Facts about Slovenia

5

th

edition

Publisher

Government Communication Oce

Director

Veronika Stabej

Editorial Board

Matjaž Kek, Sabina Popovič, Albert Kos, Manja Kostevc

Editors

Simona Pavlič Možina, Polona Prešeren, MA

Texts by:

Dr Janko Prunk (History); Dr Jernej Pikalo (Political system); Ministryo Foreign Aairs, Ministry o Deence, Ministry o the Environment and SpatialPlanning, Government Communication Oce (Slovenia in the world); Institute oMacroeconomic Analysis and Development (Marijana Bednaš, Matevž Hribernik,Rotija Kmet Zupančič, Luka Žakelj – Economy); Slovenian Tourist Board (Tourismin Slovenia); Ministry o Education and Sport, Ministry o Higher Education,Science and Technology (Education, Science and research); Alenka Puhar (Society);Peter Kolšek (Culture); Marko Milosavljevič, Government Communication Oce(Media); Dr Janez Bogataj, Darja Verbič (Regional diversity and creativity)

Translation

U.T.A. Prevajanje

Map of Slovenia

Design and layout

Nuit d.o.o.

Printing

Littera picta d. o. o.December 2008The contents o this book is also available on the Internet

www.ukom.gov.si/eng, www.slovenia.si/publications

Facts about Slovenia

appears also in German, French and Spanish

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Slovenia at a glance 7

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History 11

Earliest traces 12The Celtic kingdom and the Roman Empire 12The rst independent dutchy 13Under the Franks and Christianity 13600 years under the Habsburgs 14A time o revival 14The Austro-Hungarian monarchy 15The state o Slovenes, Croats and Serbs 16The appearance o ederal Yugoslavia 17The independent state o Slovenia 18Fiteen years o the independent Republic o Slovenia 20

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Political system 21

The Constitution 22The electoral system o the Republic o Slovenia 22The National Assembly 23The National Council 25The President o the Republic 26The Government 27The judicial system 29The Constitutional Court 29Local sel-government 30Court o Audit 30Bank o Slovenia 30Human Rights Ombudsman 31The Inormation Commissioner 31Interest groups and social partners 32The Slovenian Armed Forces 32

Contents

Facts

About Slovenia

CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikacijiNarodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana

308(497.4)908(497.4)

FACTS about Slovenia / [texts by Janko Prunk ... [et al.] ;editor Simona Pavlič Možina, Polona Prešeren ; translation U. T. A.Prevajanje ; map of Slovenia Geodetic Institute of Slovenia]. - 5thed. - Ljubljana : Government Communication Ofce, 2008ISBN 978-961-6435-48-21. Prunk, Janko 2. Pavlič Možina, Simona243056128

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Slovenia in the world 33

The basic goals o Slovenia’s oreign policy 33Membership in the EU 34Slovenia’s EU Presidency in the rst hal o 2008 35Participation o Slovenia’s Armed Forces (SAF)in crisis response operations 37An active member o the UN 38Human Security Network 38International Trust Fund or Deminingand Mine Victims Assistance 38Membership o the Council o Europe 39Environmental protection 40

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Economy 41

Development trends 41The labour market 44Knowledge or development 44Transport inrastructure 45The most important economic activities 46The role o small and medium-sized companies 49Slovenia in the globalised world 50External trade 50Foreign investments 52Economic and tax reorms 53

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Education 55

The reormed school system 55More secondary school pupils, more students 56Compulsory basic education 57Upper secondary education 57Post-secondary vocational education and higher education 59

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Science and research 65

Research and development 65National research and development programme 66The stimulation o technological developmentand innovation 66The Slovenian Research Agency 67The Slovenian Academy o Sciences and Arts 68International links 68

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Slovenian society 69

Population 69Policy on women 71Freedom o belie 71Urban areas and the countryside 71Health care system 72Social security 73Pension system reorm 74Free time and recreation 74

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Culture 75

Cultural development and the role o language 75Slovenian literature and publishing 77Theatre 79Music 80Film 81Painting and architecture 82State support or culture 83Slovene outside Slovenia 84

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Media 85

Print media 86The broadcast media 87Online media 89News agency 89State support or the media 90

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Regional diversity and creativity 91

Ljubljana 92Notranjska 94Dolenjska and Bela Krajina 95Štajerska 96Prekmurje 98Koroška 98Gorenjska 99Primorska 100Slovenian cuisine 103A land o thermal and mineral water springs 105Nature parks 106

Facts

About Slovenia