ABSTRACT
Slovenia has emerged as one of the most developed countries in Central Europe, partly as a result of its previous relatively liberal economy under self-management. In 1997 the government established the Ministry for Small Business and Tourism, and allocated greater financial assistance for small business development. As Slovenia approaches European Union membership, a new document on the Strategy for the Development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Entrepreneurship has been introduced. This follows the European Union's (EU's) strategic concepts for the small business sector's development, and new paths of SME development have emerged by creating a stronger connection between small business policy and regional development. Slovenian small business requires several short- and long-term measures to close the gap between Slovenian companies and those in the EU. New venture creation is still very important; the biggest contribution to new entities will come from potential groups of women entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, and rural entrepreneurs.
