Brglez said he was happy that the state put an end to the ten-year agony in the forestry and wood processing chain.

While today's session was mostly focused on the establishment of the board, the new chief supervisor said he wanted the industry to become comparable with Austria and to generate profit and jobs.

The forestry and wood processing chain in Slovenia now has the conditions to start anew: "Not only financially, but to actually create jobs." Brglez added that diverse jobs, including well-paid ones, existed in the sector.

While the board still needs to create an interim business plan, today's session did not focus on that. According to Brglez, the plan would be discussed at the next session.

He stressed the sector was plagued by disorganisation and that SiDG needed to become an example of good practice.

Agriculture Minister Dejan Židan reiterated the state's goals of efficiency in the sector and sustainable management of forests. "We want to provide extra work for hill and mountain farms, so they can live and develop."

The state will supervise the company's efficiency in meeting goals, as 20% of harvest income goes into the Forestry Fund, which finances urgent works in forests.

"We expect some EUR 10m initially and EUR 14m later. The company must generate profit with the expected long-term profit at EUR 10m or even more. At least half of it is expected to go into the budget."

He added that jobs in the sector were not in question, "there may be even more of them". "What will change is that forestry works will no longer be done without a public tender. The best will be picked," the minister noted.

The key goal to be achieved by the end of the year is making the company fully operational, including with additional hiring. Currently it employs around 100 people.

"Our goal is to increase the forested area in Slovenia and to support the Slovenian wood processing industry," stressed acting director of SiDG Miha Marenče.

The government appointed Andreja Košir, Erneset Miheljak, Valerija Štiblar, Pavel Brglez and Andrej Janša as supervisors for a four-year term last week.