By: Vida Kocjan
The Ministry for a Solidary Future, led by left-wing activist and founder of the 8th of March Institute, Simon Maljevac, was established to fulfil the government’s lofty promises, both in the area of long-term care and housing policy. Today, we see that none of those promises have been realised, and under the current government (Freedom Movement, Social Democrats, and The Left), they will not be for a long time.
Since July 1, 2025, money has been forcibly collected from employees, pensioners, companies, entrepreneurs, farmers, students, and everyone who works legally and pays taxes and contributions.
What is wrong with this picture?
There are no apartments. Long-term care exists only on paper. The rights of users who need it are inaccessible. The information system has not been established, it does not function, which makes it impossible to issue decisions or implement the rights to long-term care. The recognition of rights for family caregivers is also unresolved. But for Maljevac and The Left, this does not seem important, let alone decisive. They are backed by Robert Golob, who fears unrest within the coalition and is therefore primarily concerned with himself. If it once held true that Golob could not stand Maljevac, the public image now tells a different story. Likely superficial, but still. The support is there, and that is a disaster for the elderly and the sick.
When incompetents take the reins
Long-term care legislation was passed by the previous government under Janez Janša. Golob’s government scrapped it and promised new solutions starting in 2024. Maljevac’s inner circle from The Left toured nursing homes in 2023, saying they faced enormous work, that it would be tough, but they would manage and implement new solutions. 2023 came and went. So did 2024. And still, no operational solutions have been delivered for the benefit of the elderly and the ill.
The same goes for housing policy. The ruling coalition promised the construction of 30,000 new apartments. Three years later, it is clear that nothing remains of those promises but empty political slogans and ribbon-cutting ceremonies at projects prepared by previous governments.
The housing policy of Robert Golob’s government does not offer young people and families effective solutions to their housing needs. The legislation that has been passed only further burdens the real estate market and the purchasing power of citizens.
Inadequate and deficient information system
The Community of Social Work Centres of Slovenia has long been warning about the inadequate preparedness and deficiencies of the information system for implementing long-term care. They point out that the system is still in the development phase, has not been functionally tested, and therefore does not allow for smooth and effective execution of legally mandated tasks. Due to its incompleteness, problems are arising in issuing decisions and calculating services, which can seriously jeopardise the rights of beneficiaries to long-term care. The Community of Social Work Centres has therefore publicly called on the government, especially the Ministry for a Solidary Future, for clear explanations regarding the system’s preparation and functionality, and for the provision of conditions that ensure safe and professional work. They have not received adequate responses. Nor has Karmen Furman, an SDS MP, who submitted numerous questions to the government and ministry on July 17. Although the government has 30 days to respond, it failed to prepare an answer even after two months.
SDS MP Alenka Helbl also warned on September 1 that the long-term care information system still does not function, and revealed that several million euros have already been invested in its development. “Experts are now pointing out errors, field workers are reporting chaos, and responsibility is being dispersed among multiple contractors,” she added, asking: “What does the government actually oversee?”
In her parliamentary question, Helbl further emphasised that the information system is crucial for the implementation of long-term care. Yet according to statements by Simon Maljevac, the establishment of the system is not a prerequisite for issuing decisions on the right to home-based long-term care. “However,” the professional public warns, “this system connects key data sources (ZZZS, CSD, service providers, and other institutions), enables their coordination, and represents the technical foundation for the lawful and proper preparation of decisions.”
Social Work Centres, which are among the key users of the new long-term care information system, report numerous practical difficulties with its rollout. According to their accounts, the system has not been thoroughly tested, and in practice, errors occur in issuing decisions and calculating services. Employees find themselves in uncertainty, as the tool that should assist them often complicates their work.
This also raises questions about the use of public funds, since several million euros have already been invested in the system’s development, yet it still does not function. Even more concerning is the fact that the Ministry for a Solidary Future is introducing the system in phases and through various contractors, which raises doubts about the efficiency and accountability of its implementation.
