Minority's business org inaugurates development office

Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon and Slovenian Consul General in Trieste Gregor Šuc attended the inauguration ceremony on Thursday.

The main goal of the office is to assist Slovenian civil society and institutions in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in preparing content and tenders for the European Capital of Culture 2025 in both cities, the association's head Robert Frandolič said.

Since it opened at the start of the year, the office has bought together several partners and produced projects worth over EUR 1 million for an open call of the local European Association for Territorial Cooperation.

Frandolič hopes many business ideas are developed here, a view echoed by Minister Arčon, who would like to see Slovenian business people around the world cooperate as well as they do in the neighbouring countries. He also hopes the office continues to operate beyond 2025.

"This office is certainly a piece of this historic moment, because the area of Goriška, if you look at the whole Slovenian border, is by far the most connected. This is a huge competitive advantage in this area and is also important in the wider area," Arčon said in his address.

Since being founded in 1946, the Slovenian Regional Business Association has been a bridge between Italy and first Yugoslavia before it is now a bridge with Slovenia, said its president.

The association brings together around 600 micro and small companies in the areas of Trieste, Gorizia and Cividale, including two banks. It is very active in the Alps-Adriatic region, "working very well together with our friends from Carinthia, Hungary and Croatia", said Frandolič.