The Slovenia Times

Biggest Trade Fair Gets Under Way in Celje

Nekategorizirano


The event is a traditional venue for businesses to vent their grievances, and this year was no different.

The head of the Chamber of Craft Industries and Small Business (OZS) Branko Meh said in his keynote that businesses were struggling to survive.

The government keeps saying that competitiveness must improve, but at the same time it adopts measures that hamper competitiveness, said Meh, listing the excessive burden of taxes and contributions, red tape, and the looming real estate tax.

Prime Minister Alenka BratuĊĦek meanwhile opined that her government had done a lot considering it has been in office for less than six months.

She also berated businesses for their stance, saying her only wish was to "get down to work, without the media."

"Thank you for the materials you have submitted, you can rest assured we'll take it seriously. But I'm disappointed you didn't stick to the other part of the deal. It seems PR is more important than results," she said about proposals from business organisations addressed at the government.

The fair places special focus on Turkey, one of the six priority markets chosen by Slovenia for the year. The programme will include a Slovenian-Turkish business conference on 16 September as well as individual meetings between executives from both countries.

The conference, organised by the operator of the Celje fairgrounds, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and the Slovenian SPIRIT agency, is aimed at boosting business ties between the two countries and presenting business and investment opportunities in Slovenia. Over 30 Turkish companies are expected to attend.

Apart from Turkey, group presentations at the Celje fair will also be staged by Brazil, Croatia, India, Indonesia, Hungary, Poland and Serbia.

A special event will be dedicated to cooperation between Slovenia and Serbia, while a Slovenian-Hungarian business club will present business opportunities in Hungary.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec will brief exhibitors and businessmen in attendance on the services offered by the Slovenian diplomatic service at an event dubbed Slovenian Diplomacy Day.

The fair will also feature debates on topical issues such as bank restructuring and the potential for return to growth, while mayors will discuss investment in improving energy efficiency of public buildings.

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