02
ISSN 1854-0805
February 2013
IN FOCUS:
An escape route rom crisis has been mapped out
IN FOCUS INERVIEW:
Te Prime Minister Janez Janša
IN PERSON:
Slovenian missionary Pedro Opeka
Te latest rom Slovenia
3
Sinfo
– Slovenian information
God’s blessing on all nations!
Tis is a eeling that many citizens o any nation or community carryin their hearts. Work or the common good is the basis or this editiono Sino. Work or the common good must be the oundation o politics,economics, examples o good business practice and good personalbehaviour.A year has passed since Prime Minister Janez Janša ormed the currentGovernment, and a lot has happened on the political scene during thistime. We conducted an interview with the Slovenian Prime Minister,Janez Janša, and an overview o the Government’s work in the rstyear o its mandate. We highlight achievements and plans o theGovernment or the uture.We dedicated quite a lot o attention to the great Slovenian CulturalHoliday – Prešeren Day. On this day, Slovenians acknowledge valuesand people that are exceptional. However, this day is not only adisplay; it has important symbolic signicance. ‘Zdravljica’ (‘A oast’) –discussed in more detail inside – is Prešeren’s most important nationaland political poem. While its ramework is a toast in which the poetraises his glass to personal and human values, a political programmecan nevertheless be ound at its core. oday, when Slovenia is part o a multinational European community, Prešeren’s text signies therealisation o a prophetic vision o the uture. It is an ode to all that isimportant to Slovenians.Te Slovenian Culture Day is a holiday o understanding and harmonybetween all nations, an appeal to kindness, mutual respect andtolerance. And Slovenia has many exceptional people, a vision andattainable goals. In addition to the political vision, we direct ourattention to the astonishing story o Slovenian missionary Pedro Opeka,riend to the poor. His lie story carries the message that a dierent andriendlier world is possible i we are sympathetic, and that there are noreasons to despondent.Te month o February is a month o costumes and masks. We highlightnot only carnival costumes and the celebration o carnival, but also thenational costumes which demonstrate a nation’s individuality.
SINFO – SLOVENIAN INFORMAION
Executive Editor andEditior – in -Chie:anja Glogovčan, tanja.glogovcan@gov.siEditorialBoard: Vesna Žarkovič, Polona Prešeren, Sandra Letica,Irena Kogoj, omažLisjakPhoto Editor: JanezVidrihProduction: Nuitd.o.o.ranslation: Amidas, DZPSPrintedby: Littera picta d.o.o., Slovenia, Number ocopies: 4300Photo on the rontpage: riglavMountain, Klemen Kunaver/SOGovernmentCommunication Oce:
www.slovenia.si
GovernmentCommunication Oce:
www.ukom.gov.si
Governmentothe Republic oSlovenia:
www.vlada.si
SPIRI:
www.slovenia.ino
Slovenian Chamber oCommerce andIndustry:
www.gzs.si
Slovenian Chamber oCrat:
www.ozs.si
Japti:
www.japti.si
Ljubljana StockExchange:
www.ljse.si
StatisticalOce othe Republic oSlovenia:
www.stat.si
State Portalothe Republic oSlovenia:
http://e-uprava.gov.si
anja Glogovčan, editor
P h o t o : B r un oT oi č
P h o t o : T a m i n o P e t e l i n š e k / S T A P h o t o : A r c h i v e s o f P M o f R S P h o t o : S t a n e K e r i n
READY,STEADY,GO
and start yourbusiness in Slovenia
eugo.gov.si
The EUGO SLOVENIA online portal is a centralbusiness point offering assistance to foreignbusiness entities from the member countriesof the EU, ECA, or Swiss Confederation,interested in doing business in Slovenia.
EDITORIALCONTENTS
IN FOCUS
16
Te rst year under the leadership o Prime Minister Janez Janša
An escape route rom the crisis has been mapped out
IN FOCUS
INTERVIEW
22
Te Prime Minister Janez Janša
We are behaving responsibly
IN PERSON
36
Slovenian missionary Pedro Opeka
Slovenian – a Nobel Prize Candidate
Government Communication Ofce
45
Sinfo
– Slovenian information
anja Glogovčan
A political consensuson three key projects
Party presidents have reached a political consensus on three keyprojects: they will endeavour to ratiy Croatia’s EU Accession rea-ty in time, change reerendum rules and adopt the labour reorm.
