Press release

Velenje, Skopje, 3 March 2008 – The 5th International Building and Construction Fair 2008 will open at Skopski saem tomorrow, on 4 March 2008. The opening ceremony will be co-hosted by the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Macedonia Mije Jankievski and Gvido Omladič, Chairman of the Era Group and Chairman of the Managing Board of Skopski saem. As of 2008, in line with the new strategic development orientation, the Era Group has initiated a comprehensive restructuring of Skopski saem in order to diversify the hitherto trade fair and exhibition oriented company into six new business and development sectors.  

Skopski Saem: New Business Strategy

The Era Group has initiated a comprehensive restructuring of the entire business operation of Skopski saem. The purpose of the restructuring is a diversification of the company into six business and development sectors i.e. core divisions; previously, Skopski saem was characterised by a strong focus on trade fairs and exhibitions. The proposed structure follows the new strategic orientation adopted by the Era Group, and the projects that the Group developed and started implementing in the previous year in Slovenia as well as abroad.

The new core business divisions are as follows: 1. Era City – Investment and Investment Management; 2. Top services – Consulting; 3. Be Good (health food – growing and processing); 3. Humanopolis – Agency for the Promotion of Free Enterprise (education and training, workshops and seminars on free enterprise; Career Centre; Employment Exchange, etc.). While each division has full autonomy in relation to its designated business activity, promising business opportunities between individual segments are being identified on an ongoing basis in an endeavour to maximise business synergy through shared responsibility between project and functional management.

A vital role in the process of restructuring and further development will be played by the regional entrepreneurship centre MBC Macedonia, one of the MBCs in the Era Group operating in the markets of SE Europe. MBC Macedonia, which was established by the Era Group in the second half of 2007, specialises in the provision of top services in the field of modern technologies and other business areas with the purpose of facilitating and promoting entrepreneurial activities and providing support to business partners.

Building and Construction Fair at Skopski saem

On 4 March 2008 Skopski saem opened its doors for the Building and Construction Fair 2008. Exhibitors at this highly specialised international trade fair include various contractors and service providers in the building and construction industry, suppliers of building materials, and manufacturers of construction plant and equipment. The Building and Construction Fair 2008 was organised in partnership with the Republic of Turkey.

Update: Era City Skopje

The Era Group received the building permit for Era City Skopje a few days before the foundation stone ceremony, which took place in Skopje on 1 February 2008. The company is presently in the process of finalising the selection of contractors, which will pave the way for the start of construction of Era City Skopje. Key selection criteria will include references, price, quality and terms of payment.

These activities will be followed by the start of construction of the relevant utility infrastructure, construction site and office building, which is expected to get underway later this month. In parallel, the construction of the shopping centre and other facilities (fitness centre, multiplex cinema, bowling etc.) will commence shortly afterwards.

Skopje, 1st February 2008 – On the official ceremony today, the Era Group laid the foundations for a business building, as the first new building in the frames of the “Era City Skopje” Project which aims to be the largest and the most modern business, entrepreneur, trade and fun center in the region. The Era City Skopje foundation was officially laid by the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia Mr. Nikola Gruevski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Dr. Dimitrij Rupel and the President of the Managing Board of Skopje Fair and also President of the Era Group Board Mr. Gvido Omladich.
Era City Skopje is priority project of the Era Group where the total investments in the next five years will be approximately 150 million euros that will be delivered by Era Group in partnerships. The total investment will create about 800 new jobs.

On this occasion, the President of the Era Group Board, Mr.Gvido Omladich, expressed his satisfaction that the Era City Skopje Project resumes today in construction phase and emphasized: »The Era City Skopje will be multiple purpose complex that will connect the interests of Macedonia and Slovenia and the EU. The visitors will be provided with a wide range of various activities on one place. This is a unique project of its kind, both in its context and volume in Macedonia and in the region«.

The business building inside the Era City Skopje complex will have a total surface area of 33.600 m2, ten floors and three underground garages. Its architecture will be modern and recognizable with the latest IT and communication infrastructure. The business building will be dedicated both for local and foreign companies and organizations that enter the Macedonian or regional market, as well as for the small and medium sized companies, representative offices and institutions that aim to enter the markets in the South-Eastern Europe. The Era Group is already in negotiations with the potential partners that recognize great opportunities for doing business in this region.

The Era Group is the majority shareholder of the company Skopje Fair that has a total of 155.000 m2 land dedicated for construction of the largest and the most modern regional business-trade center Era City Skopje. The basis of the entire project is the unique Urban Plan and unique construction parcel that enable greatest flexibility and adaptation towards the needs of individual users and investors. The Urban Plan provides opportunity for construction of many buildings planned for various activities and purposes on 110.000 m2 land. The multiple purpose complex Era City Skopje (following the example of BTC City in Ljubljana) will provide wide the visitors with a range of services on one place. In the same time, the Era Group will build the largest trade center in the region that will include underground parking, ground floor plus one more floor with a total surface of 85.000 m2. The offer will also include other activities such as fitness, wellness, bowling, multi cinema, restaurants... it will further construct a trade center to provide non-food commodities (garden center, furniture, versatile equipment, devices, tools, home appliances) with a total surface of 22.000 m2. The trade center with the mega market will be located in the central part of Era City.

