Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
CONTENTS Politics - President Danilo Türk's working visit to Moscow -President of the National Assembly Pavel Gantar's
meeting with representatives of Slovenian minority in Hungary -Slovenia's ITF signs agreement with Arab League -Ljubljana-based ACER to open offices abroad Economy Ljubljana cityscape Photo: www.slovenia.info - Business Chambers of Slovenia and India sign cooperation agreement -Cross-border employment consultation between Slovenia and Austria's Ministers of Labor -Minister Židan at International Agriculture Fair in Serbia
Bilateral relations -State Secretary for EU Affairs Enik ő Gy őri's visit to Slovenia -3rd Round of Consultations between European directors -Slovenia at the Budapest EU Festival 2011 Silver-winning team of the Slovenian Embassy at the Budapest Marathon -Book presentation: articles and novellas on former Photo: Embassy of RS Yugoslav states Culture and society Appendix: Independence-20 years -Day of Slovenia in Kisvárda -Ljubljana Days in Budapest- -Maja Keuc wins 13th place at Eurovision Song Contest cultural program series in -Slovenian cinematography at the Cannes Film Festival the capital: June 9-19 -Slovenian Embassy Team wins silver at Budapest Marathon Events of the HU EU Presidency -Informal meeting on Energy policy, 2 -3 May -Informal meeting on Territorial Development,18-19 May -Informal meeting on Cohesion policy , 20-21 May -Informal meeting of EU Secretary Generals, 6-7 May -Informal meeting on Competitiveness, Agriculture,29-31 May
POLITICS President Danilo Türk's working visit to President of the National Assembly Pavel Moscow Gantar's meeting with representatives of Slovenian minority in Hungary On May 16 President Danilo Türk had working On May 16, Pavel Gantar and chair of the visit to Moscow. During his visit President Türk Parliamentary Commission for Slovenians met with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Abroad Miro Petek met representatives of the Their discussion focused on the further two major organizations of the Slovenian development of bilateral relations between minority community in Hungary,ahead of the Slovenia and Russia, and the development of official visit of Hungarian Speaker of the international security and cooperation
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
mechanisms in Europe. Medvedev informed Parliament Laszlo Kövér to Slovenia on 26 and President Türk of Russia's efforts for the 27 May. During the discussions President of the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict— Association of Slovenians in Hungary Jozsef efforts which have wide support in Slovenia. Hirnök confirmed, the Slovenian minority is Presidents Türk and Medvedev discussed the facing a number of problems, mainly in situation in Moldavia and Transnistria. The insufficient funding, as the system of funding meeting continued with a discussion of has no proper regulatory framework—the development of cooperation between Russia and situation slows down progress in the situation of NATO and Russia and the EU, Presdient Türk the minority. The head of the National Slovenian argued in favour of the NATO-Russia Council Self-Government Unit in Hungary, Martin gradually being upgraded from a consultative Ropos emphasized, the Slovenian community body to a decision making body. (UKOM) still has not been granted a representative in the Hungarian parliament, although the Hungarian Slovenia's ITF signs agreement minority in Slovenia has one seat. A Forum for with Arab League National and Ethnic Communities in Hungary On May 9, in Cairo the Slovenia-Chaired was established in 2009 as a temporary solution, International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine but the consultation body for parliamentary Victims Assistance (ITF) and the Arab League signed inclusion of the 13 officially recognised a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the minorities in Hungary has not yet met this year, development of medical assistance and rehabilitation Ropos noted. He expressed hope that the new for victims of mines or other explosive devices. The election bill, which is being prepared, will solve ITF will help the Arab League set up a network for the issue, as all minorities in Hungary agree that telemedicine, which offers exchange of knowledge each of them should have their own and medical assistance through the use of telecommunication technology, the ITF wrote in a representative in parliament.