The Slovenia Times

Čeferin brings hope of better things to come - even for our economy

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At the time, you could also make the statement that Slovenia is a virtual non-factor in the world or indeed, the European economy or politics. The only difference is that Slovenia still remains in a state of virtual anonymity. But is all that about to change?

Investors will come

Čeferin seems to think so: "Me being President of UEFA shows that Slovenians are capable of big accomplishments, although we are too often riddled with self-doubt." Čeferin didn't doubt himself on his way to one the biggest achievements for a Slovenian sports official, ever. He doesn't doubt himself now, or the better times ahead for his homeland. "UEFA is one of the biggest European organisations, with great products, a huge capital base and power. A Slovenian at the head of UEFA means more foreign companies will become interested in Slovenia and that means new jobs for the people. I will strive to help pave the way for productive meetings with foreign investors and entrepreneurs, but the deals will have to be made by others."

The "others" in concert with a rigid labour market and unstable tax system are the main culprits in Slovenia's failures to lure more foreign investments. The champion of transition amongst Eastern-European countries, Slovenia lags behind in the ability to attract foreign capital. For instance, in the last five years, Slovakia managed to attract more than EUR 8bn of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, Croatia over EUR 9.1bn, a number almost three times higher than Slovenia.

A forgettable brand of an unforgettable country

Somewhere along the path from independence to the present day we forgot how to promote and differentiate ourselves from others. It is no coincidence that, even in the times of our biggest triumphs, be it in sport or politics, we get erringly named Slovaks - it even happened to Čeferin in some foreign media.

Slovenia, with all its natural beauty, charming cities, educated and hardworking workforce, somehow fails to stand out. A year ago it even disappeared from the top 75 world nations as a brand, a list that is made each year by Futurebrand.

Why has Slovenian failed so miserably in promoting itself? When courting tourists, Slovenians might be just a little bit too proud of where they live - in a very small, yet extremely versatile and interesting country. When Croatia tries to promote itself, the leitmotif is unequivocally their sea, their islands and the seaside. When Slovenia promotes itself it does so boasting of its mountains, forests, lakes, the seaside, horses, caves and cities. Our strategy lacks focus and therefore something that foreign tourists, searching for their next travel destination, would remember.

And yet, the number of foreign tourists visiting Slovenia grows each year. Last year, foreign tourists generated around 6.6 million overnight stays, a third more than in 2009. A part of this growth can be attributed to the easing of Europe's economic woes, but surely also to better recognition. Word of mouth "marketing" definitely helps, so do all the positive articles shared via social media, but nothing compares with the exposure Slovenia got and will get in the future with Čeferin as the head of UEFA.

New opportunities

A Slovenian winning the race to lead one of the most powerful and prestigious sporting organisations seemed impossible just a few short months ago. Čeferin's victory, not unlike great sporting feats, therefore had a unifying effect on an otherwise politically polarised nation.

"This success is not my own but belongs also to my fellow Slovenians," said Čeferin, thanking his countrymen for all the positive energy during and after the election. But new challenges await, challenges that Čeferin may have different views on than his predecessor who was part of the establishment of the big footballing countries. Čeferin can't play favourites among the 55 member countries, but he does understand how small and medium-sized football associations work which can benefit Slovenia. Whether Čeferin can really make a difference in bringing new foreign investors to Slovenia remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that he will be good for our football, maybe even bring a match of the highest order such as the UEFA Super Cup, where the Champions League winner takes on the Europa League winner. "Slovenia meets all the conditions for hosting a match like that," says Čeferin and hints that Ljubljana or Maribor could follow Tallin 2018 at some stage in the not too distant future.
 

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