12 Dimitrij Rupel: Danilo Türk:

Transcription

politicsenvironment
culturebusinesssports
12
December 2007
Dimitrij Rupel:
Slovenian EU Presidency Under Fire at Home
Danilo Türk:
I want to act as a president who unites
Brdo Congress Centre ready to
host 150 events, ministerial
meetings and journalists
Visual symbol conveys openness, movement,
ambition and a sense of natural harmony
ISSN 1854-0805
1
sinfo oktober 07
QUOTESOFTHEMONTH
José Manuel Barroso /President of the European
Janez Potočnik /Com–
missioner for Science and
Slovenia’s EU Presidency in the
first half of next year will be successful
Commission/:
Everyone
wishes Slovenia
success
Research/:
Brussels, 6 November
“I have every reason to believe that Slovenia will run a successful presidency at this crucial time for the European Union.”
After the signing of
the Reform Treaty, Slovenia will begin its
Presidency in a “good atmosphere”
Žiga Turk /Minister without Portfolio Responsible for Growth/:
Ljubljana, 15 November
“One of the important challenges of the Slovenian Government will be to lead the EU so that the first ever Presidency
held by a new member state will be assessed by the public
as successful.”
During Slovenia’s EU Presidency, one of the priorities will
be monitoring the environmental action plan. Slovenia can
ensure that the discussions take a positively right direction;
during this time, clear enough signals can come for European industry to start searching for business opportunities in
environmental technologies. Greenpeace represents a consciousness for sustainable development and we will therefore be pleased to receive any constructive suggestions and
solutions on their part. The environmental situation is serious;
during Slovenia’s Presidency a decision can be taken on how
environmental burdens are to be distributed within the EU.
Janez Janša
“Slovenia is to take over
the Presidency in a relatively very good political
atmosphere, since everyone wishes Slovenia success. Everyone is aware of
how big a challenge this
is for a country that joined
the EU only a few years
ago. Possibly the biggest
problem of Slovenia - historical memory - is connected precisely to this. But this is why the European Commission is
here to help. Slovenia can count on the understanding and
help of everyone. The Presidency represents two challenges:
an organisational and a substantive one. Slovenia has proven many times that, despite its small size, it is very capable
of organising big events, and now there is a big six-month
event ahead. We have to keep concentrated and organised
throughout this long period, which is not easy. But I have no
serious doubts as to our success.”
/Prime Minister/:
During Slovenia’s Presidency, the priority
will be the environmental action plan
Janez Lenarčič /State Secretary for European Affairs/:
Slovenia’s Presidency will be assessed by
European partners
Slovenia’s Presidency will
be assessed by our European partners, not only
government representatives of member states, but
also representatives of EU
institutions, and – something we should definitely
not forget – representatives of the European and
global media. If at the end
of June 2008, they agree
that Slovenia has done its
job well, we can call our
Presidency a success.
sinfo december 07
2
Editorial: Government Communication Office, Director: Anže Logar, MSc, Gregorčičeva 25, 1000 Ljubljana, tel. +386 (0) 1 478 2605, fax +386 (0) 1 251 2312, www.ukom.gov.si
Editor-in-Chief: Vesna Žarkovič, [email protected], Editor: Jože Osterman, MA, [email protected], Editorial board: Polona Prešeren, MA, Albert Kos, Ramón Miklus, Andrej Savelli.
Production editing: Nataša Simsič, Translation: U.T.A. Miha Žličar s.p., Printed by: Tiskarna Pleško d.o.o., Number of copies printed: 3.500
Available also at: http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publications/sinfo
Vesna Žarkovič
4-17 WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
SLOVENIA THE HEART OF EUROPE
DIMITRIJ RUPEL: SLOVENIAN EU PRESIDENCY
UNDER FIRE AT HOME
BRDO CONGRESS CENTRE READY TO HOST EVENTS
THE VISUAL SYMBOL OF SLOVENIA`S EU PRESIDENCY
OFFICIAL PRESIDENCY WEBSITE
W
DR DANILO TÜRK: I WANT TO ACT AS A PRESIDENT WHO UNITES
e are less than a month away from 1 January
2008, when Slovenia takes its natural place at the
centre of Europe for the first time in its history.
Now, for the six months of its EU Presidency, it can fulfil its
calling to act at the centre of Europe’s undertakings.
25-28 COVER STORY
"Slovenia may not be the largest country in geographical
size, but it is big in terms of European commitment," said
the President of the European Commission, José Manuel
Barroso, during a visit of the Slovenian Prime Minister
Janez Janša to Brussels, adding that he was convinced
Slovenia's EU Presidency would be a successful one.
The PM stressed that after the new European treaty is
signed (scheduled for December), Slovenia would begin
the Presidency in a "good atmosphere". Among priorities
are the revised Lisbon Strategy, energy and environment
policy, the Western Balkans and intercultural dialogue.
11-13 INTERVIEW
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY POLICY
The Brdo Congress Centre, which, for six months, will be
the heart of Europe, is already open and ready to host 150
events, a number of ministerial meetings and scores of
journalists.
Also ready are the Presidency's visual identity, new
web sites, and the brand for Slovenia, all of which will
strengthen Slovenia's position in the world as a country
representing the dynamics and energy of a young,
modern state looking towards the future and eager to
face challenges. Slovenian Presidency symbol expresses
the fact that Slovenes hold European ideals in their hearts.
It conveys openness, movement, ambition and a sense of
natural harmony. Slovenia's aim as the presiding member
state is to be open to challenges, innovation and positive
influences; to be modern, dynamic and youthful, balanced
and harmonious; and to be seen by other EU members as
a competent, mature, reliable and trustworthy partner.
22-23 MADE IN SLOVENIA
ELEKTRONČEK GROUP WINS THE GOLDEN GAZELLE
AWARD 2007
34-37 THIS IS SLOVENIA
SILVA ČUŠIN - BORŠTNIK RING AWARD 2007
VELIKE LAŠČE AND PRIMOŽ TRUBAR
PRES ENTATION OF PRIZMA 2007 AWARDS
Good luck, Slovenia!
42-45 SPORT
PARAGLIDING CHAMPIONS FROM PRIMORSKA
CONQUER THE SKIES OF THE WORLD
THE PRESIDENCY RUNS THE MARATHON
Government Communication Office: www.ukom.gov.si
Government Institutions: www.gov.si
Slovenian Tourist Board: www.slovenia.info
Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: www.gzs.si
Slovenian Chamber of Craft: www.ozs.si
Public Agency of the RS for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments: www.japti.si
Ljubljana Stock Exchange: www.ljse.si
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia: www.stat.si
State Portal of the Republic of Slovenia: http://e-uprava.gov.si
Cover photo: The logo of Slovenia’s EU presidency
3
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
Dimitrij Rupel, photo: STA Archive
November 26, 2007
Slovenian
EU Presidency
under Fire at Home
sinfo december 07
4
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
1.
In the first semester of 2008, the rotating Presidency
of the EU Council will be in the hands of Slovenia, a
member of the Union since 2004 and a member of the
Euro group since 2007. The Government of Slovenia has
been preparing for the demanding role since its election
three years ago. Earlier this year, the governing Coalition
and the opposition parties – with the exception of one
smaller party - signed an agreement on cooperation
during the time of the EU Presidency. The agreement
was meant to reduce unnecessary friction when the
political and diplomatic energies of the relatively small
country (pop. 2 millions) should be diverted from internal
political confrontation and concentrated on European
affairs.
2.
The Presidency of the EU Council in 2008 may become a
very demanding enterprise. Thanks to the arrangements
between actual, preceding and following presidencies,
not to speak about the assistance of the Commission
and the Council Secretariat, no individual leadership is
left alone. Still, in the first six months of 2008, essential
responsibility will be with Slovenia. We shall have to deal
with the challenges from accelerating the procedures
necessary for ratification of the Lisbon/Reform Treaty
and gradual implementation of the energy-climate
package… to intercultural dialogue, building a network
of stabilization and association agreements for Western
Balkans, and assisting the international community to
find a solution for Kosovo.
3.
In Slovenia, the EU is rather popular, as is the idea of
becoming its temporary leader. Generally, people
accept the responsibility with pride and satisfaction.
In 1991, Slovenia was still a Socialist Republic enclosed
in Milošević’s Yugoslavia, but seventeen years later, it
will be a leading European nation making decisions
about other former Yugoslav republics. Slovenian GDP
per capita grew from 5.000 $ in 1989 to 23.000 Euros in
2007.
4.
Regardless of the fact that it was very busy preparing
itself for the Presidency of the EU Council (in the first
semester of 2008), the Government of the Republic of
Slovenia has been under particularly strong fire since
last summer. Routine operations turned into drama, and
local conflicts (concerning for example one Roma family
settling next to an unfriendly village) became national
problems that were reported to the EU institutions and
accompanied by severe accusations (of human rights'
violations and ethnic discrimination). On September 10,
2007, a group of Slovenian journalists sent out (to the EU
Governments among others) a Petition "on censorship
and political pressures against journalists in Slovenia".
The Petition mentions the role Slovenia will play in the EU
in 2008. The EU, say the petitioners, will thus be headed
by a state where pressures against journalists have
become commonplace and where an authoritarian way
of government neglecting democracy and freedom of
the media is being strengthened. Such accusations by
definition raise eyebrows. In most societies, journalists
enjoy equal confidence as, or even more confidence
than, politicians. To me, it looked as if somebody else
wanted to take over the EU Presidency instead of our
Government or, maybe, offer the Presidency to another
country.
5
5.
I am not quite sure what I should answer to the question
about the real motives of the summer-time and
autumnal attackers against the Government. The real
intention must have been to create a negative image
and to hurt the credibility of Slovenia: to undermine its
Presidency in advance. Maybe they hoped that on the
basis of their ideological exports, they could instigate
additional bad publicity and finally a negative evaluation
of the Presidency. This should help the opposition in
the elections next fall. The opposition could say that
the Government had missed an opportunity and
embarrassed the country. All this, of course, leads to the
conclusion that this is not a discussion about journalists
and their freedoms, but an early and aggressive start of
an electoral campaign.
6.
Probably I shall never forget, and maybe, only today I
completely understand a statement pronounced - in
the seventies of the previous century - by a prominent
Slovenian Communist leader. He said: The Communists
in this country are in Government and in the Opposition
at the same time! The idea of an independent, nonCommunist opposition was unacceptable and even
unthinkable. The single party system that was supposed
to contradict and control itself, has paralyzed and
corrupted all institutions, including the schools and the
media. The clash with reality in the eighties produced
various results: on one side - not to go into details - it
produced the extension of the Western world towards
the East including enlargement of the EU and NATO; on
the other, it produced the break up of the Soviet Union,
the Yugoslav crisis, Vukovar and Srebrenica, Milošević,
Karadjić and Mladić… Slovenia - as many other new
democracies - was confronted with a mixed and
confusing situation. To be able to deal successfully with
the Yugoslav crisis, the new democratic Government
had to be generous with the Communist opposition
- that continued with the tested theory: to be at the
same time in the Opposition and in the Government. It
managed to keep most strategic positions in business,
in the academia and in the media. Particularly the media
enjoyed an unprecedented and unusual freedom: they
could attack the formal Government not from the
Opposition, but from the position of the “fourth branch
of government”. They are in power and in opposition at
the same time.
7.
It is interesting that last summer, in August 2007, the
new responsible editor of the main Slovenian daily Delo
sent to me an E-mail canceling a one and a half year old
agreement between the paper and myself to contribute
twice a month a column on topical foreign policy issues.
So, my cooperation with Delo was ended with the
explanation that such cooperation might be interpreted
as governmental pressure on the paper.
8.
Slovenia is a relatively new country still struggling with
its political heritage. After 16 years of independence
and progress, many characteristics (and people) of
the old regime are still there. Certainly, it is not habitual
for the Governments and for the ministers in office to
complain about the opposition. Generally, authorities
do not express fears about public pressures, unfair
treatment or indecent behavior of the media. But
Slovenia has found itself in an extraordinary situation.
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
Due to a political reconciliation and cooperation of
the parties caused by the Yugoslav crisis of 1991,
Slovenia never went through a process of “lustration”
(e.g. exclusion from political life of prominent members
of the Communist nomenclature, Secret Police etc.)
or performed a closure with the Communist past. So,
the first President of the independent Slovenia was
Milan Kučan who had served - until 1990 - as the last
President of the Slovenian Communist Party. In the first
few years after independence, the new generation of
democratic political leaders and politicians enjoyed
strong public support, but quite soon, in 1993, the old
networks recovered and even prevailed. The “continuity
parties” (occasionally in combination with one or other
“new party”) ruled Slovenia until the year 2004. Such
development certainly influenced most subsystems
and also the media. Slovenian media that have been
traditionally controlled by the “continuity parties” have
become one of the favorite offensive instruments of
the opposition after the elections in 2004 and after the
establishment of the new Centrist Government of Janez
Janša.
9.
possibilities of comparison. Yugoslav Communists
insisted that their system was specific, sui generis, and
incomparable to others. The Yugoslav version of Socialist
"self-managing" society was considered unique and
even more advanced than other Communist/Socialist
systems! So, worse standards and lower salaries were
not worse standards and lower salaries, but specific
standards and appropriate salaries. On the other
hand, low payment guaranteed "social equality" that
was meant to be the basic achievement of Socialism/
Communism. Naturally, the nomenclature was excepted
from the system.
11.
Here, I should introduce a personal comment. My past
career consists of around thirty years of university
teaching and publishing, of around forty books, of
hundreds of articles; and a decade of dissident/
opposition life in the Communist Yugoslavia. In the
eighties I was a co-founder and responsible editor of the
cultural journal Nova revija. In 1987, I was removed from
my post for publishing the highly controversial collection
of political essays, “Contributions to the Slovenian
National Program”. The essays written by prominent
Slovenian intellectuals advocated establishment of an
independent Slovenian state. This collection actually
triggered the democratic movement, the so called
Slovenian Spring. After establishing the first democratic
opposition party - Slovenian Democratic Party (SDZ)
- in 1989, and after the victory of the Non-Communist
Coalition in the first democratic elections in 1990, I
served as Foreign Minister between 1990 and 1993, as a
parliamentarian (1993-1995), as mayor of Ljubljana (19941997) and as an Ambassador to Washington (1997-2000).
In 2000, I returned to the post of the foreign minister in
the Liberal Government of Janez Drnovšek. After he was
replaced by the Left-leaning Tone Rop in 2002, I ran into
difficulties that brought to my exclusion in July 2004.
Mr. Rop's coalition then lost elections, and at the end
of 2004, I was invited to join the Centrist Government
headed by Janez Janša.
12. After the petition of the 570 journalists - denouncing the
Government of Slovenia - had been sent to all EU leaders
and media, the Prime Minister asked the Parliament for
a vote of confidence. In his publicly broadcast speech
in the Parliament, PM Janša deplored the fact that the
journalists' false arguments had not been discussed in
Slovenia, before they were exported to be later projected
on the domestic scene. He argued that the Presidency of
the EU would be complicated by domestic confrontation,
and the real issues could become obscured by the
partisan agendas. The PM even invited the Opposition
to take over the Government and the Presidency of the
EU. The invitation was rejected, whereby the Opposition
admitted that it could not assume the responsibility.
On November 19, 2007, the parliament voted in favor
of the confidence to the Government (51: 33). Let me
add that, when the journalists’ petition became known
to a wider public, some of its signatories declared that
they had been misled by a text that was different from
the text that was sent abroad. The main messages of
the parliamentary and other recent debates have been
that the exported petitions have been untrue and have
abused the dignity of the journalistic profession. The PM
also had a chance publicly to expose the actual financial
and personal relations concerning the ownership of
the Slovenian media. Also other false reports (about
discrimination of the Roma people, about violations of
the human rights of the "Erased") have been exposed
and corrected. The main message, of course, was
that Slovenia is prepared and proud to assume the
Presidency of the Council of the EU.
10. The general economic and political situation in Slovenia
is good. The annual growth of the GDP is high (around
6%), exports are booming, taxes are being reduced; and
on Christmas eve, Slovenia will join the Schengen system,
thus eliminating the borders with Austria, Hungary and
Italy that – still in my generation – used to divide worlds
and that throughout my younger years were severely
guarded and controlled. I see this as a chapter in the
big story of progressing globalization. Globalization is
advocated by young and enterprising people; while
it is feared by traditionalists and conservatives. Some
of the fears are justified and should be addressed. In
that respect, the criticism of the opposition is O.K. On
the other hand, European integration means enhanced
sinfo december 07
Slovenian "Social Democrats" proved to be good
capitalists. Most of the CEO's or directors became
private owners of the "socially owned" companies they
used to administer. Most of these former administrators
(in the name of the working class) have become quite
prosperous by having access to generous credits from
friendly banks and to cheap shares that recovered
value after they have been properly distributed. Among
the companies the members of the Slovenian new class
