LJUBLJANA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Labour costs in Slovenia rose by 12.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, the country's Statistical Office reported on Friday.
This marked an acceleration from the last quarter of 2024, when labour costs rose by 6.8 percent.
"The labour costs per working hour decreased only in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, and increased across all other activity sectors," the office said.
"They increased the most in human health and social work activities, up by 19.3 percent, followed by public administration and defence, up by 15.3 percent," it said, adding labour costs in the education sector were up by 13.8 percent.
The office said the steep rise was mainly driven by a general increase in public sector wages, part of the government's wage reform launched at the beginning of 2025 and set for completion in 2028.
"Increasing costs of public services without the necessary reorganisation and cost effectiveness of those services ... threaten jobs in a long run and consequently reduces inflows in the state budget," said Vesna Nahtigal, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
