The Slovenia Times

LOGISTICS SPECIAL: Slovenia at the Heart of Europe

The Slovenia Times, Slovenian magazine in English, volume 6, number 117, EUR 4,80

June 2009

Ignorance Is Bliss European Elections Just Don’t Stir Passions

CONTENTS

June 2009 4

Panorama

POLITICS

6 8

Even more on Slovenia-Croatia border dispute Slovenes and the European Elections

ECONOMY

14

Work on South Stream gas pipeline will begin soon

16

Real estate: Is Slovenia a bargain?

18

Real Vienna focuses on Central European real estate

19

Partners

20 22

How Viator & Vektor was bought out

LOGISTICS SPECIAL Opportunities in logistics abound, but who will seize them?

The way towards the Slovenian logistics holding

23

Adria Airways faces a tough year

24

Zmago Skobir talks about the ambitions of Ljubljana’s airport

26

Intereuropa on the crossroads

28

Luka Koper’s Robert Časar sees the port on the rise

PEOPLE

30

Michael Benson, author, filmmaker, photographer

C

M

Y

CM

LIFESTYLE 33

Refreshing fruit drinks

34

Interview: Jerneja Kamnikar, cathering expert

38

Energizing Shiam Thai Asian massage

39

Asian secret for healthy hair

40

Fruitful body care

SPORTS 48

Bicycling for fun, adrenaline and for medals

50

Czech takes Rally Saturnus again

CULTURE 52

Fashion through photography

54

A summer night at the museum

55

The event guide

58

Every Picture Tells a Story June 2009

MY

CY CMY

PANORAMA

source: STA, Slovenian Press Agency

Knight of the Second Republic

The leader of Slovenia’s biggest opposition party, Janez Janša, announced broad constitutional changes his Democrats (SDS) would propose when they won sufficient majority in parliament. He also criticised the government for basing its response to the crisis on wrong assumptions, as he addressed the party congress in Ljubljana.

Janša, who was reelected party president in a nearly unanimous vote, called for thorough changes in Slovenia, saying the Democrats’ next challenge would be to collect sufficient number of votes to push for constitutional changes.

Saying an early election was “increasingly likely”, Janša announced that the changes would provide the ground for “a second Slovenian Republic”. His party would like to reform the judiciary, both in terms of lifetime tenure of judges and organisational structure. They would also like to protect referendum decisions and prevent political composition of the Constitutional Court.

The party also plans constitutional changes

that would make it more simple to call a snap election and empower the president to name PM-designate so as to speed up the process of government formation.

They would furthermore like to supplement the Constitution with a provision banning the glorification of totalitarian regimes, their players and symbols. They also want to ban media monopolies and make secondary schooling compulsory.

Coalition parties rejected Jansa’s call for constitutional changes. The country is not in a political crisis that would call for constitutional changes, said Transport Minister Patrick Vlačič, deputy president of the senior coalition Social Democrats (SD).

Liberal Democrats (LDS) leader Katarina Kresal said that the Janša government could have implemented major economic and structural reforms during his mandate as the Prime Minister, at the time when Slovenia experienced economic boom. In far more stronger words, Cveta

Zalokar Oražem of the coalition Zares said that “these are extreme ideas worth of the extremist he is”, referring to Janša.

The only to agree with certain constitutional changes proposed by the SDS was Zmago Jelinčič, head of the opposition National Party (SNS), who however does not see a chance for an early election.

Constitution

Defense

European Union

Time for a Change

The Rise and Fall of Patria

President Danilo Tuerk has sent a letter to Parliament Speaker, Prime Ministerand parliamentary party heads proposing a discussion on necessary and desired constitutional changes.Tuerk stressed the ideas for changes to the Constitution given by Tine Hribar, a respected philosopher and public intellectual, and legal experts. He added that some attention should also be given to the recent proposals by senior opposition Democrats leader Janez Janša, stressing that a more constructive and open

Defence Minister Ljubica Jelušič has admitted that the Slovenian army has not yet taken over any of the 135 armoured personnel carriers under the 2006 deal with Finnish defence contractor Patria because it does not have enough money. She pointed out that the supplementary budget bill cut the Defence Ministry’s funds for the purchase of equipment from the EUR 105m laid down in law to EUR 44m, what makes such purchase impossible. The first supplementary budget cut the defence budget

by EUR 120m, while a further cut in funds is expected in a new budget revision that is being currently drafted by the government. According to public broadcaster report, Slovenia would prefer to break the EUR 278m contract with Patria, but that to do that the country would need arguments related to the implementation of the contract and tat the government is counting on the results of the investigation into allegations of corruption, which could thwart what is Slovenia’s biggest defence deal to date.

For the Human Rights

The Patria

fax: +386 (0)1 520 50 82

Editor-in-chief Marko Vuković marko.vukovic@sloveniatimes.com Senior editor Jaka Terpinc editor@sloveniatimes.com Life style editor Jerca Legan Copy editor Terry Troy Jackson, s.p.

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The Slovenia Times

Slovenia assumed the six-month chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers from Spain. At the inaugural ceremony, which also marked the 60th anniversary of the organisation, FM Samuel Žbogar said Slovenia will pursue the main goal of the CoE, which is the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, highlighting efforts for a reform of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and the protection of children’s rights with special focus to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and the North Ossetian region.

Slovenia will hold the chairmanship until 18 November 2009, before handing over to Switzerland. The chairmanship will include the staging of nearly 50 events in Slovenia and Strasbourg as well as other European cities.

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UNDER THE PRESS Health

ZSSS vs ZZZS Slovenia’s biggest union confederation, the ZSSS, protested strongly against what it sees as another attempt by employers to cut workers’ rights. The response comes after employers and the Health Insurance Institute (ZZZS) agreed that Slovenia might need a more restrictive sick leave legislation. After employers and health insurance institute officials established that Slovenia was among those EU countries loosing the highest number of working days due to sick leave absenteeism, the ZSSS struck back by saying inappropriate work conditions were the reason behind most of these figures. The annual costs of sick leave absenteeism are estimated at EUR 800m, up to EUR 250m of which are covered by companies. ZSSS boss Dušan Semolič called for systemic changes, saying an increasing number of workers could no longer afford to pay supplementary insurance. He wants to see more solidarity, suggesting that those with higher income could cover the supplementary insurance costs of the poorest. ZSSS official Lučka Boehm wondered why Slovenian employers were resisting the implementation of European employers’ agreements related to stress and violence management at work. Countering claims by employers that Slovenia was among EU members states with the least restrictive sick leave legislation, Boehm said that the country was at the EU’s bottom when it comes to creating a positive work environment.

Crime

Beware of Security Guards A prominent Ljubljanian lawyer has died a month after being hit by a supposed security guard at a popular night club in the Slovenian capital. The 42-year-old lawyer is said to have been involved in an altercation with man who allegedly worked illegaly as a club security guard, while the club denied he would be their staff member. The 34-year-old suspect has already been questioned by an investigating magistrate, but has been released pending further proceedings against him. The case brings back memories of the death of a 20-year-old student following a brutal attack by security guards at another popular Ljubljana night club in October 2007 - both guards were later sentenced to eight years in prison earlier. The incident caused public outrage and prompted legislative changes tightening regulations for security firms.

Environment

Electrifying!

The first public battery-charging station for electric cars opened in the Alpine Logarska Valley on the occasion of the Solar Mobility Day. The company has responded to an increasing number of guests from the Austrian province of Carinthia who want to visit the valley with electric cars but so far have not been able to recharge their vehicles in Slovenia. The station operates free of charge.

Dance

Photo: Marc Botte

Quadrille Brigade Over 6,000 of high-school graduates gathered in Ljubljana to dance to the tune of Strauss’ quadrille from the opera “Bat”, breaking the Guinness world record in the largest number of people dancing quadrille at one location, one of the organisers, Urška dance school said.

As part of the traditional dance event, a total of 26,722 high-school graduatesdanced in 50 towns in Slovenia, Serbia, BosniaHerzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia and Romania.

Mass quadrille dancing of high-school graduates, was organised in Ljubljana for the first time in 2001.

...It was all in vain. Their propaganda machine rolled on. That’s why last year’s election didn’t weigh our achievements and mistakes, nor our programme and the team behind it.

We told our political competition to play and win fairly, if it wanted to take responsibility for the country. But in addition the media monopolies, they took advantage of all other means. Lies and cheating dominated the political campaign and won the election.

That’s why they were left without any programmes or ideas on how to face the economic crisis, which is costing Slovenia hundreds of jobs every day... Those who win by cheating, rule in the same manner.

Discords, disputes and intrigues inside the coalition have born witness to this old truth all the time since the elections.

Opposition leader Janez Janša speaking at SDS congress about the ignorance of his pre-election pledges to the political competition not to take Slovenia’s common future hostage.

Not everything modern is healthy, that’s why I don’t move from my old fashioned opinions that originate in natural laws.

I believe that the natural is wise and that people always lose, if we want to rearrange it in our own way - unnaturally.

MEP Ljudmila Novak of NSi/EPP why equalizing the same-sex relationships with heterosexual ones is not a wise idea.

It cannot be denied that the Western Civilization has been at the root of many atrocities. However, it has given birth to at least one glorious idea: that all men are created equal, no matter what. And in order to keep this idea alive, I do not feel sorry or ashamed to say time and again: Ljudmila Novak, go be a cowgirl, you’ll do more good.

Jure Mesarič, gay activist and the editor of blog drugidom. net, reacting to Ljudmila Novak’s statements regarding gay marriage

Slovenia doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, just as Greece isn’t explaining its dispute with Macedonia to anyone. They don’t care about that. The values of the European Union?

Give me a break; what values? It’s true that we’re all in some golf club, but it seems that the big countries are playing golf, while we’re driving golf carts, picking up the clubs, and so on.

Slovenian National Party head Zmago Jelincic Plemeniti about the values of the EU, speaking on POP TV.

I go to shopping to Mercator too, so I know how quickly the bill goes past five hundred euros if you get just a little careless.

LTH Board of supervisors chief Iztok Hohnjec comforting the angry workers of the bankrupt company, who are still waiting for three months of unpaid salaries, most of which are less than 500 EUR.

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

The Weather in the Bay of Piran

POLITICS

The Patriots

Malicious and Insulting Proposal

By Jaka Terpinc

Croatia – we just can’t ignore it and

fill the politics pages with something else. It seems like every month the border dispute retakes the main role on the stage.

To summarize: Slovenia expect to end the long-lasting maritime border dispute by forcing Croatia into negotiations and compromise in exchange for lifting the gates into the EU. Political manoeuvres aside, every small step either country takes, it heads deeper into deterioration of relations. Needless to say, there have been miles of such steps since 1991 and seemingly very few in the opposite direction.

The international maritime law says that a land border ending at a sea bay should continue on the sea in the middle of the two shores unless agreed differently. Slovenian politicians, experts and mainstream media unanimously believe in our right for a “different agreement” for a series of reasons. Croatian politicians, experts and media, without exception, stick to the first part of the suggested law and refer to Slovenian demands as nothing but blackmail with heavy territorial claims in the background. And so on…

According to recent reports, official sources tell us that the European negotiator Olli Rehn presented a framework for a future compromise deal, which Croatia accepted, while Slovenia demands modifications.

Perhaps such diplomatic ping pong is a common practice in these kinds of negotiations, when every side pushes its chances as far as possible. The poisoning of the relationship mostly comes with sensationalist media, who are more likely to focus on simplified dramatic elements than to the voice of reason. In a typically propagandistic manner, both sides claim that they enjoy most of the European or even global support.

If for nothing else, most commentators on both sides agree that the climate over the Bay of Piran would be much calmer now, if certain dedicated people had negotiated the situation years ago, around a table with wine and prosciutto, away from the press.

The Slovenia Times has extensively reported on these issues in the past editions, so for this time, we have decided to skip passing these official information, mostly because it brings nothing new and also to refrain from commenting the situation ourselves, from the editorial position.

Instead, we asked for comments from a number of different people who in one way or another represent a side of this heated, perpetual dispute: a Slovene MEP speaking against Slovenian pressure on Croatia, a Croatian journalist, a social and a parliamentary party leader with even greater ambitions than the political majority, and an expert historian. Unfortunately, the largest opposition force in Slovenian parliament, as well as another resourceful MEP did not submit their views, despite their assurances that they would, days before the magazine went to press, most likely due to the pre-EU election fuss.

Well aware that these contributions, including some extreme views, may not represent a full picture, they still bring some additional pieces to the mosaic, which at least tell us about the proportions of this dispute.

The 25 June Society argues why even with all amendments to proposed Olli Rehn’s compromise deal, it would not do any good for Slovenia. (excerpt from a message posted on their website, signed by Marjan Podobnik).

T

he proposal does not assure Slovenia of keeping its status as a maritime state, the same as the Drnovšek-Račan agreement, which created an illusion of retaining such status without the possibility of establishing an epicontinental area and fishing zone.

The majority of Slovenian parliamentary parties also refused the demand for the agreement to include the recent proclamation by the Slovene Parliament that Slovenia had a proven contact with the international waters on the day of its independence (June 25 1991) as well as the control over entire Piran Bay and certain settlements on the left bank of the Dragonja and Mura Rivers. These areas should be excluded from arbitration, because no one has the right to negotiate letting parts of Slovenian

territory to a foreign country.

Even in the case of the failure of this malicious and insulting proposal, our response to is important. It would send a message of what Slovenian efforts are for a just border solution. Furthermore, the proposal is damaging because it does not include the basic demand for Croatia to withdraw from occupied territories. The cautious Slovene answer does not include a demand to take in account historical facts, considering the southern border of Free Trieste area’s zone B on the Mirna River as the last internationally validated border in Istria.

The proposed Slovenian answer therefore cannot be understood otherwise than readiness to give up parts of Slovenian territory and the status of maritime state.

The Historian

Conflict Invented by Abusing “History” Marko Zajc, Ph.D. of the Institute of Contemporary History explains how the ideologues of the Slovene-Croatian conflict took the history in their hands, and within a decade spoiled centuries of good relations.

T

he relations of Slovenes to Italians and Germans are burdened with a long history of historical conflicts, dating back to the 19th century and exploding in the 20th century.

In cont rast, Slovene-Croatian relationships are of an entirely different character. The two nations, formerly allied in common ideas to finally be emancipated from the empires and form nation-states of their own, began to part after their independence in 1991.

The loosely defined border between former Yugoslav federal republics represented a “technical” problem, around which a whole new conflict began to build up.

This conflict needed an ideological “historical” story in the background. The first consequence of the conflict formation was a disassembling of common tradition, which caused the division of the imagined past into “ours” and “theirs.” In the 21st century, the Slovenian and Croatian publics have internalized a conflict, cre-

Zmago Jelinčič

Undisputed Historical Facts Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti, Slovene National Party (SNS) explains what should Slovenia demand from Croatia and why no less than that.

Slovenia must require from Croatia only the return of its national territory, which the communist part y has given to Croatia after the WWII and which Croatia is intensively occupying and de-nationalizing.

This territory contains entire Is-

trian peninsula and the three islands in Kvarner Bay: Cres, Krk and Lošinj. There is no compromise, no minimal demands – it is about integrity of national territory and only traitors are ready to give up on its country. The historical facts are indisputable.

ated for the particular interests of political elites. Assisted by “parahistorians,” sensational media and extremist “civil initiatives,” the conflict began a wild life of its own.

The past has taken on the role of a sort of shopping mall, where one can purchase only those elements that propel the conflict. Because there are only a few of these elements available, the parahistorical hate speech needs to use them with much of imagination.

Both Slovene and C r o at i a n e t h n i c territory belonged to Habsburg mona r c hy p r ov i n c e s a nd it s b or de r s were of a different character than the borders of today’s nation-states. Nationalists at some

occasions use historical provincial borders as something insignificant, but sometimes as essential milestones. For example: the fact that the Istrian peninsula didn’t belong to the autonomous province of Croatia and Slavonija at the beginning of 20th century gets an interpretation that “Istria has never been a part of Croatia”

by Slovenian nationalists and at the same time, they never mention that Istria wasn’t Slovenian either, as Slovenia just did not exist as an administrative political entity back then. Croatian nationalists, in contrast, take liberties in interpreting Austrian statistics and conclude that there were few Slovenes in Koper in the year 1900; true for the town of Koper, but not for its administrative district.

Nobody is interested in the very complex political and ethnical relations in the past. Nationalist speech hysterically neglects centuries of diverse, integrated life across the Slovene-Croatian national border. Unfortunately, this nationalist speech is very successful.

A map of Slovenian ethnic territories created by Peter Kozler in 1851 still inspires controversial theories about territorial rights.

June 2009

POLITICS

The Renegade

Opening the Pandora Box Aurelio Juri, Member of European Parliament (SD), a lonely voice against the blockade among the Slovenian politicians, on the reasons for his objection to the current Slovenian attitude towards Croatia, negative consequences and ideal solutions.

T

he decision to block is always an instrument of pressure and extortion; I understand and accept it if it’s clear that it will give the desired results. If, however, it is just an experiment with unforeseen consequences, or even a move that even a casual observer of the situation knows

will give mostly negative results, then I distance myself from it. I have concluded that this particular blocking strategy amounts to opening a Pandora’s box with grave consequences for the quality and future of bilateral relations, for the resolution of the border issue, for the EU’s enlargement

Aurelio Juri

strategy in the Western Balkans, and for Slovenia’s international reputation. Perhaps the only advantage of this decision to block is that it will expedite the process of resolving the border issue – albeit with significantly worse conditions than several years ago.

The damage caused by this strategy is getting greater: The

public – the two nations – are mutually antagonistic as never before, both nationalisms feed off each other, the consequences of this state of affairs are already felt by our companies and the Slovenian minority in Croatia, the tensions in Istria are felt by the Italian minority, which lives on both sides of the border, while Slovenian tourists who ordinarily vacation in Croatia are already feeling uncomfortable and may decide to go elsewhere this year.

The decline of Slovenian tourism in Croatia will lead to a decline in the economy and the social situation in Croatia; our neighbours, spurred by nationalism, will see Slovenians as the ones responsible for their crisis. And we’ll be those who blocked their path to “the bright and prosperous European future.” History tells us about such cases and the consequences of such situations.

Primarily due to pressure from our side, there is a decline in

The Croat

The Adriatic As It Ever Was In 1991, Croatia and Slovenia began their actions to leave their former county – Yugoslavia. Back then, the two nations and their politicians were closely allied as they simultaneously announced independence. Exactly 18 years later, the bilateral relations are at the lowest level ever. They have been poisoned.

By Damir Smrtić, HTV correspondent in Slovenia

H

eavy words strike from both sides – all because of a border. While Slovenia celebrates five years of its EU membership, it doesn’t want its closest neighbour to be allowed into the European club. The Slovene blockade of accession talks is entering its sixth month. It demands that Croatia discard the documents that prejudge the border. Croatia says there are no such documents.

The European Commission intervenes. First, the borders were to be drawn by politicians led by Marthi Ahitssari. Croatia avoided this proposal and insisted on facing the International Court in The Hague, an option confirmed in 2007 by Prime Ministers Janša and Sanader at a press conference, but later rejected by Borut Pahor, whose first act as a new prime minister was the blockade of Croatian EU accession talks.

Five months after the beginning The Slovenia Times

of EC intervention, Olli Rehn puts forward the draft for the final solution. Croatia accepts it; Slovenia says “Ne” and sends amendments. After an EC speaker said this would be the final draft, the Croatian side claims it is a “take it or leave it” proposal, which it accepted and Slovenia obviously dropped. Slovenia buys time, waits for Olli Rehn to leave the post to somebody else. Time passes quickly; Croatian EU accession is delayed further. Interestingly enough, Slovenia entered both the EU and NATO with the same border issues unsolved.

Amendments to the draft allegedly include demands for a package solution of both land and maritime borders, the legal principle of ex aeque et bono, ratification of the agreement in both parliaments before de-blocking accession talks, an option for eventual mediation, and a different composition of ar-

bitration team.

Croatia surely will not accept these amendments; in particular, it will not let in the politicians, while insisting on international law. Croatian PM Sanader made it clear the amendments are out of question. Also Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jadronković claims it is unacceptable to discuss changes and amendments to this proposal after seven rounds of negotiations and that there has already been enough good will expressed by Croatia. He also says this proposal is backed not only

by Olli Rehn, but also the EU trio of France, Czech and Sweden, along with all EU foreign ministers, adding that Croatia expects timely de-blockade of accession talks whether or not Slovenia accepts the new proposal. Also, Sanader wants the border dispute to be separated from accession talks.

The problem is in the Slovene intention to use the justice principle for gaining its own access to the international waters. Croatia insists on the international law and the Hague court, claiming that Slovenia has never, even in former Yugoslavia, had its own access to the open seas. Slovene protection of national interests and Croatian devotion to the Hague court turned the border issue into a never-ending soap opera. Some speculate solving this problem will continue only in autumn after the new European Commission is appointed. However, the question remains how other EU

OPINION Croatia’s “desire for EU membership.” With our decision to block, we have overwhelmed and slowed down – if not stopped altogether – the enlargement programme and the EU’s strategy for the Western Balkans, and thereby became a part of the problem, perhaps the main one at this time, and not a part of the solution for progress and stability in the region. My conclusion is that this is causing our European reputation to suffer. We have also complicated the resolution of the dispute itself, since both sides have become less flexible.

The ideal solution of the border question was the one suggested by the failed “Drnovšek-Račan” agreement from 2001; in this case, the fault lies clearly on Croatia’s side for not having accepted the agreement. I don’t seen another ideal solution, but the best solution in the given circumstances is having an impartial forum with an appropriate authority – such as the

countries will react on the Slovenian blockade.

Apart form the politics...

The problem is at a stalemate and the relations are worse and worse. Croats and Slovenes are traditional friends. They are destined to friendship as neighbours.

During my research of politics and interpersonal relationships for the popular Croatian TV show “Latinica,” Slovenian actor Radko Polič told how he spends every moment of his free time at a village in Croatian seaside, enjoy-

International Court of Justice in The Hague or the current EU-suggested arbitration panel -- make the decision on this conflict.

That’s why I applauded the Bled agreement on principles between prime ministers Janša and Sanader, which they reached in 2007, and why I objected to the conditions of equity based on the principle ex aequo et bono, for which it was known in advance that the other side won’t even touch. Now, there is a more favourable solution on the table in the form of arbitrage, which will apparently exclude all controversial documentation from before June 25, 1991, which was our main demand in relation to our continued blocking, but we’re now resisting this path – or, more precisely, we’re piling on additional demands and conditions, so that we know it will fail. And because we are going to waste this opportunity as well, we’ll have no other recourse from political intimidation than the Hague court.

ing his time with the locals, while keeping politics a forbidden topic.

Singer Zoran Predin also visits Croatia regularly and no one has ever denied him friendship, nor did he. Likewise, Croatian singer Anđa Marić, who married a Slovene and has lived in Ljubljana for years, considers her Croatian origin a benefit since Slovenes believe Croats to be a passionate and open people, who know how to have fun. Making the report, I also discovered that it was a Croatian architect who redesigned Slovenian parliament – not that anyone would mind.

Regardless of the blockade and politics, Croats invaded Slovenian ski resorts this year, while it is expected Slovenes will keep their passion to populate Croatian seaside, where they are considered some of the best guests. Slovenes love Croatian islands, food and Dalmatian music while Croatian musicians hold the most attended concerts in Slovenia. Even Slovenian politicians love to spend their summer holidays in Croatia, but in the time of currently tight relations, they are successfully hiding along the coast. They are the ones who created the atmosphere that makes Slovenes feel unpleasant coming to Croatia. Everyone is fed up with politics and the border issue.

Croatia expects a million of Slovene tourist this year as well.

Slovenes certainly want Croatia to enter the EU as soon as possible and to tear down the borders, which would make the Adriatic even closer. A typical Slovene, without any pretensions, feels the Adriatic to be his own sea.

Political Consumerism

By Aljaž Pengov Bitenc

One of the more incomprehensible

elements of the handling of the global economic crisis is the reflex of seemingly every government and financial authority to re-establish the good old days and go back to “business as usual” as soon as possible. And yet, this reflex is totally understandable.

