This year’s Slovenian Bankers’ Day event which was organized by the Bank Association of Slovenia highlighted the role of banks in the post-pandemic recovery. Introductory remarks were delivered by the Finance Minister mag. Andrej Šircelj, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bank Association of Slovenia Blaž Brodnjak and the Governor of the Bank of Slovenia mag. Boštjan Vasle. The State Secretary presented the national Recovery and Resilience Plan outlining its main areas of support. She stressed the importance of complementarities between the mechanisms made available to Slovenia in the next programming period, saying that the synergies between the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the React-EU initiative, the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 and the Just Transition Fund are necessary to achieve the multiplier effect of investments.  

In her speech, the State Secretary underlined the immense role that the banking sector plays in cushioning the impact of the pandemic and supporting the recovery of the Slovenian economy. According to the State Secretary, the banking sector could financially contribute to the strengthening of the economy in many ways, especially as regards providing investments in the green and digital transition and in a smart and sustainable Slovenia/Europe; the two areas will also receive the largest share of the overall funding made available to the country under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the draft programming documents for the period 2021-2027. The State Secretary said that ‘’Strengthening of the Slovenian economy also depends on providing an appropriate supportive environment which facilitates the starting of businesses with high added value and helps the existing businesses tackle various obstacles and consequence of the pandemic. This kind of investments will help create more dynamic and competitive businesses that will meet the demands of green growth.’’