* 2017 deficit seen lower than planned

* Up to 2.3 bln euros of new debt in 2018

* Up to 3.3 bln euros of new debt in 2019

(Adds quotes, details, background)

By Marja Novak

LJUBLJANA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Slovenia plans a budget surplus of 0.4 percent of gross domestic product next year and also expects a surplus in 2019, based on strong economic growth, Finance Minister Mateja Vranicar Erman told a news conference on Thursday.

She also said the country will take on up to 2.3 billion euros of new debt in 2018 and up to 3.3 billion in 2019.

Vranicar added the deficit in 2017 will be lower than expected earlier, but gave no details. In April the government set its deficit goal for 2017 at 0.8 percent of GDP. She said economists believe that Slovenia's GDP will continue to expand in the coming years and that the economy is not overheating but added that risks exist.

"However, there are a number of risks which can slow down or change the trend (of rising GDP) so we need to prepare state finances for that which means that we have to do what we are doing, reducing the deficit and debt at a faster pace."

Slovenia, which narrowly avoided an international bailout for its banks in 2013, returned to growth a year later and the government expects the economy to expand by 4.4 percent this year and 3.9 percent in 2018, boosted by growth of exports and investments.

Vranicar said budget surplus will mostly be spent to reduce debt which has soared in the past years to reach 82.6 percent of GDP in 2015. The government hopes to reduce it to below 77 percent this year from 78.5 percent in 2016.

Economists fear that public finance consolidation could deteriorate in the coming months when the government plans to raise the minimum wages, family subsidies and pensions and give extra money to loss-making state hospitals ahead of general election due in June or July next year.

"High economic growth should be used to restructure public spending which should grow at a slower pace than tax inflows and enable the country to reduce public debt," the Chamber of Commerce and Industry said last week.

Vranicar had said deficit goals will remain unhanged even if the government rebalances its budget on account of some of its spending plans. (Reporting By Marja Novak; Editing by Toby Chopra)