Consumerism, which in the last twenty years has evolved from a social pattern to a full-fledged set of values defining a generation of people whose every want, every craving and every ambition could be satisfied. This evolved beyond purely material wants. Fashion trends were created, followed and discarded at breath-taking speed. The social imperative of taking care for one’s fellow man was reduced from charity work to “joining a cause,” perhaps wearing a pin and leaving it at that. Shopping became a recreational activity. People were offered solutions to problems they didn’t know they had. And when a real problem popped up, they fully expected that a solution be provided which would enable them to continue enjoying the good life.

Thus consumerism inevitably spread into politics. Politicians who were not able to provide quick solutions soon became ex-politicians.

Governments who were not able to placate voters fast enough found themselves out of power. Candidates who did not promise heaven on Earth did not get elected.

It is an irony of election cycles that this would become manifestly obvious in countries as different as Slovenia and the United States.

Within weeks of each other, both countries have had new governments appointed, both of which promised a break with the ugly practices of their predecessors and both of whom were elected precisely because they promised to be everything their forerunners were not.

The fact that Barack Obama and Borut Pahor are great orators only helps draw the parallel.

However, both Pahor and Obama are political products of a consumerist society. Both promised to have all the answers and both assured their voters that they know what has to be done. Both of them also promised a return to business as usual. Barack Obama and Borut Pahor met the unfulfilled promises of their predecessors with even more promises. And if the pattern will be followed in full, then the bursting of the financial bubble will be followed by the bursting of the political bubble. And that would mean that the very legitimacy of democratic institutions could be undermined.

Slovenia is no exception. If unsolved, the border dispute with Croatia has the potential to become a new flash-point. Only months ago we saw – albeit briefly – anti-Croatian sentiment enter the mainstream political arena as the possibility of a referendum on Croatian NATO entry loomed. A quick browse on YouTube or Facebook will divulge a number of groups and pages that blame Croatia for everything from the Hun invasion of Europe to the rising number on unemployed in Slovenia. And on the other side of the border, the situation is no better. By some accounts Croatia is about to meet the economic fate of Hungary and Iceland some time soon. Naturally, Slovenia and its blockade of Croatian EU membership negotiations will be blamed above everything else.

The failure of democratically-elected governments, coupled with an almost complete destruction of the only set of values a generation has known, will inevitably cause disorientation within society.

Those to whom people usually looked for guidance will no longer have the legitimacy to provide it, and the lack of values will make it hard to judge those who will offer it. Should this occur, countries throughout the world will face an outburst of nationalism, xenophobia and hatred. One just has to take a look at the Weimar Republic to see what can happen.

If serious politicians will not provide sufficient answers, no matter how hard or unpleasant they might be, people will start listening to maniacs.

10 POLITICS

European elections

It’s Good to be an MEP On the first Sunday in June, Slovenia will hold elections for the European Parliament. The election campaign for seven Slovenian deputies started about a month before the actual elections; 81 names will appear on the twelve lists of candidates on the ballots.

By Barbara Štor

member of SD. However, the party’s president and Prime Minister of Slovenia Borut Pahor believe, that the fact that Thaler is not an SD member is no reason he should not be included on this list.

The largest opposition party (SDS) has proposed former Education Minister Milan Zver as the first name of the EU election slate, while the Liberal Democrats of Slovenia (LDS) are headed by their current MEP Jelko Kacin. Zares’ is headed by Ivo Vajgl, the president of the parliament’s foreign policy committee. The head of list of the Pensioner’s Party (DeSUS) is the Minister of Environment Karl Erjavec; the Slovenian People’s Party SLS is topped by the former Minister of Local Self-Government Ivan Žagar; the National Party’s (SNS) list is lead by Sergej Čas. All but one list (Independent List for Patients’ Rights) has seven candidates.

Journalists and Ministers

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he 2009 Eu ropea n elections will take place between 4th and 7th June in each of the 27 Member States.

There are over 9,000 candidates for 736 MEPs from over 200 different parties. More than 375 million EU citizens – including approximately 1.7 million Slovenians – will be able to vote for

their chosen representative for a five-year term.

In some member states, for example the Czech Republic and in Italy, the voting period will be spread over two days, while the majority of European voters will cast their ballots on Sunday, 7th June.

On that day, Slovenians will choose from among eighty-one candidates f r om t we lve Current Slovenian MEPs lists: 42 men (52%) and 39 Name National Party EP group women (48%).

Mihael Brejc SDS EPP–ED But there are Mojca Drčar Murko LDS ALDE on ly seven seats in the EuRomana Jordan Cizelj SDS EPP–ED ropean ParliaJelko Kacin LDS ALDE ment waiting Ljudmila Novak NSi EPP–ED for Slovenian Aurelio Juri SD PES deputies. According to Alojz Peterle NSi EPP–ED Electoral Com-

The Slovenia Times

mission, the oldest male candidate is 67 years old, while the youngest is only 21. The oldest female candidate is even older than her male colleague; she turned 72.

The youngest woman running for MEP is only 18 years of age.

List Holders All seven parliamentary parties (SD, SDS, Zares, DeSUS, SLS, LDS and SNS), four non-parliamentary parties (NSi, SMS, KSS, Združeni Zeleni), and one non-party (the Independent List for Patients’ Rights) will test their strength on the elections.

The Social Democrats’ (SD) list is topped by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Zoran Thaler. This decision has triggered some consternation among certain party followers, as Thaler is not even a

Besides seven parliamentary parties, there are also four non-parliamentary ones, who will try to enter the European Parliament. The most interesting among those is probably the New Slovenia Party (NSi): their list holder is a current European MP, Lojze Peterle, an experienced politician, who lost against Danilo Türk in the most recent presidential election.

Another interesting candidate is Matej Lahovnik. He is on Zares’ list and is the current Minister of the Economy. This means that there are two ministers from Pahor’s crew trying to get a seat in the European benches.

However, there are not only politicians who want become European parliamentarians: for example on the Social Democrat’s list there is journalist Tanja Fajon, who reported for the national broadcaster RTV from Brussels. The LDS has also fielded a journalist, Mirjam Muženič. Among candidates there is also a cosmetician, a theologian, a cook and a student.

The ruling Social Democrats hope to get at least two seats in the European Parliament, so does the opposition SDS. This is also the result predicted by the majority of the polls, while regarding the remaining three seats, the polls do not have a unified answer. All parties from LDS, Zares, DeSUS or even Nsi could get one seat.

Little Interest in the Elections During the campaign, the parties can spend EUR 0.40 per registered voter, which means that with 1,703,521 registered voters in Slovenia, spending is limited

This, of course, suggests a low turnout. According to some polls, only approximately one-third of Slovenians are interested in June’s European Parliament elections, while more than 10 per cent have already decided not to take part in the ballot. The main reason is probably low awareness about the ballot, while the latest Eurobarometer poll also found that EU citizens were losing confidence in the bloc’s institutions such as the European Commission and the European Central Bank.

Glimps in the Past

Alojz Peterle, the “winner” of the last EU elections expect re-election despite miserable result of his party at the parliamentary elections.

to no more than EUR 680,000 on their campaigns. MEPs are chosen by a proportional representation system, where the voter can cast a vote for only one list, from which he or she can also choose to vote for a specific candidate.

Like most Europeans, Slovenians as well do not have much interest in the upcoming elections.

Source: European Parliament

Member State

The 2004 European elections were the sixth elections to the European Parliament. However, as Slovenia had only joined the European Union about a month earlier, those were the first European elections held here and they took place on June 13.

The biggest surprise was the victory of the NSi over the LDS and the defeat of the Slovene People’s Party, which did not win a seat.

Besides the Nsi, the SDS also won two seats, which means the parties on the right of centre, who at that time formed the opposition in the Slovenian parliament, were the winners of that election. The turnout was 28.35%.

Current no. of MEPs

No. of MEPs after the 2009 elections

No. of MEPs after the Treaty of Lisbon

Germany

99

99

96

France

78

72

74

United Kingdom

78

72

73

Italy

78

72

73

Spain

54

50

54

Poland

54

50

51

Romania

35

33

33

Netherlands

27

25

26

Belgium

24

22

22

Greece

24

22

22

Hungary

24

22

22

Czech Republic

24

22

22

Portugal

24

22

22

Sweden

19

18

20

Bulgaria

18

17

18

Austria

18

17

19

Denmark

14

13

13

Slovakia

14

13

13

Finland

14

13

13

Lithuania

13

12

12

Ireland

13

12

12

Latvia

9

8

9

Slovenia

7

7

8

Estonia

6

6

6

Cyprus

6

6

6

Luxembourg

6

6

6

Malta

5

5

6

Total

785

736

751

Youth Oultook The Slovenia Times is excited to be supporting the work of the new British International School of Ljubljana. Each month the school will submit for publication a piece of work by one of the students (who are aged 3 to 16). At the end of next school year, Slovenia Times will present a prize to the best contribution made over the previous 12 months. We look forward to seeing the children’s contributions, which may be artwork, prose or poetry, and hope that you enjoy them.

M

y childhood was a bit of a mixture of great ideas, large mishaps and funny moments. Particularly the last one. Things that were extremely funny tended to revolve around my own little brother. There was one thing which I did to him, by accident of course, which I will, unfortunately, never forget.

I was only around 5 years old and my cute little drooling playmate, with whom I spent several hours a day, simply watching sit there and throw down his rattle in anguish and slobber on his teddy bear or trying and comfort him during his tantrums by grabbing my karaoke machine, popping in a lullaby tape and randomly pressing buttons and hoping that it would start up before my ears fell off from the noise. Luckily for me they never did, for by that time my mother had come into the room and told me to “let her handle it.”

I was in the TV room in our house, watching my favorite mind numbing program with my little brother when all of a sudden the phone started to ring. I then spent a few moments pulling myself away from the screen and running to the living room where the phone was placed. In my haste I clumsily pulled closed the door to make sure my brother couldn’t get out – even though he didn’t learn to walk until about a year or two later. When I reached the phone I stared at it for two rings, debating about whether I should pick it up or tell my mom and “let her handle it”. I eventually decided on the second option, since I had no idea how to work the magical device which my mother spent so much time talking into.

I then proceeded to run out to the garden, where my mother was hard at work picking peas. Unfortunately, by the time we both had returned to the house, the caller had given up hope of being picked up on the other end and decided to wait until later. Seeing that my help was no longer needed I headed back to the TV room to dispose of what was left of my brain.

When I reached the TV room door, I lazily tried to open the door, but when I turned the knob. The door wouldn’t budge!

After that, things moved very quickly.

I stood for about two seconds in a panic, tried the door again and ran for my mother who, by that time, had given up on “taking care of it” and was just putting the phone back on its stand. It only took me a second to tell my mother what the situation was and another second for my mother to take it in. We then ran over to the playroom door and I stood there in tears as my mother tugged at the door knob, thinking about what she would do to me if we had to call the fire department to break down the door, and what she could do to me within legal limits. She soon realized that there was no way that door was going to budge without a little helping hand. So she left me there to get the neighbours. My father was at work at the time, which was very lucky for me, because it would have been hazardous to my health had he been there.

And left me standing there wondering if I had time to learn how to work the phone, so that I could call my friends and say goodbye to them. She soon came back dragging the neighbour’s husband behind her, who was in turn, holding a rather large sledge hammer. She explained the problem to him as he examined the knob thoroughly and giving it a turn and shake. He then said with a nod, “I think the door is locked,” in a rather casual manner. My mother told him that he didn’t have a key and, with another nod, he took the knob off with one swing of the hammer. After that there was a lot of hand shaking, baby hugging and thanking, which I honestly didn’t understand at the time. “I could have done that,” I said to myself under my breath as I watched the neighbour walk off to his house. But luckily for me, no one heard me.

Jessica Branks, Year7

12

Economy

FACTS AND FIGURES

source: STA, Slovenian Press Agency

Not Teetering, Yet The latest report on the state of Slovenia’s banking sector from Banka Slovenije, the country’s central bank, had been awaited with some trepidation in financial circles.

With the economy plummeting and banks frantically trying to sort out their bad loans, financial types and observers alike could be forgiven for thinking that the financial system is in a great mess. However, the report said it was in a relatively good shape.

Since 2005, the banks have increasingly relied on wholesale financial markets to fund their lending at home. Low interest rates, rising real estate prices, booming exports and general optimism about the prospects of the economy encouraged companies and households to take out loans at rates never seen before. In 2005,

When international credit markets effectively froze after the demise of Lehman Brothers, the US investment bank, in autumn of 2008, Slovenian banks suddenly found out that they could not get as much money from abroad as before when syndicated loans were easy to come by and their bonds sold like hot cakes. If you do not have money to lend, then the only thing you can do is stop lending – and that is what the banks have been doing.

The government, of course, has been trying to ease the credit crunch. It offered EUR 12bn in state guarantees to help banks get the funds on international financial markets. It also deposited

A major slowdown Real estate prices growth (%)

Credit growth (%)

Deposits-to-loans ratio (%)

25

40

100

30

75

20

50

10

25

20

Photo: BOBO

the banks could satisfy this demand for loans just by tapping their deposits; three years later, however, more than one third of funds poured, inter alia, in debt-fuelled real estate and stock markets, came from abroad (see chart).

Source: Banka Slovenije

The central bank thinks that the fact that Slovenian banks did not dabble in complex, risky and hard-to-value derivatives goes a long way in explaining why, contrary to their counterparts in the US and Europe, they have not seen holes blown in their balance sheets. Still, the banks have aggressively cut back their lending (see chart), leaving some firms strapped for liquidity.

But in times when the banks’ own demand for cash outstrips the supply, it is hard to blame the bankers for putting their interests before those of their clients.

15 10 5 0

2007

2008

0

2007

March 2009

0

2005

2008

Marko Kranjec: Banka Slovenije governor is confident with regard to the state of Slovenia’s banks

a large part of the money from the latest government bonds sale into banks’ vaults. However, the return to the happy days of reckless lending is not to be expected. With the economy in recession, the credit risk has been on the rise, making banks reluctant to lend in the face of falling industrial orders and rising unemployment. In the opinion of experts, the exposure of the country’s banks to the Balkans markets, where currencies have been falling, could also prove to be a problem.

Yet, the banks’ capital adequacy ratio, 11.7 percent, is above the EU average. The biggest two banks, the partially state-owned NLB and NKBM, are especially well capitalized because the government raised additional capital for them. However, that may not be enough in case the MBO bubble blows. Almost every bank in Slovenia was engaged in lending to managers against the shares of companies they tried to buy in management buyouts. With the recession battering profits and shares worth less than half of their value two years ago, banks have every reason to be edgy. And the taxpayers too, because if the push came to shove it would be with their money that would bail out the financial system.

Pensions

Business

Business

EU Sees Pension Risks for Slovenia

Mercator’s Profit Down By Third in Q1

BTC’s Profit Up by 60% in 2008

The Slovenia Times

Photo: Mercator

Slovenia expressed its dissatisfaction with the proposal of the European Commission for mitigating the impact of ageing on the medium-term sustainability of public finances, which envisages a reduction of pensions. The Commission has placed Slovenia among six countries in which ageing could present the greatest risk for the public finances. The share of expenditure for ageing policy in the public finances would increase by as much as 8 percentage points of Slovenia’s GDP by 2060, which puts Slovenia among the most vulnerable countries, finance minister France Križanič said.

The group around Slovenia’s leading retailer Mercator posted EUR 617.7m in net revenues in the first three months this year, which is a 1.1% improvement on the same period last year. Net profit was down 30.8% to EUR 6.4m. The group recorded EUR 24.6m in operating profit in the first quarter, which is up 11.5% on last year. Mercator said that higher financing costs were the main reason behind the lower net profit. The company said that operations continue to be affected by the economic turmoil, both in terms of demand as well as in terms of access to financing. Also having a significant impact is the depreciation of the Serbian dinar to the euro.

Without the exchange rate fluctuations, Mercator would have posted a 3.4% increase in net sales revenues as opposed to only a 1.1% increase.

The manager of the biggest shopping and logistics hub in Ljubljana, BTC, posted a net profit of EUR 9.6m in 2008, up from EUR 6m in the year before. Service revenues were meanwhile up 13%, the company said. BTC has invested EUR 150m in its projects in Slovenia and abroad during the five-year period; the number of employees increased by 20%. The company also announced the laying of a foundation stone for a new, 46,000 sq. metre office high-rise, called “Crystal Palace”. The project is worth EUR 54m.

13 Exports

Real Estate

Highways

Exports in Q1 Down 22.9% Y/Y

Apartments’ Prices Fall to 2007 Level

Weekly and Monthly Toll Stickers

Ticking up (exports and imports, in EUR m) Source: SURS

2400 Imports

2050

The Transport Ministry has drafted amendments to the public roads act which introduce weekly and monthly motorway toll stickers and abolish half-year vignettes for cars.

The move comes after criticism from the EU about unfair treatment of occasional users of Slovenian roads, especially foreigners. Under the amendments, a seven-day vignette will cost EUR 15 and a monthly vignette will be sold at EUR 35. The price of annual vignettes will rise to EUR 95 from the current EUR 55.

Business

NLB Boss Veselinovič Resigns

1350 Exports

1000 2009 M

Energy

The supervisors of Slovenia’s biggest bank NLB accepted the resignation tendered in April by the bank’s boss Drasko Veselinovic, NLB said. It remains unclear when Veselinovic will leave. The supervisors also got acquainted with the results of the bank in the first quarter of 2009, when the NLB group generated EUR 3.8m in pretax profit. Veselinovic, who only took over on 1 February, offered to step down on 20 April after a decision by the state-controlled bank to approve a controversial loan extension caused a political uproar and threatened to destabilise the government.

Energy

Slovenian Firms to South Stream Deal Build H-Power Plants to be Signed Soon in Albania Economy Minister Matej Lahovnik A Slovenian consortium will build several hydro electric power plants on the river of Shala in northern Albania. As part of the EUR 145m project, the Interenergo consortium will also operate the power plants in the next 35 years. The Interenergo consortium consists of financial group Poteza, construction company SGP Pomgrad and Interenergo Albania, Poteza’s subsidiary set up for this project. Poteza suggested to the Albanian Economy Ministry in 2007 to start using the energy potential of the Shala river and provided a feasibility study. In February, the Interenergo consortium won the public tender. The construction is to be concluded in the next five years.

announced after meeting with Russian Minister for Information and Mass Communication Igor Schegolev in Ljubljana that the South Stream pipeline deal between Slovenia and Russia would probably be signed in June. The two sides already ironed out open issues regarding the construction of the Slovenian section of the gas pipeline during Lahovnik’s visit to Moscow in April and the coordination of the deal is already in its final final phase.

Media

Tabloid Still the Most Popular Paper Tabloid Slovenske novice remained the most popular daily in Slovenia in the first quarter of 2009. It was followed by broadsheets Delo, Dnevnik, Vecer, business daily Finance and sports daily Ekipa, the National Circulation Survey shows.

Slovenian printed media are experiencing a continuous decrease in sales. Slovenske novice dropped from 84,769 to 82,805 since the final quarter of 2008, while a year ago, it sold 89,900 copies. Delo’s sales went down from 57,111 to 56,343.

Economy

Annual Inflation Further Down to 0.7% Too low for comfort? (inflation y-o-y, in %) 7

Source: SURS

1700

2007 J

Prices of second-hand apartments dropped by over 3% in the first quarter of 2009 and reached the level of the beginning of 2007. Sales of such apartments reached its lowest point in the first quarter of the year, while sales of houses have been stagnating, the Statistics Office said. The most noticeable drop in prices was recorded in Ljubljana (-6.2%), while elsewhere the prices decreased by 1.7% on average.

This is the second successive quarterly decline in prices of second-hand apartments outside Ljubljana. In the capital, the prices have been dropping for three successive quarters, while the first quarter of 2009 saw the biggest drop so far. The number of sold second-hand apartments has been decreasing for five successive quarters and has now reached its lowest point since 2003, when the Statistics Office started to keep record.

Photo: SCT

Slovenian goods exports for the first quarter of 2009 stood at EUR 3.873bn, a fall of 22.9% over the same period the year before.

Imports contracted by 27.7% to EUR 4.082bn, according to preliminary data from the Statistics Office. With imports contracting faster than exports in recent months, Slovenia’s trade gap for the first quarter has shrunk by more than 64% to EUR 208.5m compared to last year.

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 J J 2008

A S O N D

J F M A M 2009

Consumer prices in Slovenia rose by 0.6% at the monthly level in May, but the annual inflation rate dropped by 0.4 of a percentage point to 0.7%, the Statistics Office said. The statisticians attributed the monthly increase in prices to higher prices of tobacco, package holidays, and clothing and footwear.

Each contributed 0.2 of a percentage point to inflation. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, the EU-compatible measure, the annual price growth fell to 0.5%, which is the lowest ever. The 12-month average price growth decreased for the seventh consecutive month to 3.4%. Last year it stood at 5.3%.

Economy

Govt Moves to Limit Lending for MBOs The government adopted amendments to the public finance act and loan guarantee scheme whic ban banks that have received state aid from giving, extending or insuring loans used in management buyouts. Opposition was critical that the government motion contains an exception allowing banks to give or extend such loans when they deem that they would otherwise incur great and irreparable damage.

June 2009

14 ECONOMY Photo: Dreamstime

Energy

Streaming Russia’s Gazprom plans to start gas deliveries to Europe through the future South Stream pipeline no later than 2015, two years later than initially planned, the head of the company’s external relations department, Stanislav Tsygankov, said last month.

By Marko Vuković and SeeNews

“

The entire work schedule has been strictly met, which allows us to speak of 2015 as a completely realistic date for the completion of the gas pipeline,” Tsygankov told Sofia-based 24 Hours daily in an interview.

The EUR 10 billion pipeline, a joint project of Gazprom and Italy’s Eni, is designed to carry 30 billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually to Austria and Italy under the Black Sea via Bulgaria.

In January, Alexei Miller, the head of Gazprom, was in Slovenia, to discuss the possibility of Gazprom’s planned South Stream pipeline crossing Slovenia on its way from Russia to Italy. That was just at the time when nervous government officials were assuring the public that gas supply disruptions, a consequence of the traditional Russian-Ukrainian disputes about the price of gas, would not mean the households would not be able to keep their homes warm and dry in the middle of winter.

Although natural gas accounts for only around 14 percent of Slovenia’s energy needs, industry depends on it for a little more than a third of its final energy consumption. When Geoplin, the operator of the gas transmission network and the country’s biggest gas importer, announced that Gazprom had stopped supplying gas to Slovenia, industrial facilities were first to suffer reductions. There

was no talk of cutting off the supply of gas to private households, but the gas reserves would have lasted only a few weeks. The lesson was clear: Slovenia depends on Russian natural gas; energy security should therefore be the top priority of the country’s energy officials.

By agreeing to establish a joint company with Gazprom to build the Slovenian section of the pipeline, Slovenia would arguably settle the gas issue once and for all.

South Stream will bypass Ukraine, so abstruse pricing disputes far to the east would no longer be a concern of Slovenians. Furthermore, the security of supply would be greatly enhanced by the country being one of the transit countries for gas destined for western European markets.

The technical and economic assessment of the land where the pipeline will lie is planned to be completed by the end of 2009, while the assessment of facility’s underground stretches should be finished in early 2010, according to Tsygankov.

“After that, an overall assessment of the project can be made, which will become the basis for a decision on switching to the investment stage of South Stream and the launch of construction,” he said, adding that the overall assessment is due in the second quarter of 2010.

Balanced gross domestic consumption by energy source Renewables 6,5 %

Natural gas 13,4 %

Hydro 3,7 %

Other 0,4 %

Other 14,3 %

Oil products 35,6 %

The Slovenia Times

Non-energy use 14,9 % Nuclear 20,3 %

Bulgaria joined the South Stream project in January 2008 when it signed a political agreement with Russia. A corporate deal between Gazprom and BEH, the Bulgarian state-owned energy group, for the construction of the Bulgarian stretch of the pipeline had yet to be signed, as the two sides still cannot agree on the terms of the deal.

Under the political agreement, Gazprom and BEH have to build a new transit pipeline in Bulgaria parallel to the existing grid.

Slovenia is in similar situation.

It has agreed to host a section of the South Stream pipeline, but the details of the deal have not been worked out yet. Unofficial sources say that the main bone of contention is the ownership structure of the company to manage the pipeline in Slovenia. While Gazprom wants to split the ownership into equal parts between itself and a Slovenian consortium, the government maintains that Slovenian companies should have a 51 percent stake in the joint venture.

