Govt Agency Promoting FDI in Slovenia at Expo
Matej Skočir, in charge of internationalisation and FDI at the agency, said the presentation foremost targeted representatives of non-EU countries.
Most FDI in Slovenia is from EU countries, so the agency wanted to present business opportunities to investors from other, more distant countries with fast growing economies, Skočir said.
"These are very interesting superpowers, which have both purchasing power and investment capital," he pointed out.
Skočir believes Slovenia has much room for increasing FDI, as the share of FDI in the country's GDP is below 30%, while in countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland it ranges from 50% to 60%. The EU average is around 45%.
SPIRIT is therefore also planning to organise several investment conferences.
According to Skočir, the most attractive sectors for foreign investors are the car industry, generating 10% of GDP and 20% of exports, logistics, due to the country's favourable geostrategic location, and IT, as the country boasts many up-and-coming companies.
There are also many opportunities opening in the wood processing industries, pharmaceutical industry and tourism, which accounts for 12% of GDP.
Among the arguments speaking in favour of Slovenia, SPIRIT highlighted the country's credit ratings, indicating a stable investment environment, return to economic growth, and low taxes on profit.
He pointed to concrete investment opportunities in the portfolios of the Slovenian Sovereign Holding, the Bank Asset Management Company, the bad bank of the former Austrian bank Hypo Heta, and the state-owned NLB bank.
Some 20 million visitors are expected at Expo, where 53 countries, including Slovenia, are presented with their own pavilions.