On Friday, 23.11.2012, a citizen’s forum took place in the Chamber of Commerce on the proposals made by the European institutions and governments to exit the financial and economic crisis.

The speakers first gave their opinion on the current situation in the EU and at home. All of them agreed that the situation in whichSloveniafinds itself is difficult and that solutions need to be found to address this quickly and efficiently. Japec Jakopin, director of Seaway, said that every citizen should think about their role in resolving the crisis, and to realize that they can become more competitive through education, creativity and innovation. According to Marjan Batagelj, director of thePostojnaCave, it is necessary for Slovenian companies to not go blindly into markets experiencing crisis, but to find new ones for new opportunities. Zofija Mazej Kukovič MEP emphasized that the best ideas are born in the midst of crisis and that rises and falls are both on a personal and on an economic level. The world will always need food and water, as well as luxuries.Sloveniacan with all its natural treasures open itself to the global market and become a land of health and tourism.

When asked what the EU is doing to improve the situation in the economy and its role in the world, MEPs Zofija Mazej Kukovič and Mojca Kleva focused on the Multiannual financial framework for the period 2014 – 2020. It is very positive that there is a strong European budget, which will have more funds allocated for investments, innovation, and development of small and medium sized enterprises and high-tech companies. Zofija Mazej Kukovič emphasized that efforts should be made to remove barriers to business and to simplify the internal market. The European Parliament has done a lot to reign in costs of mobile roaming and to simplify the European patent, though the entrepreneurs said that there was still a lot of work needed in simplifying calls.

The fact is that we live in a time when we have to make compromises for the benefit of our common future. Even in applying for European tenders, we will need to think broader and integrate further.Sloveniaonly needs to connect its businesses and tourism within the region and it will become competitive in EU tenders.

It is also necessary to eliminate separation in the Slovenian political arena, which is being incited by certain political figures. This is why all of us have such problems. The speakers agreed that for the solution to the crisis, society needs to achieve wider consensus. Every citizen can help and build towards this – with a positive and constructive attitude.

– the office of Zofija Mazej Kukovič MEP in Slovenia