privatized were also the media. The leading media (like
Delo, Dnevnik, Večer) are controlled by companies with
directors from the main opposition parties. The same
is true of the TV stations. With the exception of the
Radio and Television Slovenia, the public broadcasting
organization, the Republic of Slovenia has no ownership
share in any media station.
Dr Dimitrij Rupel is Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
6
Monthly Report
Ramón Miklus
Numerous Slovenian and foreign diplomats, representatives
of institutions, journalists and other participants attended
the event. The host of the evening was deputy Slovenian
ambassador to the EU, Mary Veronika Tovsak Pleterski. The
event was organised by Government Communication Office
and Slovenia’s permanent mission to the EU.
Lavrov: Saying No Alternative for
Kosovo Is Unproductive
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said statements
allowing for no alternative to the independence of Kosovo
were unproductive. "We must not pressure any of the sides by
claiming there is no alternative," Lavrov said during his official
visit to Slovenia on 14 November. He added that a solution
must be acceptable for Belgrade and Pristina.
Asked how Slovenia could contribute to solving the Kosovo
issue during its EU presidency, Lavrov said that "those who
want to help, can do so only by providing the best possible
conditions for negotiations".
Speaking at a joint press conference with his host, Slovenian
FM Dimitrij Rupel, Lavrov said the Kosovo troika consisting
of the EU, Russia and US has drawn up a good basis for the
resolving of the issue, which could be reached through talks.
He believes this process should not be burdened with any
kind of deadlines.
Western Balkans and environmental issues topped the agenda of
talks between the Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg and his
host Janez Janša. Photo: STA archives
Environment, Western Balkans Top
Janša-Stoltenberg Talks
International issues, in particular the Western Balkans and
environmental issues, topped the agenda of talks between
Prime Minister Janez Janša and his Norwegian counterpart
Jens Stoltenberg. "Norway is a country of best practices for
Slovenia," in particular as regards the environment, Janša told
the press after the meeting of 23 October.
As the presiding EU country in the first half of 2008, Slovenia
will coordinate common efforts to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions. According to Stoltenberg, Norway has been
developing new technologies to reduce CO2 emissions,
including capturing CO2 and storing it underground. He
said Norway wanted to forge closer ties with the EU in this
field. Looking at the environmental summit in Copenhagen,
scheduled for 2009, Stoltenberg said the new binding
agreement to be reached there should be more ambitious
than the existing Kyoto Protocol.
Prime Minister Janez Janša on an
official visit to London
Prime Minister Janez Janša, made an official visit to the
United Kingdom, where he was received on 14 November by
HM the Queen. In addition to the reception with the Queen
and a meeting with his host, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown,
the PM met the Government Chief Whip, Geoff Hoon, and the
Lord Mayor of the City of London, David Lewis.
According to Janša, the meeting with HM the Queen was
very interesting. "I was very surprised how well she new the
situation in Slovenia and in the region, and the history of
numerous issues faced by the EU and the world," said the PM
after the reception.
Discussions between Janša and his UK counterpart, Gordon
Brown, focused on bilateral relations and common European
issues, particularly in the light of Slovenia's Presidency
of the Council of the EU. According to the Slovenian PM,
cooperation between the countries is running smoothly, "We
can be particularly satisfied with the results with regard to
trade, trade in goods and services, which exceeds a billion
euros and has increased by more than 25 per cent in the last
year," said the PM.
Logo of Slovenia’s EU Presidency
Presented in Brussels
A month before taking over EU presidency from Portugal,
Slovenia has put on a special promotion event in Brussels
on 30 November, featuring the country’s cuisine and a
performance by a Slovenian pop star, Neisha. Together with a
selection of wines and potica, the country’s traditional festive
cake, the logo and the image of Slovenia’s EU presidency
was unveiled. A day after the event, the official website of the
presidency at www.eu2008.si was launched.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a press conference on
his visit to Slovenia. Photo: STA archives
Singer Neisha performing at Slovenian Night in Brussels
7
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
Brdo Congress Centre ready to host
events during Slovenia’s Presidency
Vesna Žarkovič, photo: Primož Lavre
The Brdo Congress Centre took 18 months to build at a cost of EUR 15.3m.
1 DECEMBER SAW THE OPENING OF THE BRDO CONGRESS
CENTRE, THE MAIN VENUE FOR EVENTS DURING SLOVENIA’S
EU PRESIDENCY. THE MODERN CENTRE, WHICH WILL
HOST SOME 130 EVENTS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2008, WAS
OPENED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE PROTOCOL
SERVICES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, IZTOK PURIČ,
AND THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DIMITRIJ RUPEL,
WHO OUTLINED THE PRESIDENCY PRIORITIES IN HIS
ADDRESS. WITH ONE MORE MONTH REMAINING BEFORE
THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESIDENCY, THE OFFICIAL
PRESIDENCY LOGO WAS PRESENTED.
Of the total of approximately 160 events in Slovenia, some 130
will be held at Brdo, including the meeting of the Conference
of Presidents of the European Parliament and the Slovenian
Government on 19 and 20 December. The remaining 30 or so
events will take place at congress centres across Slovenia,
including Ljubljana, Maribor and Portorož.
In his inaugural address, Foreign Minister Rupel stressed that
Slovenia would make every effort to continue the successful
work of the current Portuguese Presidency.
Dimitrij Rupel, Minister of Foreign Afairs:
“We will invest all our knowledge, experience, effort and
determination in the first half of 2008, above all, to achieve
progress in areas which are vital for the success of the
Community and its member states. Slovenia has done
everything to see that the six months of its Presidency of the
Council of the European Union are successful. We have been
working on this for a very long time, and our achievements will
be the result of the work of several hundred people engaged
in this project. Above all, we will make every effort to ensure the
ratification of the new Treaty before the European Parliament
elections in 2009. In addition, we will place special emphasis
on international politics, beginning, of course, in the part of
the world that is the closest to us – both historically and
geographically – the Western Balkans. Slovenia has stressed,
on several occasions and at all levels, its view that the future
of all the countries and communities in the Western Balkans
lies in the European Union. This has been and must remain
a joint commitment of the whole of the Union. The Slovenian
Presidency will work towards speeding up the process, and is
also willing to offer assistance to individual countries seeking
to attain this goal.
This, of course, includes the issue of Kosovo’s future status,
which we sincerely hope can be resolved by an agreement
between all the parties involved, and with the broadest
Minister of Foreign Afairs Dimitrij Rupel speaks at opening of the new
conference centre that will be the main venue for events related to the EU
presidency.
sinfo december 07
8
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
possible consensus; ideally, between all 27 EU Member States.
We realise that this is a very demanding task, but we are sure
that we will receive understanding and cooperation from all
Member States and other international stakeholders. Ensuring
long-term peace, while respecting diversity, that is, minorities
and cultural heritage, is our common goal and, naturally, a key
priority of our Presidency.
We also wish to contribute to a more developed European
Union and more equal relations between its people, and enable
all Europeans to live in the healthiest environment possible.
Therefore, our priorities include reviving the implementation of
the Lisbon Strategy and fulfilling international commitments
with regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We
will focus on this issue at the March and probably the June
European Councils. Last, but not least among our priorities, I
would like to emphasise inter-cultural dialogue, which will be
the focus of the European Union in 2008. Slovenia will make
great efforts in this field, because we are aware that this is a
key issue in building relationships of peace and cooperation in
Europe and the world, from the Western Balkans to the Middle
East, and to the Caspian region and the Caucasus, to mention
only some regions where better dialogue would significantly
contribute to reconciliation and enable greater social and
economic development."
only be the ‘packaging’ for everything we have included in
the Presidency programme and priorities, they are all the
more recognisable. In the first half of 2008 we will use this
‘packaging’ at every event taking place within the framework
of our European agenda. As of today, the logo will be part of
our national identity for at least seven months. Whenever and
wherever it appears, it will also present Slovenia. And whenever
and wherever Slovenia appears, it also presents us, citizens of
Slovenia, to the world. Let the star in the heart of Europe shine,
while Slovenia leads!
“The Presidency logo brings together the symbolism of the five
classic elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether. It features
characteristic national symbols such as Mt Triglav, combines
them with European ones, such as the golden star, and
emphasises the Slovenian national colours. The logo designed
by Robert Kuhar, a professor of fine arts, was selected from
thirteen proposals in public competition.”
The Director of the Government Communication Office
and Official Spokesperson of the Slovenian Presidency,
Anže Logar, unveiled the logo and presented the visual
identity of the Presidency and the web site www.eu2008.
si. At present, the web site contains information intended
mainly for the media, while as of 1 January, it will provide
extensive coverage of the Presidency. Mr Logar compared
the Conference Centre, the logo and the site to ‘packaging’
for everything about the Presidency, while stressing that
whenever these elements appear, they will present Slovenia
and its citizens.
Iztok Purič, Director of the State Protocol Services:
“The construction of the 9,000m2 venue cost 15.3 million euros.
Adding the cost of security, the investment is worth 15.5 million
euros. In the construction of the centre, which was designed
by the young architects Matija Bevk and Vasa J. Perović, we
sought to achieve maximum functionality, while minimising
costs. Despite this, and because of the tight deadline
(construction began in August 2006 and ended this October),
global economic trends and the demanding nature of the
project, investment costs were higher than anticipated. The
construction, which took eighteen months from the concept to
the finished product, was immensely demanding and dogged
by many problems. There was something of a public outcry
regarding the public procurement procedure for the purchase
Anže Logar, Director of the
Government Communication Office:
“Today we are also opening an electronic window into the
world of Slovenia’s EU Presidency. At eu2008.si, citizens of the
European Union will be able to get an insight into the priorities
of the Slovenian Presidency, read basic information on the
European Union and its policies, browse the events calendar,
follow live Presidency press conferences, and access audio,
video and photo archives. This ‘information backbone’ of the
Slovenian Presidency will ensure that you are informed in real
time about events co-shaping Europe’s present and future.
“While the conference centre, the logo and the website may
9
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and Iztok Puric, the head of the
company managing the Brdo estate, open the new conference
centre that will be the main venue for events related to the EU
presidency.
of chairs; however, the information released to the public was
somewhat distorted, since only the most expensive chairs
cost EUR281, while the total cost of all 1,500 chairs was 189,000
euros. Slovenia now has a centre for major events unlike any
other before. The Brdo Congress Centre is the most state-ofthe-art conference centre in the region. Considering its size,
the construction was relatively cost-effective. The centre, which
includes a grand hall with 550 seats, a large multifunctional
auditorium seating 200 people and room for the secretariats
of member states, cost EUR1,600 per square metre. It is a great
functional venue that will provide working space for other staff
and journalists; to that end, the pool and the orangery were
remodelled. The centre will host major Presidency events, and
will provide a perfect setting for taking decisions for a better
future for all EU citizens, and finding answers to the toughest
challenges for the EU and the world.”
The Brdo Congress Centre features impressive facilities for journalists.
sinfo december 07
10
INTERVIEW
Vesna Žarkovič, photo: Primož Lavre in Nebojša Tejić
Danilo Türk: I want to act
as a president who unites
W
ITH HIS COMPOSED FIRMNESS, CULTURED BEHAVIOUR AND HUMAN SENSITIVITY, DANILO TÜRK, WHO WON
THE PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF WITH ALMOST 70 PER CENT OF THE VOTE, WILL BE HEAD OF STATE FOR
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AS HE HAS ANNOUNCED, HE WANTS TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS PRE-ELECTION
SLOGAN – “A PRESIDENT WHO UNITES” AND “YOU CAN COUNT ON ME”. NOT A MEMBER OF ANY POLITICAL
PARTY HE RAN AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE BACKED BY A GROUP OF VOTERS. HIS CAMPAIGN WAS
PUBLICLY SUPPORTED BY SD (SOCIAL DEMOCRATS OF SLOVENIA), ZARES, LDS (LIBERAL DEMOCRACY OF SLOVENIA)
AND DESUS (DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF PENSIONERS OF SLOVENIA).
11
sinfo december 07
interview
held the highest post in an international organisation. When
Annan did not appoint me to the post of UndersecretaryGeneral for Political Affairs, I resigned. I spent 13 years in
New York, working mainly as the representative of a new
country. After leaving my job at the UN, I returned to the
academic sphere, to the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana. Today, I
am Associate Dean and Professor of international law at the
Faculty of Law in Ljubljana.
Mr President, did you expect such a convincing victory?
I did expect considerable support, but the success has
exceeded my expectations.
What is your first message to the voters immediately after
your victory?
I would first like to thank all the voters who, with their votes
and choice, expressed their will in Slovenia. The people of
Slovenia have spoken. They have told us what they want
and this is binding on all of us. I expected considerable
support, but this success has exceeded my expectations.
I certainly think that the elections oblige us to respect the
will of Slovenia’s citizens. Elections are a commitment to the
values that also guided my election arguments, which the
voters so generously supported. As president, I want to be
close to people and act as a president who unites. This is, of
course, a great and fine success. But I do not interpret this
success mainly or exclusively as a victory, but as the result
of the common efforts of all who cooperated in this election
process. I do not see elections and election success as a
competition, but as a common effort and an opportunity for
the candidates to present their way of working, their stands
and their approach; and, in the end, the voters choose. I think
the campaign has shown that people want greater unity.
Have you already become accustomed to the role of the
head of state?
Absolutely. I see myself in the role of president, and I also
know what this function represents. During my work in the
international organisation, I met numerous, about a hundred,
heads of states and governments. I was greatly impressed,
for example, by the Finnish President, Tarja Halonen, whom
I respect for the warmth and social sense manifested in
her work, and by the former Czech President, Václav Havel.
Among historical figures, I am extremely fond of the former
President of France, Charles de Gaulle, also as a person. He
knew how to make hard decisions. I was also impressed by
Milan Kučan, who headed the independence process with
tactical ability. I will, of course, preside in my own way, which
is how it should be, since a president should develop his or
her own style.
What kind of politics do you want to advance in your new
role?
You have gained experience in the UN, you are an excellent
expert on international affairs, and you were the first
Slovenian ambassador to the UN. In the past, you were
mentioned as a candidate for Secretary-General of the UN.
What was your path in diplomacy like?
A well-coordinated and harmonised politics within the state.
The president of the country must set an example of the
ability to communicate with everyone. A president’s solo
actions cannot be good; our actions should be coordinated.
Of course, there can be differences of opinion in policymaking, but they should be resolved in a dialogue between
I was Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN from 1992 until 2000,
when I was appointed Assistant to the Secretary-General at
the time, Kofi Annan, for five years. Among Slovenes, I thus
sinfo december 07
12
interview
the people that constitute the
country’s leadership, and this should
lead to a uniform external action.
Would you like the people to
perceive you as the ‘father of the
nation’?
I think that we should not impose
authority on people in Slovenia; we
need to show clarity of thought,
resolution, and above all, great
prudence. I am not inclined to rash
behaviour, but I would try to take
good advantage of the possibility
given by Article 224 of the Rules of
Procedure of the National Assembly
according to which the President can
present his/her opinions on certain
issues to the National Assembly.
What kind of cooperation with the
Government do you expect?
Good, in every way. My relationship
with Janez Janša is good. The
Government and the opposition
already have a common programme
for Slovenia’s EU Presidency. I am
convinced that, with my international
experience, I will fit well into this
programme as president.
Some would argue that your victory
can in large part be assigned to the
fact that you brought a breath of
fresh air into Slovenian politics.
As president, I certainly expect
to contribute to the even greater
reputation of Slovenia. The president
has international protocol obligations
and this is precisely the area where
I have extensive experience. In the
UN, I had many meetings with heads
of state and government and we
discussed various issues. In future,
I shall make good use of all these
contacts.
What
will
assignments?
be
your
first
A balance will have to be established
among priorities: social issues, a
consensus on incomes, international
obligations, and above all, Slovenia’s
EU Presidency. Obligations in relation
to this will be quite considerable.
Finding the right degree of
engagement will certainly not be
easy, but we should move forward
on all fronts. As president, important
tasks await me here. But what I shall