Tis is a message to the people that agreement can be reached despitethe dierences and the deepening distrust, said Slovenian PresidentBorut Pahor. Prime Minister Janez Janša voiced the hope ater themeeting that the agreed measures would be adopted, which couldhappen next month provided that everyone sticks to the deal andthe dispute with Croatia over Yugoslav-era bank deposits is resolvedby then. However, he pointed out that another issue - amendingthe Constitution with a balanced-budget rule - would have to beresolved as well ater having been deerred last year.
Government to Sell o State-owned Companies
Te government adopted a classication o investments in line withwhich state capital assets are to be transerred onto the SloveniaSovereign Holding. Te document slates elekom Slovenije, Abankaand part o energy company Petrol or sale.
According to Finance Ministry State Secretary Andrej Šircelj, the saleo investments will be conducted in dierent ways, but all will betransparent. Other actors besides the price will be taken into accountin the decision making.Te document dierentiates between strategic, important and port-olio investments. In strategic investments the state will keep 50%plus one share, in important ones 25% plus one share, while the hold-ing is not obliged to preserve a controlling stake in portolio invest-ments. Te government plans to preserve 25% plus one share in theNLB Bank, while elekom Slovenije, Abanka have been classied asportolio investments, as has Petrol although the energy segment o the company is exempt as an activity o strategic importance or thecountry. Te KAD and SOD unds and the SID export and develop-ment bank are to remain 100% state-owned.Te document will be available to the public ater the governmentsubmits it or debate and adoption in parliament. No deadlines or thesale have been set. Beside the price, the ratings o the buyer, the busi-ness plan, the number o jobs and long-term plans will be considered.
Anže Logar, Director o the Government Communication Oce
Just like any promotional activity, the marketing o a country alsorequires suitable promoters. Te successes o a responsible policyimprove the geo-political position o a country and open doors tobusiness. In this edition o Sino, Prime Minister Janez Janša talksabout this topic and the successes o the Government’s rst year inoce. Economic projects create success stories and attract attention.A good business deal is requently the best guarantee o even morebusiness deals. More can be read about Slovenia’s plans in this eldin the article on action plan International Challenges 2013. Artstrengthens the diversity o what a country has to oer and placesit on the global map. Who were this year’s recipients o the highestnational awards or art? Find out in this edition o Sino.Because it is winter, and because Slovenia is known as a countryor winter sports, we cannot overlook the snow-laden slopes,which have turned each and every citizen into a sports enthusiastdue to the great successes o ina Maze and the ski jumping team.Sportsmen and women are becoming recognised as trademarks intheir own right, something a smart country should be able to turnto its advantage. Anyone who ollows the success o our sportsmenand women probably agree that nothing is more pleasing than tosee Slovenian ags raised high in the crowd o enthusiasts whoollow winter sports and cheer on their avourites. I you knowthat a live television transmission o the skiing aces is at that pointbeing watched by millions o viewers around the world, you canconclude without a doubt that these sportsmen and women are thebest ambassadors o the country. And when the national anthem isplayed at an award ceremony, one can honestly and proudly say, Ieel Slovenia.
Te Best Ambassadors
Party presidents meet with the Slovenian President Borut PahorFinance Ministry State Secretary Andrej Šircelj
P h o t o : D ani el N ov ak ovi č / S T A
P h o t o : T a m i n o P e t e l i n š e k / S T A
Not “Aspirins”!
Te Public Administration and Justice Ministry marked the begin-ning o the new legal year by saying that the Slovenian justice sys-tem needed strong and ecient medications not “Aspirins” somehad been eeding it with.
State Secretary Mojca Kucler Dolinar said that ineciency o thejustice system was one o the main obstacles to Slovenia becominga just and law-governed state. “o improve the situation the courtspresidents’ eorts as well as the eorts o judges and other sta isexpected,” she said. Te Public Administration and Justice Ministryadded that changes to several laws were in preparation in a bid toboost the unctioning o the rule o law.
State Prosecutor General o the Republic o Slovenia Zvonko Fišer, State SecretaryMojca Kucler Dolinar and President o the Constitutional Court Ernest Petrič
P h o t o : T ami n oP e t el i n š ek / S T A
Te Government Communication Oce o the Republic o Slovenia beganpromoting the I Feel Slovenia trademark ve years ago, a well-chosen playon words which exploits the comparative advantage o the country on thesunny side o the Alps. Slovenia is the only country in the world whichcontains the word ‘love’ in its name.
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