Foreword
This report was prepared as part of the Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme within the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Local Development, and Tourism (CFE) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It has been undertaken in co‐operation with the Slovenian Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. Special thanks should be given to Ms Urška Kovač-Zlobko, within this Ministry as well as Mr Gorazd Jenko within the Government Office for Development and EU Cohesion Policy for their contributions to this report and participation in the OECD study visits.
Special thanks are also due to the local stakeholders in each of the case study areas of Drava and South-East Slovenia who participated in meetings and provided documentation and comments critical to this project.
This project has been coordinated by Jonathan Barr (Head of the Employment and Skills Unit), who was also one of the principal authors of this report, under the direction of Sylvain Giguère, Head of the LEED Division. The other principal authors are Tjaša Redek (University of Ljubljana) and Anna Rubin (OECD). Michela Meghnagi (OECD) and Pierre Georgin (OECD) provided valuable statistical and data analysis support. Thanks also go to François Iglesias (OECD) for production assistance and Janine Treves (OECD) and Angela Attrey (OECD) for useful editorial support.