While dearer food and beverage (10%) and electricity (11.9%) contributed most to inflation in the past 12 months, cheaper cars (-4.8%), natural gas (-9.8%) and telecommunication products and services (-3.3%) helped limit the increase.

The monthly inflation rate in March stood at 0.3%, with prices of clothing and footwear contributing the most to the rise, as they rose by 8.7% on average, according to the Statistics Office.

Measured with the harmonised index of consumer products, the official EU gauge, prices in Slovenia rose by an average of 2.2% year-on-year.