The Slovenian Economic Association in Klagenfurt, Austria (SGZ), as an umbrella organisation of the Slovenian businessmen community in Carinthia, serves as an important junction in the south of Austria. Since 1988, i.e. 35 years, the SGZ has been actively supporting Slovenian businessmen and encouraging connections and exchanges with companies in neighbouring countries.
“We have concluded bilateral agreements with our partners from Slovenia, Italy, Hungary and Croatia. When members who are active in these countries need help, for example information about the legal situation etc., they can contact us and we will help them,” says Benjamin Wakounig, who has been president of SGZ since 2006.
Wakounig, who himself comes from the village of Žitare (Sittersdorf) and joined the association shortly after its foundation, was promoted to the position of chairman of the supervisory board in 1995. This function is now held by Andreas Urbas, and the director of the association is Vesna Hodnik-Nikolić, MBA. SGZ also acts as the official Slovenian business club for Austria and South Tyrol, the aim of which is to strengthen cross-border economic cooperation with the Republic of Slovenia and the Alps-Adriatic region. SGZ also maintains strong ties with South Tyrol in particular. “We are bridge builders,” says Wakounig.
On the 35th anniversary of SGZ’s existence, the magazine “Kärnten Regional” published an article about SGZ in its current issue (issue 2/2023). The article in Slovene language is available HERE.