Ljubljana - Slovenia is awaiting investors with open arms and has plenty to offer as it transitions towards a green, creative and smart economy, officials told a virtual investment conference on Wednesday.

"Slovenia is not just one of the most sustainable countries in the world, it also offers high quality of life. Slovenia is one of the fastest growing economies in Central and Eastern Europe and most of all, it is export oriented," said Economy Ministry State Secretary Simon Zajc.

He said the transition to a green, creative and smart economy was conducive to future investments, and that the government would continue to support companies with high value added which strive for green and digital sustainability and reduce their environmental footprint.

Slovenia's advantages were also highlighted by Tomaž Kostanjevec, the director of the investment promotion agency Spirit Slovenia. "We are competitive, we have a stable economy, we are safe and one of the fastest growing economies in this part of Europe."

Kostanjevec thinks the biggest potential for investments is in industries such as green and space technologies, smart cities, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the automotive industry.

"These are all sectors in which we have traditionally been successful. We're one of the most innovative countries in the world and trying to be even better," he said.

Sibil Klančar, the head of the Economy Ministry's development funds department, noted that the ministry would have EUR 427 million available between 2022 and 2026 in grants for increasing productivity, competitiveness and resilience.

She also said there were plenty of areas outside the urbanised centre of the country where companies could invest.