(UKOM) press release. As the ITF's third strategic goal Ljubljana-based ACER to open extends further from mine victims to reducing danger offices abroad of other unexpected events, the telemedicine network will also be useful for all other severely injured. The On May 13, Director of the Agency for idea for this form of cooperation between the two Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) organisations came about at the conference on Alberto Pototschnig presented the agency's goals telemedicine in mine victims assistance organised in to the parliamentary EU Affairs Committee. Cairo in September 2010 by the ITF, the Arab While asserting that the seat of the agency would League and the Slovenian Embassy, where the stay in Ljubljana, Pototschnig confirmed, talks demining fund presented the possibility to Middle were under way to open offices in Brussels and Eastern countries and potential donors. The accord some other major European cities which offer was signed by ITF director Dorijan Marsic and Sima Bahouth, the Arab League assistant secretary general more job opportunities for international for social affairs. Marsic noted upon signing the employees. The director confirmed, the work of document that the ITF was trying hard to collect the international offices would be coordinated from donations needed for the telemedicine project, which Ljubljana. will make it easier for experts to help victims, which (UKOM) will thus get the best medical assistance possible. (UKOM)
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
ECONOMY Business Chambers of Slovenia and Cross-border employment consultation between Slovenia and India sign cooperation agreement Austria's Ministers of Labor On May 16, the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) signed a cooperation agreement with EU India Chambers, as an Indian On May 10 in Maribor Slovenian and Austrian business delegation launched a Europe tour in labour ministers Ivan Svetlik and Rudolf Ljubljana. The Slovenian Chamber of Commerce Hundstorfer participated at a conference and Industry also hosted a business forum dedicated to boosting business ties between the focusing on the opportunities and challenges countries. Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and created after EU labour market restrictions were Industry Vice President Marta Turk confirmed, the fully lifted on 1 May for workers from EU forum offered great opportunity to upgrade member states joining the EU in 2004. Only business relations between Slovenian and Indian business representatives. Austria and Germany determined limitations on The head of Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and labour force from the new members through the Industry Competition Centre, Ales Cantarutti final phase of the transitional period since May confirmed, India was an important market for 2009. Minister Hundstorfer commended Slovenian companies. The Chamber of Commerce established a programme entitled "India 2012" cooperation between Slovenia and Austria in the that aims to double the number of Slovenian field of employment. The minister also noted, companies on the Indian market. In 2009, Austria had not experienced any wave of foreign Slovenia increased its exports to India by more workers that could be attributed to the lift of than 50%, which was the time of the economic crisis. The Indian business delegation that started restrictions. He said that there were 90,000 its Europe tour in Ljubljana will continue its tour to people from the 2004 EU newcomers working Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland. legally in Austria. He said that currently there (UKOM) were just as many Austrians working in Minister Židan at CE Initiative and Slovenia as there were Slovenians in Austria. International Agriculture Fair in (UKOM) Serbia On May 13 14, Agriculture Food and Forestry Minister Dejan Židan visited to Serbia for the Central European Ministerial Initiative and an international agriculture fair. During the visit, Minister Židan discussed areas of bilateral cooperation and possibilities for joint enterprises in third markets with Serbian President Boris Tadič, and Serbia's Minister of Agriculture Dusan Petrovič. At the Central European Initiative, Minister Židan held bilateral meetings with ministers of agriculture from Portugal, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, Croatia, and Macedonia. In his address Minister Židan emphasized the importance of local food production and the protection of small farmers. Minister Židan also attended a business conference featuring Slovenian and Serbian companies interested in business cooperation. (UKOM)
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
ő BILATERAL RELATIONS State Secretary for EU Affairs Enik Gy őri's visit to Slovenia On May 17, State Secretary for EU Affairs Slovenia at the Budapest EU Festival Enikő Győri visited to Slovenia to hold 2011 discussions with State Secretary at the Government Office for Development and On May 7 8, the European Commission European Affairs Andreja Jerina, on the Representation and the European Parliament achievements and future tasks of the Information Office in Budapest jointly organized the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the traditional Schuman Day/Europe Day Festival 2011, EU. which took place at various premises of the Millenaris Park in Budapest. With special regard to the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, 3rd Round of Consultations between the festival's organisers prepared an extended European directors program selection and highlighted the European Year of Volunteering, the Youth on the Move In the framework of the Hungarian EU Initiative, the Danube Strategy, anti discrimination Presidency, on May 18, in Budapest, the 3rd and social