In 2021 Slovenia's exports totalled €39.4 billion, which is an increase of 19.8% compared with 2020, but as its imports grew faster than exports, it also generated the highest foreign trade deficit in the past ten years.

The country’s commodity imports last year amounted to as much as €42 billion or 30.8% more than in 2020 so the export-import ratio dropped to 93.9%, Slovenia’s statistical office reported on Friday.

The foreign trade deficit hence increased to €2.6 billion, which is the highest deficit in the past ten years.

Last year 17.3% of Slovenia’s total exports were to Germany, followed by Switzerland (13.4%), Italy (10.7%), Croatia (7.9%) and Austria (6.6%).

Analysts estimate that this is evidence of strong economic growth compared to the pandemic year of 2020, when the economy and exports were affected by restrictions introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic.