Next week, on the 7^th and 8th of May, the 14^th Bled Forum on Europe – Europe for Africa & Africa for World – will take place in Ljubljana. After last year`s active participation at related international conferences: the 13^th Bled Forum (VIDEO), the Cloud Forum (VIDEO) and the Conference on Benefits and Challenges of Public Private Partnerships (VIDEO), this year the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) along with its international investors' programs: Invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (invest-to.net) participates as partner of this important event.

VZMD invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to attend interesting two-day program and events, where Invest to Slovenia and International Investors' Network also will be presented.REGISTRATION

This year`s Forum is organized by VZMD partners, GFS Institute and International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE), along with African Forum Slovenia, Club of Slovenian Ambassadors and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, and will take place under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Mr. Borut Pahor.

You can read more about the 14^th Bled Forum with clicking on this LINK.

On the 24^th and the 25^th of April the 19^th financial fair KAPITAL 2013 took place at Cankar Hall (Cankarjev dom) in Ljubljana. At the 19^th KAPITAL over 60 financial services providers presented their offer andmore than 40 lectures, roundtables and other events, related to the current economic situation at home and abroad, took place during two days fair.

PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) – with its international investors' programs investo.siand invest-to.net – actively participated at the fair for the fourth year, this year also with the lecture of VZMD President, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, M.Sc., entitled "International Investors' Environment – Opportunities for Recognized Presentations of Slovene Companies, Institutions and Investment Projects".

At the financial fair, they traditionally conferred awards of Kapital Magazine "The Top Director", "The Top Financier" and "The Top Company". "The Top Company" of 2013 is Krka, company for the production and sale of pharmaceuticals and health products, which last year also received a VZMD-Euroshareholders award "Shareholders' Friendly Company" (VIDEO). Krka has 9500 employees; it has exceeded one billioneuros in trade and created 155 million euros profit. The award was received by Mrs. Zvezdana Bajc, theMember of the Management Board and Director of Accounting and Controlling at Krka. "The Top Financier" award was conferred to Mr. Matjaž Rakovec, President of the Management Board of the Triglav Insurance Company. Despite a major crisis in the financial system, last year Triglav created record profits.While the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is planning to sell certain state-owned companies, Triglav is planning new takeovers in Croatia. "The Top Director" of 2013 is Mr. Andrej Božič, the General Manager of Steklarna Hrastnik, a glass products manufacturing company. In four years, he successfullyreformed the company, in 2009, the company had 5 million euros loss, last year, they had over one million euros profit. He just returned from the USA, where he promoted the new Slovenian prestigious vodka, for which Steklarna Hrastnik produced specially exacting bottles.

Like in previous years, the variegated fair happening was filmed by the VZMD.TV crew, who prepared transparent video report (to view VIDEO REPORT, click on the picture above).

Among the events, which accompanied the General Assembly of the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinUse) and the International Conference "The Audit Reform – Impact on Investors"in the European Parliament, which took place last month in Brussels (VIDEO REPORT), representatives of some national investors' and shareholders' organizations, including PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), also attended a lecture, given by one of the Directors of UK Shareholders' Association ShareSoc and experienced stock market investor, Mr. Stan Grierson. Interesting lecture, which is also relevant, topical and instructive for Slovenian investors, shareholders and individual investors, was exclusively filmed by the investo.tv crew and is fully available with clicking on this LINK.

On March 26th, the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinUse) organized a high-profile International conference in the European Parliament »The Audit Reform – Impact on Investors«, which was, in addition to many businessment and representatives of influential interest groups and European institutions, also attended by the EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Mr Michel Barnier, who held the closing speech.

Like last year's conferences at Brussels Stock Exchange and Ljubljana Cankar Hall, also this conference was exclusively covered by the investo.tv crew, which prepared an exclusive VIDEO REPORT (to view click on the picture above).

The previous day, the General Assembly of EuroFinUse took place at the Brussels business club, the first one after the merger with the European Shareholders Association (Euroshareholders), which happened on the basis of the last year's Ljubljana Declaration. This year's election Assembly, which also re-elected a representative of Slovenia, the President of the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), mag. Kristijan Verbič, into its highest authority – the Board of Directors, was followed by a formal reception and the announcement of Mr. Jean Berthon, who was immediately before this elected President of this prestigious European association, which brings together over 50 european associations of investors and shareholders with over 4 million members. The high-level meeting was, in addition to the distinguished guests from all over Europe, also attended by the senior representatives of the World Federation of Investors (WFI).

During these occasions, a proper presentation of companies, instututions and investment project included in the international investors' programs: invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (invest-to.net) was also provided. This year - after successful participation in the business delegation, which visited the Azerbaijani capital Baku (VIDEO) in January with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economic development and the visit of the business delegation to Japan with the President of Slovenia – VZMD continues with the ambitious international program and invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to participate and include their informative and promotional material and investment projects on the web portals, in literature and the commemorative magazine »investo Expo« and in the numerous other international business events which are prepared within the framework of both international investors' programs.

Today, the European Parliament is hosting an international conference of the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinUse), entitled »The Audit Reform - Impact on Investors«. Investors' conference is attended by numerous representatives of influential interest groups and European institutions, among others Mr. Michel Barnier, EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, with giving a closing speech. You can find out more about the program with clicking on this LINK.

Like last year's conferences at Brussels Stock Exchange and Ljubljana Cankar Hall, also this conference is being exclusively recorded by the investo.tvcrew, who will prepare an extensive video report during the next few days.

Yesterday, the General Assembly of EuroFinUse took place at the Club Van Lotharingen in Brussels, the first one after the merger with the European Shareholders Association (Euroshareholders), which happened on the basis of the last year's Ljubljana Declaration. As the representative of Slovenia, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, President of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) and member of the Board of Directors of EuroFinUse, attended the Assembly.

Mr. Verbič has againbeen appointed to the highest organ of this reputable organization, which comprises over 50 European associations of investors and shareholders with over 4 million members. Along with him also Mrs. Jella Benner-Heinacher (Germany), Mr. Jean Berthon (France), Mr. Harry Braund (Great Britain), Mr. Jaroslaw Dominiak (Poland), Mr. Jofre Farrés Roselló (Spain), Mr. Jan Maarten Slagter (Netherlands), Mr. Wilhelm Rasinger (Austria) and Mr. Leif Vindevag (Sweden) have been elected to the new Executive Board for the term of three years, while Mr. Jean Berthon has been elected as the new EuroFinUse President. The General Assembly as well discussed and approved the significantEuroFinUse 2013 Declaration. This important Assembly was followed by reception and dinner at the distinguished Club des Guides, which were also attended by representatives of the World Federation of Investors (WFI), its Chairman, Mr. Roger Ganser, and its President and Secretary General, Mr. Jean-Pierre Paelinck.

After successful visit of Slovene economic and political delegation to Japan, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, the President of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association(VZMD), ended his working visit there, with the visit of Japanese investors' association, SeLeNet, where he was welcomed by the Managing Director Mr. Frank Kaneko and the Director Mrs. Yoshiko Togashi. The conversations were focused mostly on the further intensification of mutual cooperation within the international investors' programs of VZMD: Invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network(invest-to.net).

In organization of SPIRIT Slovenia, partner Japanese agency JETRO and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Japan, supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia,Manufactured Imports and Investment Promotion Organization MIPRO and Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, "Slovenian-Japanese Business & Investment Forum" was held in Tokyo last Friday. At the forum, all gathered were among others addressed by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, the President of JETRO, Mr. Hidehiro Yokoo, and the Acting Director of SPIRIT, Mr. Boštjan Skalar. Mr. Yokoo and Mr. Skalar also signed an agreement on cooperation between SPIRIT Slovenia and JETRO to deepen economic cooperation and strengthen partner relations. At the same time, two commercial contracts have been signed: DUOL company has signed a contract about establishment of competitive center for new materials and technology with the Japanese producer of membranes, Hiraoka company, and VSR Lab company has signed a letter of intent for the supply of water vessels to the Japanese buyer.

The forum concluded with B2B business meetings, which were attended by numerous businessmen and representatives of Japanese companies. Also on these occasions, the proper presentation of companies, institutions and investment projects, included in the international investors' programs investo.si and invest-to.net, was provided. Japanese participants have shown considerable interest in these programs,and all of the extensive informational and promotional materials, presented by the VZMD in Tokyo, ran out.

After a successful cooperation in economic delegation, which in January visited Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and this time visit of the economic and political delegation in Japan, VZMD invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of opportunities for cooperation and inclusion of their informational materials, promotional materials and investment projects in web portals, materials and occasional magazines"investo Expo", as well as in events on numerous other anticipated occasions, which are being prepared within the context of both international investors' programs in 2013.

On Wednesday, March the 6^th, a large and high-level economic delegation with 33 representatives of Slovenian companies, economic andscientific-research institutions arrived to Japan. This time visit of economic delegation takes place along the visit of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, Akihito, and the Prime Minister of Japan, AbeShinzō. As part of the efforts of the international investors' programs of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD): Invest to Slovenia(investo.si) and International Investors' Network (invest-to.net), the President of VZMD, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, is also visiting Japan as a member of Slovene delegation.