inclusion, fight against climate change, Round of Consultations between European multilingualism and promoting European directors Igor Senčar and Bálint Ódor was citizenship. About 12.000 visitors decided to spend held on priority issues to be fulfilled during their weekend at the Festival. Embassies of the EU the term of the Hungarian presidency of the member states were invited to participate at the Council of the EU. festival for the first time. The Embassy of Slovenia in Budapest participated at the event, laying special emphasis on the 20 th Anniversary of Independence, Book presentation: articles and which the Republic of Slovenia celebrates in novellas on former Yugoslav states 2011. Through a selection of cultural, touristic materials and booklets, the Embassy presented Slovenia, its cultural heritage, travel and tourist On 2011. May 10, Pannon Kultúra Bookpublisher opportunities to the interested public. Many House and the Hungarian Cultural Fund held a visitors expressed interest in Slovenia, its natural book presentation of journalist, writer and literary beauties and rich cultural heritage. translator Károly Szilágyi's collection of reports, short stories and memories on former Yugoslav states, entitled »Nyílt Pályán« (»On open course«). The new book includes a selection of the author's works published during the past 50 years in Serbian papers, as well as personal memoires
that provide insight through the author's personal lens into developments, events and everyday life in the 1970s' Yugoslavia, life in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia during the times of Yugoslav wars, and the present day. The event took place on May 10
at 5pm at the Deák Hall of the Hungarian Culture Fund, 1014 Budapest, Szentháromság tér 6. The book review was presented by literary historian Ferenc Mák, accompanied by poetry reading by Erika Marosváry. The presentation was followed by
book signing by the author. Slovenia tent at the EU Festival at Millenáris
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
CULTURE AND SOCIETY Maja Keuc wins 13th place at Eurovision Song Contest Maja Keuc won 13th place for Slovenia in the Day of Slovenia in Kisvárda Eurovision Song Contest held in Düsseldorf on In light of the Day of Europe, on May 9 the Saturday, 14th May. The winner of the 56th song Municipality of Kisvárda organized the ''Day of competition was Azairbaijan. Maja Keuc collected 96 Slovenia'' program in cooperation with the points in the contest’s final with a soul ballad song. Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia and the Hungarian Fund for Village Culture. In the framework of the Day of Slovenia in Kisvárda, Slovenian cinematography at the the exhibition of the Association of Slovenian Cannes Film Festival Woodcarvers was opened in the city's House of The Slovenian Film Center represented Slovenian Art. At the Municipal Library, a literary evening filmmakers between 11-20 May at the 52nd Film was held with the participation of member of Market as part of this year's Cannes Film Festival. the Hungarian community in Slovenia, Dr. Judit Slovenian cinematography presented in the Zagorecz-Csuka, who presented her poetry. The International Village in the South East European Slovenian delegation was received by the major Pavilion. Slovenia shared the pavilion with film of Kisvárda, Tibor Leleszi, who presented the institutions and film makers from Bulgaria, Cyprus, city, its history, culture and economic Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, development. The major noted, the city's and Serbia.Three Slovenian films had their world history is connected to the Slovenian noble premieres at the pavilion, by directors Jan Cvitkovic, family of the Earls of Celje who granted it the Metod Pevec and Nejc Gazvoda. The Grossman Film title of the King's City. At the events' opening, and Wine Festical, organized annually in the Slovenian representative of the Embassy, plenipotentiary town of Ljutomer, was also promoted at the pavilion. minister Dubravka Šekoranja presented The festival, first launched in 2005, is dedicated to the Slovenia in the light of the country's 20th presentation of different film genres. Anniversary of Independence, emphasizing the importance of good neighbor relations and Slovenian Embassy Team wins silver at cooperation between Slovenia and Hungary, as Budapest Marathon well as the role of the Embassy in strengthening cooperation with regions of Hungary. The The Slovenian Embassy’s team, consisting of Dubravka Municipality of Kisvárda expressed interest in Šekoranja, Blaž Masle and Pavel Toplak, competed at the 18th Budapest Olympic marathon and half marathon on strengthening economic ties with Slovenia in Sunday, 15 May 2011. They won the second place, a the framework of an initiative to establish twin silver medal in the half marathon relay (3 x 7 km) in the city relations with Slovenia. category “EU Presidency Run”, where also 80 employees of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the European Parliament and other EU institutions, embassies’ teams of Slovenia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain participated.
