A survey conducted by Banka Slovenije has revealed that firms continued to have favorable access to the majority of financing sources last year. The 2025 survey was the second consecutive year that positive trends were identified in this area. Firms are also optimistic with regard to their access to financing this year.
The Survey on Access to Finance of Enterprises, which Banka Slovenije has been conducting since 2011, revealed that from the perspective of factors limiting performance, 2025 saw a rise in the importance of costs of production or labour, foreign demand and supply chains, while the importance of other factors diminished or remained unchanged. Access to financing remained one of least important limiting factors according to firms.
Firms assessed the willingness of banks to approve loans in 2025 slightly less favourably than in the previous year, but are optimistic for 2026 and expect an improvement in access to almost all types of financing.
When investing, firms remain most reliant on internal funds, which is reducing the need for external financing. The increasing trend in the share of firms that did not apply for external financing did however come to an end in 2025. Over the next three years firms are planning to invest most in machinery and equipment, human resources and digital technology, mostly financing these investments via internal funds and bank loans.
The 2025 survey also asked firms about the factors affecting their investment activity. They highlighted legislation, bureaucracy and taxes as key barriers to investment, and a predictable environment, government support and the availability of EU funding as the key promoting factors. In the financing of investment, firms still see banks as partners for traditional investments such as machinery and equipment, and real estate.