Recognition of the right to a family caregiver
A similarly unresolved issue concerns the recognition of rights for family caregivers. MP Karmen Furman submitted a parliamentary question on this matter to the government as early as July 16. She has yet to receive a response. In her inquiry, she noted that, according to field reports, several users who were granted the right to a family caregiver simultaneously had their allowance for assistance and care automatically revoked. This allowance was previously intended to cover costs related to basic daily activities and essential care, regardless of how the help was provided. Users and their relatives now warn that the removal of this allowance significantly reduces their disposable income, pushing many into even more difficult social circumstances. There is growing concern that this move effectively abolishes one of the key social safety nets that had enabled a more dignified life for individuals dependent on the help of others, whether that help came from institutional providers or family members.
Issuing decisions and implementing long-term care rights
On July 1, 2025, new rights under the long-term care system came into effect: home-based long-term care, e-care, and services aimed at strengthening and maintaining independence. The law defines a unified procedure for beneficiaries to claim these rights. First, the insured person, their legal representative, or guardian submits an application at the entry point of the relevant social work centre. The entry point then verifies eligibility, during which a long-term care advisor visits the beneficiary’s home to gather the necessary information for an eligibility assessment and a recommended service plan. Based on this, the social work centre issues a decision indicating the category of long-term care, ranging from 1 to 5. Once the category is determined, the beneficiary chooses the form of long-term care they wish to use. In the final stage, a personal plan is prepared with the service provider and long-term care coordinator, according to which the specific services begin.
MP Karmen Furman raised these issues in early September, submitting several questions to Minister for a Solidary Future Simon Maljevac. Among other things, she asked how many applications for these services had been received, how many had been processed, and how many had resulted in a formal decision from the social work centre. No answers have been provided yet. But they will undoubtedly be revealing. Maljevac and the government will not be able to avoid accountability or responses for much longer.
At the beginning of September, the parliamentary group of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), together with the group of New Slovenia – Christian Democrats, filed an interpellation against Minister for a Solidary Future Simon Maljevac.
Golob is playing dumb
Now, when everything should already be up and running, Prime Minister Robert Golob has come up with a special consultation. It was held behind closed doors, and afterward he solemnly declared: “We will not stop.” According to STA, representatives of the government, municipalities, social services, and healthcare met on September 9. They were said to have focused on “weak points, all bottlenecks that have now been identified.” The conclusion was supposedly that the project must proceed according to schedule. Well, that deadline was missed long ago.
The next day, September 10, the ministry announced the formation of a working group to oversee the transition of residents in elder care homes into the new long-term care system. This was meant to ensure that the shift to the new arrangement would be timely and effective for care home users. Believe that if you will. The interpellation and looming elections are a heavy Damocles’ sword hanging over Golob, Maljevac, and the entire coalition.
Interpellation against Maljevac
Conditions in long-term care and public housing are catastrophic, warn the initiators of the interpellation against Maljevac from SDS and NSi. They state that potential users and providers of long-term care still lack the necessary information to even begin delivering services, and social work centres cannot issue decisions on eligibility for long-term care, even though the right has been in effect since July 1. Key components for implementing long-term care are missing, yet contributions are already being collected promptly. NSi reminded that, according to announcements, the information system for long-term care, used by social work centres, was only expected to go live at the end of September. But the reality is that providers, elder care homes, and other institutions will need much more time to adapt. This means things will remain in their infancy for quite a while.
The mandatory contribution for long-term care has placed a particular burden on entrepreneurs, craftsmen, farmers, and pensioners. Minister Maljevac has again been urged to postpone the collection of contributions until the care system is actually operational, and to reduce the contribution rate. But even with Robert Golob’s backing, Maljevac has no intention of doing so.
The ruling coalition’s promises in housing policy have also gone unfulfilled. After three years in office, none of the promised 30,000 new apartments will be built, only projects initiated by previous governments will be completed. According to SDS, the government’s approach to public housing is fundamentally flawed.
On behalf of SDS, Andrej Poglajen announced that they will soon present proposals to reform and improve conditions for housing guarantee schemes, introduce new tax breaks for young people buying their first home, and reduce bureaucratic obstacles. They firmly believe the government must enable young people to acquire their own property.
Will Maljevac resign? Highly unlikely.
Arrogance and wastefulness
Alongside the ruling coalition’s arrogance, we are also witnessing significant wastefulness. Minister Maljevac reportedly allocated €200,000 for an advertising campaign about long-term care. A modus operandi reminiscent of the August 2023 floods. Who will receive the money? That is not hard to guess.