of EUR 200 to all persons with permanent residence in Slovenia over the age of 18, including persons who will turn 18 this year, and minors will receive vouchers in the amount of EUR 50. The vouchers are expected to be transferable within the family and can be used in accommodation establishments until the end of 2020.
The Ministry of Agriculture is in favour of extending the financial compensation to holders of agricultural holdings and ancillary activities on the farm, forest owners and holders of commercial fishing permits who have lost their income due to the epidemic until the end of this year.
Several proposed measures are also linked to the objective of accelerating obtaining of building permits. Among them is the solution that the application for the issuance of this permit should not be accompanied by proof of the right to build on the land that is the subject of construction. Under the new proposal, the investor will be able to start construction already on the basis of an administratively final building permit, and not only when it is final, which means that he could start work despite possible lawsuits, but at his own risk.
