Early Wake-up Call for the Construction Lobby

02/12/2008

Ljubljana, 12 February. As reported by RTV Slovenije and Delo among other media, an investigation into alleged criminal offences in connection with corruption and public tenders was revealed today as the police paid unannounced early morning visits to companies SCT, Vegrad and Primorje and allegedy temporarily detained 12 persons, including the Chairwoman of the Board of Vegrad Hilda Tovšak, Chairman of the Board of SCT Ivan Zidar and Chairman of the Board of Primorje Dušan Črnigoj. The investigation is said to have begun in 2007 and lasted several months before the wheels were set in motion today.

The public tenders won by the companies in question involve immense funds so any developments in connection with this investigation will be of pivotal interest to Slovenian media. Consequences could be both economic and political as light is shed on any part of the alleged network of corruption.

Registering a Company in Slovenia – Online!

02/01/2008

The one answer all my Facebook friends got wrong in the “true or false” application was to the question of whether I thought the Slovenian public administration sucks. Honestly guys, I don’t think so.

So not everything may be running smoothly all the time, but nobody’s perfect. The one bit I admire is the efforts regarding e-governance. The public administration is actually making the lives of citizens slightly simpler.

I shared here already that I was able to extend my car’s registration and insurance policy online this year without ever walking into an office (except post office to pick up the registered mail with the paperwork that arrived when I wasn’t home).

What I have not shared here yet is that I started my own company from my home couch as well. A few minutes of typing on my keyboard one night and the next day, my registration as a sole proprietor was on its way. Within three days, I received the company registration document, the tax authority’s decision and the tax authority’s approval of a higher rate of so-called normalised expenses. So please say hello to Filomena s.p. 😀 (Construction of the company website is now underway.) The company was registered on my “third grandma’s” birthday so I shall not forget it 🙂

As of today, the e-administration services have been further extended and include the establishment of private limited companies. When opening deposit accounts for the payment of initial capital, future partners no longer have to provide the new company’s notarized Articles of Association. In case of two or more partners starting a company, everything can be done by using an online form at the e-VEM portal and with one of the e-VEM points authorising the singatures while in the case of a single-member-company the entire process can be completed at the e-VEM portal with the founder’s signature authorised by his or her digital certificate.

Furthermore, as of today, compulsory publication of entries into the Register of Companies in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia is abolished and replaced with an automatic free-of-charge publication at the AJPES portal. The e-VEM portal offers a variety of other new useful online services as well.

Way to go and keep it up!