Sinfo-September-2011.Pdf

09 ISSN 1854-0805 September 2011 The latest from Slovenia Tough times, tougher decisions • INTERVIEW: Iztok Rems, Rašo Nesterović • PEOPLE: Tomo Križnar • SPORTS: Superlatives for Bled • ART & CULTURE: Contemporary design in Slovenia • SLOVENIAN DELIGHTS: Vegetarianism - a way to a higher goal? contents 1 In focus 6 At the Bled Forum on the challenges editorial and the power of the future 2 Interview 12 Iztok Rems and Rašo Nesterović 3 Before and after 16 Twenty Years of Slovenian Tourism 4 Art & culture 26 Drago Jančar wins the Kresnik Award for the third time Vesna Žarkovič, Editor 5 Green corner 32 Is it possible to live out all our human qualities only in our culture? 1 2 Living in harmony with nature Is it possible to feel and comprehend more than that which has been given to us by birth? There are many reasons why many Slovenians left their homeland 6 Natural trails 49 many years ago and a variety of reasons why they have returned. When they The neglected Prekmurje? emigrated, they took with them only a knapsack or a small cardboard suitcase and two hard-working hands; today they leave with an excellent education. Only few ever return. And each has his or her own story. MONTHLY COMMENTARY 4 For the first time in many years — or maybe even for the very first time — Lju- Tough times, tougher decisions bljana became a place where all the Slovenians who live around the world BUSINESS 14 came together, at least in spirit. There are many estimates as to how many Slo- On the brink of a new recession? venians live outside their homeland. The best guess is that a quarter of Slove- nians live outside the country’s borders – approximately 400 000 people. A LETTER 20 At the Bled Forum on Europe more than 400 participants, including politi- Bert Pribac, Writer; Metka Skrobar, Artist cians, economists and non-governmental players from all over the world, dis- ART & CULTURE 22 cussed the challenges of and powers needed for the future, the transfer and Silent Revolutions: Contemporary Design in Slovenia, distribution of power to new power centres in the international community, and how Europe should go forward given the current circumstances. ‘I see the Siddharta – a Slovenian rock band that dares, Designing solution to the challenges the EU is facing as being a United States of Europe,’ the Republic, A Delightful Summer of Culture ... emphasised Prime Minister Borut Pahor. ‘If the EU does not act, we will wit- OUR EXCELLENCE 28 ness the decline of the European idea. A new EU treaty must be considered, Svetloba – a company on the way towards particularly for the purpose of integrating the eurozone’s fiscal policies.’ The the global peak thanks to its innovativeness impressions of the majority of the participants at the greatest sports event held in Slovenia this year — the World Rowing Championship in Bled — are almost 3 4 PEOPLE 34 euphoric. Bled welcomed over 1 200 rowers, rowing in 415 boats, and approxi- Tomo Križnar mately 900 team members and officials from the International Rowing Fed- SPORTS 38 eration, presenting itself with an image that even the locals do not often see. Superlatives for Bled The opening of the 59th international Ljubljana Festival was also especially solemn. A wide selection of summer musical and theatrical events kicked SLOVENIAN DELIGHTS 42 off by way of a major concert held at Ljubljana’s renovated Congress Square, Vegetarianism – a way to a higher goal? where more than 1 100 Slovenian, Croatian and Russian musicians, under the CULTURAL TRAILS 46 baton of the renowned Russian conductor, Valery Gergiev, performed Mahler’s Festive music event upon 20th annivesary famous Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major, also known as the Symphony of a Thousand, which was composed in 1906. of Slovenia’s independance The crisis in Slovenian traditional building construction has greatly influenced architecture’s acceleration towards a more energy-efficient, less ostentatious Sinfo – Slovenian information and extravagant, more ecological type of construction which is considerably Editorial: Government Communication Office, Director: Darijan Košir, Gregorčičeva 25, 1000 Ljubljana, more in harmony with the incontrovertible evidence of climate change. To- tel. +386 (0) 1 478 2630, fax + 386 (0) 1 251 2312, www.ukom.gov.si day, as human arrogance has been tempered, sustainable, environmentally- Editor-in-Chief: Valerija Mencej Executive Editor: Vesna Žarkovič, [email protected] friendly architecture has become one of the most significant elements in de- Editorial Board: Mateja Malnar Štembal, Jože Osterman, Polona Prešeren, velopment, on the basis of which it would be possible to align our way of life Hana Souček Morača, Nataša Marvin, Manja Kostevc with what our planet’s resources can provide. Photo Editor: Janez Vidrih Production: Nuit d.o.o., Translation: Amidas, DZTPS, ‘Now the preparations for London 2012 Olympic Games will begin. I would Government Translation and Interpretation Division like to defend my Olympic title from Beijing, and after London I will be look- Printed