In organization of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and SPIRIT Slovenia, partner Japanese agency JETRO andJapanese Agency for Development of New Energy and Industrial Technologies – NEDO, numerous bilateral business meetings, presentations and events are being held in Tokyo and Yokohama. Thus, members of the delegation on Wednesday visited the Toyotapresentation center Toyota Mega Web and the Panasonic Center, where they were received by the highestrepresentatives of global corporation. Visits were followed by a joint dinner of Slovenian businessmen in Japan, businessmen and members of the delegation, which was also joined by the President of the Republic of Slovenia. The meeting was held in the famous Yam Yam restaurant in the center of Tokyo, which is renowned as an important meeting point for Slovenes in Japan, and it impresses distinguished Japaneseguests with the outstanding selection of Slovenian wines. At the end of the evening, individual members of the delegation, including the President of VZMD, have beenadmitted to the eminent association of Japanese-Slovene friendship – Fuji Triglav Society (FTS).

Yesterday, "Japan – Slovenia Technology Cooperation Seminar" was held on the premises of Association for Technological Excellence Promoting Innovative Advances – TEPIA, where President Borut Pahor addressed the participants. The seminar was followed by a working lunch, organized by the President of NEDO, Mr. Hideo Hato. In addition to the members of the economic delegation, President of the Republic of Slovenia, President of the Board of Hitachi Corporation, Mr. Hideo Hato and many other prominentbusinessmen also attended the lunch. After lunch, the participants set out for Yokohama, where they visited Kankankyo and the Nissan Global Center premises.Slovene economic delegation concluded its intense and successful day at the reception for reputable Japanese representatives and members of the Slovene community in Japan, hosted by the President of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Japan.

Also on these occasions, the proper presentation of companies, institutions and investment projects, included in the international investors' programs investo.siand invest-to.net, was provided. After a successful cooperation in economic delegation, which in January visited Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and this time visitof the economic delegation in Japan, VZMD invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of opportunities for cooperation and inclusion of their informational materials, promotional materials and investment projects in web portals, materials and occasional magazines"investo Expo", as well as in events on numerous other anticipated occasions, which are being prepared within the context of both international investors' programs in 2013.

In the framework of Memorandum of cooperation between International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) and PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), the international investors' programs invest to Slovenija (investo.si) and International Investors'Network (investo.international) were presented in India by ICPE Acting Director General, Mr. Janez Podobnik. ICPE ADG joined the Slovenian government and business delegation to India, led by Mr. Radovan Žerjav, M.Sc, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, The Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

On the 27^th and 28^th of January, the delegation attended the 2013 Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Agra, joining the over 1200 business representatives from India and worldwide delegations. They met with Shri Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. On January the 29^th, the delegation attended the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) India-Slovenia Business forum and visited the CII premises in New Delhi.

As the delegation continued with B2B meetings in Kolkata, ICPE ADG met in New Delhi with representatives of the Government of India and individual institutions, with which ICPE had closely cooperated in the past.

On Wednesday, the 30^th of January, ICPE ADG visited the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and met with Dr S. K. Sarkar, Additional Secretary, and Smt. Deepika Lohia Aran, Deputy Secretary. ICPE ADG shortly presented the recent restructuring and improvement of ICPE's educational programmes and the ICPE plan of activities with regard to the international MBA and short-term training programmes for the Government of India. DOPT will offer their support to ICPE programmes in agreement with the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), responsible for ICPE, and the key government institutions, which will enrol their officials to ICPE's programmes.

Late afternoon, ICPE ADG, Minister Žerjav and HE Mr. Janez Premože, Ambassador of Slovenia to India, met with Shri Praful Patel, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, State Secretary of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and ICPE Council President Shri O. P. Rawat, as well as Joint Secretary DPE, Shri Ashok K. Pavadia. The possibilities of strengthened economic cooperation between the two countries were discussed, while underlining the crucial role of ICPE in intensifying and opening new possibilities for concrete cooperation

On Thursday, the 31^st of January, ICPE ADG and HE Premože met with Secretary O. P. Rawat and Joint Secretary Ashok K. Pavadia to discuss in more detail the near future activities of ICPE in cooperation with the Government of India. Secretary Rawat specifically noted the immense potential for cooperation within the energy sector and the central role which ICPE could play in this field with the support of the Government of India and the Government of Slovenia. Further on, firm grounds were laid for the conduct of short-term training programmes in the period of the following six months. They discussed the details of the international postgraduate MBA programme, which is to be re-launched in September 2013 in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. It is expected that 20 candidates will be nominated by the Government of India to enrol in the ICPE MBA programme in this renewed programme first study year (2013/2014).

