The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Janša, said today that there were no reasons for a flagging economy. He was speaking in response to a press release issued by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS), which showed 5.5% economic growth at the annual level in the second quarter of 2008 compared to the second quarter of 2007. 

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

PM Janez Janša stressed that economic growth exceeded 5% in the second quarter of 2008, alongside an additional decrease in unemployment in the previous month. In the Prime Minister’s opinion, this creates a realistic and solid foundation for Slovenia’s economic growth to continue at the same pace. “By exceeding 90% of EU average per capita GDP, Slovenia has shown that it will soon leave the EU average behind, Slovenia will soon surpass the EU average, and poverty will be eradicated, possibly even within our generation,” said the Prime Minister.

 

According to the SORS data, Slovenia has seen 5.5% economic growth in the second quarter of 2008. GDP also grew by 5.5% in the first six months of 2008 compared to the same period of 2007.

 

According to data issued by the Employment Service of Slovenia, there were 60,669 unemployed people at the end of August 2008. Unemployment decreased by 1.4% compared to July 2008, and by 11.5% compared to August 2007. The latest data on the registered unemployment rate, calculated by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, show that 6.4% of the active population was out of work in June 2008, which is 0.1 percentage point less than in the preceding month. In August 2008, 3,134 unemployed persons found employment, which is 35.5% more than in the preceding month.