Along with the AgendaMG package of measures, calls were voiced for the introduction of entrepreneurship in schools.

This year's AgendaMG, which the GZS recently presented to the government, has three main goals: the tackling of the employment and credit crunch for small business, the raising of the share of small companies in export and a more effective legislation and administration with less red tape.

The ten key measures include looser conditions for gradual deleveraging and more incentives for ownership financing directly via state institutions such as the Slovenian Enterprise Fund and the SID development bank or indirectly via venture capital funds.

Also needed are access to working capital through the Enterprise Fund, labour tax breaks in cases of high real estate taxation, an overhaul of lump-sum taxation policies and less red tape, the debate heard.

The GZS's Marta Turk highlighted the need for labour reform as well as for special service to small companies related to the phasing of EU funds.

Turk was among those highlighting the importance of business education, as was entrepreneur Brane Lotrič, who said that "today's education system is only supporting itself".

Outgoing Labour Minister Anja Kopač Mrak meanwhile pointed to the importance of trust and cooperation. She said that the active employment policy needed to be connected to a clear industrial policy. "We need smart specialisation," she stressed.

Former Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak, now MP for the opposition Democrats (SDS), urged a reform of the public sector, privatisation as well as profit-oriented management of state-owned assets.

Also on hand was European Commission representative Joanne Drake, who acknowledged the Commission was often remote from the realities in member states, which is why meetings like today's were very welcome.

She called on Slovenia to push ahead with structural reforms, to nourish innovation, preserve an entrepreneurial spirit and work on a favourable business environment.