Slovenianewsletter 2011 JUNE Engcorr
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Slovenia Newsletter June 2011 CONTENTS Politics -Neighbor countries' Heads of State visit Ljubljana -Meeting of Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Jankovi ć and Budapest Mayor István Tarlós for discussions of bilateral cooperation -12th Session of the Slovenian-Hungarian Mixed Commission on Minorities - Visit of Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov to Neighbor countries’ Heads of State in Ljubljana Slovenia to join celebrations of Slovenia’s 20th Anniversary of -PM Pahor's meeting with India's PM Manmohan Independence (Photo: www.keh.hu) Singh in New Delhi -ITF-Columbian mine experts trained in Slovenia Economy -Slovenian-Russian Business Council Meets at Bled -Slovenians reject pension reforms -JAPTI receives award at real estate fair in Milan - E. coli scare- All samples test negative in Slovenia Bilateral relations -Slovenian Hungarian Business Council meets at the Embassy of Slovenia in Budapest -Lecture of Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret at CEU Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Independence Culture and society (Photo: Embassy of RS) -Ljubljana Days in Budapest, June 9-19 - Leonardo da Vinci's Isonzo inventions: Slovenian Independence Anniversary language publication on the Great Master's works Celebrations -Slovenian Press Agency Celebrating 20th Anniversary -Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Budapest celebrates independence anniversary at the Museum of Military History in Buda Castle Events of the HU EU Presidency -Former representatives of politics and diplomacy - ASEM Foreign Ministers Meeting, Budapest, at the Ljubljana Embassy of the Republic of Gödöll ő, 6-7 June 2011 Hungary remember events of 1991 POLITICS Neighbor countries' Heads of 12th Session of the Slovenian- State visit Ljubljana Hungarian Mixed Commission on In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Slovenia's Minorities Independence, president Türk invited the presidents On 15 June, the 12th session of the Slovenian- of Hungary, Austria, Croatia, and Italy for the Hungarian Mixed Commission on Minorities took national festivities held in Ljubljana on June 24, in place in Budapest. On the Hungarian side, the session commemoration of the events of 1991. The festive was headed by Deputy State Secretary for National events were attended by President Schmitt of Policy at the Ministry of Public Administration and Hungary, President Heinz Fischer of Austria, Justice, Zsuzsanna Répás, on the Slovenian side, the President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy and president meeting was headed by State Secretary for Slovenians Ivo Josipovic of Croatia. President Türk hosted his 1 Slovenia Newsletter June 2011 colleagues in the Castle of Ljubljana for a festive Abroad, Dr. Boris Jesih. The Commission discussed lunch, the visit of presidents continued with a short several issues. Based on earlier reports, the walk in downtown Ljubljana. In honor of the participants reviewed the situation of minorities, and anniversary, public ceremonies and fireworks were following the discussion of present day held in the citiy. developments, prepared new recommendations. The representatives of the two minorities actively Meeting of Ljubljana Mayor Zoran participated in the commission's work—by the Janković and Budapest Mayor István president of Mura region Hungarian minority, Ferenc Tarlós for discussions of bilateral Horváth, and by the president of the National cooperation Slovenian Self-Government, Martin Ropoš. The Upon the invitation of Mayor of Budapest István discussions focused on the key issues of education Tarlós, on 17 June the Mayor of Slovenia's capital, policy, transportation infrastructure development and Ljubljana, Mr. Zoran Jankovi ć visited Budapest. media. In case of specific, recurring issues that have The visit took place in the framework of the been left unresolved during the past years, the "Ljubljana Days in Budapest" cultural program Commission prepared recommendations that focus on series held between 9 and 19 of June. Mayor realistic goals which could be possible to achieve by Jankovi ć held discussions with his Hungarian both countries by next year. The Commission also collegue, Mayor Tarlós, and was received by included several new recommendations in its report, Speaker of the Parliament László Kövér. Both which aim to improve the situation of the two Mayors confirmed commitment to the support to minorities. The two sides agreed that the next meeting cooperation between Slovenia and Hungary's of the Slovenian-Hungarian Mixed Commission on capitals, primarily in the areas of culture, sports, Minorities will take place in 2012, in Slovenia. The new technologies, tourism and economy. The program and goals included in the report of the June Mayors agreed on the preparation of an agreement 15 meeting will take effect