Slovenian parliamentary committee rejects free kindergarten proposal

The Slovenian National Assembly's Committee on Education, Youth, and Science has rejected a proposal by the Levica party to introduce free kindergartens. The coalition argued that the proposal is not financially sustainable and would be detrimental to private kindergartens and municipalities.

Luka Mesec, a Levica MP, stated that free kindergartens would alleviate the financial burden on middle-class and young families, noting that high living costs are a factor in declining birth rates. While the proposal estimated an annual cost of approximately 170 million euros, government officials suggested the actual cost could reach 210 million euros. The government intends to present its own legislative proposal regarding the gradual introduction of free kindergartens by the end of the year.