Slovenia's poverty on rise

Slovenia is facing growing problems associated with the increase of the number of people living in poverty, according to data released by Statistics Office of the country on Thursday. About 271,000 people, or 13.5 percent of the Slovenian population, lived below the poverty threshold of 606 euros per adult household member in 2012. In addition, some 121,000 more people were socially excluded, which makes for 19.6 percent of the entire population, the data showed. The largest group living in poverty were pensioners. The data was released as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) was marked at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The international day will "help raise awareness about discouraging trends in Slovenia," local media said. While the Slovenian government is taking measures to curb poverty in the country, the Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Ministry has argued that the solution does not lie in social transfers but above all in addressing the economic crisis.