Minister plenipontentary Dubravka Šekoranja attending the exhibition of Slovenian woodcarvers in Kisvárda, Hungary
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
LJUBLJANA DAYS IN BUDAPEST
Ljubljana- Dragon Brige Budapest-Chain Bridge
From 9th to 19th June 2011, a series of cultural events titled »The Days of Ljubljana in Budapest« will be organized in collaboration of the Office of the Mayor of Budapest and the Municipality of Ljubljana, and supported by the Slovenian Embassy in Budapest. The Ljubljana cultural days in Budapest serve also to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Slovenia’s independence.
Ljubljana Days Budapest-Program summary
Zvonka T. Sim čič: „ad utero, ab ovo” – video installation Zvonka T Sim čič in collaboration with Franc Cegnar // »ad utero ab ovo« // performans Thursday, 9 June 2011 at 17 h (untill 19 June 2011) / Pintér Gallery, Falk Miksa utca 10, 1055 Budapest
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre: Little Critters – puppet theatre performance Tuesday, 14 June 2011 at 19 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
Teo Spiller: LIFE Friday, 17 June 2011 at 18 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
EN-KNAP: 10 MIN South– contemporary dance performance Friday, 17 June 2011 at 19 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
Katalena – Folk Rock concert Saturday, 18 June 2011 at 20 h / concert ship A38 Hajó, docked at the Buda side of the Pet őfi bridge, Budapest
Program description
Zvonka T. Sim čič: „ad utero, ab ovo” – video installation Zvonka T Sim čič in collaboration with Franc Cegnar // »ad utero ab ovo« // performans 9 June 2011 at 17 h (untill 19 June 2011) / Pintér Gallery, Falk Miksa utca 10, 1055 Budapest
Conceptually the project refers to a personal experience – becoming a mother to a test-tube baby. Are we talking »immaculate conception«? What exactly is artificial insemination? Through critical platform the context of a situation in Slovenia is presented when a single-woman decides to have a child by the means of artificial insemination, although she is forbidden to do so by the state, and to form a single-parent family. What does the term »single-parent family« mean in the society nowadays? Zvonka Sim čič is a multimedia artist. All her works show a distinguished and strong social foundation. She is operating through video, performance and photography. http://www.zavod-ccc.org/index.php?page/DOULAS Franc Cegnar is a theatre and radio director, who is intensively dedicating himself to the research and formation of the field of multi-media, inter-media and trans-media practices for more than two decades. In the last few years he is primarily acting in trans- media social installations, which he creates together with prisoners, children will special needs, Gipsies and extremely talented youth.