most strive for is the unification and
unity of Slovenia.
13
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
THE VISUAL SYMBOL
OF SLOVENIA’S EU PRESIDENCY
W
hen Slovenia assumes the Presidency of the
European Union on 1st January 2008, it will as all
the other presiding countries in the past, present
its presidency with a special visual symbol. The symbol was
chosen in the beginning of 2006, when 13 well recognized
Slovene designers presented their ideas. The chosen symbol
is from Robert Kuhar.
Slovenia indicates that Slovenes hold European ideals within
their hearts.
The Triglav, depicted by the mountain outline at the top,
represents Earth. The Triglav is Slovenia’s highest mountain
and its most potent national symbol. There is a saying that
to be a true Slovene, you must have climbed it. Triglav
symbolizes determination and achievement.
Water flows below, depicting the rivers and sea forming
part of Slovenia’s beautiful nature. Water symbolizes depth
and wisdom, conveying Slovenia’s political, economic and
cultural maturity, and its potential for wise counsels. Running
water also symbolizes healthy living.
Air is represented by the white spaces interspersing the
outlines of the symbol. It reminds one of Slovenia’s fresh,
natural air, and symbolizes Slovenia’s desire to breathe life
into all it undertakes.
Ether represents immateriality, and thus freedom and
spiritual values. The symbol conveys this element through
its flowing lines. It reflects Slovenia’s traditional ecological
orientation. Overall, the symbol conveys openness,
movement, ambition and a sense of natural harmony.
The outline of the symbol for Slovenia’s Presidency of the
European Union represents an oak leaf, which reflects
the solid, persistent, dependable character of Slovenes, a
people who are cool under pressure and thoughtful in their
decisions. Oak wood represents high quality, as for example
when used in wine barrels.
On the other hand the symbol is a combination of five basic
elements – Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Ether.
Fire is represented by the yellow shooting star in the middle
that recalls the stars in the flag of the European Union. It
represents the dynamism and energy of a young, modern
country looking to the future and eager to face challenges.
Placing the European Union star inside the outlines of
sinfo december 07
14
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
15
sinfo december 07
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
OFFICIAL PRESIDENCY WEBSITE
www.eu2008.si (www.ue2008.si)
T
he official website www.eu2008.si is the central
information point of the Slovenian presidency of the
EU Council. It is available in three languages (Slovene,
English and French) and provides the latest information and
useful services for users.
and photo archives are available to users as well. Visitors
to the website may subscribe to daily news alerts and the
weekly newsletter. The presidency website will also be
accessible from mobile phones, at the address www.eu2008.
mobi. Furthermore, the presidency website enables media
representatives to book rooms at one of the recommended
hotels (Accommodation), look up travel advice or check the
latest weather forecast.
INFORMATION:
In the Latest News section you can find press releases,
statements concerning the common foreign and security
policy (CSFP), statements for international organisations,
speeches and interviews. The Calendar is the central point
of the website. It includes information on the organisation
of events, media programmes, press releases, meeting
conclusions, photos, etc. Under the EU Policies section, which
is subdivided according to the Council’s configurations,
the competent ministries present their priorities for the
presidency. The European Council is a separate item in this
section, which features the subject areas assigned to it (e.g.
the Lisbon Strategy). The Welcome to Slovenia section is a
travel and business guide to Slovenia.
The editor-in-chief
of the official website,
www.eu2008.si (www.ue2008.si),
is Mrs Nataša Pavšek,
Government Communication
Office, tel. +386 1 478 2616,
mobile +386 51 371 863,
e-mail [email protected].
SERVICES:
Media representatives planning to attend events taking
place in Slovenia may obtain their accreditation online via
the presidency website. At www.eu2008.si you may also
view the live streaming of some events, while video, audio
sinfo december
november 07
16
WHAT MAKES THE NEWS
A brand for Slovenia: for greater recognition and reputation of the country
L
ast month the Government
approved the Slovenia brand,
which was commissioned by the
Ministry of Economy and designed by a
group of professionals led by the Pristop
agency. The purpose of the brand is to
improve the recognition and reputation
of Slovenia abroad, and is accompanied
by the slogan 'I Feel Slovenia'. The
expert group included Maja Konečnik,
Assistant Professor at the Ljubljana
Faculty of Economics, Andrej Drapal, a
partner at Pristop, ethnology Professor
Janez Bogataj, Leslie de Chernatony,
Professor of brand marketing at the
Birmingham Business School and
Director of the Centre for Research in
Brand Marketing, and the Pristop team.
They began work several months ago
and devised the key elements of the
brand's identity and applications of the
slogan and logo.
which we feel Slovenia. Therefore,
Slovenia is never remembered through
images. The memory of Slovenia brings
together the smell of the forest, the
rushing of a creek, the surprising taste
of water, and the softness of wood.
Slovenia is different
and one can feel it
Again and again Slovenia amazes with
its diverse landscape, which changes in
an hour from the Mediterranean blue to
the high Alps, and then descends to the
Pannonian plain. Slovenes do not strive
only for a higher material standard of
living, but want to become a country
which will provide an example in terms
of quality of life. Organic development
should dictate the introduction of
innovations, which will make Slovenia
richer without harming nature, and will
not neglect the typical Slovenian values
and personal characteristics which
enabled them to survive and co-create
thousands years of history, despite
being a small nation. Slovenes achieve
organic development through specific
activities, and convert them into an
exclusive offer. Therefore, they support
technological developments which will
enable them to progress with nature.
Slovenia is a model for the new policy
of going forward with nature. Here, one
is always in contact with the elemental,
be it water, the smell of woods, or the
genuine taste of food.
Firstly, the group defined Slovenian
identity as the basis of the brand. The
selected typical national characteristics
include determination, work ethic,
honesty, individualism, and the desire
to succeed and be commended, while
the most important values are family,
attachment to the local environment,
health and responsibility. Slovenes
like travelling, but do not move a lot.
They feel passionate about everything
they care about. The creators of the
brand say that it has a very powerful
emotional charge. Therefore, the
basic elements of the Slovenia brand
are mainly the senses and feelings.
Slovenia should not be remembered
only through images, but one should
mainly feel it. Nature will be one of the
key recognisable features of Slovenia,
with green being the key recognisable,
and blue the second, emphasised
colour.
In Slovenia, green is more than just a
colour, it is 'Slovenian green', which
expresses a balance between the calm
of nature and the diligence of Slovenes.
It refers to pristine nature and focused
efforts to keep it that way, symbolises
the balance of a lifestyle and evokes
the harmony of all the senses with
The Slovenia brand provides guidelines
for all further activities in presenting
Slovenia to the domestic and foreign
public. By the uniform application of
the guidelines, Slovenia will doubtlessly
achieve recognition faster and in the
desired way, and will build the image
described by the brand more quickly.
The
Government
Communication
Office will be the brand manager
and responsible for activating and
implementing the brand in all areas. In
this respect, the Presidency of the EU
will be very useful.
17
sinfo december 07
INFOCUS
Brussels Believes in the Success of
Slovenia's EU Presidency
H
aving met the Prime Minister of the Republic
of Slovenia, Janez Janša, on 6 November
in Brussels, the President of the European
Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said he was
convinced that the Slovenian EU Presidency in
the first half of 2008 would be a success. "I have every
reason to believe that Slovenia will run a successful
Presidency at this crucial time for the European Union," he
said. The Slovenian PM stressed that after the new treaty
is signed, Slovenia would begin the Presidency in a "good
atmosphere".
sinfo december 07
"Geographically, Slovenia is not the biggest country, but it
is big in its European commitment," said Barroso, adding
that the country's Presidency would commence shortly
after the Reform Treaty is signed, which means that at that
point the EU can focus on issues which are important to its
citizens, such as growth and employment. "The next year will
be an important one in terms of attaining the objectives,"
he stressed. The Slovenian PM explained that in order for
Slovenia to finalise its Presidency programme, it has to wait
for the Trio partner, Portugal, to finish its tenure and see only
then what "remains on the table", stressing the priorities as
18
INFOCUS
seen at this point: the revised Lisbon Strategy, energy and
environment policy, the Western Balkans and intercultural
dialogue.
As the presiding member state, Slovenia will not represent
the EU in relations with third countries (Common Foreign and
Security Policy) alone, but as part of the so-called Troika. In
accordance with the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Troika will
include the Slovenian Foreign Minister, Dimitrij Rupel, the
High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security
Policy, Javier Solana, and the President of the European
Commission. If necessary, the presiding country can also
be assisted by the member state next in line to take over
the Presidency, which ensures continuity and the necessary
know-how. As of January 2007, Presidencies work together
in the so-called Trios, drawing up joint 18-month presidency
programmes with a view to ensuring continuity in dealing
with European issues. The end of the Slovenian Presidency
will mark the end of the first joint programme that was drawn
up together with Germany and Portugal. The Prime Minister
Janša and Barroso also focused on the Environment and
Renewable Energy package, which the EC was to adopt
this December, according to original plans, but which will
be delayed, i.e. until not before the second half of January
2008, when Slovenia will have taken the lead. Janša stressed
that he understood why the Commission has postponed
the adoption of the aforementioned package, which will
constitute a basis for negotiations between member sates
on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In his view, this
was a sensible move, as additional discussions between
the Commission and member states would offer "greater
chances for its implementation".
As the Presidency's PM, Janez Janša will chair the European Council, the highest political body in the EU,
comprised of heads of states and government of EU member states and the President of the European
Commission. Slovenian line ministers will chair the nine different configurations of the Council of the EU: the
General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC); the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin);
the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AFC); the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA); the Employment,
Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (ESPHCA); the Competitiveness Council; the Transport,
Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE); the Environment Council; and the Education, Youth and
Culture Council EYC). The GAERC, ESPHCA and AFC meet every month, while the other six councils meet less
often. As most councils focus on areas covered by multiple ministries, they are attended and chaired by the
respective competent ministers. The GAERC will thus be chaired by the Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and
the State Secretary for European Affairs Janez Lenarčič, while the Competitiveness Council will be chaired
by the Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Mojca
Kucler Dolinar. All ministers report on the work of Councils in the European Parliament, while the PM is usually
expected to present the conclusions of each EU Summit.
According to Barroso, "some countries" have asked that
additional discussions be held, while Brussels is said to be
"already" prepared to present the package, The issue is one
of the EC's priorities, while, according to Janša, negotiations
on the distribution of "burdens" or "contributions" by individual
members regarding emissions, which will be coordinated by
Slovenia, promise to be "extremely demanding".
and ministers of the presiding country also seek compromise
solutions when member states do not agree on certain
issues. The Presidency carries out its work in accordance
with the programme which is focused on attaining common
objectives, but also includes the proposals of some of the
Presidency's priorities.
In six months, the Presidency usually chairs two European
Councils, i.e. meetings of Heads of State and Government
of EU member states, over thirty ministerial meetings, some
fifty Coreper meetings in Brussels, and some three thousand
meetings of working groups and various committees.
Barroso also expects that in March and June of 2008, when
Slovenia is to chair the European Council attended by 27
heads of states and government, "significant progress"
would be made regarding the package. Both the Slovenian
PM and the President of the EC agreed that the March
Council would be vital in terms of the Lisbon Strategy, as
the heads of state and government will be approving the
second three-year cycle of the Strategy.
Slovenia is one of the last member states to take the wheel
of the EU-27 under the old rules. Once the Reform Treaty is
adopted – provided everything goes according to plan, this
will happen by 2009 at the latest – European Councils will no
longer be chaired by the Presidency's PM, but a permanent
President, while the leadership of the External Affairs Council
will be transferred from the Presidency's Foreign Minister
to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy. In future, Presidencies will chair other Councils, but
will not head the two most prominent positions in the EU.
During Slovenia's Presidency between 1
January and 30 June 2008, Slovenia will host
ten informal ministerial meetings and over
150 meetings at lower levels. In addition,
during the Presidency several EU-third
country summits will take place, the largest
of which will be the EU-LAC Summit in Lima,
Peru, while Slovenia is expected to host the
EU-USA Summit.
19
sinfo december 07
COVERSTORY
Sustainable development and energy policy:
how compatible are they?
Romana Jordan Cizelj, photo: Robert Zajc
R
enewable energy sources such as wind power, solar
energy, hydropower and biomass can play a major role
in tackling the twin challenge of energy security and
global warming, as they reduce our import dependency and
produce lower greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil fuels.
However, how sustainable is our energy policy? And if not
enough, what shall we do in order to increase its sustainability?
Do we know what correlation there is between energy policy
and sustainability? First of all, we shall make sure that we
are aware of the complexity of the term 'sustainability', even
more so because this term also appears among Slovenia’s
priorities during the EU Presidency.
commercially viable. Additionally, when not used carefully
and correctly – especially when they do not take into account
local environments and local needs – they can have counter
effects and cause serious problems. "I’m an antique," said
the hunched 90-year-old farmer. "Who wants to work all day
in the sun and earn so little? All the younger people now look
for jobs in factories or construction. Either that, or they go
to the United States." This is the story of a Mexican farmer,
where the price of corn has risen almost 50% between 2005
and today. Nevertheless, it could have been the story of any
small farmer growing grain anywhere in the world. Land that
was once used to grow food is increasingly being turned
over to biofuels. New competition between food and fuel is
becoming a reality. The global drive to put biofuels in our
petrol tanks is pushing food prices up. As farmers in some
countries grow more crops to turn into bio-ethanol and biodiesel, and less for food, the food supply is decreasing. Food
grain agriculture requires plenty of water, which in times of
climate warming and shrinking rainfall causes many worries.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts
that rain-dependent agriculture could be cut in half by 2020
as a result of climate change. Furthermore, such intensive
farming requires additional fossil fuel inputs for heavy
machinery, fertilizers, and pesticides.
THE GREAT MAJORITY OF COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS
ON ENERGY POLICY STATE THAT ENERGY IS A KEY
ELEMENT IN HELPING EUROPE ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES
FOR GROWTH, JOBS AND SUSTAINABILITY. The
Commission, in the so-called 'energy package' published
in January 2007, defines four main areas where Europe's
energy system must rapidly progress in order to guarantee
sustainability: the efficient use of energy; the diversification
of the energy mix in favour of renewables and low-carbon
conversion technologies for electricity, heating and cooling;
the decarbonisation of the transport system through
switching to alternative fuels; and the full liberalisation and
interconnection of energy systems.
Even though using alternative fuels in future can bring many
benefits, and therefore we shall fully support efforts towards
the development and increased use of renewable energy
(the EU has done so by setting a binding EU-wide target to
source 20% of their energy needs from renewables, and an
obligation for each member state to have 10% of biofuels
in their transport fuel mix by 2020), we must carefully
consider the negative and unintended consequences.
In the medium to long term, technological progress can
create new opportunities to harness the vast but largely
untapped renewable energy sources. After all, renewable
energy has an important role to play in reducing CO2
emissions. It also helps to improve the security of energy
supply by reducing the Community's growing dependence
on imported energy sources. Moreover, renewable sources
are available locally and they can contribute to employment
and the competitiveness of European industry. They can, but
In this context, Europe has a special part to play in promoting
low-CO2 sources such as wind, solar, biofuels and nuclear.
When looking at different energy sources from a sustainable
development perspective an analysis of their characteristics
in terms of their economic, environmental and social impacts,
both positive and negative, is a must. There is more than
an environmental dimension to sustainable development. In
addition to biodiversity, climate change and toxic chemicals,
there are other less tangible factors that are also important
for sustainability: training, financial support and R&D; quality
of health, safety, environmental and economic regulation;