Critics say that supporting South Stream would mean increasing

Heavy industry natural gas consumption, in %

Transformation 13,4 %

Solid fuels 20,1 %

At the moment, gas pipelines are at the centre of energy security debates in Europe

Source: Ministry for Economy

Industry 57,4 %

dependence on Russian gas just in time when there are unprecedented opportunities to diversify away from Russia. The EU-sponsored and much-touted Nabucco pipeline broadly follows the same route as South Stream, but it will bring Central Asian gas that to Europe. When planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in northern Italy and Croatia come on line, there will be room for yet further diversification of gas supplies. It is obvious that Gazprom’s is not the only game in town.

Regarding Nabucco, it is incorrect to compare that project with South Stream, said the Gazprom official. “Both projects are important for the European consumers and they do not compete with each other,” Tsygankov said. In terms of timeframes, however, the South Stream could be built faster than Nabucco as Russia has its own gas resources and a long-term experience as supplier to Europe.

The EUR 7.9 billion Nabucco project, aimed at reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, is designed to carry 31 billion cubic metres of Caspian gas to Europe via Turkey and Bulgaria.

Many analysts see the project, in which Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, Austria and Germany are stakeholders, as a rival to South Stream. Nabucco re-emerged as a project of strategic significance for Central and Eastern Europe after a price dispute between Moscow and Kiev left much of the region without Russian gas for two weeks in January.

The first gas deliveries through Nabucco, which will operate initially at only part of its design capacity, are expected to start in 2014. (http://www.seenews. com/)

Ljubljana Summer School

Taking the Best from East and West

The Ljubljana Summer School has been organized since 2000. It is a three-week programme in English for undergraduate and graduate students of all fields of study. Students attend courses, interact with managers during company visits, discover local culture and socialise with people from around the world as well as with domestic students. The summer school takes place in July; it is organized by the Faculty of Economics of University of Ljubljana. This summer around 100 students from more than 20 countries will join this special programme.

Students attend various courses that are accredited with ECTS credits. Courses are academically challenging and intellectually stimulating. Discussion between professors and students through various interactive teaching methods are strongly encouraged. Lecturers, from Slovenia and abroad, are experts in their chosen fields and are actively involved in academic research; many act as advisers and consultants to companies and the government. Visits to successful Slovenian companies from various industries or services with unique success story are always a very interesting part.

Over one hundred students meet colleagues from different parts of the world and gain insights into new cultures and thinking processes that are a source of creativity and development. Students intensively work in teams and improve communication skills. Completing all course requirements, students receive credits that are recognized at their home school.

Participants’ impressions “In the cute capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana Summers School offered me an exceptional experience in a diversified environment. The young enthusiastic staff and the eminent Slovenian scholars make sure that each participant enjoyed in every moment and yet preserved highest standards of academic environment. The program gave me the opportunity to explore topics that otherwise I would not at my undergraduate institution and in the same time lifetime excitement discovering Slovenia.” Filip Taseski, Macedonia “I liked the Summer School in the first place because it gave me the opportunity to learn more about Eastern Europe.

Until this summer, the only experience I had with Eastern Europe was a two-week visit to Poland. The starting courses about the history of Slovenia were hence very interesting.

I was pleasantly surprised by the landscapes, the weather, the people and the city of Ljubljana itself!

Three weeks were filled with meeting people from countries I only knew from maps and getting to know a small, but gorgeous country.” Michiel Lefever, Belgium

Visit the Ljubljana Summer School website for details: http://www.ef.uni-lj.si/en/summerschool/

“I had amazing opportunity to gain Summer School experience in Slovenia. Students from whole Europe gathered to share their knowledge and culture. Those 3 weeks were full of interesting meeting and journeys. We met prosperous managers who told us secrets of success in business. We had interesting meeting with ambassadors of USA, India, Belgium, Great Britain and Austria. I think international programs such as Summer School have a lot benefits. People from other countries get to know better each other, they share their traditions and culture with others. As for me, this program is about integrating what is very necessary nowadays. This is another advantage of this program: people can travel around the world and visit their friends. I feel Slovenia!” Ilyas Baizhumartov, Republic of Kazakhstan “In my opinion, Slovenia is a great and fantastic country with a lot of beautiful things to visit. I met fantastic people of different countries, and this was an important experience for me because I have been in contact with different cultures and I could observe how they enjoy life. Slovenians are very pleasant with foreign people, the food is great (they have the best pizzas I have ever eaten), classes are really interesting and teachers are very friendly, and they help us in everything we needed.”

Mercedes Martins, Portugal

16 ECONOMY

Real Estate

Small Country, Large Choice Slovenia is growing in popularity among foreigners, not only as a tourist destination but also as a great place to live. For instance, Forbes.com, last year considered Ljubljana the 2nd best city to live in Europe. If you have been considering living or purchasing a property in Slovenia, a question must have passed through your mind: where to buy? We talked to Tereza Oblak of the ABC Nepremičnine real estate agency.

Photo: KID

By Carlos Marques Silva at more than EUR 5,000 per night.

The perceived exclusive image of the region makes the coastal cities some of the most expensive areas in Slovenia; the average price for a square meter is EUR 3000 in Piran. This region is perceived as the Monaco of the East.

Gorenjska Region

Kolizej is one of the boldest developments in Ljubljana city centre

People looking to purchase an apartment in Ljubljana will have to dig deep in their wallets.

According to the annual report of the European Council of Real Estate Professions (CEPI) prices in the Slovenian capital are much higher than in Vienna, Berlin or even Brussels.

The Slovenia Times

The Coastal Region It seems like the coastal area of Slovenia, including cities such as Koper, Portorož and Piran, are of high value to investors and people wishing to buy in Slovenia. The possibility of enjoying Mediterranean weather without giving up the proximity of major Slovenian cities is of high value. Also, the distance to Italy lends added value, given that the Slovenian coast is regularly visited by the Italians looking for different scenery and a place to relax.

Much has been invested in the region in the recent years, one example being the renovation of the luxurious Hotel Kempinski Palace, the most popular new addition to the “bay of roses” with rooms ranging from as little as EUR 200 per night, to the Presidential Suite

The Gorenjska Region and its alpine area punctuated with brilliant natural beauty is a hot spot for people seeking year-round outdoor activities. From Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain, to the warm alpine lakes of Bled and Bohinj, to the world-renowned ski facilities in Kranjska Gora, the region has a lot to offer. Its proximity to Austria and Italy, combined with its natural charm makes it a prime investment destination.

“Due to the current financial situation and global crisis, prices in the area have seen a considerable drop and will continue to decline,” commented Ms. Oblak.

Many Austrians bought properties in the region in the past, but are now forced to sell because they cannot repay the loans they have taken out.

North-East Slovenia The north-eastern region, including such towns as Murska Sobota and Lendava, is known for its vineyards and health spas. Several buyers from the United Kingdom have found this area to be an attractive location for retirement or simply to enjoy their spring and summer vacations. Properties here have a natural charm and a traditional touch which, along with their particularly attractive prices, has attracted foreign buyers; the price for a square meter is EUR 1000 in Murska Sobota. Ms. Oblak says Prekmurje region is one of the most affordable parts of Slovenia and for English buyers it is real bargain. They usually renovate the properties they buy and keep the original architec-

ture intact. This region, however, is also Slovenia’s poorest, so investors should not expect the locals, from a commercial point of view, to energise their business, warns Ms Oblak.

Major cities in Slovenia Maribor and Celje are the second and third biggest cities in Slovenia after Ljubljana. The real estate market in both cities has suffered a decrease in value over the past few months, Maribor being the most severely hit. Prices in Maribor average around EUR 1,200/m² and are slightly lower in Celje at around EUR 1,150/m² on average.

Both cities offer an alternative to Ljubljana regarding employment and have a relatively more flexible and more affordable real estate market. For people wishing to live in a less cosmopolitan atmosphere and still enjoy all the benefits of a city, both Maribor and Celje are certainly options worth considering.

Ljubljana Categorized as a medium-sized European city, it offers almost everything that a metropolis does, yet preserves its small-town friendliness. It is the political and cultural heart of the Slovene nation; an important European commercial, business, exhibition and congressional centre as well as the transport, science and education centre of Slovenia. It is also the main employment area of Slovenia and salaries are usually higher than in other parts of the country.

However, people looking to purchase an apartment in Ljubljana will have to dig deep in their wallets. According to the annual report of the European Council of Real Estate Professions (CEPI) prices in the Slovenian capital are much higher than in Vienna, Berlin or even Brussels. In the view of Slovenian media, this makes Ljubljana an extremely expen-

ECONOMY 17

Was, and continues to be, expensive.

The real estate market in major European cities has been characterized by a substantial decline in the general level of price over the past few months (London, Dublin, Madrid among others). Ljubljana, in contrast, has thus far suffered little.

“Prices are still very high in Ljubljana and its surroundings, but the situation is changing slowly. People who were not willing to lower their prices and accept the truth that the supply of properties exceeds the demand, are now becoming more reasonable,” Ms Oblak explains, adding that given the quantity of houses and apartments on the market, it is not surprising that the few people willing to buy at the moment are much more selective and looking for the best deals available.

“Investors are scared and the feeling of uncertainty constantly evoked by the mass media is not helping the situation at all,” she adds.

What’s hot?

Names such as Vila Urbana or Vila Grad are considered to be the best residential apartments in Ljubljana and some even say in Slovenia. When asked about them,

Ms Oblak revealed that Vila Grad is indeed selling at a good rate and that very soon the whole building will be sold out. Investors in Villa Urbana, however, while having sold most of its penthouse apartments, have many regular apartments left on the market. Vila Grad has advertised a starting price of EUR 4,500/m², but the price in such buildings can go as high as EUR 8,000/m².

Photo: Immorent

sive city, with prices approaching those of the major international cities such as Rome, Paris or London.

Where to buy?

“At this moment, if you are a foreign investor, I believe a good investment would be near the Austrian border or in the coastal area” says Ms. Oblak. The northwest part of Slovenia is known internationally for its winter sports, its fresh air and its natural beauty. Many foreigners have bought properties in the region in the past and many are now facing financial constraints which are forcing them to sell.

The coastal area, in contrast, is perceived as a prestigious and elite area. Italians and other foreigners have always enjoyed the Slovene coast; prices in the region are, and will certainly remain, high and relatively stable.

Overall, there will always be good deals out there; people just have to define what they are looking for and patiently look for it. At this moment, it seems as though a pool of great deals is opening up in Slovenia and the advice is to keep your eyes wide open and your capital at reach.

The plan of Immorent’s development on Ljubljana’s busiest intersection

Definitely on the way down second-hand apartment prices, 2005=100 160

142

124

Rest Total Ljubljana

106

88

70 Jan 2003

March 2009

Source: SURS ADVERTISEMENT

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The Boldness of Infinity One of the most frequently repeated rules in marketing is “Be creative, be innovative”. But after so many successful ideas and stories, it often seems impossible to discover something new, something we have not seen before.

Discovering what has already been discovered, or being truly innovative? The latter is undoubtedly true of Infiniti MRM, a young and successful agency already setting an example with their boldness. Their third catalogue of marketing activities was released in April (available at http://www.epapir.si/katalogi/infiniti-basic.html), proudly revealing the prices of their services to the Slovenian market.

keting communication solutions, the company specialises in information technology communication and business-to-business communica tion tools.

Bold? Definitely. Innovative? Even more so.

They have been the only company so far that have been bold enough to take this step.

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June 2009

18 ECONOMY

Real Vienna 2009

Exploring Central Europe From the 26 to the 28 of May, “Real Vienna 2009” took place in Vienna’s Congress Center Messe. That was the fourth edition of the international trade fair of the real estate industry with a focus on the countries of the Central Eastern European and South-Eastern European (CEE/SEE) regions.

By Carlos Marques Silva

240 exhibitors, 45 lectures and workshops with more than 200 industry experts

W

ith nearly 240 Exhibitors present on the Fairground ranging from developers to property consultant, Real Vienna was the hot spot for any person interested in the business. To understand better the concept and meaning of the event, the Slovenia Times had the chance to Interview the Managing director of the event, Mr. Matthias Limbeck.

Can you tell us a bit about the event and how it all started?

“It all started in 2006. There was a heavy demand from the key players present in the market including investors, developers and all professional associated with the industry to create a platform of interaction and networking around the Real Estate Business in Central and South Eastern Europe.

Therefore we decided to follow the market advice and give it a try.

Since our first event, we have had a growth of nearly 30% a year. Last year for example the event had 320 exhibitors and a total of 9.800 visitors which surpassed our expectations. This year we have 240 exThe Slovenia Times

hibitors on the Fairground and 45 lectures and workshops will take place. During all three days of the event more than 200 industry experts from Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe will share their knowledge on current topics from the real estate industry.”

What are your expectations for this year event given the market situation?

“We are the mirror of the market and therefore our expectations are set accordingly. There is no secret, the Real Estate Business is suffering and we can see this reflected on the number of exhibitors this year. With 240 exhibitors in 2009, we have quantitatively reached the level of 2007. Although I am surprised positively since I was expecting even less companies present given the crisis situation. Contrarily to the consumer market, this industry and the B2B character of this event have a long-mid term perspective which will reflect itself over the next 3 to 5 years. We expect also less visitors this year but this is of course aligned with our and the exhibi-

tors’ expectations for this year. In the long run, the task is to rebuild confidence in the market and with this sustainably strengthen the demand for the industry and the trade properties.”

What are you expecting for 2010?

“The real estate business depends a lot on the banking system and therefore until we see more flexibility in the lending process, the situation is not going to change much. Developers require long terms loans which are now very difficult to access given the market situation. Another aspect is the interest rate and equity necessary to require a loan which is relatively high at the moment.

Although, I am sure the situation will change progressively, and we expect 2010 to be a better year of the industry and for us too.

On the other hand, I believe there is also a huge potential for us as organizers to attract more exhibitors from the Balkan region such as Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We will start working on it from the day we finish this event. Developers and investors from the West are always looking for good opportunities abroad and I believe those markets have indeed a great potential. From logistic centres, and shopping malls to tourism oriented developments, there are good opportunities out there and we want, as the only platform in Central and Eastern Europe for Real Estate, to be part and to contribute to it.”

Among fancy cars, expensive watches and refined wines, at Real Vienna, it does not look like the crisis is affecting the big players.

The Slovenia Times team explaining the opportunities in Slovenia’s real estate sector

ECONOMY 19

Viator & Vektor

An MBO Case Study The Viator & Vektor group is the brainchild of Zdenko Pavček, its CEO, whose ambition brought the rise of the second major player in Slovenian logistics sector. As he steps down, his company is in prime condition to consolidate the industry, which would make it more competitive on the European markets. But it looks like it is not to be.

T

he beginnings of the company date back to 1958. After decades of successful operations, Viator, a transportation company and Vektor, a shipping company, decided to merge, and in 2000 the Viator & Vektor group was established. The company soon went on a shopping spree, buying several logistics companies in Slovenia, while a number of subsidiaries were established abroad, thus forming a formidable logistics network. Now the company is one of the leaders in logistics in Slovenia and south-eastern Europe. It has approximately 2,800 employees, 420 trucks, 350 buses for passenger and tourist transport and a total of 153,000 m² of storage space in Slovenia and abroad.

Managerial takeover Viator & Vektor is also a textbook case of management takeover.

Zdenko Pavček who was running V & V since 1999, first started as a commercial director in Vektor in 1984 where he steadily climbed the ladder until he became the company’s CEO in 1990. He remained CEO of Vektor d.d for nine years until 1999 when he was named CEO of Viator. He quickly proceeded to put his plans into action and in the same year merged the two companies into the Viator & Vektor group with himself as the CEO. He was then in a prime position to execute a managerial takeover which he and his fellow managers completed in November 2006.

Well-earned rest In March 2008, Zdenko Pavček announced that he was stepping down from actively running V & V and assuming the role of an advisor and supervisor. His successors are Matej Janžek as CEO, Peter

Photo: Viator & Vector

By Roman Oberč

With 420 trucks, Viator & Vektor is a behemoth in Slovenia’s logistics sector

Pavček, his son, as financial director. Zdenko Pavček will not be bored however; he remains busy as the president of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, where he was recently elected for another two-year term.

A good idea that was not to be In recent months, V & V has been thinking seriously about taking over Intereuropa, another major logistics company. After eight months of preparations for the takeover, however, V & V decided to shelve the plans. The decision came in light of recent business results of Intereuropa

and the situation that the company was in.

Pavček wrote in a letter to Patrick Vlačič and Matej Lahovnik, ministers for transport and economy, respectively, that in evaluating Intereuropa, the V&V group found a significant deviation in the value of some of the investments from the projected plans and that it believes this is will have a negative impact on the business of the company in the future. The prospects of a major Slovenian logistical holding that would include the Port of Koper and Slovenske zeležnice (Slovenian Railways) with the merged company of V & V and Intereuropa as its foundation have thus diminished.

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The new model is the successor to both the BMW Z4 Roadster and the BMW Z4 Coupé, uniting strength with elegance in a way not seen before.

Launch of BMW’s successful Roadster model in Slovenia last month was in BMW style: modern and authentic at the same time. The new BMW Z4 offers a unique driving experience combining outstanding pleasure with supreme sportiness.

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The New Roadster Hits the Road

BMW Z4 offers a choice of three straight-six power units ranging in output from 150 kW/204 hp to 225 kW/306 hp. All versions offering an optimum combination of acceleration and fuel economy in their respective class.

June 2009

20

Photo: Dreamstime

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Logistics

Get That Motor Running Policymakers never tire of repeating that Slovenia’s excellent strategic position at the crossroads of major European transport corridors should be used as a leverage to boost the development of the country’s logistics sector. However, Slovenia will become just another transit country without anything to add to the logistics value chain if words are not followed with deeds (and money) as soon as possible.

By Marko Vuković The Slovenia Times

LOGISTICS SPECIAL 21

Europe’s portal When the bosses of the three biggest ports in the northern Adriatic – Slovenia’s Koper, Italy’s Trieste and Croatia’s Rijeka - met at the logistics industry’s most important fair in Munich last month, they had every reason to be optimistic about the prospects of their companies. Although the economic crisis and the corresponding drop in world trade are hurting the revenues of Europe’s ports, for at least some of them the recession can be an opportunity, not just a threat.

In times when most companies are slashing costs, being able to offer shorter ways to markets is certainly an advantage. The shortest and, therefore, the cheapest way for exports from Far and Middle East to reach Europe is through the Adriatic, making its ports an attractive alternative to their competitors, such as Rotterdam and Hamburg on the North Sea. Koper, the biggest Slovenian coastal town, lies at the northernmost tip of the Adriatic where the waters of the Mediterranean reach deep into the continent. It takes ships bound for Europe six days less to reach Koper than Rotterdam from Asia, making Luka Koper, the only Slovenian port, the gateway not just to Central Europe but also to markets farther west. In times when ship-

pers are becoming increasingly cost-conscious, this is certainly an advantage.

Troubles in Transitland However, the seamless integration of the port of Koper into the country’s transport network is of paramount importance, if the country is to take advantage of its geographical position. It does not help Asian exporters much if the goods destined for the region sit in the warehouses on the coast, because the port cannot move them onwards quickly enough.

The railway link to the interior, from Koper to Divača, consists of a single track, winding its way from the coast to the Karst plains overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. Even before the entry of Slovenia in the EU, experts had warned that the link may soon become a bottleneck; that it has indeed become one should come as no surprise.

The port of Koper has seen its throughput rise by almost a quarter since 2004, but it is still served by the same railroad track.

Successive governments have long said that building a second track from the coast to Ljubljana is one of Slovenia’s priorities.

However, nobody knows exactly how much the project will cost and when it will be finished. Observers say that the upgrade could be finished by 2015, costing up to EUR 4bn. The second track would allow the port of Koper to expand its operations without worrying about railway congestion and thus gain an advantage over competitors from Italy and Croatia.

The port’s problems with the railway are symptomatic. In the past 15 years, Slovenia has spent huge amounts on the highway programme, leaving the railway system to lag behind those of neighbouring countries. This lack of concern is now coming back to haunt the policymakers. With heavy lorries crowding the highways and their exhaust fumes polluting the environment, many are asking themselves whether the money would not have been better spent on railway infrastructure, since railway traffic is less of a burden for the environment.

not only that its logistics sector relies on environmentally burdensome road traffic, but also that the services it offers add relatively low value to the logistics value chain.

Admittedly, these troubles are of the country’s own making and measures are being taken to remedy the situation. As the highway network has almost been completed, the government has promised to shift its focus to railways.

Where the money will come from in these times of economic crisis is still uncertain. The other big push should come from intermodal logistics centres that the government wants to set up in publicprivate partnerships in the years to come.

The integration of rail, road and air transport along the lines proposed by Zmago Skobir, the head of Aerodrom Ljubljana, would certainly help to push the logistics sector to a faster growth path.

Timing is crucial, however. As Croatia slowly but surely finds its way into the EU, Slovenian logistics services providers will have to offer more to their customers than just highways if they want to keep their business – and soon. After all, Slovenia is not so big that it could not be overtaken, from either side.

The shortest and, therefore, the cheapest way for exports from Far and Middle East to reach Europe is through the Adriatic, making the port of Koper an attractive alternative to its competitors, such as Rotterdam and Hamburg on the North Sea.

Logistics experts warn that the most money is not to be earned in transit, but in services such as warehousing, cargo handling and distribution.

Road runners goods transported, in million ton-kilometers

Road transport Rail transport

15000

12000

9000

6000

3000

0

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Source: SURS

A widening gap share of railways in total freight transport, in % 35 Austria

Looking ahead This question is especially important for Slovenia, which is a transit country; 70 percent of all cargo landing or arriving at the port of Koper is loaded on trucks, trains and ships and shipped onwards. Logistics experts warn, however, that the most money is not to be earned in transit, but in services such as warehousing, cargo handling and distribution.

Slovenia has thus been hit doubly;

30

25

Slovenia

20 2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Source: Eurostat

June 2009

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

T

rans-European networks (TENs) are all the rage in European policy circles. The integration of the European Union’s internal market depends on the smooth flow of goods across the region stretching from the sunny Mediterranean to the Arctic. Moreover, the status of the EU as the world’s biggest trader, accounting for a fifth of the world’s imports and exports, can be maintained only if entry points to the vast common market, such as ports of Rotterdam on the North Sea or Koper on the Adriatic coast, are tightly linked with their hinterlands.

While TENs can be thought of as an enormous challenge in terms of road, rail and other infrastructure that need to be in place to make them work efficiently, they also represent an opportunity for those countries lucky enough to be located on major transport corridors. Take Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. Here is where the fifth and the tenth European transport corridors, coming from west and north, respectively, meet, only to go their separate ways. The former runs eastward towards Kiev in Ukraine, while the latter terminates at the Greek port of Thessaloníki, deep in the south of Europe.

22 LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Slovenian logistics holding

Bundling It Together Take a look at Slovenian logistics sector and it quickly becomes clear that logistics companies may indeed be important players in Slovenian corporate world, but that they can never dream of achieving the economies of scale and the wide assortment of integrated services offered by their foreign competitors. A holding of leading Slovenian logistics companies would go a long way to remedy this situation. However, in order to set up a logistics holding on a European scale, a foreign strategic partner will be needed.

By Marko Vuković

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Southward push There would be something in the deal for both parties. Taking a historical perspective, one can see why DB might be the perfect partner for a Slovenian logistics holding. In 1856, a railway link between Vienna and Trieste was opened in what was then the Habsburg Empire. The strategic importance of that feat was hard to overestimate; the railway gave the land-locked empire access to The Slovenia Times

Photo: Slovenske Železnice

T

he government, with significant ownership stakes in companies as diverse as Slovenske železnice (Slovenian Railways), Ljubljana’s airport and the port of Koper, is in a good position to carry out a merger between these stalwarts of the country’s logistics sector. The idea of a Slovenian logistics holding dates back to the previous government of Janez Janša. Talks have been initiated with Deutsche Bahn (DB), a German railway operator and a logistics giant in its own right, about a strategic partnership, with the possibility of DB taking over the Slovenian holding in the future.

