Prime Minister Dr Golob: The success of responsible politics is measured by the strength of its results

SLOVENIA, June 3 - Prime Minister: Responsible politics builds the foundations for the future

Slovenia is in good shape today, Prime Minister Robert Golob said at the press conference, because the Government did not retreat in the face of crises but managed them. According to him, in demanding years the country protected people and businesses while also investing in knowledge, science, infrastructure, healthcare, development and resilience. The key message is that responsible politics must not only resolve crises, but also build the foundations for the future.

He thanked the people who bore the greatest burden during these years: civil protection, firefighters, the police, the army, healthcare workers, social services, municipalities, the business sector, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, farmers, researchers, teachers, cultural workers, athletes, volunteers, and citizens. He stressed that Slovenia’s strength lies not only in its institutions, but in the people who know how to come together in times of crisis.

Slovenia, he said, is after four years of this term a stable, safe and self-confident country with strong knowledge, a connected community and clearer foundations for the future. He acknowledged that changes were not always easy or fast enough, but added that the success of responsible politics is not measured by the speed of promises, but by the strength of results.

Minister Mesec: To improve demographics, give young people housing

Minister Luka Mesec stressed that Slovenia is in significantly better shape after four years than it was at the beginning of the term. He highlighted several international indicators: Slovenia ranks 8th in the European Union on the Human Development Index, 10th on the Happiness Index, has moved up three places on the Social Progress Index and is also 10th in the EU, while it ranks 2nd in the European Union in life satisfaction, just behind Denmark. He also stated that Slovenia has the lowest child poverty rate in the world, ranks 9th globally on the Peace Index, and 8th on UNICEF’s index of child well-being.

He highlighted the growth of wages, pensions and employment as one of the key achievements of the term. The minimum wage rose from EUR 1,074 gross in 2022 to EUR 1,481 gross in 2026, an increase of EUR 407. The average wage increased even more over the same period, he said, by EUR 580, from EUR 2,024 to EUR 2,606 gross. He also pointed to the growth in pensions: the average pension for those who met the age requirement and completed 40 years of service rose from EUR 977 to EUR 1,227 net.

He added that economic indicators remain solid: economic growth in the first quarter of this year stood at 3.1%, while in 2025, according to AJPES data, companies generated a record EUR 7.3 billion in profit, 13% more than the previous year. He placed particular emphasis on employment: there are 43,000 unemployed people, compared with 125,000 in 2012, while the number of long-term unemployed is now 17,000, compared with 37,000 in 2022. Among the important reforms, he mentioned culture, pension reform, long-term care and housing policy, where, according to him, a system has been established that is capable of providing almost 2,000 public rental apartments per year.

Minister Boštjančič: In uncertain times, we preserved stable public finances and trust in the state

Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič stressed that Slovenia managed to maintain fiscal stability during a term marked by the energy crisis, the largest natural disaster in the country’s history, geopolitical uncertainties and pressures on public finances. As important evidence of trust in the country, he pointed out that all rating agencies have upgraded Slovenia’s credit rating over the past 18 months. Slovenia therefore remains a country with good access to financing, high credibility on international markets and stable foundations for future development.

He also highlighted Slovenia’s strengthened international visibility in the financial field. Slovenia actively participated in shaping the new European fiscal rules, discussions on the competitiveness of the European economy and the development of capital markets. According to him, the country strengthened its presence on financial markets, broadened its investor base and established itself as one of the more advanced countries in issuing bonds and using modern financial instruments. Special attention was also devoted to the capital market, which in his view had been neglected for too long.

He also cited the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan as one of the important achievements, with Slovenia ranking among the more successful countries in drawing funds. The greatest achievement of the term, according to him, was not any individual law or decision, but the fact that Slovenia preserved stable public finances and trust in the state during several successive crises. He acknowledged that they were not successful in everything and that some tasks remain, but stressed that they also tackled difficult issues that had long been postponed and that they tried throughout to work for the benefit of citizens.

The Government’s task: To create conditions that enable people to do their work effectively

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Arčon described the term of Dr Robert Golob’s Government primarily as a period of concrete work for people. As one of the clearest examples, he highlighted the fire in the Karst region in July 2024, when Slovenia’s new firefighting aircraft enabled a rapid response and prevented a repeat of the experience from 2022. According to him, this is precisely the task of the Government: to create the conditions that enable professional and trained people to do their work effectively.

He also stressed the importance of investment in local projects, infrastructure, development, science, wages, pensions and a sense of dignity at work. According to him, the Government was not without mistakes, but it listened, engaged in dialogue and corrected solutions when necessary. Changing direction is therefore not a sign of indecision, but of responsibility, while the goals remain the same: a safer, more successful, fairer and more self-confident Slovenia.