On the occasion of the inauguration of the new Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the 2026–2030 term, we extended our sincere congratulations to the Prime Minister and to all ministers, shared the perspective of the AmCham Slovenia business community, sent them the AmCham Slovenia 2026 advocacy brochure, and invited them to constructive cooperation.
We communicated our positions through the five key pillars of our advocacy – health, knowledge and people, international competitiveness, ready for the future, and resilience and responsibility. All are bound by the conviction that Slovenia can build prosperity only through a successful and competitive economy, a predictable environment, and investment in knowledge, talent, and innovation. Without a timely digital leap – including the introduction of the digital language – and greater resilience, we will not be the architects of our future, but merely its followers.
We also addressed specific positions to certain ministries: to the Ministry of Culture, the importance of free, independent and pluralistic media as a pillar of democracy; and to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, international cooperation through the USA–Slovenia Business CoLab group, the USA Navigator platform, and the Believe in Slovenia initiative, which connects Slovenia and the United States and strengthens ties with Slovenians abroad.
We also proposed reviving the national Partnership for Change platform, which has already proven to be an effective bridge between the public and private sectors. Concrete measures by sector were also shared by Snežna kepa (The Snowball), the think-tank of the AmCham Young Leaders Club, which unites young people around a vision of Slovenia as a country of optimism and opportunity.
We believe that dialogue is the best path to good decisions, and we will therefore actively follow the work of the new government and continue to strive for a better business and living environment in Slovenia. Below, we summarize the positions that we, organized by the thematic focus of our committees, addressed to the individual ministries.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING COMMITTEE
We communicated to the Ministry of Health that we view healthcare as a long-term investment in economic growth and societal wellbeing, not as a cost, and that the patient must be at the centre of the system. We welcomed the shortening of waiting times through the inclusion of all licensed providers under equal conditions and public oversight, as well as the commitment to a unified, interoperable, and user-friendly information system, telemedicine, and digital solutions. We pointed out that Slovenia lags in access to innovative therapies and advocated for faster access to more advanced treatment. With regard to financing, we proposed reflection on supplementary, non-tax sources and a transition to care oriented towards the best outcome for the patient, as well as greater managerial autonomy of public institutions.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Finance Committee, which together with the business community has been calling for a development cap on social contributions for more than a decade, addressed its positions to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport. We welcomed the commitment to fiscal sustainability, four-year budget cycles, and an orientation towards a stable, predictable tax environment without new taxes, and above all to easing the tax burden on labor – from the personal income tax scale and the relief for young people to the statutory introduction of the development cap, for which we propose a more ambitious threshold at 2.5 times the average wage (around EUR 6,500), so as to cover the professions that drive development and to prevent the outflow of experts. We pointed out that the core of the personal income tax problem is not the top bracket but the width of the brackets; we supported tax incentives for research, development and digitalization, the regulation of stock options and incentives for venture capital, and called for a more decisive second pension pillar.
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
The Investment Committee proceeds from a simple recognition: foreign investment does not arrive because of promotion, but because of credibility, legal predictability and the speed of procedures. To the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport, we emphasized the importance of a predictable and stable tax environment and of targeted incentives for high value-added projects that enable development and new investment.
We welcomed the commitments of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning to accelerate spatial planning and the issuance of building and operating permits, while at the same time stressing that the “silence means consent” principle must come to life in practice and not only on paper.
To the Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development, we conveyed that Slovenia must already today prepare for the new European financing logic, which increasingly ties funds to results and competitiveness. We called on the Ministry of Justice for faster and predictable court proceedings and consistent case law, which mean legal certainty for foreign investors and are a prerequisite for investment decisions.
FUTURE OF WORK AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Without people with the right knowledge there is neither productivity nor innovation. We welcomed the commitments of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth to raise the standing of the teaching profession and stressed that the introduction of the digital language – computing and informatics – is essential from the 1st grade of primary school, as every day of delay means a generation of children falling behind their peers from other countries. To the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport, we underlined the closer link between education and the economy, following the real needs of the market, and noted that the recording of working time often does not keep up with modern work processes, which is why we give priority to approaches based on trust, responsibility and results.
To the Ministry of Demography, Family and Social Affairs, we welcomed measures that address demographic challenges and keep young people at home, and to the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration we pointed out that, for high value added, Slovenia above all needs a highly qualified workforce, and that administrative obstacles must therefore be removed and procedures for obtaining work and residence permits accelerated and simplified.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND DIGITAL REGULATION COMMITTEE
Intellectual property is an increasingly important competitive advantage, and digital regulation has a significant impact on the development of the economy. To the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport, we highlighted the need for a clearer regulation of inventions and copyright works arising from employment, and for educating small and medium-sized enterprises on digital legislation, where AmCham can serve as a bridge between the economy and regulators.
In the context of the series of European packages – from the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act to the AI Act – we stressed to the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration that what is key is not only the adoption of the rules, but considered implementation and well-prepared regulators, as this determines whether regulation will be a competitive advantage or a burden.
To the Ministry of Justice, we emphasised that in the field of intellectual property, law and technology intertwine faster than ever before, which is why continuous professional development and specialized expertise within the judiciary are essential, since this is precisely what strengthens the quality and predictability of decision-making and the trust that is a prerequisite for investment in development and innovation.
READY 4D FUTURE COMMITTEE
Slovenia stands at a digital crossroads, where passivity is no longer an option. To the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, we emphasized that the current plan, under which a subject covering digital content is to be introduced only in the 2028/29 school year in the 7th grade, in the scope of 35 hours, is too little and too late; we advocate for the introduction of the digital language – computing and informatics – from the 1st grade of primary school.
We welcomed the commitment of the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration regarding the eSlovenia application as a single digital window, and the considered introduction of artificial intelligence into public administration. We noted that Slovenia is among the last in the EU in the use of electronic identity, and that it is also necessary to strengthen information security and the country’s cyber resilience.
To the Ministry of Defence, we highlighted the opportunity offered by dual-use technologies, which transcend the divide between the civilian, economic and security domains, as well as the importance of cyber and information security, given that cyber attacks are on the rise and are causing significant economic damage.
RESILIENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY COMMITTEE
Resilience is not a cost but a signal to investors of a country’s long-term stability. We welcomed the commitment of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy to a reliable, affordable and self-sufficient energy supply – including JEK2 project, small modular reactors, hydropower and the upgrading of the grid – as well as long-term investment planning up to 2040. At the same time, we called for industrial consumers to be treated as partners of the system, and for the green transition to be understood as a development opportunity and a lever of competitiveness, not merely an environmental commitment.
We agreed with the starting point of the Ministry of Agriculture that food is a strategic commodity and food security part of national security, and supported increasing self-sufficiency, bureaucratization and digitalization of the sector, and traceability across the entire supply chain.
To the Ministry of Defence, we highlighted the opportunity offered by dual-use technologies, which connect defense needs with the development of the economy and research, and strengthen Slovenia’s strategic autonomy.