"Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar on Monday (March 16th) called for the postponement of the EU accession conference with Croatia, scheduled for March 27th. According to Zbogar, Slovenian and Croatian officials will not reach a deal on mediating their border dispute by the end of the month. Slovenia blocked Croatia's EU accession talks last year over fears that Zagreb's entry may influence the outcome of their years-long border dispute."
Source: SETimes.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Slovenia: Hundreds of corpses found in WW2 mine
"Slovenian authorities have found the mummified remains of several hundred people believed to date from World War II in a disused mine. State prosecutor Barbara Brezigar told Slovenian television on Thursday that up to 300 corpses were discovered in a deserted mine near Lasko, in central Slovenia.
“What I have seen is the most horrendous thing that a person can see in a lifetime,” Brezigar said.
Andrija Valic, an investigator from Slovenia's Centre for National Reconciliation, said it would be difficult to identify the victims discovered in the mine before the investigation was completed.
But he said he was confident the massacre had been carried out by the communist partisans of late Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito.
Tito’s partisans reportedly killed thousands of Croat and Slovenian soldiers at the end of World War II who had collaborated with Nazi occupiers and were withdrawing with German forces in 1945."
Source: - Adnkronos Security
“What I have seen is the most horrendous thing that a person can see in a lifetime,” Brezigar said.
Andrija Valic, an investigator from Slovenia's Centre for National Reconciliation, said it would be difficult to identify the victims discovered in the mine before the investigation was completed.
But he said he was confident the massacre had been carried out by the communist partisans of late Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito.
Tito’s partisans reportedly killed thousands of Croat and Slovenian soldiers at the end of World War II who had collaborated with Nazi occupiers and were withdrawing with German forces in 1945."
Source: - Adnkronos Security
Monday, February 23, 2009
Slovenia Risks Becoming Just Another Bump In The Road
"Each year hundreds of thousands of Europeans flock to the coast of Croatia for their summer vacations. Many of them choose to drive, happily speeding from their home cities to their destination along Europe's modern superhighways.
Except for one 60-kilometer stretch that runs through Slovenia. There, motorists encounter a tiny, narrow, old roadway, and they never know if it will take them one hour or three to drive it. Either way, they have plenty of time to wonder why no one has bothered to improve this god-forsaken stretch.
The story goes back to 1969, and a Yugoslavian political scandal dubbed the "Road Affair." Yugoslavia applied for and received an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan for highways. But Slovenian officials were unhappy when their share of the largess turned out to be smaller than they expected. They tried to divert attention from the fact that they had failed to submit the proper documentation.
In the intervening decades, Slovenia has had several opportunities to improve the highway from Austria to the Croatian border, but officials always refused. Germany and Austria both expressed interest in the project, but Slovenia lobbied instead for a road to take vacationers to the Slovenian coast. In 1993, Croatia offered to improve the 60-kilometer stretch, but again Ljubljana refused.
In 1989-90, Yugoslavia and Italy agreed on a project to construct a railway from Trieste to the Croatian resort of Rijeka. But after gaining independence in 1991, Slovenia backed out of the deal.
Two decades later, the railroad is still a dream and the road through Slovenia to Croatia remains a nightmare. Now, Slovenia is a member of the European Union and money for a new highway would seem within grasp. But last year, Ljubljana started a new Road Affair when they began charging the outrageous amount of 35 euros ($45) for drivers wishing to pass through the country into Croatia. The same old, hated road -- but now with a 35-euro price tag. The EU protested, and Slovenia decided to rescind the fee -- beginning next year. In the meantime, drivers will just gnash their teeth and the millions of euros will keep rolling in."
Source: Radio Free Europe
Except for one 60-kilometer stretch that runs through Slovenia. There, motorists encounter a tiny, narrow, old roadway, and they never know if it will take them one hour or three to drive it. Either way, they have plenty of time to wonder why no one has bothered to improve this god-forsaken stretch.
The story goes back to 1969, and a Yugoslavian political scandal dubbed the "Road Affair." Yugoslavia applied for and received an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan for highways. But Slovenian officials were unhappy when their share of the largess turned out to be smaller than they expected. They tried to divert attention from the fact that they had failed to submit the proper documentation.
In the intervening decades, Slovenia has had several opportunities to improve the highway from Austria to the Croatian border, but officials always refused. Germany and Austria both expressed interest in the project, but Slovenia lobbied instead for a road to take vacationers to the Slovenian coast. In 1993, Croatia offered to improve the 60-kilometer stretch, but again Ljubljana refused.