In the same time, the Era Group refurbishes also the existing facilities of Skopje Fair that will include new contents and programs in accordance with the new Strategy.

The Era Group will continue to develop the Multi Business Center (MBC) which is the venue of the business events in Skopje, in order to provide additional services and greater added value to the business partners. The MBC in Macedonia is one of the regional entrepreneur centers that functions in the frames of the Era Group. It provides support in the internationalization of the companies abroad and provides and develops top services in the area of modern technologies in order to support the entrepreneur activities and the outside users.

17 January 2008, Ohrid – Under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, the city of Ohrid is hosting the First International Tourism Fair, organised by the Hotel Association of Macedonia (HOTAM) and Balkan Alliance of Hotel Associations BAHA, with support organisation of the company Skopski Saem, Era Group. The prime minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Nikola Gruevski will open the fair at the tonight's opening ceremony which will be held at the Ineks Gorica hotel in Ohrid.
The First International Tourism Fair and the Business Tourism Forum are both projects that will enable the company Skopski Saem, together with other organizers, to realise the first steps of the new strategy of the company Skopski Saem, which of course is a component part of the Era Group strategy: establishing business relationship in order to develop and upgrade the current trade activities into integral business event, that will join knowledge and experiences and integrate the interests of all participants of the southeast region, member states of the EU and abroad.
Slovenija is also present at this fair, which is of great regional importance. According to Mr. Dimitrij Piciga, M. Sc., director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, the presentation of Slovenija at the First International Tourism Fair in Ohrid implies the strengthening of the cooperation among the tourism sectors of both countries, mainly in view of exchanging the opinions and joint positioning on the foreign markets. Mr. Marjan Hribar, MSc. general manager of the Directorate for Tourism at the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Slovenija pointed out the broader meaning of tourism: "Tourism is a world phenomena as this for sure is the fastest growing branch worldwide«, at the same time he pointed out the Slovenian experiences on this area: "In future the southeast Europe will become a very important tourist destination and we are always willing to share our experiences and knowledge with other countries in this region ".

At the First International Tourism Fair and Business Tourism Forum, which is organised within the fair activities, some 250 applicants will participate: national tourist boards from southeast Europe, international tourist associations, airline operators and other transport operators, catering industry, wine makers and others. The Business Tourism Forum will be organised as two-day event (18 and 19 January, 2008), and the topics will be: defining the regional tourism product. The main theme of the forum will be the integral tourism products which originate from a rich cultural heritage. The Business Tourism Forum will be organised in four workshops: 1. Review of the heritage through the centuries: Macedonia and Balkan states; 2. Macedonia as tourist destination, 3. Wine roads in Macedonia and in Balkan 4. Regional associations of managers and owners of winter and summer tourist centres in the southeast region. Representatives of the tourist branch as well as renowned experts from the tourism area, coming from Macedonia, Slovenija and from abroad, mainly from the Balkan Peninsula, will also participate at the fair and will present their experiences and options for development of the culture tourism in the Balkan territory.

Slovenija is also present at this fair. According to Mr. Dimitrij Piciga, M. Sc., director of the Slovenian Tourist Board: »We have decided to participate at this fair with our presentation and presentation of the Slovenian Tourist offer because we estimate, that this is a good opportunity for direct presentation and promotion of our country and its tourism on the Macedonian market. Furthermore, the timing of the fair is perfect, as we are holding the Presidency of the EU Council and we are currently in the focus of interest of the foreign experts and general public. According to our estimates, our country, which is in Macedonia and in Ohrid already traditionally known as tourist destination for holidays and trips, and has now become even more interesting after the coming into force of the Schengen agreement? Presenting Slovenija at the First International Tourism Fair in Ohrid at the same time provides base for strengthening the cooperation between the tourism sectors of both countries, mainly in view of exchanging opinions – tourist companies are participating at the Business Tourism Forum, for example company Sava hotels from Bled, presenting development of lake tourism and wellness products and options for cooperation between the destinations Ohrid and Bled – as well as in view of joint presentations on foreign markets..«

Mr. Marjan Hribar, MSc. general manager of the Directorate for Tourism at the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Slovenija pointed out the broader meaning of tourism and Slovenian experiences on this area: "Tourism is a world phenomena as this for sure is the fastest growing branch worldwide, another aspect is intercultural dialogue, the quality of cohabitation, intergenerational social contacts etc. Tourism in Slovenija is an extremely prospective branch with major multiplication effect. Lately, we have made substantial investments into tourist infrastructure and education of the actors in tourism industry. A large part of the tourism projects has been realised by the support of the EU funds. In future the southeast Europe will for sure become a very important tourist destination and we are always willing to share our experiences and knowledge with other countries in this region ".

The participants of the First International Tourism Fair in Ohrid will have the opportunity to participate at the VODICI religious ceremony and the christening of the Ohrid Port. The fair will close its door on Sunday, 20 January, 2008, with closing ceremony and announcement of award winners in individual categories: Grand Prix, National Tourism Organisation, Regional Tourism Organisation, Tour Operator, Cultural Tourism, Health Tourism, Hotels, Ethno and Eco Tourism, Transportation and Educational Institution.