The head of one of the largest associations of its kind in the world spoke with the STA as part of last week's visit to Berlin by the leadership of the Slovenian Business Club (SBC), which has struck a cooperation deal with the BVMW.

Asked how German entrepreneurs perceived Slovenia, Ohoven said that with slightly more than two million people, Slovenia was among the smallest markets in Europe, but that it nevertheless had a well developed economy.

Slovenia has efficient and innovative companies which are strongly intertwined with the European economy, he said, noting that Slovenia's GDP was higher than in some Central European countries, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Hungary.

Noting that Slovenia's economy is projected to grow at an annual rate of 3% over the next two years, Ohoven said that the strength of the country's export economy and competitiveness was reflected in the fact that exports represent as much as 80% of its GDP. This is really a big figure, as the EU average is less than 44%, he assessed.

Ohoven admitted that Slovenia makes the bulk of its trade with Germany with southern states, noting that Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are the most important trade partners for Slovenia. He believes this could be remedied, including by better communication.

The northern and eastern federal states should be acquainted with the fact that Slovenia is the most developed republic of the former Yugoslavia and that it has almost reached the level of Austria or northern Italy. As a partner, we will be glad to help Slovenia in this respect, he said.

Asked about the future cooperation with the SBC and what it meant for Slovenian and German entrepreneurs, Ohoven said that it was in the interest of the German association to establish stronger ties with the Slovenian club both at bilateral and EU levels.

We have already cooperated with some chambers in Slovenia, the embassy and certain ministries, said Ohoven, who is convinced that the SBC is a very dynamic, young organisation which embodies entrepreneurial spirit, innovativeness and exporting power.

BVMW thus hopes to be able to cooperate in the future for the benefit of both countries, both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CEA-PME), he added.

After the SBC leadership's visit to the BVMW offices in Berlin, SBC president Marjan Batagelj invited the BVMW leadership to a business conference, planned to take place in one of the coming months, to exchange experience and cases of best practice.

BVMW members employ a total of eleven million workers and generate EUR 190bn in revenue annually. The association has 300 offices in Germany employing more than 1,000 advisors, ranging from legal to tax advisors.

It also has 40 offices outside Germany, which makes it one of the most internationalised SME business association in the world.