While bundling the logistics services now performed by separate companies into a single holding would certainly make the latter more attractive to foreign investors, it is by no means certain that the merger could be completed in a reasonable period of time. However, the end result of a merger would be a company that would have all the necessary infrastructure to perform intermodal logistics services.

Given the geographic position of Slovenia at the northernmost tip of Adriatic, acting as the most attractive gateway to Central Europe for Asian exports, this is an opportunity that should not be missed. That is why the current government picked up where the previous left off, continuing talks with DB, which has the necessary know-how and experience to catapult the country’s logistics sector to a faster growth path, in the opinion of most experts.

Slovenian Railways: In the need of a foreign partner

the Adriatic, with Trieste serving as its window to the world.

What DB and its logistics subsidiary Schenker would gain from the merger with the Slovenian holding is clear: a port in the North Adriatic perfectly situated as the gateway for Asian exports into Europe. Although DB already services ports in the north of Europe, it takes the ships from Asia a week or so more to reach Hamburg or Rotterdam than Koper, making the latter a jewel in the crown of any logistics holding.

Juggling cargo The entry of a major foreign logistics firm in Slovenia would give a boost to the country’s logistics sector. Experts warn that not enough value is added to the logistics chain by Slovenian firms, which mainly act as providers of transit services, clogging the highways with heavy trucks and polluting the environment. With DB on board, boasting considerable financial clout, investment in logis-

tics centres, offering services with higher added value, could finally take off.

That is not to say that Slovenian firms are not investing. The port of Koper has plans to build three distribution centres, two in Slovenia and one in Romania.

Intereuropa recently opened a similar centre, handling cars, in Russia. Aerodrom Ljubljana, the operator of Ljubljana’s airport, has ambitions to set up an intermodal logistics centre, integrating rail, sea and air transport.

The government has decided to support these efforts by making logistics centres a priority of its policies in the field of transport and logistics.

Al l of t he abovement ioned firms would be a part of the holding. Luka Koper and Aerodrom Ljubljana managed to increase their revenues and profits last year, while Intereuropa posted a loss, mainly as a result of the cost of its biggest investment, a car distribution centre near Moscow.

Railway to hell Observers say that the weakest link would be Slovenske železnice, a loss-making enterprise that simply cannot compete on the European market. In 2008, the state-owned railways had a loss of nearly EUR 24m, mainly in international cargo transport. The company transported 4.9 percent less cargo than the year before, mainly because the prices it charges for its services are too high. Militant trade unions and the state’s cavalier attitude towards railway infrastructure are the main reasons for the decline of this once proud firm.

The opening of the European rail services market was therefore the last thing Slovenske železnice needed. Austrian competitors such as RCA and GKB are chipping at their market share, aggressively courting new customers. If the government were able to sell the company to DB as a part of the logistics holding, that would be a coup. The only question left unanswered is whether the Germans are willing to take the risk.

LOGISTICS SPECIAL 23 Photo: Adria Airways

Adria Airways

Recession Bites For airlines all around the world, 2008 was a difficult year. First, a rise in the price of fuel cut into their profits. However, when prices finally fell, this proved to be a harbinger of recession, further clouding the prospects of the industry. Tadej Tufek, the head of Adria Airlines, Slovenia’s flagship carrier, warns that this year will be even harder.

Are you satisfied with 2008’s business results?

Reasonably. The Slovenian EU presidency in the first half of 2008 was an important factor. Of course, this means 15 percent less revenue and passengers in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous one. We are trying to increase the number of passengers and the frequency of our flights to and from the Western Balkans to make up for what we have lost on Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich and Brussels connections.

We also renovated or fleet, enhanced the quality of our service and upgraded our corporate image with new uniforms for our staff.

How will the economic crisis affect your company?

The impact of the recession will be felt more intensely than we had thought, so we are in the process of revising our plans for this year.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast that 2009 will be the most difficult year in the history of airline industry. Airlines such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Easy Jet and other are all experiencing drops in passenger numbers. The

slowing economy, cost-cutting by companies and governments and rising unemployment all negatively impact the airline business; Adria Airways is no exception.

What measures have you taken to fight the crisis?

The most important process is fleet optimisation. We have introduced the fourth 86-seat Canadair CRJ900 which allows us to adapt to market situations more efficiently.

We also fly 160-seat Airbuses, but it is hard to fill the seats outside of the charter season, which only lasts four months a year. We have therefore leased one of the Airbuses to Libya. Two of the remaining three will be sold in autumn and two smaller A319 Airbuses introduced I think that in this way we will be able to utilize our capacities to a greater extent. Long-term leasing is the best way to finance the renovation, because prices today are 40 percent lower than a year ago.

We cut our operating costs by 11 percent in 2008, focusing on suppliers’ costs. We have postponed those investments that are not necessary at this time. However, the introduction of five new planes in our fleet mandates the

employ ment of new resources, so we are quite constrained when it comes to lowering labour costs.

A re you sat i sfied with the services provided by Ljubljana airport?

We continue to think that Ljubljana is a bridge between European hubs and southeastern capitals. The cooperation with Aerodrom Ljubljana is good.

We are all aware that our operations are interlinked and that, together with the port of Koper and Slovenian Railways, we represent the key national infrastructure.

More than three quarters of passengers passing through Ljubljana airport fly with Adria’s planes.

Have you introduce any new connections in recent months?

On 20th May, we opened a new connection with Madrid which is Adria’s second connection with Spain. Twice a week we fly to Barcelona, on Wednesdays and Saturdays to Madrid. Because of the economic crisis, we don’t plan on opening any new connections at the moment. In the future, how-

ever, we could introduce new connections to the east and coastal tourist destinations.

What are the current trends in passenger and cargo traffic?

I n 20 08, we i nc reased t he number of passengers by 27 percent, largely because of the Slovenian EU presidency. In the first quarter, we registered a 14 percent decrease in passenger numbers.

Of course, 2008 and 2009 are not directly comparable years; in 2007, for example, there were fewer passengers than this year. The season has just begun, however.

Regarding cargo traffic, it needs to be pointed out that we have no cargo planes. In the first four months of this year, we transported 612 tonnes of cargo, 18 percent less than in the same period of the previous year.

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Excellent Service with a Green Touch Business zone Komenda, which is emerging at an excellent location in the vicinity of the capital is to become the biggest and also the greenest business zone in Slovenia.

It intends to construct a complex of business-administrative buildings at the very centre of the business zone for its own needs and for the needs of other investors’ operating activities.

Hence, it wishes to invite serious and reliable investors or co-investors to join the project implementation, who could construct the first building and market it to interested companies or institutions intending to operate in this modern urban business centre.

Karmen Škufca, the CEO of the project, stresses: “The Management of the Business zone Komenda requires offices for its own operations and therefore we will negotiate with potential investors for appropriate compensation in respect of the consideration of the investment.”

The Business zone Komenda Management assesses that the value of the investment will total 24 million euro.

The Business zone Komenda is located only 14 km from Ljubljana.

Beside its strategic location, which provides an excellent transport link to the southeastern markets due to the immediate proximity of the 5th and the 10th European motorway corridors, Brnik international airport and a future international railway, it is distinguished by its extraordinary size with an overall surface area of 930,000 m2.

For the time being, several manufacturing companies, distribution businesses and other undertakings already operate on 18 hectares of surface area within the zone, and other investors are expected to commence business there in 3 to 4 years. Altogether, the zone will employ a few thousand people and, in a relatively short period of time, will become one of the leading and the most reputable business zones in the European area.

June 2009

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

BUSINESS ZONE KOMENDA

24 LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Interview: Zmago Skobir

Ready for Takeoff As companies not only in Slovenia but throughout Europe slash or even shelve their investment plans in the face of what will likely be a prolonged period of paltry economic growth, it is encouraging to see that ambition has not entirely disappeared from the business world. Zmago Skobir, the boss of Aerodrom Ljubljana, wants to turn Ljubljana’s Jože Pučnik Airport into a regional leader, not just in terms of passenger traffic, but also with regard to cargo and logistics services.

By Marko Vuković, photos by Marc Botte

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

The latest news from Ljubljana’s airport say that Aerodrom Ljubljana, the airport’s operator, will soon be starting to renovate the runway. A new hangar will also be built. What do you hope to achieve with these investments?

This renovation is overdue; it’s been 15 years since the airport’s tarmacs were last improved. However, what is most important is that the airport will be able to offer new surfaces for aircraft parking, which are now lacking. If we want to build a new passenger terminal, we will first need enough space to accommodate all the aircraft. The investment is worth EUR 15m.

now that recession is surely in the cards?

In the 2002-2008 period, we invested EUR 86m in the upgrading of the airport’s infrastructure.

Of course, we still have ambitious plans, but we have had to postpone some investments because of the economic crisis. The building of a new passenger terminal was supposed to start this year, but that won’t happen. Our investment plans also include a new cargo terminal and a parking garage. We are confident that we can pull off these investments, worth around EUR 120m, in the next six to seven years.

How much money did you invest in the last five, six years? Do you plan to spend less in the future

Are you satisfied with Aerodrom Ljubljana’s 2008 business results?

The Slovenia Times

The figures speak for themselves, I think. We have managed to increase our revenues by 7.3 percent, while our earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITDA) grew 7.6 percent in 2008. Not taking capital gains into account, in previous year net earnings were five percent higher than in 2007.

As the recession is starting to bite, we have revised our projected revenue and earnings downward.

We expect that business results in 2009 will be similar to those in 2007. Having said that, you have to bear in mind that 2008 was an exceptional year in many ways, especially because of Slovenia’s European Union presidency in the first half of that year.

Still, the recession is being felt in all corners of the economy. Do you also see it happening?

Of course. Looking at the figures for the first three months of 2009, we can see that the number of passengers is down by 23 percent, while the number of takeoffs and landings decreased by 16 percent.

Cargo traffic, however, has taken the most serious battering, with throughput 30 percent lower than in the same period of the previous year.

What are you doing to fight the downturn?

We started to think about the measures that would allow us to weather the crisis more easily as early as the first half of last year.

We are trying to optimize our

LOGISTICS SPECIAL 25 business processes to keep costs under control, aiming to reduce costs in line with lower projected earnings. Of course, we will not invest as much as we had planned before the crisis hit, but that does not mean we are simply cancelling our investment plans.

In recent years, quite a few airports have raised their profile in the region. What are Ljubljana’s competitive advantages over Graz, Klagenfurt, Trieste or Zagreb?

Our goal has always been to transform Ljubljana’s airport into a regional leader. Regarding passenger traffic, we certainly have what it takes to become one. With the Slovenian highway network more or less finished and connected to those of neighbouring countries, it does not take more than two hours to reach the airport from anywhere in the country. The upgrade of our technical equipment allows the provision of undisturbed service under difficult weather conditions. Last, but not least, airlines fly to 30 important destinations every day from Jože Pučnik airport.

What about cargo? How far advanced are the plans to build an intermodal logistics centre at the airport?

Pretty far, I think. In one year’s time, our planning for the logistics centre will be completed; we will then be able to start weighing various options of how to take advantage of our excellent location.

There are no state-of-the-art intermodal logistics centres in a radius of 500 km around Ljubljana, so that’s our opportunity.

But building such a centre is a large investment that the airport alone cannot afford. Are you thinking about inviting strategic partners to the project?

Yes, having an investor with ample experience in providing logistics services and substantial funds on board is a necessary precondition. Deutsche Bahn (DB), a German railway operator and Schenker, its logistics services subsidiary, are an obvious choice. Both have already expressed interest in working with Slovenian railways; the previous government was also engaged in talks about a possible takeover of Slovenian logistics holding, not yet in existence, by DB. The Germans want to access the sea and the port of Koper, an important transit point for Asian goods destined for Europe.

Where does the airport come into these plans?

If a railway link from Ljubljana to the airport was built, then the intermodal logistics centre would be a done deal; we would have a sea-railway-air transport link from the port of Koper, not to mention direct access to the Slovenian highway network. I am sure that cargo planes from Asia would then start landing at our airport.

Slovenia would not be only a transit country, but would step into distribution services, which have a higher added value, bringing in more money, employment and growth.

I think the railway link could be built in eight to ten years. In any case, the sooner, the better. Slove-

nia is a small market and logistics companies usually choose bigger over smaller markets as their base.

Zagreb, for example, is quickly catching up, so we must act now.

You have decided to increase the range of services available at the airport with the project of Airport City, to be completed in 2015.

Yes, we think that the airport should be more than just an entry point to the country; it should be a tourist centre in itself. With the Airport City project we are bringing a shopping centre and a high-class hotel to the airport, together with a business zone.

In this way, we hope to offer our customers a wide range of services right at the airport, services that are now only available outside our premises.

Zmago Skobir explaining airport expansion plans

If a railway link from Ljubljana to the airport was built, then the intermodal logistics centre would be a done deal; we would have a sea-railway-air transport link from the port of Koper, not to mention direct access to the Slovenian highway network.

Growing Jože Pučnik Airport: number of passengers in ‘000 and cargo throughput in tonnes

Pasangers Cargo

Cargo

Passengers

25000

2000

18750

1500

12500

1000

6250

500

0

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

0

Source: Eurostat

June 2009

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Surely the fact that Spanish airline Clickair and its Finnish counterpart Finnair quit Ljubljana’s airport does not help?

Well, we have to put this into perspective. In 2002, when I took over as the CEO of the airport, the number of passengers stood at 880,000, while 10 percent of flights were operated by foreign airlines.

Last year, the share of foreign airlines was 30 percent, while 1.7m passengers travelled through the airport.

When discussing airlines coming and leaving our airport, one has to bear in mind that fluctuation tends to be quite substantial on smaller markets. Airlines are in the business of making money and they keep a very sharp eye on the yield each passenger brings to the company’s coffers.

The airlines you mentioned have not migrated to other airports in the region such as Klagenfurt or Trieste, but have chosen to focus on bigger, more lucrative markets in the EU.

26 LOGISTICS SPECIAL Photo: Intereuropa

Intereuropa

the building of the Moscow-Čehov logistics centre in Russia.

The centre encompasses 45 hectares of land 42 kilometres from Moscow. The goal is to offer a whole range of services, together with car handling and customs services. According to Intereuropa, the car terminal and custom service warehouse will start operating in 2009. Upon its completion, the centre will be able to accept 15,000 cars.

Hardnosed supervisors This massive project proved to be the focal point of allegations made against the management of Intereuropa. It is said that the management spent a staggering EUR 140m for the Moscow-Čehov logistics centre, instead of the EUR 40m originally allocated for the project. This is, however, only one of many allegations. One of the owners, KAD, a state-run fund, demanded that the company be audited. The auditors looked closely at the Čehov centre, the acquisition of the Montenegrin transport company Zetatrans, the lease of the company’s premises in Kosovo and the manner by which rent was paid as well as purchases trucks in Turkey that were allegedly incompatible with the EU standards. Andrej Lovšin did not remain CEO for long after that. He was sacked at the end of March.

The Ailing Giant Considering the 60-year history of Intereuropa, it can certainly be said that the Koper-based logistics firm is a success. Starting out with a staff of three, the company grew from those humble roots into a major logistics player in Slovenia and south-eastern Europe.

By Roman Oberč

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

The centre encompasses 45 hectares of land 42 kilometres from Moscow. The goal is to offer a whole range of services, together with car handling and customs services.

The Slovenia Times

I

t is for this reason that insinuations and accusations made by Anton Može, former Intereuropa supervisor, pertaining to Intereuropa’s business activities in Russia come as a surprise.

Striving to be the leader in integrated logistical services in central and south-eastern Europe, the firm has invested vast sums in logistical infrastructure and transport capabilities. The latter are not bad.

The fleet of 600 company-owned trucks, 230,000 m² of warehousing property and 2,200,000 m² of land property throughout Europe ensure a firm footing on which to base further expansion.

However, the firm still does not have the regional clout it desires.

Although Intereuropa increased sales by 13 percent in 2008, two thirds of the company’s revenue

was generated in Slovenia, with the biggest foreign market being Croatia with a 16 percent share of total revenue. The rest is distributed between the western Balkans countries and neighbouring markets of Austria, Italy and Germany. In line with its regional ambitions, Intereuropa’s strategy in recent years has been focused on efforts to gain a foothold in eastern European countries like Ukraine and especially Russia.

Eastern expansion In March 2009, Andrej Lovšin, the company’s CEO, unveiled strategic goals up to the year 2011 that, among others, outline the commitment to invest heavily in the markets of Eastern Europe. This investment cycle started back in 2006, the biggest investment being

Rescue efforts It is clear that the situation in Intereuropa is far more serious than previously thought. The ongoing economic crisis has not spared the company and sales figures for the first quarter are 27 percent below forecast. The biggest drop is evident in overland transport and automobile logistics. The company’s EBITDA was EUR 4.3m, missing last year’s results by a wide margin.

In the first quarter, Intereuropa was showing a loss of EUR 3m.

If the company is to put the mess behind it, it needs to implement tougher measures in managing costs, reinforce a team spirit that would ensure the readiness of employees to accept new measures and prepare a comprehensive system of risk management.

“Despite tough economic and financial conditions, Intereuropa is financially stable and will continue to ensure business liquidity,” announced the company. They also added that they were able to extend bank credits and reprogram debts with individual banks.

Let us hope that proves true, for it would be a shame to witness the fall of once mighty and proud company that just a few years ago could do no wrong.

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28 LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Interview: Robert Časar

Spanning Continents Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia’s only port in the coastal city of Koper, is the pillar of Slovenian logistics sector. Being one of the most attractive gateways to Europe for Asian exporters, the port has saw its business grow quickly in the years of world economic boom. With the world trade slumping in the face of recession, the port is looking for ways to make its services even more efficient. We talked to Luka Koper’s boss Robert Časar.

By Marko Vuković

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

Due to the after-effects of the financial crisis, which numerous economic activities will experience, we expect our throughput to be eight percent lower than in 2008.

The Slovenia Times

In 2008, over 16 million tonnes of freight passed through the Port of Koper for the first time. How do you assess the trends in the logistics sector in the future years of crisis and how will it affect the business performance of the Port of Koper?

Due to the after-effects of the financial crisis, which numerous economic activities will experience, we expect our throughput to be eight percent lower than in 2008. In order to mitigate the after-effects of the crisis, we have adopted a number of organisational, marketing and other measures directed towards controlling the situation as effectively as possible. The same holds true for investments into port facilities and other undertakings. We are continuing the investments started and will complete them, despite

the fact that the after-effects of the financial crisis have also influenced the situation in the Slovene financial market.

In our marketing strategy, we place great emphasis on reinforcing the services that increase the added value of goods. New services currently being implemented are brought about especially by the development of the logistics activities’ offer in the background. As a completely new product, we plan to supplement freight transport with passenger transport. We are developing the principal activity in the direction of providing comprehensive logistics coordination services. We are also achieving recognition as a provider of our own rail transport, especially for establishing connections between background terminals.

The previous year has been a successful year for the Port of Koper. In addition to an increase in transport and income, you succeeded in raising the added value by 14 percent. What are the reasons behind such a successful business result?

For the Port of Koper Group, 2008 was primarily characterized by some very intensive investment activity. The new investment cycle, which was established in the anniversary year of 2007, had begun to visibly change the image of our port and its background terminals. However, all this would not be possible without successful business performance, which continued in the previous year.

The Groups’ business results were good, despite the fact that the net income alone does not disclose that. It amounted to over 17

April, the situation had improved slightly, as subsidies to support the automobile industry were introduced in certain countries. Our storage facilities are relatively full, so we shall see what summer months will bring.

million euro, which is 44 percent less than in 2007. The reason for this reduction lies primarily in the breakdown of capital markets.

Disinvestment of financial assets would not be rational under such circumstances.

How well does your strategy of re-routing your activities towards work with more profitable freights? The automobile industry is in crisis, could this mean problems for the Port of Koper?

A major part of the investments we have undertaken is directed towards containers and automobiles. Nevertheless, we must not forget that one of the advantages of the Port of Koper is its multiplicity, and we are therefore able to compensate for losses in certain freight segments with others.

The recession has shaken the automobile industry most of all. In

Recently, we have often heard talk of integration with the ports of Reka and Trieste. What effects would this have on the development of port operations in the region?

This is a long-standing idea and an initiative for the combined performance of the North Adriatic ports on the global market. It is a fact that the North Adriatic ports have a greater potential for success in relation to the North European ports if we stand together. It is important that trade flows are rerouted into the Adriatic; a healthy competition will then ensure that freight is divided between us.

You are in the middle of an investment cycle; you intend to construct a third pier. What financial resources are involved?

The third pier is a part of the preparation of the national spatial plan for the comprehensive regulation of the Port of Koper. Certain plans have already been made, but it is too early to discuss the exact figures.

What do you wish to achieve by establishing logistics centres in Sežana, Prekmurje and Romania?

We can only make optimal use of port facilities if we supplement them with effective transport and logistics connections. We enhance our presence in Central and Eastern Europe through developing modern logistic and distributional centres located on the axles of

the European transport corridors.

Through Adria Terminali, d.o.o., we manage a land logistic centre in Sežana. The company is thus becoming a developer of the European Distribution Centre. We have become partners with the Railport Arad s.r.l. and SC Trade Trans Terminal s.r.l. companies in the project for constructing a logistics centre and a container terminal in the Romanian town of Arad. The opening of the terminal in Romania is planned for the first half of 2009. The Panonia distribution centre will be constructed in Lipovci at Beltinci and the Port of Koper will provide a quality supply route for clients in the key markets of Austria and Hungary using a just-in-time policy.

There had been talk of transhipping Brazilian bio fuels through the Port of Koper. What can you tell us about this?

During last year’s visit by the Ambassador of Brazil to the Port of Koper, an interest in this was expressed. We have also had a number of further contacts, though we have not determined any specific measures so far.

What is your view of the Slovene logistics holding, of bonding with the Deutsche Bahn and of the possible construction of an intermodal logistics centre at the Ljubljana airport? What role could the Port of Koper play here?

I believe that bonding with strategic partners and thus bringing in new business opportunities is welcome. Nevertheless, the status of the Port of Koper must not be damaged, and neither should it affect the autonomy of Slovenia’s only port.

Robert Časar

This is a long-standing idea and an initiative for the combined performance of the North Adriatic ports on the global market. It is a fact that the North Adriatic ports have a greater potential for success in relation to the North European ports if we stand together.

We can only make optimal use of port facilities if we supplement them with effective transport and logistics connections.

We enhance our presence in Central and Eastern Europe through developing modern logistic and distributional centres located on the axles of the European transport corridors.

LOGISTICS SPECIAL

You transship increasing quantities of fruit. What are the advantages of the Port of Koper in this area compared to other ports?

In what way does cooperation take place with Alexandria?

The Koper fruit terminal has a long-standing tradition and ranks highly among clients for the quality of its services. Investments into renovating the ripening depots and a new conditioned storage facility in Sežana have already produced results. The transshipment of fruit, vegetable and other highly perishable goods was increased by 212 percent in the previous year. We are planning a number of future investments in this kind of freight, as the fruit terminal is becoming an increasingly important point of entry for importers and distributors of various highly perishable goods, supplying Slovenia and other background markets.

Furthermore, we intend to tender for the management of a terminal for highly perishable goods in the Port of Alexandria.

Photo: F. Virant

Photo: J. Jeraša

LOGISTICS SPECIAL 29

30 PEOPLE

Michael Benson, author, filmmaker, photographer

On the Horizon: A Mission to the Mars Michael Benson is an author, filmmaker, journalist, photographer, and exhibitions producer of American origins who has mostly lived in Slovenia since 1991. He writes about various topics. His work has been published in leading American newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune, The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly and others. During the last decade, he spent much time working on cosmos-related projects. His award-wining large-scale book “Beyond: Visions of the Interplanetary Probes” has been published in five languages.

By Marjan Žiberna, photo by Marc Botte

Early years

“My work is strongly connected with the US, but thanks to the internet and 21st century telecommunications, living in Slovenia is not an obstacle to doing what I do. I still want to go and see the space shuttle launch, though, before they stop launching them; that would be easier if I lived in the US.” The Slovenia Times

Benson started his professional career in the early 1980s, working as a news assistant and contributor to The New York Times.

After two years, he left the paper and started a career as a freelance journalist. In 1986, he started writing a series of articles covering the opening of the Soviet underground rock music scene during the “glasnost” (openness) period. The articles were published in Rolling Stone with his own photographs. At that time, he also wrote a documentary on Russian rock music for MTV, entitled “Tell Tchaikovsky the News.” In this period, he worked occasionally as a photojournalist for the Reuters in Moscow.

