Gross Foreign Debt Exceeds Reserves by EUR 5.3bn at End of 2003

Ljubljana, 16 March - Slovenia's foreign exchange reserves totaled EUR 7.699bn at the end of last year, falling EUR 5.296bn short of the country's gross foreign debt, which stood at EUR 12.995bn. The overall foreign debt increased by EUR 1.513bn, while reserves were down EUR 142.3m last year, according to the latest issue of the Bulletin of the Bank of Slovenia.