the effectiveness of institutions and so on.
New renewable energy technologies are promising,
although it is no secret that today they are still far from being
sinfo december 07
20
COVERSTORY
do they? To some extent they definitely do, but much still
has to be done in order to satisfy economic, political and
environmental demands.
Wind energy, for example, has been used for centuries.
Although wind mills are still expensive, in Europe in the last
20 years the cost of their construction and operation has
been reduced by 50%. Modern wind turbine technology has
made significant advances. However, an investigation of the
environmental impact of wind energy production reveals
a few hazards, e.g. interference with electromagnetic
transmissions and noise. In some countries wind mills have
become a source of political tension, as local people object
to their construction, mainly due to the aesthetic appearance
of the landscape.
Hydropower is better accepted by the public, and today is
widely used to produce electrical energy. However, most of
the best candidate sites already have been fully developed.
Because of widespread public environmental concerns
due to limited trust in reservoirs and dams constructed for
hydroelectric plants, there appears to be little potential for
greatly expanding either large or small hydroelectric power
plants in the future.
At present, low-CO2 energy sources supply 21% of EU25
primary energy consumption. Nuclear energy is by far the
major contributor (15%), before biomass (4%) and hydro
(1.5%). Nuclear energy, although not renewable, has surely
proved to be a sustainable source of energy. Nuclear energy
as a part of a balanced energy mix has a role in reducing
dependency on fossil fuels and thus minimising the longterm negative impact on the climate. During operation,
nuclear power plants release no greenhouse gas emissions
into the atmosphere. Recent international studies have
shown that nuclear electricity in almost all cases is more
competitive than electricity from fossil fuels. Any rise in
uranium prices would have only a minor impact on the cost
of nuclear electricity, as it represents only 5-10% of the overall
cost of production. Also, the nuclear industry represents an
important indigenous added value to the goals of the Lisbon
strategy. For European industry, especially energy intensive
industries, stable, predictable and affordable energy prices
are of paramount importance to boost economic growth
and create jobs in the EU. Clearly, when further developing
nuclear energy, we shall always tend to achieve even
higher safety and security standards and seriously take into
account the worries our citizens have about nuclear energy
(e.g. radioactive waste management).
or even boost it) we need to invest in the development of
as many energy sources as possible. Renewables can only
provide a partial answer. FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,
WE NEED CLEAN, REASONABLY PRICED ENERGY THAT
IS AT THE SAME TIME ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY
ACCEPTABLE TO EU CITIZENS.
Only this way can we achieve development that "meets the
needs of the present generation without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs", as
the term development was defined by the United Nations
General Assembly. In practice, sustainable development
does not focus solely on environmental issues. MORE
BROADLY,
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
POLICIES
ENCOMPASS THREE GENERAL POLICY AREAS: ECONOMIC,
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL. Only when, in the course
of our decision-making, whether at regional, national or
European level, we take into account all three constituent
parts, can we count on achieving our ambitious goals.
It has to be clear that at the present level of industrial
productivity in Europe (and assuming we want to maintain
21
sinfo december 07
Elektronček
Group
T
of its kind in Ljubljana. The transformation would follow the
guidelines of cultural heritage protection.
he Elektronček Group from Mengeš is the winner of
the 2007 Golden Gazelle Award. After taking into
account the special criteria of the Golden Gazelle
board, the Golden Gazelle editorial commission and the
scale of the five-hundred fastest-growing companies in
Slovenia, Elektronček was chosen as the winner because
it has developed the whole process of producing gaming
machines, including software and assembly. The company,
which was established in 1989 by Jože Pečečnik, initially
developed alarm systems, later exported and serviced
computers and then manufactured computer tills. After
developing a gaming machine under the brand name
Interblock ten years ago, the company moved into the field
of gaming. Interblock was very successful at the gaming fair
in London and is today a successful commercial brand in
more then seventy-four countries, including the USA.
Gazelles – the Leaders of Modern
Entrepreneurial Culture
As leaders in modern entrepreneurial culture, gazelles are
gaining importance in the Slovenian economy and not only in
terms of money and increased profit. According to Pečečnik,
the right philosophy of young entrepreneurs like himself is to
regard capital as a tool and wealth as the head. If you have
the head, which is capable of developing new ideas, then
capital is only a tool for realising these ideas. He also said that
he never preoccupies himself with thinking about next year's
turnover and profit. “Increased profit is for me a chance to
get involved in bigger projects and to enjoy more freedom in
the marketplace,” he said. The project involving the Plečnik
Stadium, which is the most beautiful stadium in Europe, is
an indicator of the direction he and his company might be
going. The idea for selecting the best fast-growing company
originates from the editorial board of the Gospodarski
Vestnik magazine, which is the leading Slovenian business
magazine. Since the mid-1990s the magazine has been
placing special emphasis on entrepreneurial culture, with
fast-growing companies as its most essential part.
At the awards ceremony, Joc Pečečnik said proudly, “I'd
like to thank the organisers for a well-designed event and
the commission who picked us as the winners. We are
proud to receive the Golden Gazelle Award and of all our
accomplishments. I know that this award is the result of our
work of seventeen years”. The Elektronček Group bought
the central stadium in Ljubljana, designed by the renowned
architect Jože Plečnik, which they intend to transform into
a modern public social space that would be the biggest
sinfo december 07
22
Wins the Golden Gazelle Award
2007
Jože Osterman
Photo: Elektronček Archive
What Exactly Are Gazelles?
coverage and great public interest. This is otherwise
common only for award ceremonies of the most important
national awards in economics, culture and science. Some of
the most successful Slovenian companies were recognised,
while their leaders enjoyed the spotlight. The Silver Gazelle
Award went to Instrumentation Technologies from Solkan
near Nova Gorica, and the Bronze Gazelle to Seaway from
Bled.
The data on Slovenian gazelles are impressive. In the last five
years the five hundred fastest-growing companies created
8,817 jobs and increased sales sevenfold. Their five-year net
revenue index was 686, having increased from 610 in the
last year.
The regional winners were known before the ceremony. In
the Gorenjska region, the Seaway company, which designs
boats under the management of brothers Jernej and Japec
Jakopin. In the Savinjsko-Zasavje region, the Termotehnika
company from Braslovče was awarded. In central Slovenia,
the winner was the Elektronček Group from Mengeš. In the
Dolenjska-Posavje region the awarded company was Rem
from Trebnje. In the Primorje-Notranjska region the winners
were Instrumentation Technologies from Solkan, and in
the Dravje-Pomurje region, the Meteorit company, which
produces steel constructions.
In researching the creation of new job positions, David Birch
came to the conclusion that companies with fewer than
twenty employees account for two thirds of job creation.
He later analysed the lifecycle of companies and divided
them into three categories: mice, gazelles, and elephants.
Gazelles are dynamic companies, which typically undergo
fast growth and expansion, create many jobs and are always
one step ahead of the competition. Usually, gazelles are
small family-owned companies, which rely on hard work and
the careful selection of employees until they experience
sudden growth.
After 2004, when the media companies Dnevnik and
Gospodarski Vestnik established the Gazela company, a
carefully thought-out promotion of fast-growing companies
spread throughout the country. Through regional and state
selections, gazelles were brought into the media spotlight.
This is beneficial and important for the growth of the whole
society. The founders of gazelles became interesting
media personalities, who are role models of one of the
most important social values – creative and successful
entrepreneurship. The award ceremony of the main award
– the Golden Gazelle Award – received extensive media
23
sinfo december 07
LJUBLJANA AS THE CAPITAL OF
MEDITERRANEAN EUROPE
"Month of Design promotes creativity as
a value, creates a thinking environment
for innovation, and rewards the best."
2006, who envision ideas in design that have great potential,
and which reflect a contemporary approach and futureoriented solutions. In September, all the promising shortlisted entrants were presented at the urban architectural
display called Ciliate, and about a month later, awards were
conferred on Tilen Sepič and Marko Pavlinec for product
design, Ajdin Bajrović and Jernej Hočevar for interior design,
and Mateja Krofl and Barbara Šuštar for fashion design.
Anja Hreščak
M
onth of Design is an annual, internationally
recognised festival of know-how and creativity,
as the organiser Zavod Big put it. This year's
fifth consecutive instalment of the festival
of product design, architecture, fashion and
science, which began in mid-October and ended a month
later, was entitled Mediterranean Identities. Its aim was to
reward the best creators in various spheres of design, as
judged by a jury and the general public.
A special feature of the festival is the Timeless Slovenian
Design collection of designers, whose products defy their
time and effectively become icons. Unlike other awards,
these are not presented every year. Previous winners include
Sergej Pavlin, who designed the Cockta bottle in 1943, Niko
Kralj, designer of the Rex chair, and Marko Turk, who in 1964
designed the MD9 microphone, which was included in the
permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New
York. In 1966 Saša Mächtig designed the K67 kiosk, in 1969
Oskar Kogoj produced the Gondola reclining chair, while the
year 1983 saw the birth of the Tomos ATX 50 motorcycle
designed by Igor Rosa. The last name featured in the
Timeless Slovenian Design collection. In 1985 Davorin Savnik
turned the telephone, previously an awkward black box,
into a sleek, organic and ergonomically designed object for
the Iskra company. The design was later widely copied by
American and Japanese manufacturers. This year, a new
name joined the legends – Albert Kastelec, who designed
electrical hand-tools for Iskra.
According to the organisers, the festival attempted to present
Ljubljana as the capital of the Mediterranean Europe, which
is the reason behind the title Mediterranean Identities. All
Months of Design attempted to define and redefine design
as the key competitive tool of companies and society,
and encourage the growth and development of creative
companies and industries. The aim, say the organisers, is
to spur a new way of thinking that would improve the quality
of creative work, which is why Zavod Big awards the best
achievements at the opening ceremony every year (this
year's took place on 18 October).
The Stars and Stories Awards were presented at the grand
opening of the Month of Design at Ljubljana Castle. Stars
were awarded to creative individuals and companies,
while Stories were bestowed on creative industries and
organisations in the categories Success Story, A Story of
Vision, and A Story of Know-How.
Stars are presented in three main categories – graphic
or product design (Designer of the Year), interior design
(Interior of the Year), and fashion (Fashion Contrast of the
Year). This year the Cubo restaurant on Šmartinska cesta
boasts the best interior, designed by Rok Kuhar and Katjuša
Kranjc. The Fashion Contrast of the Year went to Uroš
Belantič of Oktober, Slovenia's largest styling company,
while the Gigodesign company earned the title of Designer
of the Year.
This year's event also saw the second instalment of the
Design Prospects Award presented to students, young
freelancers, or groups either living and working in Slovenia,
or groups of Slovenes living and working abroad. The award
is an incentive for talented young designers, and is targeted
at people whose ideas (they need not have been realised)
were exceptional and outstanding in the field of design in
sinfo december 07
24
BUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESSBUSINESS
PETRA SOVDAT,
Business Daily Finance
State Secretaries Andrej Šircelj and Tomaž Jeršič. Photo: STA Archive
Govt Moves to Curb Management
Buyouts
The government adopted on 28
November changes to the takeovers
act which introduce a ban on securing
bank guaranties for a takeover with the
shares of the target company. Similarly,
the changes to the banking act propose
that the shares of the target company
could no longer be used to insure a
loan.
The aim of the amendments is to
prevent takeovers that lead to the
exhaustion of the targeted companies
and undermine their competitiveness,
according to the government.
State Secretary at the Economy Ministry
Tomaz Jersic told the press that the final
phase of the privatisation has seen a
number of cases in which bidders used
the securities of the target company to
take out loans.
The changes to the takeovers act
stipulate that the Securities Market
Agency may only approve takeover
bids in which the bidder can prove this
not to be case.
State
Secretary
Andrej
Sircelj
meanwhile explained that changes
to the banking act will make it more
difficult for borrowers to take out loans
with Slovenian banks in some cases,
as it will be necessary to provide other
guarantees than the shares of the
target company.
The two secretaries believe that the
changes will increase the stability of
the financial system as “future profits
will be channeled into development as
opposed to the paying off of credits”.
While the move comes only days after
Prime Minister Janez Jansa accused
many of the present-day tycoons of
having made their fortune with ill-gotten
gains, Sircelj and Jersic were united
in the view that the changes were not
targeting or motivated by any particular
takeover case or MBO.
Krka Buys a German Company and
Announces Additional Takeovers
In mid-November, Krka, the Novo
mesto-based pharmaceutical company,
with the largest market capitalisation
in Slovenia, (listed as KRKG on the
Ljubljana Stock Exchange), announced
the takeover of the German TAD
Pharma. Krka acquired the company
for EUR97 million. According to CEO
Jože Colarič, the merger is a winning
combination for both companies,
since Krka's first ever takeover will
improve both the company's organic
growth and its position in the generic
Jože Colarič. Photo: STA Archive
25
pharmaceutical industry in Western
Europe, while enabling the Slovenian
company to compete in the German
market directly, and not only through its
partners. TAD Pharma, from the town of
Cuxhaven in Northern Germany, which
was until recently owned by the PHW
Group, is one of the fifteen largest
generic companies in the German
pharmaceutical market.
In the last financial year, which ended
in June 2007, the company's sales
revenues amounted to EUR59.3
million, of which EUR52.5 million were
generated in the German market. Their
exports were worth EUR6.8 million,
accounting for 11 per cent of total sales.
TAD Pharma produces 296 different
products, of which 185 are intended
for the domestic market, while 111 are
exported. "This takeover outlines our
future activities relating to takeovers,"
said Colarič.
Krka to remain independent
For a while Colarič has been announcing
takeovers of smaller companies,
the aim of which is to maintain Krka
as an independent company and
reduce the risk of takeover. The main
goals laid down in the company's
2008-2012
development
strategy
are: average annual sales growth of
over 10%; maintaining at least a 40%
share of products not older than five
years in total sales; maintaining the
proportion of products that result from
Krka's vertically-integrated business
(produced entirely in Krka – from raw
materials to finished product); improving
cost efficiency and business indicators,
and retaining independence.
According to Colarič, Krka will generate
EUR776 million in sales revenues (16.2%
annual growth), and EUR135 million net
profit (20.4% annual growth) this year.
In the first ten months of 2007, the
Krka Group generated sales revenues
of EUR571 million, which is 14% up on
the same period last year. Operating
profit amounted to EUR136.1 million,
translating into 22% growth over the
same period last year, with EUR98
million of net profit (an increase of
23% over the same period last year).
Sales growth in Western Europe was
particularly strong, amounting to over
EUR112 million, which is 51% more than
in the same period last year.
sinfo december 07
for issuers to present themselves to
interested investors, and for the LJSE
to present Slovenia's capital market.
A call for prices down and wages up
The first IPO in Slovenia with NKBM
shares
Monday 19 November saw the
beginning of a subscription period for
NKBM shares – the first ever Slovenian
IPO. Private and institutional investors
were offered a total of 49% of the
bank's capital. Private investors could
buy at EUR20.5 to EUR27 per share;
the final price will be known at the
end of the subscription period, on 27
November, and three days later for
institutional investors. NKBM shares will
be listed on the LJSE at the beginning
of December.
All investors who do not sell their shares
by 12 September 2008 will receive one
additional share for each 10 of their
shares.
Triglav insurance company soon to hit
the stock exchange
Soon, and at the latest on
2008, Slovenia's largest
company Triglav, headed
Kocič, will be listed on
sinfo december 07
31 January
insurance
by Andrej
the LJSE.
The Security Market Agency having
approved their listing prospectus, the
company is now waiting for a decision
by the LJSE, which can issue one within
a week of receiving an application. The
listing of Triglav's shares is required
by law, as the insurance company is
subject to the provisions of the Act
on Legal Successors of Authorised
Investment Companies, since it merged
in 2006 with Triglav Naložbe investment
company.
Kocič to attend roadshows in
Stockholm and London
Andrej Kocič, head of the Triglav
insurance company, will be attending
LJSE's roadshows in Stockholm
and London on 5 and 6 December.
The Ljubljana Stock Exchange has
organised several presentations of its
premium issuers in London, Frankfurt,
Vienna and Milan among other places.
The roadshows are an opportunity
Wage rises due to the rising cost
of living, employee participation in
profit, and reducing the differences
between rich and poor, were the key
points stressed by trade union leaders
at workers' demonstrations on 17
November in Ljubljana.
Trade unions expect employers
to negotiate seriously about their
demands, otherwise a general strike
will be organised. They stressed that
the demonstrations were the final
warning to employers, and demanded
