InvestSlovenia

SOCIAL SECURITY

Internationally comparable strengths of Slovenia’s social security:

Safe place to live (in the 11th place among 59 countries; Yearbook of Competitiveness IMD 2003)

Availability of health care services

Low % of those below the poverty line

Total expenditure on social security as a % of GDP

Total health care expenditure as a % of GDP

Low infant mortality rate

Relatively low % of persons living in low-income households

Relatively low income inequality

Gini coefficient (measure of income inequality)

Sources: European Commission (2002); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2002)

Personal safety

Slovenia is a safe place to live, with lower crime rates than in the reference countries. Organised crime and corruption are also low by international standards.

Number of serious crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, 2003

Note: Number of murders, violent crimes or armed robberies per 100,000 inhabitants

IMD: World Competitiveness Yearbook (2003)

Bribing and Corruption, 2003

Note: 1 – Bribing and corruption exist in economy, 10 - Bribing and corruption do not exist in economy

Source: IMD: World Competitiveness Yearbook (2003)

Health care

Slovenia devotes significant attention to health care with increasing investments earmarked for public health over the past several years, contributing to development of a comprehensive system of public health services readily accessible to all.

The total health care expenditure as a % of GDP is slightly below the EU-15 average. Slovenia is similar to several EU-15 countries with respect to the extent of health care and infant mortality.

Total health expenditure as a proportion of GDP, 1999

Note: Data for Germany, EU-15 and the candidate countries except Slovenia are for 1998.

Source: Eurostat (2002); WHO (2001); ZZZS (2002)

Social welfare

Slovenia has a comprehensive social welfare system. This system has guaranteed that although the unemployment rate is relatively high, the number of people living below the poverty line is low.

Total expenditure on social security as a % of GDP, 1999

Source: Eurostat (2001)

Poverty rate (% of persons living in low-income households), 1997

Sources: European Commission (2002); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2002)

The social welfare system is faced with a number of serious challenges given structural unemployment, the aging population, and changes in different economic and social policies.