Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Slovenia should strengthen public finances, encourage greater private investment and improve resilience to global trade disruptions in order to maintain long-term economic growth, according to the latest Economic Survey of Slovenia published by the OECD.
The OECD expects Slovenia’s economic growth to accelerate from 1.1% in 2025 to 1.9% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027. Inflation is forecast to rise from 2.5% in 2025 to 3.3% in 2026 before easing to 2.6% in 2027.
The report notes that Slovenia’s economy has remained resilient despite a series of external shocks, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Since 2022, the country has recorded stronger economic growth than the OECD and euro area averages, while unemployment has remained close to historic lows.
According to the OECD, maintaining this momentum will require continued efforts to reduce public deficits and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. While recent fiscal reforms have improved the country’s short-term outlook, the organisation suggests that additional pension system reforms may be necessary to address longer-term demographic pressures.
The OECD also recommends shifting part of the tax burden away from labour and towards consumption and property taxation to support economic growth and improve revenue efficiency.
As a highly open economy, Slovenia remains dependent on international trade. The report highlights the need to diversify import sources and strengthen trade resilience amid increasing geopolitical uncertainty and global trade tensions. Enhanced cooperation between state trade agencies could also help facilitate international trade and reduce exposure to external shocks.
The survey identifies artificial intelligence as a potential source of future productivity gains. While AI adoption in Slovenia is already relatively advanced compared with some peers, it remains concentrated among larger and more digitally mature companies. The OECD recommends expanding workforce training and reskilling programmes, as well as attracting more skilled foreign workers, to support broader adoption of AI technologies across the economy.
Access to finance remains another challenge. The OECD notes that Slovenia’s capital markets are relatively shallow, limiting funding opportunities for innovative companies and start-ups. Household savings remain concentrated in bank deposits and real estate, while private pension funds and other institutional investors play a relatively small role in capital markets.
To encourage more productive investment, the report recommends increasing competition in financial markets, reducing tax incentives that favour property investment and expanding privately funded pension schemes. The OECD also argues that reducing public ownership in the insurance sector and lowering regulatory barriers in service professions could support investment and improve long-term economic performance.
The organisation concludes that a combination of fiscal discipline, investment-friendly reforms, greater trade diversification and broader adoption of new technologies will be key to sustaining Slovenia’s economic growth over the coming years.
