NEWS
Prime Minister attends the conference "For a dynamic, innovative and open Slovenia"
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Alenka Bratušek, attended the opening of a two-day conference entitled "For a dynamic, innovative and open Slovenia" which was organised by the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy within the scope of drafting the Smart Specialisation Strategy. In her address, the Prime Minister pointed out that "the awareness that we need fresh capital has matured. But even more important is the awareness that we have enough domestic knowledge and potentials that should be given attention, be better connected and be provided with opportunities."
We therefore need a "strategy within the framework of which companies and different institutions engaged in education, innovation, research and development as well as non-governmental organisations, all in search of our development priorities and opportunities, would actually join their forces." And, of course, the state should be involved too. The latter should, in particular, provide better channelling of European funds to development and improve the business environment, which also includes the reduction of administrative burdens," said the Prime Minister and highlighted that the present times require courage and innovation "in order to generate higher value through new approaches. These new values would be put into effect in the market and could contribute to the creation of conditions for new, better jobs and the preservation of a welfare state with a high degree of social cohesion." Innovation is needed everywhere – in the industry, in services and in the rural development – which means that we must open up even more in terms of export and international integration as well as in terms of attracting talents and capital to Slovenia. "If we want to stop brain-drain we cannot achieve it by preventing people to leave their country but by creating an attractive and internationally competitive environment at home. It also means that already in the process of knowledge creation greater emphasis must be placed on the use of this knowledge for the benefit of the entire society," emphasised the Prime Minister and stressed that smart specialisation should be understood as a process that will not be completed by adopting its strategy, because at that point the story will only just start.