Bern, 10 April (STA) - Economy, Tourism and Sport Minister Matjaž Han is concluding a two-day official visit to Switzerland on Wednesday. He and his Swiss counterpart Guy Parmelin focused on boosting economic cooperation, with Han welcoming Switzerland's view of Slovenia as an attractive investment destination for high-tech.
Han and Parmelin highlighted the successful cooperation and excellent relations between the two countries. As Han stressed for the STA, Switzerland is one of Slovenia's main trading partners, with trade exchange increasing, thanks in part to the pharmaceutical industry.
Han sees opportunities to strengthen cooperation in construction, renewable energy sources, digitalisation, and circular economy, as well as ICT. Slovenia also wants to enhance cooperation between the startup ecosystems of the two countries, especially in terms of connecting with Swiss investors.
Han assured his Swiss interlocutors of Slovenia's commitment to maintaining and further enhancing the country's attractiveness for investment and high-tech activities.
He highlighted tax incentives for investing in R&D, financial incentives for investments in Slovenia that increase added value, as well as grants and repayable support for the development of companies in Slovenia.
Slovenia has increased investments in science and the education system, is distinguished by highly skilled personnel, and is also accelerating investment in infrastructure, Han said.
In Basel, Han visited the headquarters of pharmaceutical companies Sandoz and Novartis, which are among the largest foreign investors in Slovenia. "I was very pleased when I read in one of the German newspapers that Sandoz praises Slovenia as a very pragmatic country capable of attracting large investments, and places us alongside Germany," Han highlighted.
In a recent interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung, Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor said that it is easier to invest in Slovenia than in Germany. The cooperation with the government there is very pragmatic. The German government is not so flexible, he said of Slovenia.
Han expressed his conviction that this heralds potential additional investment by pharmaceutical companies in Slovenia. "We discussed what we should do to make Slovenia an even more attractive investment destination," he said.
The minister and the accompanying delegation also visited the headquarters of the European Football Association (UEFA) in Nyon, where they met with UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin of Slovenia.
Han was meanwhile also scheduled to address the participants of the tourism promotional event Roadshow Switzerland - Workshop Bern 2024, organised by the Slovenian Tourist Board.