His photographs were published on the front pages of numerous magazines and newspapers, in-

cluding The International Herald Tribune.

In the late 1980s, Benson entered New York Film School. In 1991, he moved to Slovenia to make a documentary film about the Neue Slowenische Kunst collective (a controversial Slovenian political art collective, established in the early 1980s). The award-winning documentary, completed in 1995, was entitled “Predictions of Fire” (Prerokbe ognja). It offers outstanding insight into the Yugoslav conflict.

The film was shown on festivals all over the world. It premiered at the Sundance and Berlin International Film Festivals and won several best documentary festival awards. It was also awarded at the 1996 Vancouver International Film Festival. The jury released a statement with the award: “Predictions of Fire is intellectual dynamite. It explodes the icons and myths of communism and capitalism. Out of the shattered history of Slovenia, this film constructs a new way of looking at art, politics, and religion.”

A Space Era At that time, in the mid-1990s, Benson had begun using the internet to harvest photographs from deep space missions. He is interested in various things, but his enduring fascination is space. It began in the late 1960s – when he was seven – when Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin stepped on the Moon. It was also the time when Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” came out. “I was completely blown away by it,” recalls Benson.

In 2002, “A Space in Time,” an article about using the internet to explore the Solar System, was published in The Atlantic Monthly magazine. As a result, he signed a contract with Abrams Books, a New York publisher of illustrated books. In 2003, his fa-

mous book “Beyond: Visions of the Interplanetary Probes” was published in English, Spanish, German, French and Japanese. It is based on the photographs sent to Earth from probes from more than four decades of missions to space. The source of the pictures, which were included in the book, is largely the internet, though he also got data direct from NASA’s image libraries.

“I started working on the project as a hobby,” recalls Benson. “I went through hundreds of thousands of space photographs. I spent some years going through these pictures. The contract with Abrams Books brought me financial support, which enabled me to go through all these pictures. It took about two years to finish the project.

“Almost all of those pictures are available in the public domain,” he explains, “meaning that you don’t even have to pay for the rights because they were paid for

by US taxpayers. There are some web sites that are NASA outreach sites and the images are already partly processed or processed, meaning mosaics were made out of them if necessary, i.e. colours were layered, and so on. The other source that I started to explore when I was working on my project was web sites that are used almost exclusively by planetary scientists. Those sites have every single picture taken, for example, by Voyager, Viking, Mariner, Galileo, the Mars Rovers, and Cassini, the flagship missions to the planets.

I started to go there looking for landscapes, looking for the amazing photos.

“And I also made mosaics using Photoshop because a lot of these missions were ordered to take pictures in rows, so that later they could be assembled. But not many bothered to ever assemble them, and if they did, they certainly

PEOPLE 31 didn’t do it for reasons having to do with aesthetics; these were planetary scientists, after all. The internet made it possible to do my work almost without any contact with the scientists, although I did develop good connection with some of them, because I was also writing about these topics and I wanted to find out what they were doing.”

The foreword for the book was written by the late futurist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. “I went with two Slovenians, Dragan Živadinov and Marko Peljhan, to visit him in Sri Lanka where Arthur lived,” explains Benson. “We went there to do an interview with him and to film him. We also wanted to inform him about Živadinov’s “Zero Gravity” theatre project, which Marko produced and I filmed. In some of his earlier work he was writing about how there would be art forms in zero gravity that nobody could really suspect. He was very hospitable and interested in what we had to show. I went scuba diving using his diving company and we spent a lot of time talking after Marko and Dragan had already gone back to Ljubljana. He always liked it when somebody interested in his work showed up, so we spent some quality time talking about space, about his writing …

Later, when I was doing my book, I went back and he agreed to do a foreword. He was a really interesting guy, a kind of a prophet.”

The book “Beyond,” which includes 295 digitally processed photographs, won First Prize for Design, Special Trade General Books Category at the 2004 New York Book Fair. It was called “an aesthetic revelation… a spectacular melding of science and art…”

(LA Times) and a “pioneering and magnificent collection of pictures… sublimely exhilarating…”

(Booklist).

In April, 2007, the American Museum of Natural History in New York exhibited a selection of largescale photographic prints from the book, a show that lasted a year. It was described as a “stunning series of pictures” (The New York Times) and as an “extraordinary exhibition” (New York Magazine).

Exhibitions followed in different places; in early October 2008, including in the medieval Franciscan Monastery in Piran, Slovenia. In 2008, a paperback edition of “Beyond” was also published.

Pending funding, next a very large-scale 150-picture version of the exhibition will be presented at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, the museum with the highest attendance figures in the world.

Benson’s essay What Galileo Saw was included in the anthology of the best American Science Writing 2004.

Science Writing Benson has also been writing articles for various newspapers all this time. His essay “What Galileo Saw,” on NASA’s mission to Jupiter, published in the New Yorker in 2003, was included in the anthology of the best American Science Writing 2004.

In January, 2004, The New York Times published his article “Can the Heavens Wait?” In it, Benson criticized NASA for its decision not to service the Hubble Space Telescope, which was carried into Earth orbit in April 1990. In his opinion Hubble is “surely the most important instrument in modern astronomy.” He advocated the reinstatement of a Space Shuttle servicing mission. After a campaign by many astronomers, science writers, representatives of the public and others, a Space Shuttle mission to service the Hubble was eventually reinstated; that flight was completed May 22nd and was completely successful, giving Hubble advanced new cameras and at least another five years of life.

In July 2008, the Washington Post published his piece entitled “Send It Somewhere,” which advocated retrofitting the International Space Station to convert it into an interplanetary spacecraft. The article prompted heated reactions, with many dismissing Benson’s ideas as impractical while others supported the concept.

Benson is an independent author with his own views of the future exploration of the cosmos, which don’t always coincide with the official view in the USA. “The percentage of NASA’s budget that’s going to actual exploration, meaning robotic exploration of the Solar System and the space telescopes, has gone down – which is not good,” he says.

“NASA has been mandated to create a new generation of manned spacecraft that are intended to leave Earth orbit for the first time since the last Apollo Moon mission of 1972. So, if we are going to have astronauts, human beings going into space, it makes a perfect sense to get them out of low Earth orbit and send them somewhere else. I think a good destination would be Mars; it captures human imagination.

But instead the initial target for these new launchers is supposed to be the Moon and making a Moon base. However the Obama administration is currently reevaluating the US space program and we will see what they end up advocating.”

When asked if mankind has sufficient knowledge and technology for safe travel to Mars, he answers: “We know enough about the affects of zero gravity to know the damage it does and amount of exercise necessary to avoid problems with muscle atrophy, and the loss of bone density.

One solution for that was already demonstrated in “2001: A Space Odyssey”: the creation of artificial gravity. Kubrick and Clarke based their wheel-shaped space station, which created artificial gravity conditions, on Slovenian scientist Herman Potočnik Noordung’s solution of the 1920s. It can be easily done, but for some reason we haven’t experimented with that in space yet. I would argue that it would be a smart thing to use it to design a spacecraft for Mars. But there is another issue; the dangerous radiation of the Sun encountered once you send a spacecraft outside of the Van Allen radiation belts that protect the Earth from it.

Subatomic particles that are fired from the sun can do damage to

“To be conscious of the immensity of the cosmos doesn’t frustrate me at all, it’s more something that is invigorating… it reminds me of a story about Buckminster Fuller, the great American polymath and futurist.

He was asked towards the end of his life by a journalist, whether he was frustrated that he’d never had a chance to go into space. He looked at the journalist for a long moment and then replied: “But my good man, we are in space!’” human cells, and also other interstellar subatomic particles are shooting from the stars all around us and all that can do damage. So it is crucial to explore what kind of shielding would be appropriate, but we don’t have very good solutions there. People would have to take a risk if they wanted to go and I’m sure there will be a lot of people who would be prepared to do that.”

Current and future projects A children’s version of “Beyond” was published by Abrams Books for Young Readers in the spring of 2009. Benson has also just finished a new adult book, “Far Out: A Space-Time Chronicle,” intended to present a definitive look at contemporary astrophotography, meaning images from the great observatories of objects in the Milky Way as well as other galaxies. The book will also present work by advanced amateur astrophotographers. It will be published by Abrams Books in late 2009, and will serve as a companion volume to “Beyond.” He also recently completed an ambitious global road movie called “More Places Forever.” The film was a coproduction between ZDF/Arte, TV Slovenia and Benson’s production company, Kinetikon Pictures. It features a visit to Arthur C. Clarke in Sri Lanka, among many other scenes shot in locations as diverse as Mongolia, Korea, Hong Kong, the United States, and Slovenia.

Michael Benson lives in Ljubljana with his wife, the Slovenian diplomat Melita Gabrič, who last year served as a senior advisor to the President of the General Assembly at the United Nations, and their eight-year-old son Daniel.

June 2009

LIFE STYLE

Let’s Go Out! The summer is approaching. Let’s do something for our health and flawless appearance! And we don’t even have to go far ... it is all out there in nature.

The Slovenia Times

Photos: Dreamstime

LIFE STYLE 33

4 Drinks for Pleasure

Beauty Drink of Bell Peppers and Fennel This drink is useful as it contains vitamin C, which purifies the blood and strengthens the connective tissue. Iodine, found in algae, facilitates the metabolism of fat.

For 1 glass of the drink, we need: 1 small red bell pepper 1 small fennel bulb 1 apple 0.5 dl of apple juice 1 tablespoon of spirulina algae (available in health food stores) Preparation: Wash the bell pepper, the fennel and the apple and slice them, unpeeled, into smaller pieces. Mix them all in a mixer then add the algae. Add the apple juice and stir well. Drink very cold.

Anti-Aging Drink of Peaches and Raspberries This drink is good for you as it offers a lot of plant energy, which strengthens the immune system. Peaches contain a lot of vitamin C, and raspberries and pineapple purify our blood and attend to firm connective tissue.

For 1 glass of the drink, we need: 1 peach 100 g (frozen) raspberries 150 g fat-free yogurt 1 dl buttermilk 0.5 dl pineapple juice Preparation: Wash the peach, halve it and remove the stone. PurĂŠe it in a mixer together with the raspberries then mix it with the yogurt and buttermilk. Add the pineapple juice, stir well and drink immediately.

Invigorating Drink with Basil

Anti-Stress Drink of Melon and Ginger

Essential oils and the secondary plant substance capsaicin, found in sweet peppers (capsicum), warm us up and puts us in a good mood.

Tryptophan, which is found in fat-free yogurt, invigorates us.

This drink from melons and ginger contains vitamin C and vitamin B6, which support the formation of the happiness hormone serotonin, and magnesium, which calms the nerves.

For 1 glass of the drink, we need: 1/2 bunch of basil 1/2 small sweet pepper 1-2 coriander seeds 1 cup (150 g) fat-free yogurt 0.5 dl fat-free kefir 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 0.5-1 dl mineral water

For 1 glass of the drink, we need: 1/4 of a melon 1 teaspoon of lime juice 1 small piece of ginger 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup 1-1.5 dl of grapefruit juice 1 sprig of lemon balm

Preparation: Rinse and dry the basil, then chop it. Chop the sweet pepper as well. Grind the coriander seeds. Stir it all into the yogurt, with the kefir, basil and lemon juice and mash it. Add the salt and pepper.

Pour the drink into a glass and add just enough mineral water to top up the glass. Drink immediately.

Preparation: Remove the seeds and core from the melon and mash it.

Add the lime juice. Peel the ginger and cut into small slices, then add it to the melon pulp, together with the maple syrup. Add cold grapefruit juice and stir. Pour the melon drink into a tall glass and garnish with the lemon balm.

June 2009

34 LIFE STYLE

Interview: Jerneja Kamnikar

We Served the Queen Originality, high professional and aesthetic standards, a personal approach and reliability, combined with exquisite food that emphasizes traditional Slovenian dishes with a modern twist are the formula for success that shapes Vivo Catering and makes it a trendsetter in the catering services industry in Slovenia.

By Polona Cimerman, photos by Vivo Catering through the years, our goal has remained the same: satisfying the most demanding guests, following the highest expert standards of quality, enhanced and enlivened with creativity and novelty.

How can you achieve excellence in this field of services?

We build our identification on the concept of innovation, which is our main trait. There is also our unique system of education of the personnel, our distinct style, which results in our distinct way of service, decoration, and appearance of our waiters. These are the small things that make us stand out. For us, it is important that everything is carried out professionally. This means that even a glass of water deserves to be served in the same way, with the same attention and care as a glass of the most expensive wine.

This means that even a glass of water deserves to be served in the same way, with the same attention and care as a glass of the most expensive wine.

Expertise is of extreme importance. Yet the crucial thing is the human factor. It can add that special “something” to a service or it can take it away.

The Slovenia Times

T

he proof that “cook i ng with love and serving with heart,” which is the company’s motto, truly pays off are the numerous important events that have been entrusted to their wellhoned team, which has managed to enthuse even the refined tastes of British monarchs. Jerneja Kamnikar, the director and founder of Vivo Catering is also the driving force of this flourishing company.

The beginnings of her business go back to 1993. It has always been present at key events of Slovene culture and society. They followed the flow of time and, in a way, reflected it.

Can you briefly present the evolution of catering business in Slovenia?

Back in 1993, times were different; the need for catering was just starting to emerge and shape itself.

More finances for promotional activities were available; events were more luxurious, as was catering.

The enlargement of the European Union changed social realities and consequentially transformed our product and service. Competition is now fiercer and one needs to offer more than before. Yet despite all the changes that occurred

So we are dealing with much more than just food and drinks…

We pay attention to the details and aesthetics and try to create true culinary experiences that would satisfy all five senses. We were the first catering house in Slovenia that offered something above the expected standards; our design was different, we had chefs preparing dishes in front of guests, our waiters wore tuxedos and white gloves; we were the pioneers who started this trend.

Where do you get ideas?

We have a creative head of the kitchen and a person who works

with personnel. The latter takes care of the new staff workers, but also deals with the aspirations and ambitions of the current employees. I believe this is essential for a successful and creative team.

Happiness and satisfaction are the two keys to a good performance which is vital for Vivo. The head of the kitchen is responsible for the overall style, the recipes and the decorations. When we prepare larger events for a thousand guests or more, we make whole concepts and we often engage external contractors to help us – designers, architects, people who work in textile industry. This is an additional advantage of Vivo.

These people add their share to the quality of our service with their expert knowledge from their specific field.

Catering is based on teamwork. How do you create harmony and reliability among your personnel?

This is the most demanding part of our industry. Vivo has an educational fund, which supports perspective pupils and students from vocational secondary schools and colleges. We include them in our projects years before they are capable of carrying them out independently. This is a way of gaining experience and becoming familiar with the mentality of Vivo and its outlook. It is very important that team members complement each other in terms of their personal characteristics and qualifications.

is more about good strategy and organisation.

Are summer caterings different from those in other seasons?

Very different – in terms of ingredients, food preparation and manner of service. There is a lot of live cooking and interaction with guests because many catering events are open-air. The leading of the event is different and so are the decorations. Each season brings new challenges, but as a rule the biggest one is making the occasion memorable, regardless of the external circumstances.

… are carefully designed, featuring various details, to which a lot of careful thought has been given.

They come in exquisite shapes and all are added a specific flavour that develops into divine mixtures which suit each and every taste. If you have not treated yourself in a long time, now is the time to experience a positively mouth-watering treat with a wide variety of chocolate creams …

Can a catering company practice environmental awareness?

We have set this as one of our paramount goals; we separate waste for recycling, use organic soaps, packages, fabrics, top quality kitchenware and also buy organic ingredients. Unfortunately, at the moment we cannot afford to use the latter consistently because of the global economic crisis, which has set new rules in the market, but we believe times are going to change and turn in favour of the use of organic produce.

Besides environmental awareness, there is team-building, which actively includes guests in the process of food preparation and service. These events are very popular and successful because they are fresh and original.

What challenges do you face serving both large groups and small parties?

These are two completely different fields; it is like macro- and micro-economy. Projects differ from each other right from the start, and we have people who specialize in either of domains.

Small caterings are based on details and it is extremely hard to satisfy the guests. The tiniest things matter and get noticed, while dealing with larger groups

And for the future?

We want to invest in the catering profession and form some sort of an academy that would educate chosen individuals to perfect their knowledge of handling the most demanding services. We plan to promote the development of the industry in Slovenia and Europe as well and expand our services to the congress sphere. But above all, the fundamental aim is to stay creative, innovative and enthusiastic about what we do.

…Can’t imagine going a day without fruit? Our selection of chocolate-dipped fruit is perfect for you: pear, apple, banana, ginger, melon, strawberry, pineapple, orange, plum, date, fig… The fruit is carefully selected and dipped into white, milk or dark chocolate…

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Expertise is of extreme importance. Yet the crucial thing is the human factor. It can add that special “something” to a service or it can take it away. This is the reason our staff consists of loyal people.

We need to know who they are because the demands of our profession are too high to take the risk of employing temporary personnel about whom we know nothing. Our team is based on stability, professionalism, loyalty and the culture of the heart.

…Elaborately designed with plenty of detail and a lot of care, each praline has an individual shape and a specific flavour to create a heavenly treat for every taste.

Has it been a while since you treated yourself? Enter a world of delights with the wide selection of Curkček pralines…

What memories do you hold about the visit of Queen Elisabeth II? That was a very special occasion and something that we will never forget. It was a great honour and, at the same time, a big test. The English protocol is one of the most demanding ones in the world, but at that time we did not think of that. We were completely focused on the execution of the feast, and each and every one of us just wanted to do their best. I remember how serenely we waited for her; there was this overwhelming positive atmosphere that completely filled the room. She truly is a charismatic personality, really warm and courteous. The feast was a success and a confirmation that we are on the right way.

Benedict, d.o.o., Mestni trg 11, 1000 Ljubljana www.cukrcek.si, info@benedict.si Cukrcek chocolate shop locations: Mestni trg 11, Nebotičnik underpass and Mercator center Šiška

36 DINE WITH STYLE

Vila Bled

Exquisite cuisine in a unique historic ambience The charming Vila Bled, a former residence of President Tito, delights guests with its unsurpassable setting in a magnificent park that leads down to the very shores of Lake Bled. The exceptional ambience and unique historical flair of the Vila Bled, which nowadays is a boutique hotel and exclusive restaurant, further enhance the outstanding culinary delights that may be sampled here.

Restavracija Vila Bled Cesta svobode 26, Bled Tel: +386 4 575 37 10 E-mail: info@vila-bled.si, www.vila-bled.si Every day: 12pm-10pm

The harmony of divine tastes

Delights of the French, Mediterranean and Slovenian cuisines.

Food type: French, Mediterranean and Slovenian Ambience: elegant, outdoor – lakeside Price range: 7-course tasting menu: 85 EUR, 5-course tasting menu: 55 EUR, 4-course tasting menu: 45 EUR Reservation: recommended

The Vila Bled’s restaurant offers masterpieces of classical French cuisine and superlatives of Mediterranean cooking, which are sure to carry guests to a world of heavenly tastes. The delicious treats are expertly prepared behind the scenes by master chef Igor Jagodic and his highly-experienced team. Igor, a member of the Slovenian National

Tasting Menu Prawn carpaccio with pea purée, grilled scallop, new peas and salad ***** Creamy green asparagus soup with potato espuma and cress ***** ‘Acquerello’ risotto with chanterelles and parmesan mousse ***** Fillet of wild sea bass on leek ravioli with grilled chicory ***** Elder sorbet with sparkling wine ***** Veal fillet with morels and stewed veal cheeks with topinambur purée and artichokes ***** Strawberry mousse with lavender, white chocolate mousse and rhubarb ice cream The Slovenia Times

Culinary Team and the winner of some of the most prestigious awards at Slovenian and international cooking competitions, is proudest of the two silver medals he won at the 2008 IKA Culinary Olympics. At the Vila Bled, he ensures that original Slovenian dishes in modern disguises also always make it onto the menu. He likes to find fresh ingredients for his artwork on nearby farms, while the most refined elements, such as goose liver, truffles and Pata Negra prosciutto cannot be left out. As an alternative to the à la carte offer, guests may opt for the tasting menu, from which they may select all seven courses or decide for a shorter five or four-course version.

The delights of exquisite cuisine are blended with the best Slovenian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Argentinean ‘noble drops’ of your choice or upon the recommendation of our sommeliers and are attentively served in the warm ambience of the restaurant or on its summer terrace.

Venue of the most prominent events The Vila Bled has long been the setting of prestigious events, as

Top choice

DINE WITH STYLE 37

Restavracija Calypso & Hotel

Kidričeva 7, Nova Gorica Tel : + 386 5 336 31 35 e-mail: restavracije.perla@hit.si Sun – Thu: from noon – 3pm, 7pm -midnight Fri – Sat (also on Italian holidays): from 7pm-1am

In Issue 116

Restavracija Smrekarjev Hram A la carte restaurant in the city centre of Ljubljana Nazorjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana Tel: + 386 1 308 19 07 E-mail: smrekarjev.hram@gh-union.si Every day from noon to 11 pm

Pri Vitezu Breg 20, Ljubljana Tel : +386 1 426-60-58 E-mail : privitezu@siol.net Mon-Sat noon-11pm (closed on holidays)

Restavracija Grad Otočec Tito used it for state purposes and hosted a plethora of statesmen and stateswomen of distinction here. Loyal to its rich history, it remains the venue of prominent get-togethers. Receptions and gala dinners at the highest level are carried out in the Concert Hall, the walls of which are embellished by a unique fresco

by Slavko Pengov. Alternatively, guests may opt for an elegant cocktail party in the lovely Belvedere Pavilion in the Vila Bled’s

park, which was once used by Tito for relaxed tea parties. An enchanting view reaches from here across the lake to the island as though it were in the palm of your hand.

Whether the reason for your visit to the Vila Bled is a lunch or dinner in the company of your family or friends, or a business event, you are sure to spend precious moments here, accompanied by delightful cuisine, excellent service and timeless elegance.

Featured wine

Prinčič Mihael Belo

Mihael White is a full flavoured, complete wine, suitable for drinking at any occasion. It is a blend of Rebula, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, matured in oak barrels.

This prestigeous dry white wine received Decanter prize in 2007.

Grajska cesta 2, Otočec Tel.: + 386 7 38 48 900 E-mail : booking.grad-otocec@terme-krka.si www.terme-krka.si Every day until 11pm

Bled Castle Special experiences for special occasions.

Cesta svobiode 11, Bled Tel : +386 4 579 44 24 Every day from 8am - 8 pm (November-April till 6pm) E-mail: blejski.grad@zkbled.si, events@vgs-bled.si www.hotelastoria-bled.com, www.zavod-za-kulturo-bled.si

Restavracija Vila Bled Delights of the French, Mediterranean and Slovenian cuisines.

Cesta svobode 26, Bled Tel: +386 4 575 37 10 E-mail: info@vila-bled.si, www.vila-bled.si Every day: 12pm-10pm

In Issue 117

Dvorec Zemono Tradition with innovation and creativity.

Kmetija Prinčič Kozana 11 5212 Dobrovo v Goriških Brdih Tel/fax: +386 5 30 41 272 tomaz.princic@siol.net www.princic.si

Gostilna pri Lojzetu Dvorec Zemono, 5271 Vipava tel : +386 5 368 70 07 e-mail : zemono@zemono.si

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June 2009

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Interview: Miha Petrič

Energizing Body, Mind and Soul Have you yet tried one real urban escape to any of the exotic asian centers of Thai massage? If the answer is no, you should do it as soon as possible, especially if you want to stay in good health and be proud of your great shape. It’s summer time, so you’ll need both even more. There are at least two types of Thai massage: relaxation and therapeutic. That’s why we spoke more to an expert Mr. Miha Petrič, Director of the Siam Thai Asian massage centre in Ljubljana whose Thai center offers the largest number of Thai masseurs in Slovenia. Enjoy when you’ll visit them!

In the last ten years, Thai massage has become highly sought after in Slovenia. Why is the conservative Slovenian culture so open to exotic massage methods?

Yes, our example is proof of the growing popularity of Thai massage in Slovenia. In 2001, we opened Sabai, our first massage salon, which was also the first Thai massage salon in Ljubljana.

