While net debt to foreigners dropped by EUR 421m last year, ownership stock was up by EUR 1.4bn, the Foreign Economic Relations report show.

Meanwhile, the difference between the total stock of foreign investment in Slovenia and Slovenian investment abroad amounted to EUR 954m in 2016, as Slovenian investment abroad declined by EUR 59m.

The current account balance in January stood at EUR 288m, a rise of EUR 151m on the same month a year earlier. The surplus in goods trade was at EUR 218m, which is EUR 125m more than in January 2015.

Slovenia's gross external debt stood at EUR 44.5bn at the end of January, a decrease of EUR 2.7bn year-on-year. Banks saw the biggest decline in external debt, at EUR 1.5bn.

The state held 51% of all external debt, followed by "other sectors" with 24% and banks with 11%.