Ljubljana - Slovenia ranks high among EU countries when it comes to most of the main indicators of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), however there is still room for improvement, particularly in healthcare and integration of some vulnerable groups, the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) said on Wednesday.

The EPSR initiative was launched in 2017 by chief EU institutions to raise social standards in EU member states. The pillar sets out 20 principles spanning three areas - equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion.

The situation in Slovenia had been analysed in light of these principles by the IMAD, which released the findings in the 2000-2020 EPSR - Slovenia report.

The institute has found that access to education in Slovenia is outstanding with the share of the young attending secondary schools and tertiary education programmes exceeding the EU average by far.

Nevertheless, the country faces challenges when it comes to cross-cultural learning and social integration of vulnerable groups of children, in particular Roma and migrant children.

Another area that should see improvements is the employment rate among women and their representation in politics and decision making.

Working conditions-wise, standard types of work ensure relatively good social protection and inclusion, however precarious work remains an overly frequent mode of employment both in Slovenia and the EU, the IMAD said. Moreover, not enough attention is given to efforts to create quality jobs for all types of work.

Room for improvement has also been detected in efforts to prevent any hold-ups in social dialogue and to balance professional and private lives.

Social transfers, except pensions, are more successful at reducing the risk of poverty in Slovenia than in other EU countries, expect in the case of older women, which is mostly a result of low pensions.

Access to healthcare is restricted due to long waiting lines as the country is lagging behind most member states in this area, the study warns, also pointing to a delay in the development of home care services.

The IMAD notes that skills and know-how needed for the twin digital and green transitions should be stepped up. Lifelong learning should also be put front and centre to improve the situation of those aged above 65.

Other challenges include efforts to improve the housing situation and access to drinking water and digital infrastructure, including in remote areas. When it comes to basic digital skills, Slovenia is right behind the EU average.