Today, we own three Thai massage salons and employ the largest number of Thai masseurs in Slovenia. Our number of customers has grown considerably, meaning that Thai massage is becoming increasingly popular and highly valued. I am sure that, in addition to our high quality, experienced masseurs, other reasons for the increasing number of customers are the warm and friendly welcomes at reception and the unforgettable atmosphere and décor in our salons, where you will feel as if you were actually in Thailand.

The answer to your question is very simple. I believe that when we introduced Thai massage to Slovenia, the high quality of our The Slovenia Times

services along with the thousands of satisfied customers who return to our salons either occasionally or on a regular basis, have helped us to break down a taboo in our culture.

Which types of Thai massage are available at your salons?

We offer two types of relaxation and therapeutic Thai massage.

They are divided into traditional Thai massage, aromatherapy and reflexology. In addition to massage, customers can also enjoy our Siam Thai SPA therapies, which encompass relaxation therapy, therapy for active athletes, anti-cellulite therapy, therapy for pregnant women and facial care therapy.

Which is the most popular treatment with your customers and why?

That depends on the location.

In our salon in the Atlantis Water Park, the 50 minute massage with fragrance oils is the most popular, while in Siam Thai, our newest salon, at Dunajska 190 in Ljubljana, most customers choose

a 90 minute combination of traditional Thai massage and fragrance oil massage. At the Vivat spa in Moravske toplice, the location of our third salon, two types of massage are equally popular – a 70 minute traditional therapeutic massage and a 50 minute Thai massage with fragrance oils.

What is the difference between Thai massage and other Asian massage techniques? How is Thai massage different from traditional Western massage?

The main difference is in the technique. It is absolutely true that only a Thai person can perform Thai massage. Thai massage is famous for being one of the old-

est methods of curing everyday problems that are often consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Buddha’s doctor, Jivaka Kumar Baccha, is said to have developed Thai massage in India over 2500 years ago. The original ayurvedic tech n iques were presumably brought to Thailand from India

by Buddhist priests in the 3rd century BC. Some of these techniques are depicted on the walls of the Phra Chetuphon temple in Bangkok. Later on, Chinese immigrants added their acupuncture techniques and the unique combination of Indian and Chinese massage was born.

Thai massage is based on the concept of “Sib sen” or the ten energy lines coursing through the entire human body. On these lines, there are acupuncture points that provide insight into the energy level of the body and enable the distribution of this energy among the body, mind and spirit. Traditional Thai massage creates a connection between the physical and spiritual body.

To whom would you most recommend Thai massage and how frequently should it be used?

I heartily recommend Thai massage to everyone, from children to older people, athletes and pregnant women; in short – people who care about themselves and their health. The frequency of visits depends on the individual. I would recommend that a first-time customer visit us at least once a week during the first month, then twice monthly for the next six months, and after that, once a month. Our satisfied customers would probably disagree with me, as the majority visit us every week.

We know that a visit to one of our salons and a massage from our skilful Thai therapeutists also makes for a great gift for your acquaintances, friends, loved ones or even business partners, so we also offer gift vouchers.

Finally, I would like to invite anyone who wants to attain harmony of the body, mind and soul, to visit one of our Thai massage salons, particularly our newest salon, Siam Thai, which recently opened at Dunajska 190, in Ljubljana. If you have any questions, we can be reached at 0590/751 00 or 041/319 888.

Photo: Siam Thai

Photo: Siam Thai

38 LIFE STYLE

Photo: Dreamstime

LIFE STYLE 39

Asian Secrets for Healthy Hair

Asian women know how to care for their hair in order to keep it healthy and lush. Their hair shines like lacquered products and is strong yet flexible like bamboo. The essences from the plants they use to nurture their hare can benefit our hair as well.

M

ore and more hair care products contain additives of Japanese or Chinese origin, such as ginkgo, wild ginger or apricot seed oil. However, these products are only effective when used correctly. Shampoo and other hair care products should match the quality of our hair and we must also pay attention to the ingredients.

Ginkgo biloba contains essences that make hair healthy and strong.

Even Goethe dedicated a poem to this plant. In cosmetic industry, Essences from ginkgo leaves are used in making creams that protect the skin from he early aging processes and it is also added to various shampoos and other hair care products. Ginkgo strengthens the scalp and blood circulation within the scalp. We can also buy ginkgo essences in ampoules, which help prevent hair loss.

Ginger makes hair lush and shiny. Thus, we do not merely use ginger root as a spice. Freshly grated ginger rood helps prevent seasickness, while ginger tea (two centimetres of ginger root boiled in a litre of water) is a beauty drink that facilitates our digestion and metabolism. Ginger extracts are added to shampoos and other hair care products. Ginger juice provides the hair with the necessary moisture, volume and a silky shine and helps us to comb through the hair. Hair care products most often contain extracts of wild ginger (avapuhi), to which people attribute an extraordinary healing power.

One of the wise Asian sayings teaches: the quality of hair is dependant on the fertility of the ground from which it grows. To put it another way: hair does not only need external care, but in-

ternal care as well. The best substance to achieve this is soy. It is known that soy inhibits the aging processes and is thus used in making creams and medications. Amino acids contained in soy suppor t t he formation of growth hormones. Soy also contains a lot of phytoest rogenes (plant oestrogen).

This hormone-like substance accelerates growth and improves skin f lexibilit y. If we eat twentyfive grams of soy per day, we can see its effects in a very short time. It is irrelevant wheth-

er we drink soy milk and yogurt or eat soy cheese (tofu) or protein pellets made of soy.

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Dveri-Pax wines

Top of the World At the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition, which took place in London from 20 to 24 April, the Dveri-Pax wine cellar from Štajersko won 9 prestigious awards, proving, yet again, that it deserves a place among the world’s top quality wine growers.

The past few days have been extremely exciting for representatives of the DveriPax wine cellar from Jarenina, as they eagerly awaited the official results of the Decanter wine evaluation in London. In terms of the number of participating countries and wines, this is the largest competition of its kind. This year, 10,285 wine

samples were entered, and nine DveriPax wines were among the winners.

The Sauvignon 2008, Sauvignon Vajgen 2007, Riesling 2008 and Riesling M 2007 received the silver award, while bronze was awarded to the Dveri-Pax Janez 2008, Furmint 2008, Chardonnay Vajgen 2007 and the Fur-

mint dry grape assortment Welschriesling 2006. Dveri-Pax is also very proud of their Pinot Noir, which received the Commended Wine title.

“These awards are a reward for all the effort and knowledge we invest in the production of our wines throughout the entire year,” says oenologist and Dveri-

Pax Director Danilo Flakus. “After last year’s highly successful autumn harvest and an excellent start to the year with an abundant ice wine harvest, these awards are further proof that Slovenians grow top quality wines that can compete with the world’s best wines and wine growers and, above all, are well worth toasting with.”

June 2009

Photo: Siam Thai

40 LIFE STYLE

A

Care with Tropical Fruit Whoever communicates using arms and legs, should understand their language.

Temple dancers at Bali are especially lovely at it. We, however, may have to work a little harder to achieve such sensual arms. For this reason, we will use the best tropical recipes.

The Slovenia Times

t Bali bathing sites, wrapping the body in papaya is a part of everyday care.

First they mash the papaya fruit.

The pulp is applied to the skin of the entire body and the body is wrapped in plastic foil, where it sweats for twenty minutes. When the body is cleaned, the skin is divinely supple. Let us reveal the secret of this recipe. Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which regenerates the skin and makes it smooth. This enzyme has a similar effect to that of fruit acids, which remove callous skin cells without irritating the skin. In this way, wrinkles and sun freckles slowly disappear – even from the skin on our hands.

Papaya hand wrap – we need a small ripe papaya. Scoop out the fruit around the seeds and mash it. Apply the pulp to your hands, forearms and elbows then wrap all these in plastic film. Leave to work for twenty minutes then wash it off with water and apply a nutritious cream. You can leave the papaya pulp on your hands overnight, if you wish. Wear cotton hand gloves in order to keep the bedding clean, which you can buy in a cosmetic store.

If you want men to fall down on their knees, treat yourself to a luxurious foot treatment with royal pampering, containing a bath, a peeling, a wrapping and foot ornamentation. Members of the higher casts on Bali always keep a prepared pot of water containing a few drops of eucalyptus oil and fresh flowers in their bedroom. They wash their feet every night in a ritual bath in honour of the Hindu god Sang Hjang Vidhi, who is in charge of the harmony in life.

Native women in Java mostly use avocado and aloe for their skin care treatment. We get a simple and efficient foot coating if we mash a ripe avocado with a fork and apply the pulp to our feet.

Leave the coating to work for fifteen minutes then wash it off with water. If you have bought a hard, unripe avocado, you should wrap it in a newspaper and leave it to ripen.

Interview: Lea Sevšek Buterin

Beauty for Life Lea Sevšek Buterin, Head of the wellness centre, Terme & Wellness LifeClass, Portorož, made a decision as a young girl to dedicate her professional and private life to health, wellness and beauty. After finishing Secondary School for Cosmetics, this decision took her to Thailand, where she attended several schools and took part in various workshops and lectures on traditional Thai massage, Thai culture, Thai medicine using natural herbs and Thai cuisine. Upon her first return home after spending several months in Thailand, she opened her own Spa centre. She returned to Thailand for two months of every year for the four years that followed.

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Where does the idea of the LifeClass wellness centre stem from and what makes it different from other wellness centres in Slovenia and abroad?

It has been ten years now since we first got the idea of adding a wellness centre to our hotels. We were looking for something new to offer our guests, something they would not find anywhere else in Slovenia or even in Europe, so we came up with the idea for the Wai Thai Centre, offering traditional Thai massages. In Thailand, I successfully completed a training course for teaching traditional Thai massage and at that time, I was the only person in Slovenia with professional knowledge of Thai massage.

Since I would not have been able to do all the work myself (laughs) and we wanted to make the Wai Thai Centre as genuine as possible, we decided to look for Thai therapeutists. We managed to hire them after an entire year of paperwork. In 2006, the old Palace spa was renovated and converted into a wellness centre that now offers the most comprehensive health, spa and wellness services in Europe. In the context of Terme & Wellness LifeClass, we currently have 7 wellness centres in a space of 10,000 m2: Shakti Ayurveda Centre, Thalasso Centre, Wai Thai, Sauna Park, a thermal and exercise centre with thermomineral water and heated seawater pools, a medicine and physiotherapy centre and the Beauty Centre. The LifeClass Hotels & Spa chain

also owns the Thai Si hotel near Treviso in Italy. As the name suggests, the hotel focuses mainly on Thai treatments.

I believe that the difference between us and other centres is, above all, our professionalism and high level of expertise – all of our centres employ highly educated therapeutists, doctors and other professionally qualified people. The Shakti Ayurveda Centre employs eight highly educated therapeutists from India, recommended by the Kerala state government, with which we signed a cooperation agreement. I should explain that in India, ayurveda is recognised as an official medical treatment and the state of Kerala has the most highly developed ayurveda treatment system in the country. The medicine and physiotherapy centre employs two Doctors of Medicine, both specialising in the field of acupuncture; one of them is also a specialist in the field of balneology. The thermal and exercise centre employs a trainer with a degree in physical education who advises guests on their exercise regime, as well as ways of body shaping and so on.

How would you describe the energy that makes you so successful? What are your expectations for the future?

The energy probably stems from a very simple fact. Even as a young girl, I wanted to do exactly what I do today. I decided very early on to dedicate my professional

and private life to health, wellness and beauty.

As far as the future is concerned, in recent years, the number of wellness centres in Slovenia and in Europe has grown incredibly quickly. There are many high quality wellness centres in Europe and, unfortunately, there also seem to be more and more centres with extremely unprofessional services and low levels of expertise and quality. I think the only possibility to ensure a future for this field is by differentiating the good products from bad.

We must also bear in mind that wellness treatments represent a prestigious service not everybody can afford, so another possibility for the future is to transform some of the standard wellness services into a medical wellness service. The healthcare needs of individuals will give medical wellness services an advantage over “beauty and pampering” wellness services.

When and why did you decide to introduce exotic programmes, such as Wai Thai, Thalasso and Ayurveda?

Well, as I said, the Wai Thai Centre idea was born during one of my many stays in Thailand and I also became interested in ayurveda after several visits to India.

Portorož has an over 900-year-old tradition of thalassotherapy and I feel it is essential for our centre to continue and build on what is a truly unique tradition.

When establishing these centres, did you look for solutions abroad, perhaps in Thailand and India, the home countries of these traditions? Or did you decide to adapt them to Western tastes?

While I was in Thailand and India, I visited and became thoroughly familiar with every large Thai and Ayurveda centre in the country, traditional as well as luxury establishments adapted to tourist demands.

I was very lucky in that I was able to meet many renowned ayurvedic experts and experts in Thai massage and I was able to apply my knowledge and experience to the Shakti Ayurveda and Wai Thai centres. The aim of our centres is definitely to provide a genuine experience and use the best of what tradition has to offer.

You employ foreign experts in order to provide high quality and comprehensive services. How do they feel in Slovenia, considering they come from the East and from large countries?

Most of our foreign therapeutists come from Thailand and India and are employed in the Wai Thai and Shakti centres. Living in Slovenia certainly means a big change for them, since they come from countries that are so different in size, customs, culture and tradition. But regardless of these differences, they all continue to inspire our guests and the Slovenian employees of Terme & Wellness LifeClass with their natural warmth, honest smiles and positive outlook on life. We see every employee of the Centre as part of a whole, so we are very happy when our Thai or Indian friends invite us to join them and take part in celebrating their holidays and learning about their customs and culture. That is an honour and a great pleasure for us. They have shown me that we often get far too stressed out over insignificant things, so I feel that Slovenians could learn a lot from them and especially from their unshakable optimism.

Lawns: A Useful and Attractive Addition to Any Gardene A lawn surrounded by blooming flower beds is a beautiful sight. It makes for a useful and attractive part of any garden, providing contrast to colourful flowerbeds, a soft playground for children and a space for relaxation. A large lawn will create a balance of colour in the environment, as well as offering a calming and relaxing sight.

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lawn can be grown from grass seed, but it can take as long as a year before it is fully established, while laying a lawn with turf produces instant results. The lawn is ready for normal use in two to three months. Laying a lawn with turf is particularly advisable if you own pets that could damage the grass seedlings.

Before choosing the seed or turf, you must assess the importance of appearance, durability and maintenance demands of the lawn. The type of soil, its draining qualities and the amount of sunshine in the area should also be taken into account.

Types of grass differ in appearance, growth rate and resistance to loads: high quality lawns have a very gentle texture, while a hardier lawn is more suitable for family use.

Once the lawn takes root, it requires regular care to remain healthy and attractive. The most frequent lawn care jobs are mowing and watering, while annual maintenance includes fertilisation, sanding, aeration and extermination of moss, weeds, diseases and pests.

The first mowing of a lawn grown from seed is extremely important.

The grass should be mowed once it reaches a height of 8 to 10 cm. At the first mowing, the grass should only be cut by 3 cm and not to the minimum height. At each following mowing, the cut should be gradually lowered until the desired height is reached. The first mowing of a lawn laid with turf should also be higher than the minimum; it can be cut to the desired height at the second mowing.

Regular mowing makes the lawn thick and healthy with a soft and inviting surface that is pleasant to walk on. Mowing should be more frequent in warm and wet conditions (in the early and late summer). In dry periods, either avoid mowing altogether or do not cut the grass to minimum height. Mowing should also be avoided in very wet or cold weather.

Do not remove more than a third of the leaf mass in one mowing. If the lawn is only mowed occasionally and always too low in height, it will try to grow back to its full height after each mowing. This will exhaust the grass and decrease its quality. Mow your lawn regularly in the summer when

the grass grows faster and less frequently in the spring and autumn.

Quality lawns are cut to a very low height. In order to keep their appearance, mow them very frequently (every two or three days in the summer). Surfaces for walking and playing should be cut to a height of 2.5 to 4 cm. In the summer, cut the grass to 4 or 5 cm to allow the blades of grass to provide shade to the roots and maintain moisture in the soil.

For the rest of the year, you can mow the lawn to 2 or 3 cm, the height most resistant to wear. On average, the lawn should be mowed once a week and twice a week in periods of intense growth.

If you have a quality lawn, use a mower that collects the grass cuttings. Removing the cuttings creates a finer surface and prevents the formation of lawn felt. Lawn felt is formed on the surface of the ground from a combination of runners and stolons. Runners are long horizontal shoots on top of the soil surface that

grow roots when they come in contact with soil. Stolons are similar to runners, but they spread below the soil’s surface. Runners and stolons can stay on the ground for years before decomposing fully. Grass cuttings, leaves and other decomposing plants only serve to increase the thickness of the felt.

If you find felt in your lawn, do not worry. If the layer is less than 1 cm thick, it can have a beneficial effect on your lawn, since it decreases the wearing effect of walking on the grass, prevents the lawn from drying out, minimises changes in temperature and allows earthworms to convert some of the leaf mass into nutrients. Unfortunately, a layer of felt will grow thicker over the years if it is not removed in a timely manner.

In order to avoid the formation of lawn felt, we must understand what causes it. Felt is a sign of imbalance between growth and decomposition.

In order to stimulate decomposition, try to keep the pH of the soil between

6 and 7. Soil with higher acidity will impede the growth and development of worms, insects and bacteria that are part of the decomposing process.

Due to its lack of air, clay soil can also hinder these organisms from taking part in the decomposition process.

The solution is to aerate your lawn.

Another factor that contributes to felt formation is over-fertilisation with fertilisers that are rich in nitrogen. A thick layer of felt stops water from reaching the roots of the grass, as well as impeding the evaporation of excess moisture after heavy rains.

This causes the grass to grow shallower roots, requiring frequent watering to remain fresh. Thick layers of felt also provide the perfect hiding place for pests and diseases.

Felt can only be removed through physical intervention. If it covers a small area, you can remove it with a sharp metallic rake. Use the rake to cut the felt and the top layer of roots into pieces and remove them. Rake the surface in all directions, top to

bottom and left to right. If the layer of felt is very thick, leave the lawn to rest for a month and then repeat the process. Raking also serves to loosen the soil and aerate the lawn, stimulating growth and development of deeper roots. Aerate the lawn early in spring and autumn and more often if necessary. In addition to cutting the felt and raking the lawn, use an ordinary or hollow pitchfork to make holes every 30 cm in the surface of the lawn. The holes will serve as pores providing the roots with air and room for growth. Next, use a garden broom or fan rake to spread a mixture of very fine flint sand, soil and peat substitute over your lawn and into any holes. This will improve the air flow, fill the dents and level the surface. If necessary, sow additional grass seed.

For additional fertilisation, a membrane fertiliser can be used once a year. Membrane fertilisers gradually release nutrients throughout the entire season of growth, eliminating the danger of damaging the grass.

Membrane fertilisers are environmentally friendly, since the gradual release prevents the fertiliser from reaching the groundwater. The membrane releases nutrients depending on the temperature of the soil. In springtime, when temperatures are higher and grass grows faster, more nutrients are released. This way, your lawn receives the right amount of nutrients throughout the entire season of growth. Membrane fertilisers can be spread at any time during the season of growth, but are best when spread in April.

In addition to mowing and fertilisation, watering is another of the most important lawn care jobs. If you want a thick, healthy and green lawn, you must provide it with enough water during the main period of growth, from spring to autumn.

Most types of grass are fairly resistant to drought. Sandy or stony ground retains less moisture, making the lawn more susceptible to drought. Grass growing on heavy clay

soil will be more drought resistant. If the ground is well prepared and contains enough organic nutrients, it will survive the drought better.

Before you start watering, make sure the lawn actually needs to be watered. When you lift your foot from the lawn, the grass blades should spring back up immediately. If this does not happen, it means the lawn needs to be watered. If you are not entirely sure your lawn is too dry, lift a piece of the turf and push a sharp stick or metallic object into the soil.

The stick should push through the soil smoothly and easily. When you pull it out, it should be wet along the length of 8 cm. If it is not, the lawn needs to be watered.

During the summer heat, water your lawn during the coldest part of the day, early in the morning or late in the evening, when the ground has cooled off. Watering in the heat can cause patches of singed grass and a large loss of water through evaporation. On colder days, water the lawn in the middle of the day. Stick to watering less frequently with more water. This way, the water can soak deeper into the soil where the roots can reach it. Daily watering with smaller amounts of water increases the possibility of diseases. Daily watering will cause the roots of the grass to grow shallower; with shallow roots, missing a day or two of watering can kill the grass.

litres or one average watering can of water per square metre. If you are using a garden hose, you should stand in the same spot for quite a while and direct a gentle spray of water at the lawn. Ideally, the water should soak 7 to 10 cm deep into the soil. If you are using an irrigation system, make sure the water reaches every part of the lawn. Any corners, edges and surfaces by walls can dry out quickly in a drought and should be watered carefully.

The ideal way to water your lawn is to do it twice a week using about 10

Areas of the lawn that appear to be dried out are not necessarily a con-

sequence of drought, but can also be the result of cat or dog urine.

These yellow areas will dry out and do not require additional care. After a month or two of regular watering, the grass will grow back even thicker. Urine contains ammonia, a component of all organic grass fertilisers. The high concentration of ammonia in urine singes the grass, but also enriches the soil. You will be surprised by the thick and beautiful grass growing where the yellow spot used to be.

Vanja MoÄ?nik Rozman s.p., uni.dipl.inĹž.agr.

Bukovica pri Vodicah 52, 1217 Vodice 031 681 185, info@vrtnarstvo.com www.vrtnarstvo.com

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The next step in lawn care is fertilisation. Your lawn needs nitrogen to grow, produce protein and stay a beautiful shade of green. Other important components are phosphorus, for increasing the growth rate of roots, and potassium, for better resistance to droughts, diseases and cold. Spread the fertiliser across the lawn as evenly as possible. Use a spreader to avoid uneven fertilisation that results in areas of lighter and darker grass. If you accidentally drop too much fertiliser in one area, wash it out with a large amount of water as soon as possible.

Close To Home, Close To The Heart Just before the beginning of the main tourist season, the Slovenian Tourist Board is launching a new marketing and communications project under the motto CLOSE TO HOME, CLOSE TO THE HEART, with which it invites Slovenes to spend their holiday in their homeland. is also confirmed by the World Economic Forum’s assessment of competitive advantages for the development of the tourism sector in the field of pure drinking water, where Slovenia was awarded first place among the countries taken in by the survey. Water is not only the competitive advantage of Slovenia as a tourist destination, but is also present in all products of Slovenian tourism. Namely, Slovenia boasts a unique type of water with the highest magnesium content per litre of water in the entire world, as well as numerous sources of salubrious water, which, combined with curative mud, salts, the air, etc., has a soothing and beneficial effect on the preservation of good health and offers many opportunities to relax and to feel good, even during summer holidays.

As part of the project, half-litre plastic bottles containing source water and bottled by project part-

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Slovenian guests are of great importance to Slovenian tourism, as the share of domestic holidaymakers accounts for over 50 per cent of all tourists. The STO is well aware of the importance of domestic guests, therefore they launched their new marketing and communications project under the motto CLOSE TO HOME, CLOSE TO THE HEART, its main objective being to present to domestic holidaymakers the natural beauties of Slovenia and the wide range of possibilities of short breaks and holidays available in Slovenia.

The STO organises the project CLOSE TO HOME, CLOSE TO THE HEART in collaboration with various project partners and members of the Slovenian tourism industry.

The Slovenian Tourist Board chose water as the central marketing and communications tool. The choice stems from the pristine qualities of nature and water in Slovenia, which

www.slovenia.info Book ONLINE Or call: +386 4 280 30 30

ner, UNITUR, will be made available at Petrol fuel stations starting from 1st June. The plastic bottles will feature a special label (sticker) with the motto CLOSE TO HOME, CLOSE TO THE HEART, the water theme and an invitation to take part in the prize game organised in association with project partner, the Association of Slovenian Natural Health Resorts (SSNZ). Anyone who fills out the coupon on the bottle label and sends it to the address printed on the label will enter the prize draw for many attractive prizes, courtesy of Slovenian natural health resorts, members of the SSNZ. At the start of the project, Dimitrij Piciga, MBA, Director of the Slovenian Tourism Board, emphasised that the STB decided on the project aimed at encouraging domestic holidaymakers to choose Slovenia as their holiday destination due to the importance of the

segment of Slovenian guests. Slovenia may be small in size, yet for many Slovenes it may still be an undiscovered green treasure trove of hidden tourist gems, from the Coast to Prekmurje and from Bela krajina to Gorenjska. At the same time, the tourist offer of individual destinations boasts great variety.