In 1989-90, Yugoslavia and Italy agreed on a project to construct a railway from Trieste to the Croatian resort of Rijeka. But after gaining independence in 1991, Slovenia backed out of the deal.
Two decades later, the railroad is still a dream and the road through Slovenia to Croatia remains a nightmare. Now, Slovenia is a member of the European Union and money for a new highway would seem within grasp. But last year, Ljubljana started a new Road Affair when they began charging the outrageous amount of 35 euros ($45) for drivers wishing to pass through the country into Croatia. The same old, hated road -- but now with a 35-euro price tag. The EU protested, and Slovenia decided to rescind the fee -- beginning next year. In the meantime, drivers will just gnash their teeth and the millions of euros will keep rolling in."
Source: Radio Free Europe
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
NATO in Fear of Possible Slovenian Referendum
"NATO fears that Slovenia will not manage to ratify the protocols for accession of Croatia and Albania to the alliance by the April NATO summit or US President Barack Obama's first visit to Europe, especially if there is a referendum.
Everybody expects a new, fresh wind from the new US president, but the question looms if the wind will be stopped or slowed by a 'no' from a member state to the accession of two new countries, Jelusic said after meeting NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
De Hoop Scheffer was concerned by the latest developments regarding Slovenia's ratification of Croatia's and Albania's NATO accession protocols, in particular last week's delay of the vote on the ratification in the National Assembly."
Source: STA
Everybody expects a new, fresh wind from the new US president, but the question looms if the wind will be stopped or slowed by a 'no' from a member state to the accession of two new countries, Jelusic said after meeting NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
De Hoop Scheffer was concerned by the latest developments regarding Slovenia's ratification of Croatia's and Albania's NATO accession protocols, in particular last week's delay of the vote on the ratification in the National Assembly."
Source: STA
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Slovenia: Consumer confidence, economic sentiment fall sharply in January
"Slovenia’s Statistical Office has released its latest data for consumer confidence and overall economic sentiment in the country, which pointed to a continuing decline in January that dragged the indices to an all-time low.
As even the most optimistic forecasts expect up to 1.1% GDP growth this year after more than 4% in 2008, the consumer confidence indicator declined by a seasonally adjusted 9 percentage points in January compared to December, and unemployment outlook for the current year worsened.
Compared to the previous year, the confidence indicator was 24 percentage points below last year's average."
Source: SEE news
As even the most optimistic forecasts expect up to 1.1% GDP growth this year after more than 4% in 2008, the consumer confidence indicator declined by a seasonally adjusted 9 percentage points in January compared to December, and unemployment outlook for the current year worsened.
Compared to the previous year, the confidence indicator was 24 percentage points below last year's average."
Source: SEE news
Friday, December 19, 2008
EU calls for end to Croatia-Slovenia border spat
"France urged Slovenia and Croatia Friday to end a 17-year-old border dispute amid worries it could hamper Croatia's bid to join the EU.
Slovenia on Friday used its veto power as an EU member to prevent the 27-nation bloc from speeding up membership negotiations with Croatia, apparently because of the border dispute.
The dispute, which involves a dispute over sea rights and various smaller tussles over land borders, dates back to 1991, when the two nations seceded from the former Yugoslav federation.
Bruno Le Maire, France's European affairs minister, urged Slovenia not to use the border dispute as an excuse to continue blocking entry talks with its Balkan neighbor."
Source: International Herald Tribune
Slovenia on Friday used its veto power as an EU member to prevent the 27-nation bloc from speeding up membership negotiations with Croatia, apparently because of the border dispute.
The dispute, which involves a dispute over sea rights and various smaller tussles over land borders, dates back to 1991, when the two nations seceded from the former Yugoslav federation.
Bruno Le Maire, France's European affairs minister, urged Slovenia not to use the border dispute as an excuse to continue blocking entry talks with its Balkan neighbor."
Source: International Herald Tribune
Friday, December 12, 2008
Al Gore Promotes Climate Change in Slovenia
According to the Slovene News agency STA, "Former US Vice President turned environmental activist Al Gore paid a highly publicised visit to Slovenia on Wednesday aimed at promoting the debate on climate change. He met with the highest Slovenian officials, including President Danilo Tuerk and Prime Minister Borut Pahor."
The 'highly publicized' visit of Al Gore did not receive any international coverage, however, and local media journalists were keen to point out that many of the VIPs and other guests who attended Gore's presentation had arrived in SUVs and other gas guzzlers!
The 'highly publicized' visit of Al Gore did not receive any international coverage, however, and local media journalists were keen to point out that many of the VIPs and other guests who attended Gore's presentation had arrived in SUVs and other gas guzzlers!
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