Measures To Support The Slovenian Economy In Response To The Coronavirus

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Slovenia has implemented various measures to help businesses face these challenging times. The Parliament has adopted several emergency laws. The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology ('MGRT') has defined a set of measures for the economy amounting to a total of EUR 998 million of which EUR 600 million are already available from Slovenian Investment and Development Bank ('SID Banka'). Other measures have also been announced for the future.

Measures available now

Emergency law: Partial reimbursement of salary compensation for employers affected by coronavirus

Parliament has adopted an emergency law designed to protect jobs with employers active in the areas most exposed to the consequences of the coronavirus and the jobs of employees who will not be able to work due to quarantine. Details of this support measure are provided here.

Emergency law: moratorium on bank loan payments

Parliament adopted an emergency law on 20 March 2020 which requires that banks and branches of EU member states banks in Slovenia ('banks') allow moratoriums of any payments due under any loan agreement for a period of 12 months, provided that these payments fell due after the declaration of the coronavirus epidemic (12 March 2020).

Companies, farmers, associations, cooperatives and institutions, as well as the self-employed and consumers will be able to apply for moratoriums of their loans within six months after the end of the declared epidemic. The applications for moratoriums will need to include certain mandatory elements, while the conditions for eligibility for moratoriums will be eased for those who have been barred from operating by a government order, such as stores offering non-food products and providers of certain non-urgent services. Any bank that unjustifiably denies a moratorium will be fined. Fines are also foreseen for members of the banks' management boards and responsible individuals within the banks.

Emergency law: extension of deadlines for submission of tax filings and annual reports and tax payment deferral

Parliament has adopted an emergency law extending the deadlines for submission of tax returns and annual reports from 31 March 2020 to 31 May 2020, with possible further extension for 30 days if the epidemic is not over by 15 May 2020.

While the existing tax legislation already allows companies to request for deferral of tax payments for up to 24 months in the event of severe economic...