The many tourist packages provide experiences for target groups that differ greatly from one another: from families to those with a passion for active holidays.

With its relatively small area, Slovenia offers great accessibility whereby individual tourist destinations are never very far away.

Therefore, in Slovenia, great breaks and holidays are, at the same time, close to one’s home and close to the heart… This indeed explains the key message conveyed by the project with which the STB wishes to invite Slovenes to discover the tourist offer of their homeland.

Photo: SCT Krvavec

46 LIFE STYLE

Leisure

When Sun Takes Over Ski resorts are undergoing major changes; as a result of the new Active Slovenia project, they are leaving their doors open in the summer time and catering to visitors all year round.

By Tanja Goršič

T

he Active Slovenia project was initiated last year before the start of the winter season. It unites several mountain recreational centres as well as other service providers, such as hotels, restaurants, and even cultural institutions. The aim of the project is to join services and to offer their customers a diversity of possibilities in a certain area.

The list of partners is long and still growing. New providers are added daily, the internet site is updated constantly, reflecting the offers at a given moment.

The Olympic card project– a c a rd of fe r i ng d i s cou nt s for

sports activities – was the precursor to the Active Slovenia project. “Damjan Pintar, the current president of the Chamber of Commerce was the father of this project,” said Dušan Božičnik the president of the Chamber of Mountain-ski Centres, adding that “only by joining powers, can we create such a versatile a project as Active Slovenia.”

W hen t he t wo proje ct s w i l l merge, Olympic Card holders will also be entitled to same the 20% discount as is offered to the Active Slovenia holders.

“It is exactly in these difficult times of recession that such

projects invite a greater number of people,” Božičnik asserts.

“Free time is to be spent actively, not sleeping,” says Božičnik, “and the Active Slovenia card gives you the unique possibility of just following the inspiration of the moment.” Decision-making becomes even easier since the card holder is entitled to a 20% discount with all the services provided by the partners, be it accommodation, food or culture.

As of now, as many as sixteen cultural institutions that have joined the project, including museums, cinemas, etc.

“An additional aim of the Active Slovenia brand is to build an online portal where all the information on the participating centres will be gathered and constantly updated. It will include information about the snow conditions (the so-called Snow Phone), special offers, current events, activities, and cultural programme. The entire offer will be available in one place,” says Janez Antolinc, marketing expert at the Active Slovenia project.

Progressive Ideas

The basic goal is to attract people to come skiing; the next stage is to promote food sales on site by offering the same 20% discount. The idea is to offer an all-encompassing service.

The aim of the card itself is to promote trade. This year, around 1,800 cards were sold in the winter season. The card is prepared quickly and easily on the spot at every Skidata holder.

The plan for the future is for the user to be able to ski in Austria, France, or anywhere else, as well as attracting our neighbouring nations to ski here.

The Active Slovenia project is the result of some truly forward thinking, as it aims to offer a Slovenian holiday as a personalized active itinerary. Users simply choose whichever sport and additional activities they like. The principle is based on the merging of businesses, which will, in the future, surpass national borders; Božičnik is convinced, especially in the times of European open market. The project is already a member of two international organizations: the OITAF and FIA Net. The Slovenia Times

Commercial Expectations

Photo: SCT Krvavec

LIFE STYLE 47

The card contains a chip and thus all the personal information of the user. The data is stored securely in Salzburg, from where the project is operated, and the information can only be accessed by an authorized person. The user simply comes to a skiing resort and uses the card, with its discounts, for all the activities available.

The card is also suitable for foreign visitors. Božičnik says that one of their first products was a card valid for six days which gave the visitors an open choice as to which resorts they want to visit. It is versatile as one can combine visits to, for example, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Kanin or elsewhere. All of Slovenia is easily navigable due to it size so the options are limitless. This will become especially apparent after shuttles are introduced, connecting the various ski resorts.

The winter season…

The past winter season was quite satisfactory, according to Božičnik and even though the weather was not as favourable as one might have wished, the number of domestic tourists was the highest it had been in many years. This was probably due to the effects of the recession. People avoided more expensive skiing holidays abroad and choosing local skiing centres.

The resorts records 1,600,000 visitors, which is a 15% increase from the previous season. They had expected even more, since in the past they had reached 2,000,000 visitors, but this year the weather was unfavourable for a large part of the season. For the next winter season, the Active Slovenia project will be promoted even more, with radio reports, and other promotional activities.

What will happen next season is still unresolved, since all the domestic visitors will again probably move to foreign ski resorts. However, an interesting target group are also families with small children, as a major emphasis is put

on offering onsite day care. So while the kids are having fun the parents can have a good skiing day.

…and the summer that follows Every resort has prepared its own summer programme, which can be changed from week to week. Between 15 and 18 resorts also operate during the summer.

Some of them, for example Zelenica, operate only by previous notification. A group has to announce their arrival two days in advance so that they can be taken uphill by ski lifts and continue with the mountaineering and trekking tours by themselves.

Vogel closed its ski lifts this year and has now started promoting tour-skiing, mountaineering and snowshoe treks. When the snow is too soft for traditional skiing, but it is still perfect for other activities; early birds will enjoy the benefits of these.

The biggest attention in the summer programme is mountaineering, second mountain biking, and third bob slides, the latter being located in Kranjska Gora, Bled, Mariborsko Pohorje, Rogla, and opening shortly at Celjska Koča.

“We have five adrenaline bob slides,” says Božičnik. “The one at Rogla is double track. It is more stable and operates throughout the year, whereas other are single track, the cart being attached to the track, and are only seasonal, thus summer activities. The slide at Celjska Koča will have a channel built into the terrain”.

Downhill bike parks are available in Kranjska Gora, Kanin, and Mariborsko Pohorje, the latter turning pro, as it will host a European downhill challenge.

These parks are already outgrowing their initial roles and finding new levels of activity.

Another diversion for the more adventurous is the Adrenaline Park, located near Zelenica at Koren Sport.

“Tourist services and facilities are constantly being enhanced,” says Janez Antolinc, with the Eskimo village at the Krvavec ski resort last season, and an additional one at Rogla this season.

Every resort shapes its programme based on the local facilities, by drawing local sports clubs: for example, Krvavec and Velika Planina offer tandem paragliding.

Antolinc concludes that people are constantly seeking new thrills

and are expressing great enthusiasm for the enhanced services at the resorts, both in the winter as well as in the summer time.

“Times have changed. In the past, the centres were shut down after the snow melted, reopening only in October. We are moving in the direction that things work all the time,” explains Božičnik. Now the centres stay active throughout the year, and all are doing their best to offer as varied and interesting a package as possible.

SUMMER GUIDE 2009

COMING IN JUNE

June 2009

48 SPORTS

Let’s Smash Some BMC Bikes The Swiss bike company BMC came down to Maribor in May for a “seduction operation” of the Slovenian media and bike sellers. It worked!

Text and photos by Marc Botte

F

reshly available in the country, the Swiss Bicycle Manufacturing Company spent a week-end in Pohorje, at the Hotel Arena, the company’s showcase in the country. A good opportunity to get to know BMC better, and to try its bikes on the best spot: where the Downhill World Cup 2009 will take place on 20th and 21st of june!

“We want to be different”. Different? By putting the emphasis on

the style, the precision of a Swiss clock and passion, BMC certainly differs from other manufacturers.

To understand the work of the company regarding the weight, stiffness and comfort of its bikes, it’s best is to use them for real. The Slovenia Times crew tested four of their new models (two mountain bikes and two road bikes), and quickly learnt how to understand each of the specificities they all have.

As we were looking for adrenalin, we started with mountain bikes and instantly fell under the spell of the SuperTrail ST01. Meant for all kinds of terrain, the bike might not be at its best for uphill and flat terrain, but is “...definitely a good choice for those in search of speed and adrenalin.” It performed great on downhill sections of the mountain (bumps, tree roots and rocks). “It is very smooth and stable on bad and diverse terrain,”

said Alessio who tried it on the World Cup track.

The TrailFox TF02 was also a joy to ride. We tried it on the same terrain, and found it smoother and quite a lot easier to ride on flat and uphill parts. “When it comes to steep and rocky paths, the bike is harder to control and it gets shakier. I would recommend it for riding on solid forest trails and to those who prefer comfort over adrenalin,” explains Alessio.

Even if BMC comes from the mountain bike world, it is very popular among the road fans.

Floyd Landis, who finished at the first place of the Tour de France in 2006 with Phonak, was riding a BMC. So was Tadej Valjavec, the most successful Slovenian bicycle racer, who once was part of the Swiss team.

So we couldn’t let those beautiful (and expensive) bikes in the showcase. We hit the road with both the ProMachine SLC01 and the RaceMaster SLX01. These are the bikes used by the BMC Professional cycling team. The frame of the first one is only made of carbon, which makes it one of the lightest bikes

Bicycling events

Take a Ride … or Just Have Fun Slovenia has not been described as a cycling nation by the respected ProCycling magazine in vain; besides hosting many professional competitions, last year numerous recreational events were attended by no less than 28,000 Slovenian cycling enthusiasts. June is traditionally a month when cycling is in full bloom, and in the days ahead Slovenia will provide for the needs of professional and amateur adrenaline addicts, those who want to test their limits of endurance, and families looking for a relaxing trip in the pleasant outdoors.

By Polona Cimerman

T

he prologue to the lively event in June was the third Race A rou nd Sloven ia (RAS Extreme) in the beginning of May. This international ultra marathon is part of the series of races for the European and World Cup and serves as a qualification for the legendary Race Across America. There were 58 cyclists this year who attended the threeThe Slovenia Times

day challenge, determined to deal with 1,182.3 kilometres without resting. Again, the victory went to Jure Robič, the indisputable king of RAS and also the fourtime winner of the classic American trial.

Throughout June, the eyes of the international cycling audience will remain fixed on Slovenia, where a European Cycling

Championship will be hosted here for the first time. From the perspective of the International Cycling Union system (UCI), the European Championships are ranked as the fourth most important event after the Olympic Games, World Championships and the World Cup. The European Mountain Bike Downhill Championship for junior and

elite categories are in Kranjska Gora from 12th to 14th June; only two weeks later (on 26th June), the European Championships in Mountain Bike 4-cross for elite female and male categories will be held in Ajdovščina.

The weekend in between will be reserved for a special treat: the UCI Downhill and 4-cross World Cup, one the most intrigu-

SPORTS 49 yo u c a n get on the market.

Great for c l i m b i ng a nd ver y comfortable as wel l, you will find it yet quite similar (if you are not professional riders) to the RaceMaster. The RaceMaster is used by specialists of flat stages and sprinters, but sadly, you still have to pedal. Its frame, made of aluminium and carbon, is stiffer than the ProMachine’s, which makes it a little bit heavier. And yet Alessio was riding the ProMachine, he won the final sprint...

The day ended in a calm Swiss atmosphere with a so-called “raclette party,” a special alpine food that filled the hole made in our stomach by an active day of riding bikes.

don’t want to sell through just any chain. They want like-minded people that share the same values, and we found that we do have these values, so we started working with them in September 2007.

What makes BMC so special?

BMC has always been the leader in innovation, and others followed. At the moment, we can’t really talk about it, but there is a revolution coming in the next few months. BMC is not a follower but a leader in the industry. They have only one mission: to make the best bikes in the world. The rule is quality, top material and to be the best.

These bikes are meant to have the maximum power and fun. That is what those guys live for.

What has been the feedback from the Slovenian clients?

Clients call us back and tell us that they are amazed! They are surprised, and tell us that they get more than they thought. They all say they are really fast bikes. A well-known lawyer from Ljubljana bought a racing bike few months ago. He wrote us an email wondering if he bought a bike or a motorcycle!

So far we have five stores in Slovenia, covering the whole territory, through individual bicycle dealers who have high quality services.

But in the future, we are thinking of opening a BMC concept store in Ljubljana.

1986: Bob Bigelow received the licence for Raleigh bicycles and founded the company which later became Bicycle Manufacturing Company.

2000: Andy Rhis got 100% of the shares of the company. “Let’s go create the new BMC,” he said.

Three questions for...

Joško Štajer, BMC Brand manager in Slovenia since March 2008

USD 25 million: expected amount of revenues for the year 2009.

Why did you choose to introduce and work for BMC in Slovenia?

BMC is the best cycling brand in the EU and it hadn’t yet come to Slovenia. Some had tried to introduce it, but they didn’t have the right approach. BMC isn’t like any other company; they want to work with people who have the same philosophy as they have, they

22,000: expected amount of bikes sold this year 50: number of employees in the company 26: the number of countries where BMC bikes are available (all five continents)

Marathon Franja

ing professional cycling events of the year. Maribor has been constantly voted the best organizer of the event ever since 1999, the year when it hosted the World Cup for the first time. Over the years, it has become known as a place where stars are born and legends are made. The downhill course in Maribor is known to be especially challenging because of

BMC in numbers

the very fast first part, the rocky middle section with lots of roots and more than thirty different additional obstacles like table tops, hips and banks that promise jumps up to six metres – a guarantee for an ultimate adrenaline pump. The length of the course is 2,090 metres, the elevation is 455 metres and the ride takes approximately three minutes. The

two-time European champion in 4-cross, Joost Wichman, confirmed that he will compete in Maribor and also defend his title in Ajdovščina.

One of the annual highlights for amateur cyclists is the traditional Franja Marathon whose beginnings go back to 1982. The name is a tribute to the bravery of medical personnel who secretly worked during the Second World War in a hidden hospital called Franja, which the cyclists pass on their way. The first edition of the marathon saw 700 enthusiasts; later, the profile of the marathon changed: amateurs were joined by professionals and in certain years the Franja Marathon was a part of a well-known championship for the Golden Rog bicycle award. Foreigners also began to take part. Today, Franja is an established cycling event uniting cyclists of all levels and reflecting the immense popularity of cycling in Slovenia. The number of participants constantly grows; over 4,500 cyclists come from many European countries. The festival dates for

this year are 13th June, which will see the family and school marathon (28 km) and the BTC City Kids event, and 14th June when the two longer events (the original and most popular Franja Marathon BTC City with its 156 km and the Little Franja Marathon BTC City with 97 km) will take place. The Franja Marathon is a member of the Alpe Adria tour, the regional network of cycling marathons linking six international events; it also aim to join the elite group of marathons united under the patronage of the UCI Golden Bike.

Yet another chance to join the nation’s obsession will be on 21st June which should be put in calendars of all mountain lovers.

That Sunday will be marked by the traditional ascent to the 1,611metre high Vršič mountain pass.

The scenic route will start in the Trenta valley and cyclists will be able to enjoy the unspoilt environment and natural beauty of the still snow-capped Julian Alps.

One more experience that should not be missed – so on your marks, get set and go!

June 2009

50 SPORTS

Racing

Smell the Rubber Burning For the second time in a row, Czech race driver Vaclav Pech won Saturnus, the most prestigious Slovenian rally, while the only Slovenian on the podium was Darko Peljhan, who finished third.

By Andrej Pirnat

Crisis Attacks

Strong competition This year’s race had sixteen time trials. It all started on the speedway track in Ljubljana – this is sort of a specialty of the Saturnus rally, as many regard this part as a “race within the race” – then continued the next day in towns Hrastnik, Trbovlje and Prebold in the Zasavje region and finishing on the third and last day in Gospodarsko razstavišče in the centre of Ljubljana.

Despite a few missing teams, the competition was still very strong this year, especially with all the best Czech and Austrian drivers showing up. Saturnus even lured German multiple champion Hermann Gassner. But for every great driver attending, there was one missing. Due to various reasons, Slovenian rally legends, such as Andrej Jereb, Tomaž Kaučič and Tomi Cilenšek, who had all attended Saturnus in the previous years, were “no shows” this time around.

The main event The first day of racing was at a speedway track. This “superPhoto: Mediaspeed

This year marked the 32nd instalment of the Saturnus rally competition, which started as one of the more ambitious rally gatherings and one of the top car shows back in the ‘70s in the former Yugoslavia. Numerous European greats tried their luck on the very demanding and unforgiving turns of the Slovenian rally, only to come across the finish line empty handed, but all of them agreed that, if nothing else, this racing experience made them better.

Even though these days the economic crisis is devastating many, the Saturnus organisers decided to take a risk and proceed with the race. Although the number of teams participating was smaller this year than in previous years, in the end the risk paid off, as the race was still a big hit and drew many spectators and some of the top rally drivers, who provided some great entertainment.

The organisation of such a project is very demanding. This year, they had various teams taking care of specific areas. For instance, one team was solely focused on all the things related with funding of the competition, while another team was taking care of everything re-

lated to the race itself – preparing the race tracks, contacting the drivers, etc.

special” event was more or less meant for the crowd, which got to see some spectacular drifting through the corners and turns of the muddy racing track. This was also the shortest time trial of all, but nonetheless worth seeing.

This race was won by Czech Pavel Valoušek, followed by his countryman Vaclav Pech and Slovenian Darko Peljhan.

On the second day, the rally caravan moved to the devious roads of Zasavje. After a great battle between Valoušek and Pech, the later came out a winner and took the overall lead by a hair, while Peljhan finished third again, fortifying his overall position.

It was time for the final test and the atmosphere was very tense before the start of the final day.

But just as soon as the race started, it was almost over. Valoušek lost a tire right at the beginning, which gave him quite a setback.

Even Slovenia’s sole hope Peljhan managed to get in front of him

for awhile, but could not keep his position until the end of the race. This can not be said about Pech, who took advantage of his adversary’s misfortune and never looked back, coming across the finish line with the best time and winning the Saturnus rally for the second year in a row.

Valoušek, who was once considered one of the top young European talents, finished second and showed that he has got enough skill and talent to win this race in the future.

Achievements

Judo

President Awards Six Athletes

Beating the Competition

President Danilo Tuerk decorated six Slovenian athletes for their achievements in sport. Orders for services were given to rowing veterans Iztok Čop and Luka Špik, hammer thrower Primož Kozmus and shooter Rajmond Debevec, while cross-country skier Petra Majdič and alpine skier Tina Maze received medals for services.

Slovenia’s judoka, Urška Žolnir, won the title of European champion in the -63 kg category after beating Russia’s Vera Koval in just 37 seconds. Slovenia’s success was rounded off by Aljaž Sedej’s bronze medal in the -81 kg category. This is the third European championship medal for the 27-year old Urška Žolnir, while she also won bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and holds a bronze from the 2005 World Championships. Urška won four ippons, finishing all matches early.

Handball

Fifteen in a Row Defending champions Krim Mercator defeated Olimpija 22:20 in the final game to became Slovenia’s women handball champions for the 15th time in a row. Olimpija won the first match of the finals with 30:28 but the reigning champions defended the title by virtue of having scored more away goals.

The Slovenia Times

Darko Peljhan

51

Dr Zoran Trajanovski

Already a legend in Slovenian rally, Darko Peljhan, who had silently hoped for an upset and perhaps a top podium finish, came across the finish time with third best time, but more importantly, he took the lead in the National Championship. Besides being one of the races in the European competition, Rally Saturnus also separately counts for the Slovenian championship.

“I did not have any problems.

Everything was OK, a good race.

Saturnus is always a difficult test.

The Czechs were just too strong, they were impossible to catch, but I was always close, maybe even faster on certain sections, which means that I am not obsolete yet,” Darko commented.

Da rko Peljh a n h a s a lways throughout his career shown that he is a great racer and competitor.

We can not be sure what the future hold, but if everything goes as planned, it is certain we will see Peljhan try his luck again on the dangerous curves in the next year’s Saturnus rally.

Football

Gymnastics

Maribor Celebrates Premiership Win

Gymnasts do it Again

There is always next year

Maribor secured their first national football league title in six years three rounds before the end of the premiership. The perennial Slovenian champions defeated title rivals MIK CM Celje with 1:0 to secure an unassailable lead. The win marks a comeback for a club that dominated the premiership from 1996 to 2003.

Handball

One Goal Short Slovenian men’s handball team Gorenje from Velenje was defeated by Germany’s Gummersbach in game one of the European Cup finals 28:29. The return match will be played in Köln on 1 June.

Slovenia took two podium places in a gymnastics World Cup meet in Glasgow. Aljaž Pegan won silver on the horizontal bar with 15.35 points, while Mitja Petkovšek finished third in the parallel bars competition with 15.125 points. Slovenia had two other competitors in the finals in Glasgow. Rok Klavora finished sixth on the floor, while Adela Šajn was seventh on the beam

We all know about the numerous external factors affecting the human body. One of the predominant factors is stress, something we are all familiar with due to the frantic pace of modern life. Stress is not only the main external factor with a negative influence, it is also a modern illness and a consequence of the modern way of life. The materialistic world we live in and its values are based on the need to always be first and never to waste a single moment, otherwise our lives might collapse around us.

We can never take any time for ourselves. This kind of quick-paced and insecure lifestyle is the main cause of stress.

The Definition of Stress If you are one of the rare individuals unfamiliar with stress and its consequences, you can consider yourself very lucky. Stress is an autonomous response of the human organism to external factors. It is a biological term defining the consequences of an incorrect response of the body to emotional and physical threats, regardless of whether they are real or imaginary. People who live under a great deal of stress usually need a remedy to mitigate its consequences and they often take up habits such as smoking, excessive drinking and drug use.

Outcome – Periodontal Disease One of the results of these habits is poor oral hygiene, which can speed up or even cause inflammation in the oral cavity and especially inflammation of the periodontal tissues or periodontitis.

Bacteria in dental plaque cause gum inflammation that can spread deeper into the periodontal tissues if it is not treated early enough. Periodontitis can have serious consequences because it affects the tissue surrounding and supporting the teeth, which can lead to loss of teeth. It is important to note that the same plaque bacteria that cause periodontal inflammation can also be the cause of cardiovascular diseases. They are also sometimes connected to diabetes and male infertility.

Although plaque is the main cause of periodontitis, poor oral hygiene is not the only factor in the deterioration of periodontal tissues. It has been proven that increased levels of stress causes secretion of the cortisol hormone, which in turn accelerates the deterioration of the periodontal tissues and hinders the organism’s immune defence. This

means that stress increases the level of damage caused by pathogenic bacteria to the teeth support system. The damage manifests itself in the progressive loss of the alveolar bone around the teeth.

How to Prevent or Mitigate Damage The latest research from scientists at State University in Ohio shows that the children who live in a stressful environment (with only one parent or no parents, a poor upbringing, unsuitable parental behaviour, etc.) clearly exhibit much larger amounts of dental calculus, which means that they are under greater risk of periodontal diseases. If the parents lead stressful lives, their habits are unintentionally passed on to their children, causing (among other things) greatly increased levels of dental plaque.

It is the job of the dentist to eliminate dental plaque in its early stages and to try to influence patients to adopt better dental hygiene and give up their bad habits. Above all, we must encourage, motivate and assist patients to find their own way to a suitable and healthier lifestyle with a lower level of stress.

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Photo: Mediaspeed

Stress and Periodontal Disease

52 CULTURE

Design & Photography

Two Ladies in Vogue Marta Lamovšek and Davorka Požgan are more than just friends. Inseparable co-workers, one creates clothes, the other photographs. As up-and-coming artists, they are both thirsty for the recognition that does not always come easily in small countries such as Slovenia. Their latest project has some surprises in store – and they are taking it abroad.

By Marc Botte, photos by Marta Lamovšek

Marta Lamovšek (left) and Davorka Požgan

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portrait of two women: as they sit on the terrace of a café in Ljubljana’s old town, their imagination starts to fly, their projects start making sense and their dreams are about to come true. Who are those two?

Marta Lamovšek, a passion photographer, and Davorka Požgan, a fashion designer. Two friends who started working together a year and a half ago, sharing the same vision of their arts: fashion design through photography.

One starts a sentence, the other one finishes it. “I have never been afraid of not liking her styling.

When I see what she designed, I am always swept off my feet,” says Marta. Two talented young women united by their constant enthusiasm for each other’s idea.

“With Marta, we share a common passion. I respect her opinion, because she is very good at what she does,” Davorka jumps in.