after the approval of both of cooperation between the two countries' capitals. countries' governments. Members of the delegations The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in agreed that the Mixed Commission on Minorities's Budapest organized a meeting between Mayor meeting plays a significant role in the preservation of Jankovi ć and representatives of Slovenian minorities and the improvement of their situation, as companies in Hungary. The opening speech of well as the nurturing of good neighborhood relations Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret was followed by between the two countries. the introduction of attending Slovenian companies Visit of Bulgaria's president Georgi (Slovenske železnice, Kompas, Kovintrade, Parvanov to Slovenia Mizarstvo Antolin, JUB, etc.) and a short presentation of the Association of Slovenian- Hungarian Businessmen. In the framework of the On June 16, President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov meeting, initiatives for programs strengthening visited Slovenia for discussions of bilateral economic cooperation were also discussed. cooperation between Slovenia and Bulgaria. The discussion focused on initiatives for the strenghening of economic cooperation, the two countries' views on PM Pahor's meeting with India's PM energy security, the organization of a conference on Manmohan Singh in New Delhi South Stream gas network to be held in Slovenia, as Upon invitation of India’s PM Manmohan Singh well as future plans for Bulgaria's accession to the PM Pahor made a four-day visit to India, where he Schengen zone, and the establishment of Slovenia's participated at discussions on economic cooperation Embassy in Bulgaria. with PM Singh. At the meeting the PMs signed a (UKOM) Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and agreed to double bilateral trade of goods and bolster cooperation in car industry, science and research, tourism and renewable energy. PM Pahor continued his visit to a business forum of Indian business representatives, and participated at a reception with India's high officials. 2 Slovenia Newsletter June 2011 ITF-Columbian Mine Experts Trained in ECONOMY Slovenia Slovenian-Russian Business Council At Slovenia's leading rehabilitation centre in the Meets at Bled first week of June, Columbian experts participated in a training in mine victims rehabilitation in what The Slovenian-Russian Business Council met at Bled is their second course in Slovenia organised by the for the first time since its establishment in March. Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Business representatives and officials, who gathered Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF). The at the meeting to bolster economic cooperation, see ITF, which has financed the training from a the most opportunities in connecting small and Slovenian donation, has been cooperating with the medium-sized enterprises. Over 50 documents were So ča University Rehabilitation Institute in Ljubljana signed by Slovenia and Russia in the last six months since the fund's founding in 1998. The two institutes on state, government and corporate levels, while have so far helped more than 1,000 mine victims participants confirmed that the South Stream gas from SE Europe and worldwide. The ITF has been pipeline, which is to include Slovenia, would be cooperating with Columbia since 2007 and has so finished by the end of 2015. While only 4% of far allocated more than EUR 110,000 to the country, Slovenia's export presently goes to Brazil, Russia, mostly for training in assistance to mine victims. India and China, Russia is aware that Slovenia is The total value of the current training at So ča strategically important for Russia as the westernmost amounts to EUR 80,000, which has been donated to Slavic country, and political ties strengthened with the ITF by Slovenia. As part of the project, the ITF Russian PM Putin's visit last March. (UKOM) and So ča will organise an additional training course with a workshop in Columbia at the end of E. coli scare: Samples in Slovenia the year. Some 30 local experts in the rehabilitation tested negative of mine victims are expected to attend. The course In response to the E.coli scare in Europe, health and will focus on the challenges of a comprehensive inspection services in Slovenia ensured the highest rehabilitation treatment of mine victims in Columbia degree of food safety in Slovenia, Agriculture and on the raising of awareness of the danger of Minister Dejan Zidan confirmed in the first week of mines among rural population. (UKOM) June. More than 50 precautionary check-ups were made in all major retailers, wholesalers and market places in the first week of June, 26 samples of vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, pepper and zuccini from Slovenia, Macedonia, Italy, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands tested negative. Demining (Photo: UKOM) JAPTI Receives