that the government tackle inflation
more effectively, propose legislation
changes to the National Assembly that
would prevent the accumulation of
wealth in the hands of a few individuals,
take account of the proposals of public
sector unions, and enable the transition
to a new wage system at the beginning
of next year.
The demonstrations were also attended
by the Minister of Labour, Family and
Social Affairs, Marjeta Cotman, who saw
it as a determined and justified appeal
to employers and capital owners to
consider wage rises in industries
achieving good results. While in her view,
workers' demands for higher wages are
legitimate and justified, she also called
on them to continue negotiations.
Another prominent figure joining the
demonstrators was the newly-elected
President, Danilo Türk, who said that the
time was right to return to negotiations
and find a solution. Trade unions
estimate that some seventy thousand
workers, students and pensioners took
to the streets.
Some apparently saw the demonstrations as a chance
to return to the times (fortunately) past. Foto: BOBO
26
PM Janez Janša on his official visit to China. Photo: STA Archive
Slovenian companies discovering
China
At the beginning of November, PM
Janez Janša made an official visit to
China, where he and a delegation of
55 Slovenian business representatives
visited Beijing and Shanghai. The
interest of Slovenia's business sector
in China has been growing since the
country gained independence in 1991.
To date, the country has over 1,900
importers and nearly 200 exporters,
while the number of Slovenian
companies in China is 25. In Shanghai,
the PM opened an office of the Public
Agency of the Republic of Slovenia
for Entrepreneurship and Foreign
Investment (JAPTI), the mission of
which is to assist Slovenian companies
to enter the market.
relations is a traditional lack of
understanding of business opportunities
on both sides.
Business
meetings
organised
by institutions in both countries
can contribute to better business
connections
and
cooperation.
Successful collaboration between
the CCIS and HEPO will extend to
the Slovenian-Hellenic Chamber of
Commerce, as the President of the
CCIS, Zdenko Pavček, and Slovenian
Honorary Consul General to Piraeus,
Dr Evangelos Tziavos, signed a
cooperation agreement.
According to Tziavos, the agreement
presents
both
a
commitment
and a challenge for creating new
business relations between business
representatives in both countries.
Visit of Greek Delegation to the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Economy Minister Declares "War on
Inflation"
The HEPO (Hellenic Foreign Trade
Board), operating within the Greek
Ministry of Economy and Finance, on 24
October organised the visit of a Greek
business delegation to the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia
(CCIS).
Ten representatives of companies
working in construction materials, food
products, chemical raw materials, fur
clothing, plastic packaging, cosmetic
products, and aromatic substances,
met representatives of fourteen
Slovenian companies.
Although since Slovenia joined the
EU, economic cooperation has been
improving and trade increasing, the
greatest obstacle preventing the
improvement of bilateral economic
Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak has
announced a campaign against what
he says is the murky and misleading
price setting mechanisms that have led
to unnecessary price increases. "Until
now we have fought a battle, now we're
making it a war on inflation," Vizjak told
the press on 14 November.
"Evidently the gentlemen would like to
maximise their profit, which is why they
are concealing real information and are
shifting the blame on who has taken
the biggest share in the latest price
increases," Vizjak said in a reference to
bosses of grocers and suppliers. Vizjak
said he was sure that prices of bread
could have remained unchanged had
the retailers and suppliers taken extra
measures to reduce the amount of
27
bread that goes unsold.
He said Slovenia was a record-holder in
terms of bread that gets dumped, while
nothing had been done to increase
efficiency. "This is the reserve that
would have avoided the price hike."
"It is not acceptable that bakers and
retailers have secured themselves the
major share by blaming higher wheat
prices, since the farmer gets the least
in this chain," he said.
He said the suppliers and retailers
were trying to avoid giving substantive
answers on the issue. Mechanisms in
place for setting the price of bread
lacked transparency, Vizjak stressed.
He said the Market Inspectorate and
Competition Protection Office would
impose heavy sanctions on those
whose abuse their position or break
the law.
Vizjak also called for pressure from the
public: "To point the finger at those who
are abusing the changeover to the euro
to increase their profits."
Andrej Vizjak. Photo: STA Archive
sinfo december 07
S
O
C
I
E
T
Y
Wiesbaden Theatre. Photo: Martin Kaufhold
Jože Osterman
TRIENNIAL OF SMALL-SCALE
SCULPTURE IN MURSKA SOBOTA
T
he beginning of October saw
the opening of the European
Triennial
of
Small-Scale
Sculpture at the Gallery of
Murska Sobota. The event,
which is the most important of its kind
apart from the International Triennial
of Small-Scale Sculpture in Fellbach
near Stuttgart in Germany, has a longstanding tradition. It was first organised
in 1973, then followed by thirteen
biennales that were organised within
the former Yugoslavia. Small-scale
sculpture, which was once predicted
to become obsolete, has only become
stronger over the years.
Thirty-one selected artists from eight
countries are showcasing fifty-seven
works. The title and the topic of Triennial
2007 is Joke, Satire, Irony and Deeper
Meaning, and was chosen by the
artistic director, Thomas Deecke, who
is the director of the Neues Museum
Weserburg in Bremen. The title is
taken from a play by Christian Dietrich
Grabbe written in 1823 and is relevant
to today’s world because it deals
with the fast-changing relationship
between humour and seriousness,
which questions all the semantic and
formal traditions of the past.
sinfo december 07
WIESBADEN THEATRE
PERFORMS IN LJUBLJANA
The City of Ljubljana has maintained
close ties with Wiesbaden in Hessen,
Germany for many decades, and after
three years it once again hosted the
Wiesbaden State Theatre, which is one
of the main cultural institutions in this
part of Germany. The renowned play
Woyzeck by Georg Büchner, directed
by the director of the theatre Manfred
Beilharz, was performed on the central
stage of the SNG Drama Theatre.
Büchner’s play holds a special position
in the history of the Slovenian theatre
because it was the performance of
this play in 1976 that ended the crisis
in which the state of Slovenian theatre
had been in. There have been many
successful performances of this play
– the last one in the current season. It
is interesting that all the performances
have been directed by directors from
abroad.
THE FILM ROOSTER’S
BREAKFAST BREAKS RECORDS
The film Rooster’s Breakfast, which was
at the centre of attention at the recently
finished Festival of Slovenian Film and
was awarded the Audience Vote for
Best Film, is breaking all box-office
records. Despite the fact that it has
been screening only for less than three
28
weeks, it has already been seen by
over 52,000 people (as of 6 November),
which brought it the Golden Roll Award,
which is presented by the Association
of Slovenian Filmmakers and the
Kolosej Kinematografi company to
all Slovenian films which are seen by
more than 25,000 people. It seems that
by the time the screening of the film
finishes, it might receive a few more
Golden Rolls, since in the next few
days it will also be screened in cinemas
outside Ljubljana, where many people
are expected to go to see the film.
THE PAINTING HORSES BY
ZORAN MUŠIČ IN THE NATIONAL
GALLERY
The permanent collection of notable
twentieth century European painters at
the National Gallery has been enriched
by an oil painting by the acclaimed
Slovenian painter Zoran Mušič (19092005). The painting was obtained
on a long-term lease to the gallery
from businessman Igor Lah, who is a
passionate collector of the artist. Zoran
Mušič, who spent most of his creative
years abroad in Venice and Paris, often
depicted horses, usually from against
a background of a hilly landscape, in
belts and with various colour spots. The
painting is from a renowned series of
paintings that made the artist famous in
Venice, Rome and Paris. His later motifs
S
O
included the scorched landscape of
the Karst region and Dalmatia.
AN EXHIBITION OF THE
LEGENDARY PUNK BAND PANKRTI
In the 1970s when they gave their first
concert in a high school in Ljubljana, the
Slovenian punk rock band Pankrti was
more than just introducing Slovenian
audiences to a new musical style.
Their performances clearly reflected
the built-up rejection of boring and
outdated Socialism, which had nothing
left to offer to the young generation of
that time.
To
commemorate
the
thirtieth
anniversary of Pankrti’s first concert,
the Photon Gallery and the National
Museum of Contemporary History
have organised a photographic
exhibition entitled N’č se ne premakne
(‘Nothing Moves On’). The guests at
the opening were mainly people of
the generation which recognised the
political implications of the band’s
music. The band’s former members,
who firmly rejected the old, grey world,
and became instigators of a social
revolution in Slovenia, proved that the
world can be changed. The only former
member who is still a professional
musician is the legendary Pero Lovšin,
while one of the other members is an
acclaimed professor of sociology of
C
I
E
T
Y
culture, one is one of the most famous
finance managers, and one is an
excellent building engineer and expert
in building construction. Things have
definitely moved on.
DRAGO JANČAR – RECIPIENT OF
THE JEAN AMERY AWARD
The acclaimed Slovenian author Drago
Jančar received the Jean Amery 2007
book prize for his collection of essays
Brioni at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The
award, which has been conferred
for
exceptional
socially
critical
essays since 1982, has recently been
awarded every two years. Jančar, who
received the award from Schreibheft
magazine editor, Hermann Wellman,
said that he was happy and proud to
receive the award named after such
a deep, dark and often desperate, yet
incredibly lucid thinker, who tragically
experienced near death and existential
despair. “I’m happy to be able to share
optimism with the new generation of
Europeans,” said Jančar.
Brioni is about the heritage of Tito and
his cult today. At the reception, Wellman,
who analysed Jančar’s experience
with the authorities and society under
Tito’s rule, said that Brioni was not a
literary project, but a search for a new,
better ‘home’ after the social change
in Slovenia. In the introductory quote
Drago Jančar
to the essay the author discovers the
remnants of Tito’s rule, under which
many politicians were persecuted,
even on Brioni, an island where Tito
had a summer residence.
MEDANA BRINGS ARTISTS
TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN
The beautiful village of Medana in
Goriška Brda hosts writers in summer,
and visual artists at other times
of the year. At the end of October,
Medana hosted MMM Art, a traditional
gathering of artists. One homestead
hosted twenty-five artists from five
European countries this year, while
the programme included five fine
arts exhibitions. The first one was by
painters Pavlič, Zaplatil and Čuber. The
Gallery of Nova Gorica showcased
the world humanitarian project Paint a
Future, while the work of painters Bort
and Tutto was shown in Goriška Brda.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 500TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF
PRIMOŽ TRUBAR
The 500th anniversary of the birth of
the Slovenian Protestant reformer and
author of the first Slovenian book Primož
Trubar will be the central cultural event
next year, and will also be celebrated
abroad, especially in Germany, where
Trubar spent a great part of his life.
The 500th anniversary of Trubar’s
birth has made it to the UNESCO list
of anniversaries, which is an honour for
Slovenia, and which also provides the
possibility of spreading information on
events organised by Slovenia to honour
various anniversaries.
Parliament expressed an urgent need
to create programmes which will
commemorate the event and ensure
the participation of experts in this
"Horses" by Zoran Mušič
29
sinfo december 07
S
O
field as well as the public. Two main
events have been planned; the first is a
large symposium entitled Languages,
Identity, Belonging between Centres
and Margins organised by the
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and
Arts. The National Museum will host
a large exhibition on Primož Trubar.
The anniversary will also be given
additional prominence by the Slovenian
Presidency of the European Union in
the first half of 2008.
BORŠTNIK MEETING CLOSES
C
I
E
T
Y
DUŠAN JOVANOVIČ HONOURED
BY THE CITY OF SKOPJE
Slovenian theatre director Dušan
Jovanović received the highest award
conferred by Macedonia’s capital
city of Skopje, which is bestowed for
special accomplishments in culture, art
and science. Jovanović was honoured
for his contribution to the recognition
of the city with his cult play Liberation
of Skopje. The play, which was based
on the author’s childhood memories
of this city on the Vardar River, has
been performed by many theatres
Dušan Jovanovič
Oedipus in Corinth. Photo: Peter Uhan.
The award ceremony on 24 October
brought to an end this year’s fortysecond annual Borštnik Meeting, the
largest Slovenian theatre festival.
Silva Čušin, an actor with SNG Drama
Theatre in Ljubljana, was awarded the
Borštnik Ring Award. The performance
of Oedipus in Corinth by Slovenian
playwright Ivo Svetina, staged by SNG
Drama Ljubljana Theatre and directed
by Ivica Buljan was awarded the Best
Performance Award. SNG Drama
Ljubljana Theatre was a dominant
winner of the festival, with Oedipus
in Corinth winning the Best Director
Award and Best Actor Award, which
were conferred on Marko Mandić and
Aljaž Jovanović respectively. Other
SNG Drama Ljubljana Theatre actors
to receive awards were Igor Samobor,
Saša Pavček and Polona Juh. Other
awards went to actors Uroš Smolej
and Jette Ostan Verjup (Ljubljana City
Theatre). Ljubljana City Theatre was
awarded the Aesthetic Breakthrough
Award for their performance of Cabaret
directed by Stanislav Moša. Translator
Aleš Berger received an award for
his translation of Molière’s Tartuffe,
which was staged by the SNG Drama
Ljubljana Theatre.
sinfo december 07
throughout former Yugoslavia and
Europe. It has received many awards
and has been translated and published
in many languages. One production
was performed eight hundred times,
with seventy-eight shows in the USA. It
also received the American Critics Jury
Award at the 1982 Obies in New York.
SHOES WITH IDRIJA LACE AND A
MUSICAL COME TO BRUSSELS
Prior to its Presidency of the EU,
Slovenia presented itself in Brussels
with two events, under the patronage
of Romana Jordan Cizelj, MEP: on 20
November, in the European Parliament,
an exhibition opened under the title
Shoes with Idrija Lace/Modernity
Intertwined with Tradition, featuring
one-of-a-kind shoes by established
Slovenian fashion designer Alja Novak.
A day later, the audience in Brussels
was treated to a performance of the
musical Beauty and the Beast by
the Musical Theatre of I. Gimnazija
Grammar School from Celje.
The exhibition focuses on shoes,
or more precisely, on how modern
trends and the traditions of Slovenian
cultural heritage can be combined in
shoe design. With her presentations
of unique boutique shoes adorned
with Idrija lace the designer Ms Novak
wishes to make Idrija lace betterknown to the (international) public. By
being used in shoe design, the purely
practical value of lace increases.
If lace addresses the public silently,
then the musical Beauty and the Beast
is a very good ‘sonic complement’.
Taking part in the production were
more than eighty secondary school
students, whose efforts have already
proven a success with regular theatregoers and critics alike.
Photo: Jaka Vinšek
30
THISISSLOVENIA
We should also mention the FIPRESCIE Critic’s Choice and
the Amnesty International Awards.
Liffe - More Than
But perhaps of even greater importance than the awards is
the fact that the Festival boasts high attendance numbers
and is very popular. It secured its position in the cultural life
of the Slovenian capital years ago. “Each year I see several
films. Why? Because regular cinema programmes do not offer
films by these producers,” says a visitor to the Festival. She
bought her tickets well before the beginning of the festival.
As in previous years, certain tickets were quite sought-after
items. The fact that certain film-makers themselves attended
the Festival attracted a great deal of attention. “I think it is
fantastic to be able to chat with the film-makers. This allows
me to imagine much better what they were trying to say
precisely,” says a very enthusiastic cinema fan. The charm of
the Ljubljana International Film Festival - Liffe - lies not only
in the great variety of the films on-screen, but in the exciting
things and events that complement it. So, farewell to Liffe,
until next year!
a Film Festival
Polona Prešeren
T
he movie projectors of this year’s 18th Ljubljana
International Film Festival have already been
switched off. And it will certainly not be until next
year’s festival that so many different films from all
corners of the world will attract so many people
to Ljubljana’s film theatres…Well, at least in such a short
amount of time!
The winner of the Kingfisher Award, the top award was
“Windows on Monday” by German director Ulrich Koehler.
This is Koehler’s second feature film and has also bagged
the top prize at last-year’s Hessen festival. The LIFFe
web page labels it a psychological drama with a touch of
existentialism: the anatomy of disintegration of a modern
middle-class couple.
The festival’s international jury wrote that the film managed
to revive and refresh one of the most frequently examined
topics.
The critics’ award, bestowed by the International Federation
of Film Critics, went to “Just About Love?” by French director
Lola Doillon, the Amnesty International Award to “XXY” by
Lucie Puenzo of Argentina, and the Itak Award for best
Slovenian short film shot with a mobile phone, to “Postaja”
(Station), which was signed by a group of authors.
German director Ulrich Koehler, the author of “Windows on Monday”,
gives an acceptance speech for the Kingfisher Award at the ceremony at the conclusion of the 18th Ljubljana International Film Festival.
For two weeks, film lovers took advantage of the largest film
festival in the country, during which over one hundred films
were screened. This year’s Film Festival put more emphasis on
the work of individual film-makers and the cinematographic
creativity of various nations. The Festival’s film sections,
already very familiar to the audience, are different, but the
change is welcome and refreshing. The novelty approach
is understandable, since long-time Programming Director
Jelka Stergelj bade farewell to the Festival and film critic
Simon Popek took over from her.
“I appreciate the fact that many will find certain films good,
and many will find them bad, but therein lies the charm of
a festival’s uncharted territory: the more or less random
discovery of new and fresh names of various film productions
around the world,” Popek writes in the Festival Catalogue
editorial. Besides the jury awards, the audience was also
able to vote – as in previous years – for their favourite film.
31
sinfo december 07
PEOPLE
Silva Čušin,
Recipient of the Borštnik
Ring Award 2007
I
Recognition in the