Their latest project?

“Widows & Soldiers.”

An editorial, basically a fashion photo-shooting serial inspired by a story.

The story of a woman and her man, a soldier, sharing moments of passion before he goes Reaching for the stars back to war and dies, Davorka came to Ljubljana several years ago from Zagreb, Croatia, leaving her alone at the to study design. She worked on farm. several international projects and The Slovenia Times

was selected among hundreds of applicants from all the world for the International Talent Support in Italy “That was the confirmation that I am really good. That I am on the world level,” explains the designer.

Marta, her extravagant sunglasses betraying a person not afraid of making an impression, says she entered the photography world “... pretty late, more than ten years ago. I was 22 and I realized that when I see somebody, I immediately want to show his or her beautiful side”. Recently, the respected photography magazine W25 chose Marta’s work for its cover and also published her photos inside the magazine. That might just prove to be a ticket to London where Marta is moving in September.

Recently, they both had an interview at the famous Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London; while they are waiting for the answer, they hope to leave their mark abroad.

turing black creations with many layers and shades, inspired by Davorka’s researches on grief.

The project consists of photos taken at three different locations: the first one in nature, the second one on a farm, and the last one in a gypsy ghetto in Macedonia.

“I didn’t want to do posing. That woman should be living her life, almost as if she didn’t know that I am there. It is like a moving picture. If it were a film, I would be the director,” explains Marta.

Her director’s skills were put to a hard test soon enough. “I was visiting a farm where I saw a very interesting pig, with curly hair and all. I immediately realized that Marta needed to take photos of this guy. I mean the pig,” says Davorka. After organizing the photoshooting in a hurry, the two artists finally got to know it better, and started that surreal session with the pig as a model. “It was like playing with Barbie dolls,” both of them laugh.

Shooting a pig

The Balkans appeal

Their latest project? “Widows & Soldiers.” An editorial, basically a fashion photo-shooting serial inspired by a story. The story of a woman and her man, a soldier, sharing moments of passion before he goes back to war and dies, leaving her alone at the farm. “We had a huge ‘wow feedback.’ People really sensed the energy. They saw it was beyond what we had done before. I think it’s on the same level as Vogue,” explains Marta. “Widows & Soldiers” is predominantly a black and white collection, fea-

The fun continued two months ago in Macedonia, in the village of Sutka, a dusty and uninviting place, but only until you meet its inhabitants, gypsies. The village was a “huge photo shoot” in itself, claims Marta. Inspired and very satisfied by the collision between two worlds, of fashion and of poverty, the two artists decided to make an exhibition out of it.

That gypsy “ethno-documentary” could easily describe the universe in which Marta and Davorka work and the enthusiasm with

CULTURE 53

which they approach their subjects. By dropping a strange alien such as a fashion model in the middle of some Macedonian backwater, Marta and Davorka feel they are hot on the heels of their idea of fashion. “I like to contrast trashy surroundings with really high fashion,” explains the designer.

Inspired by the Balkans? After discovering different traditional costumes from the region, she decided to make a collection dedicated to the Yugoslavian communism and traditional folk costumes. “It is so rich and unknown, I think I need to use it and show it in London.” The gypsy madness? “It is so cool. I really like what they wear. It does not match. ‘Oh look at this guy, nothing matches, it’s so cool!’ That photoshoot in Macedonia, it was Vogue meeting Kusturica!” says Davorka, alluding to the famous Serbian director Emir Kusturica, the creator of masterpieces such as Arizona Dream and Underground.

Just dig it Despite the growing international recognition, the duet has yet to gain the understanding of the local public. Too extreme? Maybe. Too different, at least, from what has been done in Slovenia. Too different from what passes as commercial photography. However, Marta

Lamovšek is convinced that her work is easily understandable. “It comes from the basic, pure emo-

tions of people. ‘Widows & Soldiers’ is a love story, it is universal.

There is no need for subtitles!”

Not Exactly Monkey Business Behind every picture there is a story. While shooting in a farm, Marta Lamovšek and Davorka Požgan had to deal with the unpredictable Rudi the pig.

“The story behind this photo is pretty funny. The model, Ali, is playing a wife alone on the farm. She has to do all the work herself. She feeds the animals, cleans the pigsty and so on.

“Marta wanted the model and the pig to be very close to each other in the composition, so there would be real interaction. But Rudi was going crazy! He was running around, constantly moving out of the frame. We first fixed this problem by feeding him with his special and favorite food: apples.

Ali is also using the broom to provoke Rudi. She wants Rudi to interact with her. But Rudi started chewing on the broom... Obviously, he liked it!”

By dropping a strange alien such as a fashion model in the middle of some Macedonian backwater, Marta and Davorka feel they are hot on the heels of their idea of fashion.

Despite the growing international recognition, the duet has yet to gain the understanding of the local public. Too extreme?

Maybe. Too different, at least, from what has been done in Slovenia.

June 2009

54 EVENTS

The Slovenia Times Recommends

A Summer Night at the Museum “Museums on a Summer Night” is an annual cultural event that surpassed the confines of the capital and has even outgrown the “museum” part of it. The country-wide event is a colourful palette of events, workshops and exhibitions and is completely on par with similar events in around the world, but with a specific Slovenian twist.

By Tanja Goršič

M

useums open at night?

Head out to an art or culture show and combine it with cool socializing. Not exactly a novelty, it has swept the entire Europe: Barcelona, Paris, Prague, Berlin, and London, and has quite a history in this country as well. This year, the Museum on a Summer Night will happen for the seventh time in a row. It is traditionally organized on the third Saturday in June, this year falling on to 20 June.

In Slovenia, it was first organized in 2003 under the initiative of the International Centre of Graphic Arts. Since then, the event has been gaining reputation and popularity. Two years after its initiation, it went beyond Ljubljana and spread to other parts of the county. A look at the last year’s figures shows that it became an important feature on the cultur-

al agenda. The organisers registered a record-breaking number of visitors: 22,500 people; in previous years, the number of visitors was fewer than 20,000. Also, the number of foreign visitors is increasing. Most of them visited locations in Ljubljana, and they now represent 10% of visitors.

Last year, the event took place in 24 towns in over 53 institutions, which prepared 180 events and activities for people of all ages.

“This year, 29 institutions in Ljubljana and a further 28 in 21 different towns will participate,” said Irena Marušič, the event coordinator and editor of the event publication. Maribor is now participating with three institutions, and this is a welcome change. “It is best,” she says, “when there are several institutions in one town so that people can visit several places.”

20 June, all around Slovenia; www.muzejska-noc.si 1_en.pdf

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A Different Turn in Slovenia

merous workshops that will be organized in several institutions.

Europe has known and embraced such events for quite some time. La Nuit Blanche begun in 1997 in Paris. The idea was embraced world-wide, spreading to cities like Madrid, Lima, Leeds, Montreal, Berlin, London, Bern, Venice and many others.

The museum nights are a purely metropolitan thing in other parts of the world, but in Slovenia the festival spread all over the country so that now it takes place even in small towns and villages. This year the event will take place in Bohinj, Celje, Hoče, Jesenice, Kamnik, Kočevje, Koper, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Metlika, Novo Mesto, Piran, Pivka, Polhov Gradec, and Velenje.

In Škofja Loka and Pivka, some of the events will start early, on Friday night, 19th June.

On the coast, the idea was enthusiastically accepted; in fact, they started an independent organized festival which includes the towns Koper, Izola and Piran.

This is a welcome change, as the cultural agenda usually gravitates more towards the capital.

There seems to be no end to the diversity of the programme. This year institutions that are primarily not a part of such events have also joined in, for example the Maribor Botanical Gardens and the Škocjan Caves Park.

Irena Marušič, the head event coordinator, explains that even though the event is called “Museums on a Summer Night,” the program in fact starts around 10 am. “Furthermore,” she jokes, “even though on the calendar this is the shortest night in the year, we will make it the longest.”

The early hours are well attended by families with young children, also on account of nu-

Recommendations

One of the most original events of the past year was an organized visit to Tivoli Park to listen to the bats, which was prepared by the Natural History Museum.

This year there are many new fun events in store. For example, the Technical Museum will have an exhibition dedicated to “the flying man,” Stanko Bloudek; on this occasion there will be a children’s competition in throwing paper airplanes and a Frisbee-throwing competition for all generations.

“The museum becomes an interesting place when visitors can try things by themselves,” says Adela Železnik, the head of event PR, thus the interactive approach is especially welcomed. “Children are much more interested if they can try things for themselves and do not respond so well to explanations.”

There are many choices, just check the website and pick the most interesting ones. In Ljubljana, they will be hosted at several venues, including the Slovenian Museum of Natural History, the Technical Museum, and the National Gallery, whereas in Maribor, they will take place in the Botanical Garden.

The aim of these activities is to raise museum awareness in young children. Ms. Železnik says that children can be influenced during the first three crucial years. “If the child remembers at least something, it’s already a great success.

In this way, future museum guests are being developed.”

Program in Foreign Languages Much of the program is also suitable for those who do not under-

EVENTS 55 Festival

Rock

The Nostalgia Festival

Lenny Kravitz

6th June at 10am, Prešeren Square, Slovenska cesta, Tivoli Promenade, Ljubljana

stand Slovenian. Ms. Železnik says that as a general rule from the Ministry, exhibitions have to be. On this occasion, however, some programmes are specifically prepared in foreign languages. In Maribor, for example, guided tours are available also in Spanish, and in the City Museum of Ljubljana a guided tour of the exhibition “Napoleon Says Illyria Arises” in French will be available.

In addition, all material in the brochure as well as on the web page is translated into English.

Free For All Most of the programme is free of charge, the only exceptions being the Park of Military History in Pivka and a children’s detective workshop at the National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana. All other events and exhibitions are free of charge.

The organization of the event is largely done on a volunteer basis, the work is done out of duty and devotion to the idea, rather than government fundi ng, so the orga n izers are thrilled with the growing number of visitors.

Traditionally, the event concludes with a concert and a party in front of the International Centre of Graphic Arts at midnight.

There will be 10,000 brochures printed and will be available at various hotels and information centres, at the Tourist Information Centre on Krekov Trg, several libraries, and, of course, at the participating institutions.

Adela Železnik, suggests checking up the internet site for new features as new items might be added along the way, even though the majority have been posted already, “The best thing is to just check the web page and make a personalized itinerary.”

The Nostalgia Festival, dedicated to Slovenian culture and life of the past, will present, among other things, classic cars and vintage bicycles, Slovenian cultural figures and institutions of the past, various antique objects, and historical fashion, customs and music. For a day, Ljubljana’s Tivoli Promenade will reflect the spirit of the past.

The festival will start at 10am with people strolling about in historical costumes, an antique flea market and impersonators of towering figures of Slovenian culture, and exhibition of classic cars accompanied by musical entertainment. It will then continue with free rides to Ljubljana’s museums in a museum vehicle, free rides in a Lipizzaner horse-driven museum carriage, an exhibition of vintage bicycles and prams, and finally end with a vintage fashion show and concert of Slovenian popular music.

Rock

The Killers

8th June at 9pm, Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana, EUR 55.00 Lenny Kravitz has crossed all forms of barriers by fusing the rich, soulful and often rocking sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s to receptive audiences of every class, creed and color.

He is the epitome of retro and he has firmly established himself as one of the world’s great style icons.

In 2000, he released a Greatest Hits album, with 15 of the biggest singles. His last album “Baptism” dropped in 2004 and is still stepping through the paces of what has, for the most part, become an intense musical journey through the eyes of a demigod. In addition to his own albums, Kravitz continues to pen songs for other artists and his compositions have appeared on albums by such rock heavyweights as Aerosmith and Mick Jagger, while he also produced and wrote the majority of Vanessa Paradis’ obscure self-titled 1992 release.

Electro pop

Röyksopp 14th June at 8.30pm, Križanke, Ljubljana, EUR 37-42 The Norwegian duo Röyksopp, made up of members Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, grew up together in the town of Tromso. In the early ‘90s they began dabbling in electronic music but didn’t officially become a group until they met up again in Berlin in 1998.

There they began releasing singles and they soon grew in popularity.

In 2001, they debuted their first album, “Melody AM.” From that album, the song “Remind Me” won the 2002 MTV Europe award for Best Music Video. In 2005, they finally came out with their second album, “The Understanding,” and this year with their third, called “Junior.”

Etno

Ballet

La Vie En Rose

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal

9th June at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 12-30

16th June at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 14-28

7th June at 6pm, Hipodrom Stožce, Ljubljana, EUR 21.70 This Las Vegas foursome originally got together in 2002 and took the pop world by storm in summer 2004 with single “Somebody Told Me” from their debut album “Hot Fuss.” The band, which pulls from the influences of the Smiths, New Order, Oasis, and the Cure, also had chart success with singles “Mr. Brightside,” which reached the Top 10 in the UK when released, and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” It was their third album “Day & Age,” however, that propelled them right back into the mainstream circuit in the US. Released in 2008, the album combined new wave flare with rock-opera type style; the single “Human” has become widely popular and received a flux of fans craving to jiggle to the mantra “Are we human, or are we dancers?” At the music spectacle in Stožice, called Itak Džafest, they will share the stage with three Slovenian groups: Dan D, Non and RDYO.

but most of all full of magnificent music, best described as turbofolk for intellectuals.

In the past few years, musician Vita Mavrič has made festival La Vie En Rose a part of Slovenian music tradition. As always some of the best Slovenian musicians (Tadej Vesenjak, Orleki, Anastazija, Ana Dežman, Jani Kovačič, KvinTon, Slon in Sadež Murat&Jose) and guests from former Yugoslavian countries (Maja Odžaklijevska – Serbia, Jadranka Stojakovič – Bosnia) and North America (Pascal Lejeune – Canada, Chris Eckman – USA) will show the audience their interpretations of Edith Piaf, called “chanson.”

The choreography of Stijn Celis, Stravinsky’s riveting music and the power of the impeccable physical expressiveness of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens generate an absorbing ballet performance, whose irresistible forces of male/female magnetism add fateful dimensions to the ritual. In Ljubljana, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens De Montréal, one of the preeminent Canadian dance companies, will perform The Rite of Spring and Les Noces – two famed ritual dances by Stravinsky. Les Noces features 24 performers who in raw and intense dancing strut, pose and challenge each other.

Pop

Magnifico 12th June at 9pm, Križanke, Ljubljana, EUR 25 One of the most popular Slovene musicians is coming back to the homeland after touring Spain, Russia, Monaco and Denmark. His concert with Turbolenza and various guests, including the controversial transvestite band, Sestre, is expected to be full of surprises, June 2009

56 EVENTS

The Slovenia Times Recommends

Celebrate with Jazz!

The Ljubljana Jazz Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary. Artists from 19 countrieswill be presented. The festival will be accompanied with jazz photo and poster exhibitions and jazz film screenings.

The Festival will open with an exhibition by Han Bennink and a concert by Han Bennink & Guus Janssen. The foremost guest will be John Zorn, within the last three decades one of the preeminent jazz musicians and composers, who has never appeared at the Ljubljana Jazz Festival before. On this occasion, in conclusion of the jubillee festival, Zorn has prepared a special programme in three parts featuring Marc Ribot, John Medeski, Jamie Saft, Trevor Dunn etc. The evening will conclude at the CD Club with a Paris jazz soul attraction, Push Up. Other artists to be presented at the Summer Stage of Gala Hall and in three nights at Križanke (out of four) are: the legendary Roscoe Mitchell and his Chicago Quartet; Powerhouse Sound and Ken Vandermark and two members of the avant-rock group Tortoise; the illustrious and the only still living member of South African Blue Notes, drummer Louis Moholo featured in Viva La Black project, accompanied

by Keith and Julie Tippett and

Electronic

David Morales 24th June at 10pm, InBox, Ljubljana, EUR 10-13

John Zorn

MinAfric Orchestra under Pino Minafra; stellar newcomer, jazz double bass player and composer Avishai Cohen; ambitious international project of Slovenian drummer Kristijan Krajnčan, American/ Japanese/Slovenian project: Statements under the baton of another jazz luminary, Reggie Workman; one of the leading jazz and Latin jazz pianists Michel

Camilo and his trio performing with Big Band RTV Slovenija; German/ Portuguese/Slovenian European Movement Jazz Orchestra under the baton of Izidor Leitinger; all-star Richard Galliano Quartet featuring Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Richard Bona, Clarence Penn and Brazilian mandolin virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda and his Quartet.

Jun 29 - Jul 4, Križanke Summer Theatre, Klub CD, Gala Hala Metekova (all Ljubljana), EUR 12-32

Musical

Grease 17th June -19th June at 9pm, Križanke, Ljubljana, EUR 29-45 The musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School, follows ten working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins. The score attempts to re-create the sounds of early rock and roll. In its record-break-

ing original Broadway production, Grease was a raunchy, raw, aggressive, vulgar show which has since been tamed down by subsequent productions. It tackles such social issues as teenage pregnancy and C

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gang violence; its themes include love, friendship, teenage rebellion, sexual exploration during adolescence and class conflict. It remains Broadway’s twelfth longest-running show. The musical that will be shown in Križanke was directed by the acclaimed Slovenian choreographer Mojca Horvat, who studied on Broadway and in 2001 won the title choreographer of the year.

Pop

Sinead O’Connor 22nd June at 9pm, Križanke, Ljubljana, EUR 44 Sinéad O’Connor, from Dublin, ranked among the most distinctive and controversial pop music stars of the 1990s, the first and in many ways the most influential of the numerous female performers whose music dominated airwaves throughout the decade. With her shaved head, angry visage, and shapeless wardrobe, Sinéad presented a direct challenge to the popular culture’s long-prevailing notions of femininity and sexuality and irrevocably altered the image of women in rock; railing against long-standing stereotypes simply by asserting

The Slovenia Times

herself not as a sex object but as a serious artist, she kick-started a revolt which led the way for performers ranging from Courtney Love to Alanis Morissette. Her last album “Theology,” inspired by the complexities of the post-9/11world, was released in 2007.

One of the pioneers of house music in New York weathered the changeover from disco to house and teamed up with Frankie Knuckles to form the leading early remix team, Def Mix. During the ‘90s the dance mainstream became aligned to many of his stylistic trademarks – vocal breaks, up-tempo piano riffs, plenty of strings – resulting in the clichés attributed to both of them. After making his name in the pop charts with an early Def Mix for Seal, he began working with a role call of the era’s major pop stars: Mariah Carey, Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner and Björk. A major-label contract with Mercury resulted in the 1994 single “In De Ghetto,” a reasonable club hit, and Morales’ debut album, “The Program.” He’s also a top-flight DJ, known for pushing a sound much harder than that found on his own remixes.

Pop

Simply Red 24th June at 8pm, Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana, EUR 39 This British soul band, that draws influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, jazz and lovers rock, was formed in 1984 by singer Mick “Red” Hucknall, three ex-members of Durutti Column (bassist Tony, drummer Chris, keyboardist/brass player Tim Kellett) as well as guitarist Sylvan Richardson and keyboardist Fritz McIntyre. Their last album “Stay” hit number four in the U.K. and number two in the Eurochart in 2007.

Electronic

Tiësto 24th June at 9pm, Gospodarsko razstavišče, Ljubljana, EUR 22-34

June 2009 in Ljubljana

100 Gypsy Violins 25th June at 7.30pm, Golovec Hall, Celje, EUR 30-35 The Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra is the largest of its kind in the world. It was founded in 1985, when Sándor Járóka, at the time Hungary’s most famous gypsy soloist, died and many Hungarian gypsy musicians began to play after the funeral ceremony. The orchestra consists of around 60 violins, nine violas, six cellos, ten double basses, nine clarinets and six cimbaloms. Each appearance of the orchestra, which always plays without score, has an incomparable effect on the audiences with colorful, traditional dresses and quick changes of rhythm, harmony and style, extraordinary variations and rich harmony, which are found in every piece they play.

Festival

Lent Jun 26 - Jul 11, Lent - the old town Maribor The festival in Slovenia’s eastern capital changes the banks of the river Drava into a lively cultural and sociable centre, beating with all kinds of rhythms. A variety of more than 400 performances and half a million of visitors make “Festival Lent” one of the biggest festivals in

In June, city life in Ljubljana will be livened up by over 60 free events held in the Prešernov trg square. The events taking place in the morning will be particularly intended for children. Afternoons will be reserved for light dance and music performances, and evenings for top quality dance and music events. A series of film hits will be projected onto a large screen.

Evening events will notably include seven performances of the Slovenian National Theatre of Ljubljana’s reworking of the ballet Swan Lake, which includes references to the life story of the greatest Slovenian poet, France Prešeren (1800-1849).

The Kazina dance school, a well known name on the dance scene in Ljubljana, renowned for its excellent performances at competitions around the world, will perform the show cycle Dancing and Breathing with Ljubljana, and the Ljubljana City Theatre its reworking of the famous Broadway musical Cabaret. The annual Summer in Ljubljana Old Town festival will open with a concert by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

lent.slovenija.net

Electronic

Woodshock Festival 27th June at 3pm, Zeleni Gaj, Dornberk, EUR 23-28

Ljubljana by Bike On a warm day, riding a bicycle is one of the most pleasant ways of getting around Ljubljana city centre.

Each year from April till the end of October (if weather permits), an 80-strong fleet of Ljubljana Bikes can be hired by both tourists and residents from the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre and other locations across the city. Bicycles are available daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in April, May and October, and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from June to September.

No, it’s not Slovene version of Woodstock, but Woodshock, an electronic festival under the stars.

The special guest of this year’s festival will be Jeff Mills, one of the biggest American names in techno, championed for his music’s relentless pursuit of hardness and his stripped-down, almost industrial DJ sets. He is also known as the author of a new soundtrack for Fritz Lang’s 1926 film Metropolis, screened around the world at venues including the Museum of Music in Paris, London’s Royal Albert Hall, and the Vienna International Film Festival.

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Opera

The Barber of Seville 29th June at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana Who doesn’t know the most famous barber of all time - Figaro, who commands his razor and his shrewdness to help Count Almavivo win over his beloved Rosina? Love, tricks and intrigues are the ingredients of masterful comic opera in two acts, written by Gioacchino Rossini. On February 20, 1816, the first night this opera was performed in Rome, it turned into one of the biggest scandals in the history of opera. The opera exults with irresistible comic scenes, but there is also a more serious note: for example in the aria about slander by Don Basilio, the music teacher, that has not lost its bitter validity to this very day. However, the author of the story, the famous French dramatist Pierre Beaumarchais, wrote that he had in the first place intended “to indulge in his merry temperament and to give back to theatre its original joyful mood.”

FREE

Zavod za turizem Ljubljana, Krekov trg 10, 1000 Ljubljana

Classical

Europe, moreover it is also known across the pond in America. This multicultural festival that has its origin in the folklore festival “Folkart” has received several awards, among them 40 awards from The International Festival and Events Association (IFEA).

Photo: 2009.sonar.es

This Dutch musician, known primarily for his pioneering contributions to the trance scene, is the first DJ in the world to sell out a solo stadium event for over 25,000 people and he scored a number one hit with his single “Traffic,” the first instrumental track to reach the top spot in his homeland of Holland in 23 years.

His remix of “Delerium” featuring Sarah McLachlan’s “Silence” was the first house track ever broadcasted on daytime radio in North America. Besides that, it became an international dance floor anthem and also spent eight weeks in the UK top 10 chart. Tiësto also played live in front of two billion people during the Parade of the Athletes at the official opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Athens. His style is now a mix of trance, house and techno – the best of all that the dance world has to offer.

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His holiness Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda a.k.a. Swamiji and Maribor mayor Franc Kangler planting a tree of life. (photo Marko Vanovšek)

Andrej Horvar and Zoran Thaler, MEP candidates posing with Pozvačin a folklore character at the Prekmurje region’s presentation in Ljubljana.

Quartissimo, the loser Slovenian Eurosong representative, still optimitic at a Moscow rehersal. (photo RTVSlo)

President Danilo Türk at a demonstration of the road safety preventive campaign (photo Marc Botte)

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Association of Slovene Female Managers at their meeting in Kempinski Palace Hotel, Portorož

Student marketplace, Tivoli, Ljubljana (photo Marc Botte)

Photographers capturing the prom parade in Ljubljana (photo Marc Botte) Special offer for the new subscribers.

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