The Municipality of Celje presented the Trnovlje – South Economic-Business Zone Development Project to interested companies at the premises of Hermi. This €2.2 million project focuses on municipal infrastructure development, expansion, and upgrading of the existing business zone. The European Union will co-finance up to €1.3 million of the project through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) mechanism.

The presentation was attended by representatives from 20 companies interested in the future development of the zone, which aims to establish a high-value business ecosystem, specialize business activities, enhance business cooperation, and implement sustainable measures in the area.

Among the representatives of the Municipality of Celje were Mayor Matija Kovač and the new Head of the Department for Environment, Spatial Planning, and Utilities, M.A. Miran Gajšek.

The event began with a welcome address by Miran Rauter, director of Hermi, who also expressed interest in acquiring additional land in the zone for business expansion.

This was followed by a speech from Matija Kovač, Mayor of the Municipality of Celje, who emphasized the importance of economic development for the well-being of residents and the need for the local community to provide well-organized infrastructure that enables successful business operations and growth.

He highlighted that the Trnovlje – South Economic-Business Zone development project aligns with two of the five strategic goals set by the Municipality of Celje for the upcoming period. The first goal, Sustainable Urban Development, focuses on implementing a well-structured and transparent spatial and land policy, which serves as a foundation for sustainable and future-oriented urban and regional development.

EPC Trnovlje South is also one of the key components of the goal 'Celje, Heart of the Region,' within which we aim to strengthen the position of our city and municipality as the economic center of the region, as well as a hub in other areas such as administration, education, culture, healthcare, tourism, transport, etc. The goal is to establish Celje as an urban and smart city of new technologies and development.

The Head of the Department for Environment, Spatial Planning, and Utilities at the Municipality of Celje, M.A. Miran Gajšek, who assumed this position on June 1, emphasized the importance of the Trnovlje – South business zone in an area previously known as the Eastern Economic Zone. He added that the municipality will strive to facilitate business operations as much as possible.

"If the economy thrives—while ensuring environmental protection—there will also be funding for social programs, sports, culture, and more," said Miran Gajšek.

The EPC Trnovlje – South Development Project and the initial activities of the Municipality of Celje were presented in more detail by Janko Trobiš, Economic Advisor at the Municipality of Celje.

In his presentation, he outlined: planned construction work, the project timeline,
opportunities for business expansion into new areas within the zone that will be fully equipped for business activities.
As part of the EPC Trnovlje – South project, new road and municipal infrastructure will be constructed to support further economic development.

Companies were also presented with the development vision for EPC Trnovlje – South, prepared by Prah. The purpose of this vision is to provide:

• An analysis of Celje’s economic landscape,
• A review of best practices,
• An assessment of the location’s potential,
• Measures to attract investors,
• Proposals for strengthening collaboration among businesses in the zone and identifying synergies,
• Strategies for managing the zone and marketing the remaining available locations.

By strengthening the existing economic-business infrastructure ecosystem in EPC Trnovlje – South, the zone will provide additional space for the growth and development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This will allow companies to expand their operations, create high-added-value products and services, generate new jobs, and ultimately enhance the competitiveness of the local and regional economy.

At the end of the presentation, CEOs and company representatives had the opportunity to ask the Municipality of Celje’s representatives questions regarding the development of the zone, planned infrastructure, available land for business activities, potential expansion, and zone management. Additionally, experiences and perspectives on the current operations within the Trnovlje – South business zone were exchanged.