The Buzz in Slovenia: Interview with Suzana Boncina Jamsek of ODI Law

The Buzz in Slovenia: Interview with Suzana Boncina Jamsek of ODI Law

Slovenia
Tools
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

“Covid is still a very hot topic in Slovenia, I’m afraid,” reports ODI Partner Suzana Boncina Jamsek. “The vaccination efforts have somewhat stalled, especially with some problems that Europe seems to have been having with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and this is affecting the market and our daily work.” Boncina Jamsek says that the country still has some lockdown measures in place, but that these change “almost on a weekly basis,” and are not very strict at the moment. “Still, business meetings are rarely taking place in person and this is still a hurdle for all of us,” she says.

The government is hoping for a stable finish to its term, Boncina Jamsek says, even though it has been experiencing issues lately. “The Education Minister has been questioned by the opposition in a parliamentary process, recently, but nevertheless the current government  seem to still be on track to complete their mandate,” she says. The government is also preparing to take over the reins of the EU in the back half of 2021.

The government’s legislative agenda has not been entirely focused on corona-related efforts. Indeed, Boncina Jamsek says, “the government has passed a proposal for a new de-bureaucratization law which is currently being vetted by the parliament – this, if passed, will likely lead to a leaner administration.” 

M&A transactions remain quite lively, Boncina Jamsek reports, although smaller than in previous years. "Still," she says, "investment activity is high, despite corona.” She also says that the real estate market is very active and that there are a lot of investment funds establishing presences in the country. 

Additionally, Boncina Jamsek says, there has been a boom in the private medical care sector. “There has been a lot of M&A activity with private clinics and diagnostic centers recently,” she says, describing it as “a very vibrant area of the Slovenian market, overall.” 

Finally, she says that Slovenia's banking & finance sector “has experienced a prolongation of credit arrangements, but not a lot of restructurings, unlike the last economic crisis of ten years ago.” According to her, “I think that this is because there are still a number of Covid-19 measures in place that ease the existence of businesses – after these run out, it remains to be seen what the situation will be like.”