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Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_08_št.12 - Index

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The group around pharma company Krka generated revenues to
the tune of EUR 469.3m in the first half of 2008, up 20% from
the same period last year. Net profit rose 28% to EUR 81.1m, the
group’s chairman told the press in Novo Mesto on 30 July. Jože
ColariË said Krka was satisfied with the results. In the first half
of the year, sales were up on all markets, with Central Europe
leading the way. Sales there surged 22% to EUR 123.6m, ColariË
said. In Eastern Europe, Krka registered sales of EUR 119.4m, up
17%, while in Russia, Krka’s largest single market, they amounted
to EUR 78.5m, a 12% increase compared to the first half of
2007. The biggest growth was meanwhile recorded in Western
Europe and overseas markets, where sales surged by 46% to
EUR 106.3m. In South Eastern Europe, growth was moderate
at 4% to EUR 68.7m. In Slovenia, sales in the first half of the
year increased after a period of stagnation, ColariË explained.
Revenues increased by 2% to EUR 78.5m. In the same period,
investments amounted to EUR 73.3m, and Krka registered more
than 300 new products on its markets, ColariË explained. At
the end of the second quarter, Krka commanded the biggest
share (14.5%) of the Slovenian market, which compares to
about 8% for its closest rival. Commenting on the recent flurry
of takeover activities among the generics makers, ColariË said
that independence ranked among Krka’s key objectives for the
2008−2012 period. “There is strong interest in Krka, but there
are few companies with the financial capacity to do that,”
ColariË said. He added that after last year’s acquisition of German
generics maker TAD Pharma, and the purchase of minority stakes
in two Chinese pharma companies, Krka was eyeing further
targets, both in Europe and elsewhere.
SUrvEy: MOSt SLOvENIANS LIKE
"I FEEL SLOvENIA" SLOGAN
A survey showed that some 65% respondents liked Slovenia's
tourist slogan "I Feel Slovenia", which was introduced last year.
Those who liked the slogan believed it made Slovenia more
distinctive. "It is simple, short and to the point, it shows national
pride and gives the tourists the feeling of hospitality," head of
the Government Communication Office Anze Logar told the
press. Meanwhile, 16% of respondents did not like the slogan,
mainly because it is in English, or they did not like the message or
the design of the logo. Some 19% of respondents did not give
a direct negative or positive evaluation. However, most of them
mainly suggested smaller changes in design or language. The
survey was carried out over mail. Slovenian households received
a questionnaire on the slogan in the beginning of July. The office
received some 12,000 replies, including about 4,700 opinions
and more than 1,800 suggestions. Most of these suggestions
imply that the slogan should be more widely used in tourism
(33%), the economy (15%) and sports. The slogan should be
more often seen on promotional gifts and souvenirs, products
made in Slovenia and should be visible on jerseys of Slovenian
athletes. The number of licences for the slogan increased by 71
in the last three months alone. They were mainly granted for
promotional purposes at tourist, cultural ad sporting events.
The survey showed that the Government Communication Office
did a good job with the "I Feel Slovenia" slogan. The office is
currently developing four new brochures on Slovenia's history,
culture, sports and cuisine.
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tOUrISt BOArD PLANNING tO EXPAND
wEB POrtAL
The Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) presented on 20 July its latest
three-year strategy for the development of its comprehensive
tourist information system, announcing an expansion of the
tourist Web portal. The STO expects the portal to be visited by
more than 20 million people in 2010.
According to the STO, the information system, available on the
Web at www.slovenia.info, is already complex and provides a
lot of content; it will, however, continue to be expanded and
adapted. Its future development is to focus on a comprehensive
integration of all providers of tourist services in Slovenia. While
the portal recorded 12 million visitors in 2006, the figure is
expected to rise by 2010 to more than 20 million. The number of
indirect online reservations is expected to go up by 20% every
year, whereas the STO also wants to increase the number of
people subscribed to its tourism news to 20,000 by 2010.
wINE SECtOr rEFOrM BrINGS MOrE
FUNDS
Slovenia will receive more EU funds under the wine sector
reform which entered into force on 1 August, Branko Ravnik
of the Ministry of Agriculture told the press on 6 August. The
reform brings new measures adapted to the situation in Slovenia,
thus making the sector more competitive. The most important
change of the new market regulation for wine is a different way
in which EU funds may be drawn for the envisaged measures.
As of 2009, funds from the EU budget will be distributed in
advance among Member States in the form of “national financial
envelopes”. Member States will be able to use these funds for
the measures they think appropriate. So far, the Slovenian wine
sector has received EUR 2.7m per year, but after the reform it will
receive EUR 3.5m. Funding will increase annually up until 2012,
when Slovenia will be given EUR 6.1m. Funds will go for the
restructuring of vineyards, promotion on third-country markets
and use of concentrated grape must needed for wine enrichment.
From 2010 onward, EUR 1m is intended for the preservation of
vineyards on steep slopes, Ravnik said. Other available measures
for market regulation will not be applied by means of funds in
the “national envelope”. The state will continue funding the
restructuring of production capacities, while insurance premiums
will be co-funded through state aid.
Alongside the EU reform, the regulations include national
measures which will be funded only from the Slovenian budget,
such as aid for participation in fairs, education and market
studies, and for providing advisory services. According to the
ministry’s data, there are around 17,000 hectares of vineyards in
Slovenia. About 25,000 Slovenian wine-makers produce from 80
to 100 million litres of wine, depending on the harvest. Imports
and exports are balanced; Slovenia imports and exports between
4 and 5 million litres per year.
INCrEASING NUMBEr OF DISABLED
GEttING JOBS
Employment of the disabled has risen by 9% since a quota system
was put into force in January 2006. Out of 170,000 disabled
persons in Slovenia, 34,000 are employed, explained the head of
the Directorate for the Disabled, Cveto UrsiË, on 8 August. The
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