"Let's be open, let's work together in search of opportunities," said Cerar, "but most of all let's stop putting spokes in the wheels of the other," he said to the managers and politicians on hand for the meeting.

Saying that the world is in a period of turmoil and great challenges, he called for a balance between individual aspirations and social goals.

He also highlighted the need for business and the state to function together for the benefit of society. "We need a functioning rule of law...We need ethics. And we need a general culture in society in which business will feel wanted but also know that it it relies on the state and the public administration."

Expanding on his call for cooperation, he said individual sectors should not see themselves as more important than others, but instead seek to build on mutual interest.

"The trade unions against employers, the public sector against private...What we should care about is that society grows and prospers. For this we need each other."

Along with the current migration crisis, Cerar said the priorities for the government were reducing red tape and overhauling taxes to achieve a more balanced burden on various sections of society.

People are Slovenia's biggest potential, he said, unveiling a flashcard which he has been carrying around this week: "I'm Slovenian. I don't complain. I look for solutions".

While the flashcard has prompted a mixed response in public in recent days, Cerar said the basis of his message is that "we are capable of being innovative, but only if we put our heads to it".

Cerar also spoke out against a culture of fear. "We need to remain open, work together, look for new opportunities and be innovative."

He delivered his message after chairman of the Manager Association Aleksander Zalaznik warned that Slovenia had "lost a decade" because of the economic crisis.

"The responsibility for this falls on the business representatives and politicians. We have a lot of catching up to do, because our competitors have not been resting on their laurels," said Zalaznik.

The priority for the government in 2016 must be to create better conditions for business, along with tackling security issues caused by the refugee crisis, he said, highlighting a cut in income tax on the "most productive staff" as a key priority.