Midst
of a Creative
Journey
n a career of over twenty-five years, Silva Čušin has portrayed
over 60 characters, which, along with superb acting in television
shows and films, has made her one of the most recognisable
Slovenian actresses since the beginning of the 1980s, and she
has even been compared to actress Duša Počkaj. Silva Čušin
has also been noted for her work, which she lives and breathes,
within professional circles, and has received some of the most
prestigious awards – the Sterijeva Award, the Borštnik Award, the
Prešeren Fund Award, the Župančič Award, the Sever Award and the
Vesna Best Actress Award, which she won twice. She has been an
actress with SNG Drama Theatre in Ljubljana for over twenty years
and this season she is performing in five plays. She has recently
been awarded for her great acting skills with the highest recognition
which an actor in Slovenia can receive, the Borštnik Ring Award for
Lifetime Achievement.
Miša Čermak
Silva Čušin puts her body and soul into acting. She is also a wife and
the mother of two children, but has always managed to successfully
juggle career and family life, which is why her body of work is so
extensive. “I do not keep an archive or statistics of my past roles, as
I am only interested in what I am currently working on. I like to focus
on one thing only. When I work, I reach back into the past, forward
into the future, into the known and the unknown. And I do not do
this to cleanse myself or my feelings,” she says. While preparing
for some sixty roles which she has played, she must have travelled
many times into her inner-self in search of the spirit of the women
she was portraying. “Actors experience the world more intensely
without being aware of it. We are, however, later able to retrieve
these feelings from our subconsciousness and use them in our
work,” says Silva.
Excitement for the Soul
Silva spent her childhood in Ljubljana, where even as a little girl,
living in her own world and already following her instincts, she used
to dream of becoming an actress. “I liked the feeling that came
over me when I saw a good film, read a poem or listened to music.
It emotionally excited me and was right for my soul,” says Silva. As
a child, she attended the drama club at Pionirski dom and then a
drama club at Moste High School, where she was fortunate enough
to have a teacher who understood and protected her even when she
was not doing very well in the other subjects. “I was lucky that she
recognised my talent. I was led by this incredible instinct. If a person
feels that something is right strongly enough, then they follows it. If
the instinct is that strong, then it simply has to be followed,” says
Silva. She knew she should follow her instinct and enrolled at the
Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television, where she soon
realised that studying was more about finding oneself than learning.
“Sometimes people expect the Academy to give the students a lot
of practical knowledge, when it is really more about finding yourself
and having someone to lead the way. Diction and movement are
only a matter of drill,” she says. She believes that acting cannot
be learnt by studying at any academy, but that teachers and the
sensitive age you are in at the time can make you stronger and give
you a sense of what is expected from an actor and where his or her
powers lie. “For the first two years of the course I was very reserved
and was useless, really. But for the last two years I opened myself
sinfo december 07
32
PEOPLE
The Souls of Her Women
up,” she explains. Her degree did not make her think that she knew
it all, but it was a good starting point for getting into professional
acting. “You only begin to learn once you are working in the real
world in the right group of theatre people,” says Silva.
Silva Čušin attracted attention at the beginning of her career, as
she received the Student Prešeren Award, the Sever Award for Best
Young Actress, and the Borštnik Award for Best Young Actress.
Since being regularly employed by SNG Drama Theatre in 1985, she
has received the Sever Award, the Sterijeva Award, the Prešeren
Fund Award, the Župančič Award, and the Borštnik Ring Award.
Silva possesses great talent, a good work ethic, and brings such
sincerity and humanity to her characters, that they are always very
believable. “I love acting immensely and I try to live every role and
experience it very personally. When I am preparing for a role, I never
think about the theory of acting, because I believe that the spirit,
character and the situation are much more important. I am always
interested in the paths of the soul. Personally, all that matters to me
with any performance directed by any director, is that my character
comes alive as a real-life person and that it is believable,” says Silva.
She enjoys playing difficult and very difficult characters, because
she likes to explore human nature, which she feels is the purpose
of acting. “Exploring human souls, characters and their passions is
challenging for me because it is always new and the only thing that
is interesting. A living being still remains the most interesting thing,
because it is always a tabula rasa, which can be explored anew
every time, as everyone is different. Actually, everything evolves
around the same subject, but this subject has a thousand different
variations. No two people are the same; they do not react in the
same way and they do not feel the same. This, for me, is the purpose
of my work,” she says.
Two Worlds of a Single Life
Silva began learning about acting in the real world when she was
a freelancer for four years. At that time she mostly worked for Glej
Theatre. “Glej Theatre was then more like a study theatre, where we
worked night and day to give only four performances in the end (she
smiles).” She felt comfortable being a freelancer, but the role offered
by director Dušan Mlakar brought her to the SNG Drama Theatre
in Ljubljana. Soon afterwards, she became pregnant. “I did not
know when I was going to get pregnant. I had a role in The Seagull
and I was afraid to tell anyone that I was pregnant, because I was
worried that they would not offer me a full-time job,” she explains.
Nevertheless, she worked until the last performance of The Seagull
and was offered a full-time position. The story repeated six years
later, when she was scheduled for the role of Mary, Queen of Scots,
but got pregnant the second time. “A great part, which all actors
dream of playing, and what do I do? I get pregnant. So, once again,
I met up with Dušan Mlakar, told him I was pregnant and played the
part until the very last performance. When it comes to my family, I
am very confident and I feel that what is mine, no one can take away
from me. You have to have guts, because what is one or two years
in your career compared to your entire life?” She never thought
about who or what she should put first and she always knew how to
divide time between her work and family, so that no one was ever
deprived, probably because she considers her job and her family as
being like night and day, and separates them religiously. “I almost
never talk about work at home, because I do not want to burden my
family with what I am feeling, if I am in a bad mood or bursting with
creativity. After all, it is not my children's fault that I am an actress,”
she says. Silva never prepares for roles at home, although she
always takes the time to study the part thoroughly. “I always come
to work two or even three hours before the performances, which are
usually quite difficult, so that I have enough time to concentrate and
enter the other of my two worlds. It is the only way I can work. I love
both of the worlds and could not live without either of them. It is not
always easy, but that is my business,” says Silva.
Silva once said that she prepares for each role as if it was her last.
She also said that the journey for her was always more important
than the goal and that she is happy with any role as long as she
feels it has a purpose and is taking her in the right direction. She is
deeply respected by theatre critics and others for giving everything
she has got on stage and for her searching deep within herself to
bring out the right movements, mimicry and tone of voice, which
always reveal the most about a character. She is unique, the best,
and irreplaceable, and it is for this reason that she received the
Borštnik Ring Award for Lifetime Achievement. And it is for the same
reason that she received standing ovations from everyone present
at the ceremony. It is those ovations that will outlive her.
33
sinfo december 07
THISISSLOVENIA
Velike Lašče,
Primož Trubar and
other prominent Slovenes
Jože Prešeren, photo: Darinka Mladenovič
T
oday, Velike Lašče is a pleasant small town,
impossible to ignore when one takes the motorway
to Kočevje. And why should one, since it is well
worth stopping over, trying the food at some of
the local restaurants, and visiting the numerous
cultural monuments located in town and nearby. The
immediate vicinity of Velike Lašče saw the birth of several
Slovenian literary giants who continue to add to the town’s
significance and renown. The Slovenian writers who merit
special mention are: Primož Trubar – the father of the
first book printed in the Slovenian language; Josip Stritar
– writer, poet and literary critic; and Fran Levstik – author
of the tale about Martin Krpan. This area also gave rise to
several prominent people of the younger generation.
Velike Lašče was first mentioned in the 12th century,
when it was the property of Stična Monastery. Later, the
ownership passed to the Ortenburg family. The fast-paced
development of the town was mainly a consequence of its
favourable geographical position. In the 19th century the
town received some of its first administrative offices. Today,
Velike Lašče is an independent municipality once again.
Most of its population commutes to Ljubljana or Grosuplje.
The handcrafting of wooden wares is an integral part of the
rural population’s supplementary economic activities.
later owned by the Counts of Auersperg, it became one of
the biggest and most important Slovenian castles. Although
it suffered many military attacks and was consequentially
frequently repaired and renovated, it was never demolished
entirely. When it was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1511, its
outward form reflected the air of the Renaissance. World
War II left the castle in ruins once again. Although it remains
under renovation to this day, certain parts suitable for events
such as concerts, formal balls, meetings and wedding
receptions, are already open to the general public, and it is
now also possible to request professionally guided tours of
the whole castle.
The town of Velike Lašče also has a commemorative room
dedicated partly to the memory of Fran Levstik, author of
the well-known tale of the Slovenian hero Martin Krpan, and
partly to the memory of Josip Stritar, the eminent Slovenian
19th century poet and literary critic. The exhibition consists
of several documents attesting to the life and work of both
of these renowned Slovenes and includes objects originally
owned by them.
The village of Retje near Velike lašče is the site of the
Lijev Kozolec (type of corn-rack indigenous to Slovenia),
a protected cultural landmark. This kozolec is unique. It
is entirely covered with thatch, and not a single nail has
been used in its construction. It is said that Fran Levstik sat
down in its shade one summer and wrote the story of Martin
Krpan.
Cultural Landmarks of Exceptional Importance
Among the Cultural Landmarks in Velike Lašče, Turjak
Castle is especially significant. Built in the 10th century and
sinfo december 07
34
THISISSLOVENIA
it became the Trubar reading club; the former granary is
used as a souvenir shop and reception room. All three
buildings are located exactly where the Trubar family house
was located. The buildings in question are no more than
200 years old and were therefore built long after Trubar’s
time. The house Trubar was born in is thought to have been
a small wooden cottage that was later on destroyed, either
by fire, or during one of the many Turkish raids that often
devastated these lands in his time.
Most of the present Trubar Homestead buildings were
renovated on the occasion of the 4th centennial of Trubar’s
death in 1986. The Venetian sawmill is deemed the oldest of
all three. After the departure of Jože Pečnik, the sawmill’s
last owner, it was renovated by the Velike Lašče Forest
Management Company. The facility, which could cut up to
ten cubic metres of wood a day, was once an integral part
of the homestead. Due to the homestead’s various lucrative
activities, the owners’ social standing was higher than that
of the rest of the locals.
The central part of the Trubar Homestead modern museum
is the commemorative room. This room takes up the entire
top floor and so is spacious enough to hold a variety of
cultural events. Beautifully designed inscriptions on the life
and work of Primož Trubar adorn its walls. Window panes
frame portraits of prominent individuals of Trubar’s time,
including Martin Luther. Exhibited separately in special
glass cases, are Trubar’s books and manuscripts. The Barn
Gallery is a venue of various art and photography exhibitions.
It is also possible to request a demonstration of the early
book-making procedure, along with printing and binding.
This demonstration is appropriate for school groups, as well
as other visitors.
There are several other ancient architectural treasures
around Velike Lašče, such as the Stritarjeva Kašča (granary)
located in the village of Podsmreka, and the fruit drying
facilities in the hillside village of Gradež near Turjak Castle.
The locals took special pains to preserve these facilities,
and continue to use them to this day; the apples here are
still dried according to old methods and without the use
of additives. In the same way, the locals have preserved
several kozolci and other culturally-specific objects which
have perhaps lost most of their practical value, but survive
as a monument to times past.
The Trubar Homestead
The municipality of Velike Lašče is also charged with the
care of the central municipal cultural centre – the Trubar
Homestead, located in the village of Rašica. The Homestead
includes various buildings: the commemorative house,
including a commemorative room, a Venetian sawmill, and
an agricultural facility – formerly used as a stable – today,
a restaurant. The old barn has been transformed into a
gallery, aptly named the Barn Gallery, and the attic behind
No doubt the Trubar Homestead is going to be especially
busy in 2008, as Slovenia will be celebrating the fifth
centennial of Trubar’s birth.
35
sinfo december 07
THISISSLOVENIA
Primož Trubar
(1508-1586)
P
rimož Trubar, born on June 9, 1508 in Rašica
in the Dolenjska region, is the first Slovenian
writer and the founder of the Slovenian Reform
Movement. According to cultural historians,
Trubar was the man who effectively put the
Slovenes on the map of western civilization. He was the
first to use Slovene in a printed book, thus building the
foundations of Slovenian culture and literature that gave
rise to the formation of Slovenian national identity in later
centuries. In 1550 Trubar published the first two books ever
printed in Slovene, the Catechism and the Abecedary. Both
were printed in Tübingen, today a part of Germany, where
Trubar was forced to withdraw from the powerful CounterReformation movement that expelled him from his native
land. This was the first time Slovene was used in a book and
Trubar was the first person to use the term Slovenes for his
fellow countrymen – the people for whom his books were
intended.
Tekstor, achieved the issue of a general warrant for the
arrest of all Protestant-oriented Church leaders. Trubar was
warned in time and went into exile.
In 1548 Trubar resurfaced in Nuremberg, where he came
into contact with Lutheran Protestantism. Through the
mediation of his German friends he became the second
preacher in Rothenburg, where he remained for three years.
This is where he wrote the first two Slovenian books. In 1553
Trubar moved to Kempten to be a parish priest. There he
began translating Luther’s ‘House Postil’ (Hišna Postila). At
the instigation of Peter Paul Vergeri, the former Bishop of
Koper, he also started translating the Bible and published
the first part of the New Testament. entitled Ta pervi deil
tiga Noviga Testamenta, as early as 1557. The second part
was published in 1560, and the entire Bible aptly entitled
Ta celi novi Testament (‘The Entire New Testament’) was
published in 1582. He had great financial difficulties in
publishing his books; however, in 1561 Ungnand solved his
financial problems by forming the Biblical Institute in Urach
and putting Trubar at the head of it. In 1562 Trubar returned
to Ljubljana in order to organise the Protestant Church there,
but the situation was not favourable, and many conflicts
arose, leading finally to Trubar’s being sent into exile yet
again. He settled in Tübingen and later moved to nearby
Derendigen, where he remained until his death (1586).
Primož Trubar independently published 26 books.
Primož Trubar began his theology studies in Rijeka, now a
part of Croatia. In 1522 he moved to the monastery of St.
Peter in Salzburg, where he remained for three years. In
1524 he lived in Trieste with Bishop Bonomo, who supported
the ideas of the Protestant Reformation. This influence was
of vital importance to Trubar’s theological edification. He
received an education that somewhat differed from official
Catholic teachings. In 1528 he enrolled in the University of
Vienna, but a mere year later, during the Turkish siege of
the city, he returned to Trieste, where he was later, in 1530,
ordained a priest by Bishop Bonomo and sent to the parish
of Laško. As a young priest he experienced first hand the
abuses of power which the Catholic Church of the time
habitually committed. He began poring over the writings
of Swiss Protestant Reformers. In 1533 he became a vicar
in Ljubljana and in his preaching he continued to criticise
the official Church in the spirit of the ideas of the Swiss
Protestant Reformation. Consequently, in 1540, the governor
of Carniola expelled him and once again forced Trubar
to take refuge in Trieste. He seized this opportunity and
furthered his theological education. In 1542 he returned to
Ljubljana a fully-formed theologian and took the office of
dean. Due to the fact that by this time several followers of
the Protestant Reformation movement were active there, he
was well received at first; however, in 1547 the then bishop,
sinfo december 07
36
THISISSLOVENIA
evolved, the tradition of selling wine with a geographical
origin remains. Nowadays, in addition to wine, home-made
cured meats and sausages, dairy products, freshly baked
bread and potica cakes and tasty boiled štruklji rolls are
also on the menu. A typical dish of osmice among Slovenes
living in Italy is hard-boiled eggs, served in the shell, with
black pepper and a slice of home-made bread.
The kind of people going to osmice has also changed over
the years. Between the end of the Second World War and
the 1970’s, the patrons of osmice were predominantly other
villagers and people from the area who knew the farmer
running it. With better roads and an improved standard
of living, osmice were able to welcome, especially at
weekends, people from larger towns in the region, such
as Trieste, Gorizia, Udine, etc., who popped to the Karst
for a simple glass of wine as part of their Sunday day-trip.
These were predominantly Italian-speaking families from
the towns, while Slovenian visitors usually attended during
the week. During the 1970’s, at a time when women’s rights