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre: Little Critters – puppet theatre performance 14 June 2011 at 19 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
Motifs from the puppet show-Based on Lila Prap’s Scene from the puppet show Children’s book
One day, while Violenca the cleaning lady is doing her job, tiny creatures appear and introduce themselves to her. These creatures are her worst enemies; she calls them parasites, pest, creepy-crawlers. They put on a miniature shadow spectacle. They explain to Violenca what natural balance is, and how people often disrupt it. Violenca the cleaning lady learns something about cohabitation. Author of puppet theatre performance is Barbara Bulatovi ć, the performance is based on motifs of Lila Prap’s book, Little Critters. The show is intended for the youngest pre-school audiences, aged three and older. The Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno gledališ če Ljubljana) was founded in 1948 and it is the central puppet theatre in Slovenia. It puts ten premieres on stage each season. They travel with performances across Slovenia as well as abroad. All puppetry techniques are represented, however their specialty are marionettes on long strings that can be seen at that theatre exclusively. http://www.lgl.si/index.php/predstave/eng_predstava/male_zhivali/
Teo Spiller: LIFE 17 June 2011 at 18 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
The installation includes several personal computers in a dark room. A simple DOS program runs in each PC, which randomly combines four letters into a string and write them over the whole screen. From four letters it is possible to form 456976 different strings: one of these strings reads "LIFE". If the word LIFE appears, the letters are colored red and blink on the screen, the computer begins to beep. Applications running on the computers are meanst to be simple reconstructions of biogenetic processes, modelling the biotope. The project creates parallels between digital data manipulated by producers and owners of user interfaces and the genetically modified organisms manipulated by reproduction restrictions of their creators. A parallel is also indicated between simple digital data encoding (ASCII characters) and human language, the most complex way of encoding content. Therefore the installation does not only present the idea of life as a biochemical algorythm but also of a language as the ground of thinking and culture. http://www.netartist.eu/netartist.html
EN-KNAP: 10 MIN South – contemporary dance performance 17 June 2011 at 19 h / Merlin Theatre, Gerlóczy utca 4, 1052 Budapest
10 MIN South is a stage project initiated by EN-KNAP Productions that brings the dancers of EnKnapGroup together with five authors from the international contemporary performing art scene. The title captures the task set before each author: to stage their personal view on the nature of time in a performance no longer and no shorter than ten minutes. The international dance group En-Knap was founded in 1993 by Iztok Kova č in Leuven, Belgium. The permanent dance company EnKnapGroup, founded in 2007, is the only professional ensemble for contemporary dance in Slovenia. A composition of remarkable dancers under the artistic direction of Iztok Kova č works with internationally acclaimed choreographers and directors of explicitly diverse aesthetic backgrounds, thus developing into an A-class international ensemble. http://www.en-knap.com
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
Katalena – Folk Rock concert 18 June 2011 at 20 h / concert ship A38 Hajó, docked at the Buda side of the Pet őfi bridge, Budapest
In the chapter of the contemporary Slovene popular music, Katalena appears as a unique phenomenon. The story of this urban band begins in an idyllic village in the Southeast of Slovenia, where, in the summer of 2001, a group of six enthusiasts unearthed archival folklore material and rejuvenated its rustic image in line with their art rock, funk, jazz and blues pedigree and with their own integral youthful vision that was as much philosophical as it was musical. In 2011, the band Katalena celebrates its 10th anniversary of their dedication to revitalize the Slovenian musical tradition through a very unique and authentic approach. Their fifth album ”The Night Of The Witches” (released in April 2011) is a story full of attraction, fear, mystery, exclusion, uncertainty and love. The base of the band's musical (re)search is still the musical legacy of their ancestors, but this time the band members were looking for it through the words of some of the finest Slovene poets, that have used the traditional songs as an influence for their work. With poets like Svetlana Makarovi č, Dane Zajc and Gregor Strniša, Katalena is creating a dialog through musical compositions, the use of folk motives, and even its own lyric interventions. http://www.katalena.net
Katalena-The group celebrates the 10 th anniversary of its founding in 2001 summer
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Slovenia Newsletter May 2011
EVENTS OF THE HUNGARIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EU
Informal meeting on Energy policy, Budapest, Gödöllő, 2- 3 May 2011 -Attended by Director of the Office for Energetics Janez Kopa č and his delegation.
Informal meeting on Territorial Development, Budapest, Gödöll ő, 18-19 May 2011 -Attended by deputy director for the Ministry of Environmental Protection Tanja Bogataj.
Informal meeting on Cohesion policy, Budapest, Gödöll ő, 20-21 May, 2011 -Attended by Head of Government Office for Local Government and Regional Policy Minister Boštjan Žeks and his delegation.
Informal meeting of EU Secretary Generals, Budapest, 6-7 May, 2011 -Attended by state secretary for Foreign Affairs Dragoljuba Ben čina.
Informal meeting on Competitiveness, Agriculture, Debrecen, 29-31 May, 2011 -Attended by Minister for Agricultures, Food and Forestry and Dejan Židan and his delegation.
VELEPOSLANIŠTVO REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
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