Kazan hosts Tatarstan-Slovenian Business Forum

On September 16, Tatarstan-Slovenian Business Forum was held within the framework of the 12th session of the Russian-Slovenian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation in Kazan.

Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission, Russian Minister of Communications and Mass Communications Nikolai Nikiforov, Slovenian Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission, Deputy Prime Minister – Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl Erjavec and Tatarstan Prime Minister Ildar Khalikov welcomed participants of the session.

Before the forum was officially opened, the guests visited the exhibition which presented the potential of Tatarstan.

Speaking at the session, Nikolai Nikiforov said that Slovenia is one of the most promising and friendly partners of Russia among EU countries. “In recent years the trade and economic relations between Russia and Slovenia have reached its highest level,” he said. However, Nikolai Nikiforov noted the decrease in goods turnover between the countries in 2014 because of changes in world currency rates, decrease in prices for hydrocarbons, and economic sanctions.

According to Nikolai Nikiforov, Slovenian businessmen are interested in expanding their cooperation with Russian regions.

Karl Erjavec thanked Tatarstan for warm reception and the given opportunity to become acquainted with rich economic potential of one of the most developed regions in Russia. He said that cooperation between Russia and Slovenia has friendly nature and the countries maintain high level of political dialogue.

Karl Erjavec reminded that a few legal acts that created a good base for cooperation in different spheres were signed during the recent visit of Chairman of Russian Government Dmitry Medvedev to Slovenia.

Summing up, Karl Erjavec expressed his confidence that the current session of the Intergovernmental Commission would facilitate strengthening economic relations between Slovenian and Russian companies.

Ildar Khalikov supported the speech of Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and noted that the session would give Tatarstan an opportunity to enhance relations with Slovenia in different spheres.

Memorandum on implementation of a joint Russia-Slovenia project “Pure water” in Volga Federal District and other Russian regions, memorandum on mutual understanding between a Russian company “CJSC Svyaz engineering” and Slovenian company Elti, memorandum on strategic partnership for implementation and development of Slovenian innovative technologies in automotive, energy, construction, and ecology sectors in Russia and third countries, and creation of joint enterprise KOLEKTOR RUS PROM were signed at the forum.