by: DZS, d.d., Slovenia, Number of copies: 4600 ing to continue my career at the European Championship in Helsinki and at Available also at: www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publication/sinfo Cover photo: Borut Peterlin the next World Championship held in Moscow in 2013,’ said Primož Kozmus, one of the greatest Slovenian athletes of all time, glowing with happiness with Government Communication Office:www.slovenia.si Government Communication Office:www.ukom.gov.si the bronze medal around his neck. Government of the Republic of Slovenia: www.vlada.si Slovenia has been selected to host the European Basketball Championship in Slovenian Tourist Board: www.slovenia.info 2013. The award of the championship is a great success and recognition for the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: www.gzs.si Slovenian Chamber of Craft: www.ozs.si country. The Secretary-General of the Slovenian Basketball Federation, Iztok Public Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments: www.japti.si Rems, and the legendary Slovenian basketball player, Rašo Nesterovič, are also Ljubljana Stock Exchange: www.ljse.si well aware of this fact. They invite all sports and basketball fans and all good- Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia:www.stat.si 5 6 State Portal of the Republic of Slovenia: http://e-uprava.gov.si natured people to come to visit Slovenia for the 2013 European Championship. 2 Government Communication Office Sinfo – Slovenian information 3 monthly commentary Darijan Košir the failed referendum on pension reform. This should not have with the ruling SD party, with a total of thirty-three seats in Tough times, even happened - and has never happened in any other country parliament. in the world - because it is unacceptable that a subject with such Despite the fact that the government is now considerably more profound fiscal consequences should be decided by popular vote functional, homogenous and compact, having only two thirds of at a referendum. However, the constitutional court judged the its ministers in place, and comprising only two of the previous matter differently and the referendum had to go ahead. Of course, four parties, and despite the fact that the legislation it proposes due to the nature of the subject in question, the government lost still enjoys majority support in parliament (especially if it is its case (the people had to decide whether they should voluntarily supported by one of the previously like-minded partner parties, extend their overall period of employment) – any government in in which case a new speaker can easily be elected or a revised tougher any country in the world would lose. national budget for 2011 adopted), Prime Minister Borut Pahor It would be naïve to say that the Government coalition fell apart had to make a decisive move - not only due to political hygiene, because of one failed referendum, although the pension act but also due to public pressure and in order to reinforce his team (which was confirmed twice in parliament, by a secure majority) in view of the coming challenges of the economic crisis. He has was rejected at the referendum by more than 70 per cent of voters. nominated five new ministers (to replace those who resigned) and The government was already divided before the referendum for a tied a vote of confidence to their appointments. Parliament will number of reasons: undoubtedly, the most important of these is vote on the matter at the end of September. Based on the outcome that a coalition of parties with such heterogeneous views probably of the vote, the Slovenian political class will decide whether to call decisions needs a good external reason to stay together; there was such a early elections (in the event of a vote of no confidence) or whether reason before the election (to win the vote from the ruling centre- Pahor’s government will be allowed to see out its mandate, due right coalition), but this has been lost in the years since. If one to end in autumn 2012. It is a choice between whether Slovenia We currently have a minority government supported by only thirty-three of the required adds certain personal political differences and views on how the will win itself another year of relative political calm and a regular forty-five MPs; a government in which five ministries are temporarily covered by other government and the country should be run, the result is a highly transition to a new, post-election arithmetic, or whether early ministers, and thus ministerial posts are only two-thirds complete; the whole country is ‘explosive’ mixture. Pension reform was the detonator. elections will bring on an unexpected additional political crisis The first spark came from the coalition party Desus, which (and an uncertain future government coalition) in times of serious talking about early elections, while the government is soon to subject itself to a vote of represents the interests of pensioners and which (for curious domestic and international economic circumstances.

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