The euro zone member narrowly avoided an international bailout to support its ailing banks in December and investors are anxious to see the return of political and financial stability.

The incoming government has said it aims to cut the deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product, the European Union'sofficial ceiling, next year, from an expected 4.2 percent this year.

"Our fiscal policy will be restrictive, we have to reduce public spending and increase the efficiency of tax collection," Cerar said at the start of the session.

Cerar reiterated that the new government plans to boost growth by selling state assets, attracting more foreign direct investment, and by helping companies restructure and improving corporate governance - all issues that have largely been on the backburner since Slovenia became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991.

He did not elaborate on privatisation but incoming Finance Minister Dušan Mramor said on Monday the government would pursue privatisation as planned by the outgoing centre-left cabinet.

"I will aim to keep a strong coalition ... which has obliged itself to lead Slovenia out of the crisis, to bring stability, higher political and legal culture to Slovenia," Cerar said.

His centre-left SMC party won a snap general election in July and formed a coalition with Desus party and the Social Democrats. The three parties together hold 52 out of 90 seats inparliament.

Investors welcomed Mramor's announcement that privatisation would continue but said the government would struggle to cut the deficit to 3 percent of GDP next year, as demanded by the European Commission.

Successive Slovenian governments opposed the sale of stateassets until the Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek earmarked 15 companies for sale last year as part of efforts to steady public finances after rescuing the country's troubled banks. Three ofthose firms have been sold so far.