became more prominent, women started attending osmice,
too. Along with the increasing numbers of women, the age
of the visitors also changed in the two following decades:
now, there are considerably more youngsters and young
families. In the past few decades, in addition to numerous
guests from Slovenia who flock there as part of organised
coach trips, osmice have become hugely popular with
Italian visitors from the towns and villages in the Karst area,
from Trieste, and also from more remote places in the FriuliVenezia Giulia region.
Osmice
A Traditional Way
of Clearing Old
Wine Stocks
Anja Lorenzetti
I
n the area by the North Adriatic with a Slovene
population, on both sides of the border between
Slovenia and Italy, the tradition of organising temporary
guesthouses known as osmice has existed for some
two hundred years. Each osmica has become known
and popular thanks to its distinguishing features, which vary
from village to village. Numerous traditions associated with
osmice, which delight guests, both regular and new, from
near and far, have survived to this day. Despite the fact that
the abundance of osmice depends on the economic and
political situation of any given period, it should be noted
that their numbers are increasing.
Who Is Eligible to Open an Osmica?
The osmica is a supplementary agricultural activity, which
means that it may be opened by any wine-maker with
official farmer status, who is on the register of wine-makers
and who complies with the regulations in accordance with
the Wine and Other Grape and Wine Products Act. More
precisely, they must be in possession of an Analysis Report
of their wine, and the produce must be declared. In addition,
the place for the making and storage of wine must meet
certain criteria, and the person responsible for the osmica
must have the required professional knowledge. A special
characteristic of the osmica is the way it is advertised and
signposted: wooden signposts are erected bearing the
name of the inn, adorned with a fraska (a bunch of ivy), a
green sprig of vine or a juniper branch.
A Bit of History
Written sources state that the ancient right to serve wine,
which dates back to the era of Charlemagne, survived up to
the time of the German Emperors Maria Theresa and Joseph
II. The decree, issued in 1784, stated that each farmer or
wine-producer was allowed to sell surplus wine from the
preceding vintage without tax for eight days. First known as
‘wine shops under the branches’, these impromptu inns were
later dubbed osmice (‘eights’, in reference to the eight days),
and the name has persisted to this day. In order to make it
known that they were running an osmica, farmers attached
a bunch of ivy known as fraska above the main door. The
location of the osmica was the house itself, the cellar or
the inner courtyard (borjač), usually in close proximity to the
wine barrels: during this time, the wine flowed freely and the
amounts consumed seemed endless. The original purpose
of selling wine in this way – which was often the only source
of income – was for the producers to clear the stock of
surplus wine and allow them to prepare the barrels for
the coming vintage. Over time, it became clear that there
should be more than one osmica per year: now, two are
allowed, and they last approximately ten days, or until the
food and wine have run out. And even though osmice have
37
sinfo december 07
GOODSLOVENIANINNS
Žolnir
at Kostanjevica na Krki
Autumn is the Time for Pork and Sausage
Bogi Pretnar, photo: Tomo Jeseničnik
T
he world-famous inventor Josef Ressel invented
the ship’s propeller while living in Slovenia, by the
Krka River. And he first tested it in the very same
river. When Slovenian writer Josip Jurčič was writing
the love story of fair Katica and the kloštrski žolnir
– which means ‘forest engineer’ in the dialect of the Dolenjska
region – Ressel was presumably the inspiration for the male
protagonist. This tale from Kostanjevica na Krki also provided
the name of the best-known inn in this part of Slovenia, Žolnir,
which opened several decades ago, just a stone’s throw from
the Krka River and the small town of Kostanjevica, the only
Slovenian town to have developed on a river island.
Žolnir is a family-owned inn with a tradition catering for
carriage drivers. In days of yore, heavily loaded carts would
stop here along the only route linking Ljubljana with Novo
mesto and Zagreb, and the air echoed with the sound of
the drivers’ whips. Today’s drivers no longer use whips, but
instead use horns. And yet they still like to stop by at Žolnir Inn,
although the road has long since lost its importance, since the
motorway replacing the route runs several kilometres to the
north. In order to reach Kostanjevica, one has to take the exit
for Rake or Krško. It often happens that the 250-seat capacity
of the Inn is full, as it has become a traditional venue for social
gatherings accompanying the three most important events in
life: baptism, wedding and funeral; people also eat and drink
there to celebrate all kinds of important anniversaries.
In the dining hall, various foreign languages can be heard,
from English, French, Croat (especially the Zagreb dialect)
to Italian and even Hebrew. A good reputation spreads far
and wide, Slovenes like to say, and since the creation of the
www.zolnir-sp.si website, it has also been possible to book
– from anywhere in the world – a stay in one of Žolnir’s twelve
rooms or in one of the four holiday apartments at Zavode,
some three kilometres from the inn and surrounded by idyllic
wine-producing hills. Here, true to the local wine-making
tradition, the proprietors also own a winemaker’s cottage, with
a cellar boasting a great selection of wines. The owners are
the Sevšek family: mother Fanika is the inn’s heart and soul,
and always comes up with new ideas both in the kitchen and in
catering for the guests. Father Otto knows and loves wine. He
is also a ‘Knight of Wine’ and a sommelier; but most important
of all, he knows how to handle wine and how to get the best
possible results from grape juice. Also, his expert hand has
sinfo december 07
38
GOODSLOVENIANINNS
been indispensable since the introduction of fallow deer and
wild boar enclosures. Standing behind the bar is son Klemen,
a trained catering professional, a waiter and sommelier who
always wears a smile. Daughter Simona’s job is taking care of
the heaps of paperwork needed to keep this complex family
business running smoothly.
Last, but not least, we should not forget to mention
grandmother, a great expert when it comes to traditional
recipes for the preparation of black pudding and sausages
(and many other things, for that matter). To this day, she
comes by every autumn from the nearby village of Malence
where she lives to take charge of the preparation of homemade sausages and black pudding. Slovenes are very fond
of black pudding, or blood sausages (krvavice) which as the
name implies, uses blood as the main ingredient, mixed with
rice, millet or barley, depending on the region. But the real
character of black pudding lies in the seasoning or, to be
more precise, in the combination of spices, heavily guarded
secrets of each and every maker.
region and is internationally recognised through its protected
designation of origin. Its positive effect on blood pressure
is widely recognised, and there is no doubt that it is a very
welcome ‘solvent’ for the substantial meal that is pork and
sasage. And what does sommelier Klemen say about cviček?
‘I think it is a really fine wine, my personal favourite. But then, it
is not what you would order if you only went out for a glass of
wine. Our guests are already very familiar with cviček and will
order it to complement their food. This year’s vintage is going
to be very good again, thank God.’
There is certainly a hint of oriental flavours in the mix, as a
trained palate will be able to recognise a pinch of cloves and
even cinnamon, although this is positively a savoury meat
dish. After it has been thoroughly baked, it is served with
sauerkraut or pickled turnips. The Žolnir recipe uses a mix of
rice and millet.
A very fitting side dish for these sausages is what is known
locally as matevž, i.e. a mix of mashed potatoes and brown
beans, with a spoonful of home-made pork crackling
sprinkled on top for a perfect artistic impression. The proper
autumn meal for a hungry gourmet is what goes by the name
of ‘Farmer’s Feast’ which consists of a small black pudding,
a small sausage, a slice of roast pork, sauerkraut or pickled
turnip, matevž or sauteed potatoes, along with a hefty portion
of juicy cracklings.. Filled with this hearty food, your stomach
will need some help with digestion, and what could better
serve this purpose than cviček: this wine, believed to have
a positive effect on health, is most typical of the Dolenjska
And who could say no to the light digestion-boosting cviček
wine to match Žolnir’s roast duck with mlinci, a steak with
potato omelette, buckwheat štruklji and mushrooms? And it
is only fitting that in this winemaking region, the winemaker’s
roast – meat stuffed stuffed with lardons and served with
a wine sauce – should be ‘married’ to this gentle wine. The
Inn, which is open throughout the week, bakes its own bread
at weekends, and what better to complement it than homemade venison pâté on fine layers of budžola (special cured
ham) and venison prosciutto? The Sevšek family know the
potential of the wild game nearby and put it to good and tasty
use. And one should not even begin to wonder how much
careful preparation is required for the aforementioned slice of
budžola, so finely sliced that it is almost transparent.
The perfect side dish for stewed venison in a thick dark sauce
is wheat štruklji stuffed with cottage cheese. It is a match
made in heaven, for the slightly tangy flavour of cottage
cheese counters the thick sauce, and the tender soft dough is
a pleasant base for the strong flavour of venison. According to
ethnologists, there are over fifty varieties of štruklji in Slovenia;
if we were to take into account the minor variations in recipes,
there would be over one hundred varieties. At Žolnir Inn, they
make savoury cottage cheese štruklji to be served as a side
dish; and for dessert there is wheat štruklji filled with a sweet
ground walnut paste and buckwheat štruklji filled with either
sweetened cottage cheese or walnuts. Topped with breadcrumbs and smothered in melted butter, this is a very filling
dish, so for most people with a regular appetite this could
easily replace a main course.
Another favourite dessert on the menu during the autumn
months is chestnut cake with cream and ice cream, while
those fond of fruit cakes will be happy to know that raspberry
and strawberry cakes can be obtained throughout the year. If
you feel like taking a healthy break from eating, you may hike
along the Ressel circular trail which leads through the woods
and across groves inhabited by some rare bird species, and
when you return to the table, the cake will be even more
satisfying.
39
sinfo december 07
THISISSLOVENIA
A slice of salted bread and a shot
of brandy “for the road”
Anja Hreščak
trip starts in the village of Javnik, which according to historical
sources is ‘the home of the Koroška rafters’, or the village of
Gornik; in Maribor the rafters set off from Lent.
For over a decade, the rafters on
the River Drava have been keeping
this old tradition from Koroška alive
by taking tourists on river rides.
Every year, floats in Maribor are assembled by raft craftsmen
at the start of May Day
holidays and dismantled
end of November, when
the rafting season is
over. The craftsmen are
aided by secondary
school
pupils
from
Lesarska šola Maribor
(secondary school for
wood–workers),
the
only school in Slovenia
offering this craft as an
optional subject. The
large raft or ‘taljanšek’
can be constructed from
up to 100 cubic metres
of wood and take up
to 70 passengers. The
smaller craft or ‘cizek’
can transport 30 people.
Unlike the old rafts, the
new tourist versions
have an inbuilt wooden
table, benches and an
open fireplace, where
the crew can prepare
coffee for the guests
after lunch.
T
raditional rafting is one of the most popular tourist
activities in the Koroška region from the May Day
holidays to the end of November. The traditional
river rafting was given a new lease of life in 1997. It
was revived after a 40-year lapse by an innkeeper
from Koroška, a Mr Šarman, who calls himself a descendant
of ‘the King of the Drava Rafters’. Since then, the interest of
tourists in this unusual riverine experience has continued to
grow, and Koroška is once again becoming the capital of the
River Drava rafters that it once used to be.
Rafting on the River Drava is a tradition dating back several
centuries. The wild Drava was once the main transport link
for rafting timber from the Pohorje and Kozjak forests to
Osijek and Belgrade. This started as early as 16th century and
continued until WW2 with Lent in Maribor being one of the
busiest rafting transport centres. However, rafting began to
decline with the construction of hydroelectric power stations.
The last raft made its way down the river in 1952. Mr Šarman,
was the first to revive the craft less than a decade ago by
offering rafting trips to tourists. Soon, rafting enthusiasts all
over Koroška and in Maribor followed suit.
The tourists’ interest in this unusual riverine experience keeps
growing by the year. On a 2½-hour ride, tourists are treated to
a raft lunch (goulash, buckwheat žganci, and rye bread), they
receive a rafting ‘baptism’ and, above all, experience authentic
Koroškan accordion festivity – besides the crew of scullers
and the cox there is an indispensable accordion player, who
keeps everyone’s spirits up with folk songs. In Koroška, the
sinfo december 07
The journey is much more calm and relaxing than in the old
days, as the river is a lot less wild now. However, travellers
still have to eat a slice of salted bread and drink a shot of
strong homemade brandy for courage before embarking on
a journey – that’s the old ‘rafters’ tradition’.
40
THISISSLOVENIA
Jochen Töpfer
Nothing to Do with Fashion
When biking around, I was fascinated by signs of
contemporary history: along the country roads, I saw a lot
of memorials to the partisans from the Second World War.
In comparison, I thought, “Here signs of that part of history
have survived!” In Berlin, as well as in the whole of Eastern
Germany, signs of socialist times were torn down by law after
transition. “The system lost” people from Eastern Germany
with their knowledge and experience of the past had to
give way to West German politicians and businessmen, who
came to explain to them what the world is like now and how
it turns. Torn down by law – it reminds me of something …
we had that before, right?
Photo: Personal Archive
F
ashion – and Slovenia? OK. First thought: they
have nothing to do with each other. But they
have, indeed. When I came, in March 2004, to the
Exchange-Office at my Faculty in Berlin to see if
my application for Ljubljana had been successful,
the Professor told me: “You can go, no other applications for
Ljubljana, but 230 for Madrid.”
Slovenia seems to be more inclined to compromise, which
is undoubtedly an advantage for a country in transition.
Also, in another dimension of life, I lived with Gašper, the
former head coach of the Ljubljana basketball team. The
compromise was such: I wash the coffee cups and get free
entrance to the matches. Perfect (probably for both of us)!
We became friends, and my fascination with basketball
increased. I did not miss a single match. Basketball is
fantastic in Ljubljana. Congratulations.
Why do so many students want to see cities that have
already been explored? It can only be fashion: it’s ‘in’
to be mainstream… Dolgočasno, mislim. Ljubljana is
not mainstream – very good. So I came to Ljubljana in
September 2004 for the first time. When I studied political
science in Berlin, I realised what I really wanted: I wanted
to go somewhere to a country of transition to study there,
since I´m from a region of transition, too - Eastern Germany,
Berlin-Ost, ‘Hauptstadt der DDR’. The unsatisfying situation
there today regarding the outcome of transition led me to
look for other, more successful approaches towards the
change from socialism. So I studied in Ljubljana for two
semesters, starting in September 2004.
Being occupied not only with sport, I sensed a mixed
atmosphere at the Faculty. Yes, I did go there, too. I
experienced openness and restriction. The students were
really open and helped me wherever they could, even after
knowing me just for a few days or weeks. The restrictions
were more formal. The educational system seemed to me
more like a box you´re not allowed to step out of, something
like school had been. At my university in Berlin, the focus
is on personal initiative and on the development of skills
to analyse and critically examine the existing patterns
and structures of political life, as well as the ‘Spaceship
University’. Here, it seemed to me that it would be enough
to learn exactly what has been told and what is written in
books. Please, no more. It is astonishing at the same time
that not the old, but the young professors practise such an
approach to education - confusing.
But not only studying! That can´t be a student’s life. With
friends from Slovenia, I saw a lot of the country driving
around. Even if you´re not interested in history, you become
enchanted with it here. Since Slovenia is small (I should say
for me – I always get a critical response when mentioning it
regarding Ljubljana or Slovenia) and beautiful, I brought my
bike for my second stay here in February 2007. This country
has half the number of inhabitants of my home city and
they are scattered over the picture book called Slovenia. So
I began discovering the picture book with my bike. I have
seen a lot of towns, and I have to admit that one has to be
familiar with history when exploring Slovenia. And you have
to come to terms with your muscles, too – the roads are not
so obvious as on the map or around Berlin. Experience in
all dimensions.
Slovenia has influenced me in many ways. The most important
way is to see my own homeland Germany very differently
than before coming here. Here, it’s not so anonymous; you
get to know people, instead of institutions. That’s the way it
should be. And the county is not small – I saw that at the
basketball court in Hala Tivoli, and the muscles of my legs
tell me so, as well. Forget about fashion!
41
sinfo december 07
LETTERFROMABROAD
Evelina Ferrar, Switzerland
I
was sitting on a Geneva bus chatting on the phone with
my friend in Slovenia. A sudden tap on my shoulder and
a young enthusiastic face: “Oh, you speak Slovene. Is this
possible?” Lea had come to study the flute in Geneva.
She arrived a few weeks ago and is swallowing big gulps
of her new life. I came four years ago to join my husband
Marcus whom I met when we both won international awards
in public relations.
Cross, the World Health Organisation etc., employ large
numbers of bureaucrats from all over the world. And Geneva
feels bureaucratic. There are also a lot of Arabs, mainly
because Swiss banks are the best place for their money
due to numbered bank accounts – no identity disclosed.
And Geneva feels like a huge bank.
In Slovenia, I worked in translations and communications
in a pharmaceutical company. When I came to Geneva, I
noticed there were pharmacies around every corner. Yes,
the pharmaceutical industry is strong here, but there is also
room for alternative medicine. Now I work for a law firm.
And Geneva is full of lawyers as well. This is a world where
everything is defined. And Switzerland is a country of law
and order. But compromise as well. When I watch Swiss
programmes on TV presenting opposite opinions, I feel the
