In cooperation with the Public Agency SPIRIT Slovenia, AmCham Slovenia organized the 4^th Investment and Development Conference Slovenia Business Bridge^TM: Opportunities In the Center of Change with the focus on investment opportunities in Slovenia. Slovenia has exceptional potential with its well-educated workforce, groundbreaking ideas, and perfect geographic location, but has to take better advantage of it, said the Conference participants.

As the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Miro Cerar pointed out in his speech, lately, more and more companies recognize Slovenia as a partner that offers a stable, competitive and reliable business environment with a well-educated and quality workforce. It represents an environment worth investing in and allowing new business projects and opportunities to be developed. »We have the knowledge, the talented people, we constantly develop new ideas and products, have an excellent geographic location for international business, and are aware of the importance of investments in R&D – this all gives our country the features of an R&D center, a green economy center, and of a logistics center,« said Mr. Cerar and he also reported that the Slovenian Government is keeping in mind that investments are an important factor in economic development.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that in its term the Government has implemented numerous systemic changes and taken measures to improve the business environment and to promote economic competitiveness, because they wish to stimulate foreign and local investors to create new workplaces with high added value in Slovenia. »With such an approach that represents, in turn, the improvement of the business environment and of the supportive environment, we wish to retain companies that are already active in Slovenia and to encourage them to expand their business in the future, as well as to attract new investors,« said Mr. Cerar.

He exposed the initiative »Slovenia – a Green Reference Country in Digital Europe« as one of the successful and creative ideas that promote Slovenia as an important example for numerous countries. »We have the knowledge, the talented people, we constantly develop new ideas and products, have an excellent geographic location for international business, and are aware of the importance of investments in R&D – this all gives our country the features of an R&D center, a green economy center, and of a logistics center,« said Mr. Cerar who finished his speech with Benjamin Franklin’s quote »an investment in knowledge pays the best interest«, and added that today, this is one of the key messages.

Positive results can only be achieved through cooperation between the economy, the state, and civil society

»Opportunities in the center of change was the key topic of the 4^th Investment and Development Conference Slovenia Business Bridge^TM. Once again we saw that Slovenia has incredible potential and that it is important to be open and to put even more trust in ourselves and in investors – foreign as well as domestic – and to learn how to work together. At this year’s Conference, all participants were included and active with their knowledge and ideas. Namely, we are certain that with the rapid changes of the 4^th industrial revolution, positive benefits for all people can only be achieved through cooperation between the economy, the state, and civil society. In the last part of the Conference »Ready4DFuture«, groundbreaking stories of Slovenian companies strengthened the awareness of the fact that we can indeed be a green reference country in digital Europe. We have the knowledge, we are bold; It is time to learn how to tell a story,« said Ajša Vodnik, the Executive Director of AmCham Slovenia, at the closing of the Conference.

Deputy Prime Minister Boris Koprivnikar, who replied to quick word associations, said that today, he felt something that he usually does not find in Slovenian people, namely, that we are proud. »We are one of the most innovative countries in the world, but we have to change the way we think and be proud of ourselves,« said Mr. Koprivnikar and added that change does not happen overnight. »Change is like bungee jumping. First, you need a mad man that will jump while others only observe. You then need some people that you tie-up and push; and in the end, this becomes a grassroots sport. And there it is – a change.« Mr. Koprivnikar also said that Slovenia truly is »a green reference country in digital Europe«, but we must ask ourselves how can such an advantage become a systemic solution for a better life.

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