Later on, ICPE ADG met with Prof. R. K. Mishra, Director of the Institute of Public Enterprise from Hyderabad. ICPE and IPE have a signed Memorandum of Understanding, which broadly defines the scope and content of cooperation between the two institutions. They specifically discussed the details of organising training and educational programmes on e-Governance, commencing joint research projects, as well as the organisation of the joint conference on Public-Private Partnerships with a focus on energy issues in October 2013 at IPE.

On Friday, February the 1^st, ICPE ADG held the inauguration address at the "Board Orientation Program", organised by IPE in New Delhi and attended by management boards representatives from major public sector enterprises, as well as private companies. ICPE ADG was also introduced to Shri T. K. A. Nair, Advisor at the Prime Minister's Office, who
addressed the participants on behalf of the Government of India.

In the afternoon, ICPE ADG visited the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) in Faridabad, Haryana. NIFM is a premier Indian research and teaching institution in the field of financial management, supported by the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India, it was a long-term partner of ICPE and numerous programmes were organised at ICPE for NIFM participants. Together with the NIFM Director, Shri Anupam Kulshreshtha, and Dr Namrata Agrawal, ICPE ADG set solid ground for a re-start of the short-term training programmes in the following months, as well as explored the potential for joint research and faculty or student exchange programmes between the two institutions.

The Memorandum between ICPE and VZMD was signed as part of the efforts for further successful and closer cooperation between ICPE and the international investors' programs invest to Slovenija (investo.si) and International Investors'Network (invest-to.net), while there are additional options of expanding the international activities of VZMD also as part of the plans and presence of ICPE in Africa, Asia and South-East Europe.

The aim of cooperation is to develop common content, through which alliances between ICPE member states and VZMD, as well as between international organizations, of which VZMD is an active member (World Federation of Investors – WFI and European Federation of Financial Service Users - EuroFinuse), and their member states (55 national organizations of shareholders and investors). The emphasis is on the areas of active shareholding, education, strengthening entrepreneurship, investments and social responsibility. (To view investo.tv's video report from the recent international conference ICPE and Knowledge Economy Network (KEN) about the Benefits and Challenges of Public-Private Partnerships for Improving Energy Efficiency, click the picture to the right).

During "investors' Week" – the world's largest meeting of investors' representatives – which took place in Ljubljana in September 2013, numerous international guests, investors' representatives from 55 countries, among others visited the Postojna cave and the Jamski Dvorec Mansion.

VZMD invites all institutions, communities, business entities and individuals from Slovenia, the region and a wider area to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to realize and expand their interests and business plans, offered by the programs Invest to Slovenia – investo.si andInternational Investors' Network – investo.international.

A sizeable business delegation with representatives from over 50 Slovenian companies, economic, science and research institutions visited the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on the 15th and 16th of January 2013, where, within the framework of the they met with representatives of over 100 Azerbaijani companies within the framework of the Azerbaijani-Slovenian Business Forum. The Azerbaijani representatives demonstrated a strong interest for business cooperation with the attending Slovenian companies, as well as with those companies and projects represented and presented within the framework of the international investment programs of the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD); invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (investo.international).

The visit of the business delegation took place during the visit of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dr. Illham Aliyev. The Slovenian Prime Minister took the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Artur Rasizade, with which he agreed on the establishment of a joint economic committee, and signed two agreements, i.e. the Agreement on International Road Transport of Passengers and Goods and the Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Service Passports. The important political and economic visit was also attended by the Slovenian Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Radovan Žerjav, M.Sc., for whom cooperation with Azerbaijan is a priority.

The opening of the Azerbaijani-Slovenian Business Forum was followed by one-on-one discussions between the Azerbaijani and Slovenian entrepreneurs and businessmen. The acting director of the newly established Slovenian Public Agency for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Development, Investment and Tourism (SPIRIT Slovenia), Boštjan Skalar and the President of the Azerbaijani partner agency AZPROMO, Rufat Mammadov, took this opportunity to sign a memorandum of understanding.

Additional important agreements, memoranda and contracts were signed at the business forum – the Azerbaijani company Baghlan Group and the Slovenian company Duol signed a contract worth € 600.000 for the covering of the stadium in Baku, while Iskratel signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the Azerbaijan Technical University in the field of broadband connections. An agreement of cooperation was also signed by Ljubljana University and the Baku State University. Furthermore, a partnership memorandum was also signed by the Oguz region executive authorities and the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica.

The PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) invites all companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to participate and include their informative and promotional material and investment projects on the web portals, in literature and the commemorative magazine »investo Expo« and in the numerous other international business opportunities – conventions, conferences and presentations – which are prepared within the framework of VZMD's international investors' programs invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (investo.international).