underlying democratic attitude. Unlike in countries where
political opponent equals enemy, seeking compromise is
part of the process. It feels reassuring and offers stability
and peace.
I had studied French, English and comparative literature at
the University of Ljubljana, so I had some background to help
me integrate into the French-speaking environment together
with my English husband who is a writer (I translated his coauthored best-selling book Slovenia 1945 into Slovene). I am
gradually developing the cosmopolitan approach, switching
from one language into another and accepting the mentalities
behind each of them. And Geneva is cosmopolitan.
However, at the core of Geneva is the heavy Calvinist spirit
of sobriety, severity and down-to-earthness. And Geneva
feels heavy. The main strings of Genevan policy are pulled
by important (and rich) families of the Geneva bourgeoisie. It
is mainly invisible, but here and there one can notice a very
refined old couple discreetly walking into a good restaurant
and the waiter immediately switching into the role of a court
servant and seeing the regular customers to their favourite
table.
I would have preferred if there were less then 830 km to drive
to Slovenia and my close friends. However, I am pleased
that we live amongst intelligent people in a beautiful and
well off country whose past doesn’t weigh on people’s
hearts. I would also have liked to use my native language
in everyday life and work, but it is reserved for my Slovene
friends, including Lea, who will soon add French to her other
languages and blend into this international environment.
Geneva also has a huge international English-speaking
community. Organisations like the United Nations, the Red
sinfo december 07
42
THISISSLOVENIA
SIXTEEN SLOVENIAN
TOWNS PRESENTED IN THE
BAVARIAN CAPITAL
Ivan Martelanc
O
n 8 October the Bavarian State Minister of
Science, Research and the Arts, Dr Thomas
Goppel, opened an exhibition entitled
Slovenska mesta skozi čas (‘Slovenian Towns
Through Time’), which will be open for a
month. The exhibition is in the Bavarian State Archives in
a spacious building along the elite Ludwigstrasse street,
where several other Bavarian archive institutions are also
located. The exhibition was organised by the Archives of
the Republic of Slovenia in association with the Consulate
General of Slovenia in Munich and the Bavarian-Slovenian
Association.
The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia put up fifty-three
panels with 256 different displays featuring the development
of sixteen Slovenian towns throughout the many centuries
of their rich history. At the same time, the Bavarian State
Archives also organised an exhibition of around thirty of
the most important documents on Slovenian towns and
the history of Bavarian-Slovenian relations which are kept
by the institution. Some of the documents featured in the
exhibition are over 500 years old. A brochure with a picture
of Škofja Loka from the year 1679 on its cover featuring a
detailed description of the latter was published especially
for this occasion.
A special historical feature of the exhibition is the itinerary
of the visit of the Bavarian Prime Minister Dr Alfons Goppel
to Slovenia which was sent to the Bavarian government by
the Secretariat of the Executive Council of Slovenia in 1969.
The Prime Minister was received by the then President of
the Slovenian Executive Council, Stane Kavčič.
All the speeches at the opening of the exhibition were full
of historical facts and events, which were interpreted in an
interesting and humorous way. The accomplishments of
the Slovenian government after 1991 were praised, good
relations between the two countries were emphasised and
hopes of strengthening them were expressed. The future
Slovenian Presidency of the European Union was also
congratulated.
The event celebrating the opening of the exhibition held
in the big hall of the library of the Bavarian State Archives
was attended by about 300 guests, mainly from various
Bavarian cultural, scientific and political institutions. Among
them were university chancellors, mayors of Slovenian
sister towns, and representatives of the City Hall and the
Consulate.
The Aeternum chamber choir consisting of twenty-five
members from Škofja Loka also performed at the event.
Renaissance and Baroque pieces in Latin and German
were sung from narrow platforms erected along the walls of
the hall, which also features an impressive book collection.
To conclude, the choir sang Dulcis in Fundo in Slovene.
After the official programme, the choir sang more informal
songs, which especially pleased the Slovenian ex-patriots
attending the event. At the wine tasting organised by the
Vinska klet Krško wine cellar the guests had the opportunity
to try various wines including cviček from a barrel.
43
sinfo december 07
Photo: Mediaspeed
THISISSLOVENIA
On the photo: Sandi Salkič, Vice-President of PRSS (Public Relations Society of Slovenia),
Gordana Pipan, Bank of Slovenia, and Nada Serajnik Sraka, Government Communication
Office
Presentation
of Prizma 2007
awards
RIZMA 2007 Awarded to The
National
Communication
Campaign “The Euro – for All
of Us”
At the recent 11th Slovenian
Conference on Public Relations, which
took place between 17 and 19 October
2007 in Terme Olimia, the Government
Communication Office and the Bank
of Slovenia were awarded the PRIZMA
2007
award
for
communication
excellence in the national campaign
supporting the introduction of the euro
– “The Euro – for All of Us”.
P
introduction of the euro. Cooperating
with other key institutions, the Ministry
of Finance, the Ministry of the Economy,
the Bank Association of Slovenia, the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
the Chamber of Craft, and the Slovene
Consumers’ Association, they devised
and led a rational, people-oriented
communication campaign, aimed at
providing as much information as
possible on the new currency and on
key information about all stages of
preparations for and the adoption of
the new currency.
In the jury report, the panel of judges
panel headed by Simona Rodež explained that the creators of the project,
the Government Communication Office
and the Bank of Slovenia, had not
underestimated the predominantly
positive attitude of Slovenes towards the
They built on and adapted to Slovenian
needs the experience of countries
that introduced the euro in 2002. They
identified all key groups that needed
additional assistance, and devised
a strategy that not only provided
information, but also took dialogue
sinfo december 07
44
into consideration, and the active
inclusion of the key target publics in the
project. Creative communication tools
developed for particular segments of
the public, for example, the blind, the
elderly or ethnic minorities, made it
possible for messages to reach the
majority of citizens and those living
across the border. The communication
campaign not only contributed to the
smooth introduction of the euro, but
also strengthened the image of the
country, the government, institutions,
the financial market and the openmindedness of the people at home and
abroad.
The PRIZMA 2007 judges panel awarded
the
communication
programme
supporting the introduction of the euro
“The Euro – for All of Us” the highest
grade. The Public Relations Society
of Slovenia, PRSS, awarded Nada
Serajnik Sraka of the Government
Communication Office and Gordana
Pipan of the Bank of Slovenia, who
submitted the entry for the PRIZMA
2007 award, a prize in the form of
public relations courses to the value
of €1000, which the recipients donated
to the non-governmental humanitarian
organisation Ozara Slovenija, which
works in the public interest in the field
of social and health care.
Prizma is a national award for expertise
conferred by the Public Relations
Society of Slovenia, PRSS, to Slovenian
organisations
for
excellence
in
communication programmes in the
public relations field.
In the opinion of the jury, the examples
exhibit excellence in all stages of
the communication process. A clear
specification
of
communication
objectives, creative and effective
solutions and tools, particular methods
of measurement and analysis before
and after the realisation of activities,
were more or less evident in all
entries. The President of the PRIZMA
2007 jury, Simona Rodež: “With very
few exceptions, this year’s entries are
truly exemplary and have practically
all achieved the required standards of
communication excellence, which is
why it was not only the details, but those
nuances that make an otherwise good
communication example top-notch that
decided the winner. This year’s winners
are certainly characterised by multilayered and complex communication.
They also exhibit subtlety and simplicity,
and effective ideas that are consistently
realised.”
S P O R T
Paragliding Champions
from Primorska Conquer the
Skies of the World
Anja Lorenzetti
I
n recent years, Slovenia has become a superpower
of competitive paragliding or ‘comps’, i.e. flying over
certain ground-based control points towards a landing
site across a set course length. Certain Slovenian lads
excel at this extremely difficult sport, which is boldly
taking over the skies across the world: in the past few years,
they have made it among the world’s best, and are serious
rivals to competitors from the leading countries in the sport,
such as France and Switzerland. At the fourth World Cup
event in Kayseri, Turkey, the Slovenes’ triumph was almost
perfect: the brothers Urban and Aljaž Valič, from the village
of Pleče near Vipavski križ, both nearing their 30th year,
stood in the top two positions of the winners’ podium, while
the five-member Slovenian Team, which also consisted of
Primož Podobnik, Miha Razinger and Stojan Kranjc, came
second only after the Swiss.
aces of the skies are competing in the final world cup
event in Tucuman, amidst the pampas of Argentina. We all
hope the Turbo Brothers from Vipavski križ and their flying
neighbour Primož will occupy the whole podium.
In order to achieve such great results, the lads must do
a lot of preparation both in the air and on solid ground.
Excellent conditions in their native environment make all
of this possible for them, as the Lijak, which is a very well
known location in the paragliding world, is located very
conveniently between the towns of Ajdovščina and Nova
Gorica. Lijak’s claim to fame is the fact that the mixing
of air currents is very balanced, which does not produce
excessive turbulence, making it possible to fly throughout
the year. Such conditions allow for long relaxed flights and
offer great views: pilots can enjoy the views of the wonderful
Julian Alps crowned by the mighty Mt Triglav and at the
same time gaze at the Adriatic Sea and the Vipava Valley,
which is especially pretty in the autumn when it turns
reddish with autumn leaves. The access to the ramp is very
good and take-off is easy – ideal conditions for learning
the sport. This is among the reasons for the creation of the
Lijak Campsite on the landing field. The campsite, part of
the Mladovan Tourist Farm, can accommodate up to 200
people, most of them lovers of paragliding. The numbers
of foreigners who wish to spend an active holiday, part of
it in the sky, are increasing. Apart from boundless sporting
pleasures provided by nature itself, the Mladovan Tourist
Farm will treat its guests to all local culinary delights. The
evenings usually end in the wine cellar which offers a vast
array of wines and cured meats made at the farm. This year,
their guests came from at least fifteen different countries:
most frequent were Czech, Polish, Belgian, German and
Slovakian clients. But we should by no means forget the
numerous domestic guests from all across Slovenia, who
during the weekends flock in great numbers to the valley
to enjoy some of the warm Primorska sun, under the mighty
and inviting sky.
The ‘Turbo Valič Brothers’ as many like to call them, are the
proud holders of all of the most important three paragliding
world records. Three records and two brothers. Last year,
Aljaž came back from the competitions in South Africa as
the new world record-holder, having flown a staggering
distance of 427 kilometres and a total of 367km of flight
over an announced control point. All of the mentioned
successes are a source of great pride to the brothers’ home
Kovk Paragliding Club, named after the favourite local takeoff spot – or the ramp, as it is referred to – located on the
southern rim of the Trnovski Gozd Plateau overlooking the
town of Ajdovščina. The fact that these boys are exceptional
pilots was confirmed at this season’s first competition in
Ibaraka, Japan, when Primož Podobnik of Nova Gorica
stood on top of the podium, with Urban Valič by his side in
the second position. It is almost as if the flag flying over the
podium were always the same – the only thing that changes
is the name of the winner. Taking into account the rate of
success so far, this year’s optimistic predictions of Slovenian
paraglide pilots to aim for the very top of world competition
paragliding are indeed well-founded. At the moment, our
45
sinfo december 07
S P O R T
The 12th Ljubljana Marathon
Future EU Presidency
also took part in the
Ljubljana Marathon
A
longside the 6,562 runners participating in the 12th
Ljubljana Marathon, which was held on 28 October
2007, the event also saw the participation of over
eighty Government employees working on the
project of Slovenia’s EU Presidency, members of the
Government and of the diplomatic corps accredited in Slovenia.
It was the Government Communications Office that invited
everyone to participate in the project under the slogan The
Presidency Runs the Marathon. This year’s Ljubljana Marathon
coincides symbolically with the final stage of the preparations
for Slovenia’s ‘diplomatic marathon’ in the first half of 2008.
On the same day, but on the opposite side of the globe,
the Slovenian Ambassador to the United States of
America, Samuel Žbogar, ran the US Marines’ Marathon in
Washington, DC, with a time of 3 hours, 31 minutes and 7
seconds. His aim was to raise funds for six young landmine
survivors from Bosnia and Herzegovina. All of these six
children completed their rehabilitation in Slovenia, and
four of them are visiting Washington from 29 October
until 1 November. They are going to participate at several
landmine awareness events, including a special Thank
You reception for all of their sponsors on 29 October.
Sixty-one runners from the ‘presidency team’ participated in
the 10-kilometre run, 23 ran the 21 km event, while two runners
tackled the 42 km course. All team members wore jerseys in the
colours of the EU. Minister Gregor Virant could be considered
the team’s keenest athlete: his intensive preparations for the
challenge lasted the whole of last summer, when he was cycling
and taking part in several running events. Despite bad weather,
Ljubljana was bursting with energy on the day of the event, while
the percussion ensemble The Stroj provided rhythmic stimulation.
It should also be noted that some 540 runners came from abroad,
from 36 different countries.
With generous help from friends and institutions,
Ambassador Žbogar has raised more than 65,000 US
dollars, which exceeded the expectations by a large
margin. The major contributors were the US Department
of State and Slovenian organisations such as KSKJ, SNPJ,
the Bethlehem/Murska Sobota Sister Cities Association,
the National Geographic Society, Mrs Melania Trump and
others. Other stakeholders in the fund-raising project
are the Marshall Legacy Institute and the International
Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance.
Ambassador Žbogar has run several marathons this year
(Austin, TX; Knoxville, TN on 1 April; Cleveland, OH in May;
Washington, DC) to raise funds to support the International
Trust Fund for the rehabilitation of 6 landmine survivors
of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This year’s marathon is seen as the marathon of records. The
largest number of registered runners, the best time in the classic
marathon (Oleksandr Sitkovsky of Ukraine, clocking in at 2h
12m 49s), the most women participants, and the worst weather
conditions so far.
sinfo december 07
46
CULTURALTRAILS
Kranjska gora
Ljubljana
was where chests for clothing, grain, dried fruit and other
foodstuffs were placed. It was also used for the drying of
seeds, and it was where they stored baskets of wool until
winter, when they fetched spinning wheels and reels from
the attic.
Slovene Alpine House
Liznjek House, Kranjska Gora
L
The hiša or the ‘House’ – the living quarters – still made of
wood in the 17thcentury – was erected between 1730 and
1781 and fitted with a new wooden ceiling with a carved rosette, the year of construction on the load-bearing beam,
and some painted decorations on the boards above the table. The interior was further embellished with window niches
in the Baroque style and with wall cupboards. The large table under bohkov kot (literally: God’s corner – a small traditional altar in a corner) was where the family gathered to
eat only on festive occasions; otherwise, they would eat from
the mentrga, a trough-shaped table with a lid, used by the
housewife to knead bred. The leva, a small fireplace niche by
the door, was used for the burning of matchwood to provide
lighting. The master and the housewife slept in the ‘House’ or
in the ‘House’s Small Room’, both sharing – as was customary in the old days – a large bed.
The hišna kamra or the ‘House’s Small Room’ was where
the housewife and her small child usually slept. When it was
renovated in 1781, a new vaulted ceiling was added, adorned
with a stucco decoration depicting a cluster of grapes, which
reflects the profession of the house’s 18th century owners
– they ran a pub. On display in the closet are some items of
clothing typical of the Rateče-type costume: linen trousers,
waistcoats and šlabanka jackets, etc.
iznjek House in Kranjska Gora is a genuine Slovene
Alpine house built several centuries ago which illustrates the folk architecture of the 18th and early 19th
centuries. The house, at its time one of the most advanced examples of rural architecture in the area
is a prototype that has remained virtually unchanged to this
day. In the cellar, there are stables and storage space, the
ground floor is built from stone, and on it rest wooden main
living quarters. The house also has a stone-walled ‘black
kitchen’, a small bedroom, a hall, a granary and a living room.
It was completely restored in 1983 and turned into a museum. The cellar houses an exhibition of the life and work
of writer and poet Josip Vandot (1884-1944) and a gallery for
temporary art and museum displays.
Together with a large outbuilding dating back to 1796 and
its courtyard, Liznjek House is central to a very picturesque
farmstead. The lower portion of the outbuilding consisted of
a goat house and sheep pen, while the upper portion included a barn, a threshing floor and a storehouse for carts,
sleighs, a fanning mill and other larger tools and machines.
We then climb a wooden staircase to the attic, where various
tools were once kept, especially tools used in winter crafts
and tasks. The space above the vestibule, known as the zol,
47
sinfo
sinfodecember
oktober 07
CULTURALTRAILS
sinfo oktober 07
4
Slovene Alpine House

12 Dimitrij Rupel: Danilo Türk:

Transcription

Similar documents

Slovenia - toompark.pri.ee

WELCOME TO SLOVENIA! MEIS environmental consulting doo

ACTIVITY DAYS - Healthy PICNIC

Slovenia

Taste of Slovenia - Kollander World Travel

June 19, 2015

Ljubljana - luxury bourgeois apartment in top location available for rent

ICAM 2013

Copy of Embassy`s Newsletter, 2011 - 16

dom lipa`s 2014 luncheon - Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal