The deadline date was presented by European Commissioner for Monetary and Economic Affairs Joaquin Almunia in Brussels on Wednesday. The recommendations call on Slovenia to cut its budget deficit by between 0.75 and 1 percentage point annually.
The measures proposed by the Commission for reducing Slovenia's deficit include fiscal consolidation in 2010 and the drawing up of precise measures for reducing the deficit.
The Commission expects Slovenia to implement the measures by mid-2010 and report the results to the Commission in its annual stability programmes submitted to the EU.
Slovenia has also been urged to implement reforms to boost economic growth, including by increasing effectiveness of public spending and raising spending on research, innovation and education.
Slovenian Finance Minister Franc Krizanic promised already on Tuesday that Slovenia would reduce its deficit to below the EU's Stability and Growth Pact by 2013.
Krizanic said that halting crisis measures once the economy picks up will be an important means of cutting Slovenia's budget deficit.
The Commission established today that Slovenia's budget deficit is a result of the crisis.
In line with the European Commission's estimates, Slovenia's government deficit will stand at 6.3% this year and 7% next year.
Slovenia was one of ten countries to receive a deadline for cutting its budget deficit today. The others are Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, and Belgium.
All but the last two have been told to reign in their budget deficits to EU standards by 2013. Italy and Belgium have been given until 2012.
Apart from the deadline for reducing its deficit, Slovenia was also called upon by the commission to deal with long-term risks to its public finance, as one of three EU member states to receive such a recommendation.
The Commission urges Slovenia to carry out fresh reforms of its pension system with the aim of limiting expenditure related to population ageing.
Slovenia has been a target of constant warnings from the EU Commission on the stability of its public finance due to its unfavourable demographics.
