LIFESTYLE: Santa goes shopping
The Slovenia Times, Slovenian magazine in English Language, volume 7, number 135, EUR 4,80
December 2010
Not Another Bailout! After coming to the Greece’s rescue, Slovenia now has to provide bank loan gurantees for the Irish, with a possibility of a default causing some concern
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CONTENTS
December 2010
POLITICS
6 8 9
Balkan Renaissance Political powers clash over a power plant The end of analogue TV transmission
Business Partners
ECONOMY 12 IEDC conference addresses Slovenia’s drop in competitiveness 13 Financing the future growth of Slovenia 16 Bailing out the Irish economy
FDI 19 German Hella Saturnus is going strong 20 Interview: Vladimir Gasparič, director of the Directorate for Economic Diplomacy 22 Embassy diaries 26 28 29 30 34
Slo times avgust 230x95 mm 11. junij 2009 10:43:56
LIFESTYLE The shopping geography Christmas presents, Slovenian way The real Christmas Dine with style: Home edition The capital: Ljubljana in December
36
The event guide
42 43 44
SPORTS
46
Every picture tells a story
Andrej Šporn, Downhill ace Tennis players aim high Sports events
December 2010
PANORAMA
source: STA, Slovenian Press Agency
Mission Bosnia
The Slovenia-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) has already helped clear Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia of minefields, but its work in the region is far from done. Its director Dorijan Maršič said the ITF had demined over five square kilometres of territory in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia in the first half of 2010. The world’s most mine-infested countries Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia still remain a priority, where the ITF would like to complete its mission by 2019. The task seems simpler in Croatia, which mostly finances the process itself, whereas greater attention and funds need to be paid to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Maršič added. The ITF is spreading its activities to the Middle East as well. Its main project there is the Gaza project, initiated by Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk, which provides rehabilitation for children from Gaza who have been injured by land mines. Maršič also said that the ITF had collected US$23.2m in donations by November and planed to increase this to USD 28m by the end
PM Borut Pahor confirmed on that the government appointed Slovenia’s first president, Milan Kučan, his special rapporteur for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Pahor said Kučan would examine for constitutional changes in Bosnia, so the Slovenian government can have an “elaborate” opinion on the country’s progress before EU leaders. Pahor believes Kučan has the “knowledge, experience and wisdom” required to be able to read between the lines what the true interest of Bosnian leaders are. Kučan elaborated that his job would not involve dispensing advice on constitutional reforms to Bosnia but only checking the possibilities of such a reform taking place there. Bosnia will have to reach an agreement on the reforms itself, Slovenia can only assist in this, said Kučan. While the appointment was also welcomed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, the chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers, Nikola Spirić, said that everyone with good intentions was welcome in Bosnia, but he expressed doubt that Kućan could help the country. He reiterated the position of Republika Srpska PM Milorad Dodik, saying that “if Kučan failed to save Yugoslavia, how can he help BosniaHerzegovina, a Yugoslavia in small?”
of the year. The ITF was founded in 1998 to clear mine-infested territory in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its activities have since spread to other mine-affected countries and regions such as Cyprus, the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
New Referendum, New Deputy Group After the coalition majority in the National Assembly passed the new RTV Slovenija act, the opposition Democrats (SDS) and National Party (SNS) filed a motion for a referendum on the law transforming the Slovenian public broadcaster into a public corporation. The SDS and SNS oppose the new status of the RTV, the fact that RTV employees would be taken out of the public sector, and the special shows envisaged for the national communities from the former Yugoslav republics. They also challenge the appointment procedure for members of the RTV Slovenija Programming Council, whose number will be cut from 29 to 17. The proponents of the referendum were also
joined by Andrej Magajna, who on the same day also left the deputy group of the ruling Social Democrats (SD). Magajna, who is not a member of the SocDems but of the affiliated Christian Democrats (KSS), said he could not longer participate in the passage of measures that are a departure from social democracy. He also voiced opposition to the mini jobs bill the National Assembly passed this week. Magajna subsequently announced that he would form a new deputy group together with fellow independent MPs Vili Rezman anhd Franc Znidaršič, who left the coalition Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) deputy group last December.
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UNDER THE PRESS Defense
US DOD photo by R.D. Ward
In the Home of the Brave
Defence Minister Ljubica Jelušič made her first official visit to the United States as part of which she met her counterpart Robert Gates. In Norfolk in Virginia she visited the headquarters of the Allied Command Transformation, a NATO military command, and the US Joint Forces Command. Bilateral defence cooperation topped the agenda at the Pentagon. Jelusic and Gates labelled bilateral defence ties as intensive, continuous and diverse. The talks also touched on the transformation of NATO, Afghanistan and the Western Balkans. Gates thanked the minister for Slovenia’s constructive contribution in the Western Balkans and Afghanistan, highlighting civilian programmes supplementing military presence in Afghanistan. Jelušič met US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke in Washington on 4 November. She told reporters after the meeting that Slovenian troops would likely remain in Afghanistan until the end of 2012 at least. She said the short-term goal in Afghanistan was to withdraw the combat forces, but that army training staff would likely remain behind for a while to come. The minister also visited the Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Corruption
Law
The Spa Mafia
Supreme Court President
Members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended a Murska Sobota District Prosecution official on suspicion of corruption. The man, whom the media identified as state prosecutor Robert Stojko, was caught accepting EUR 25,000 in alleged bribe money in an operation involving covert investigation methods, NBI chief Harij Furlan told the reporters. He said that the money was marked. Such cases of bribe taking could result in one to eight years in prison. The state prosecution act stipulates suspension of a state prosecutor in case of criminal proceedings against him or her, but the higher court in charge needs to give its consent. According to the local news web site, the prosecutor was arrested in connection with his work on the case of alleged selling of black market swimming pool tickets. At the trial begun in October 2008, Stojko only read the charges against a trio that allegedly made an illegal gain of EUR 200,000 at the expense of spa operator Terme 3000 in 2002 and 2003.
Parliament appointed Branko Masleša the Supreme Court president in a 47:32 vote. Masleša will fill the top post at the court after two failed attempts to find a suitable candidate have left it vacant since end-February. Maslesa’s appointment comes despite the controversy surrounding his nomination following accusations by the opposition Democrats (SDS) over his human rights record from the 1980s. The SDS also wanted that the vote be postponed until all these circumstances are made clear, but this proposal was rejected as well. Masleša’s nomination has been a tug-of-war between the opposition and coalition as well as between witnesses that the SDS and Masleša produced to back their side of the story. Most recently, former Supreme Court President Franc Testen accused Maslesa’s colleague on the court and one of the failed candidates for the post of president, Marko Šorli, of orchestrating the entire attack on Masleša.
Vox-pop
All-Time Low A public opinion poll by Ninamedia (N=700) published in Dnevnik sees a record-low approval rating for the government and the ruling Social Democrats (SD). These sunk to third spot, to place even behind their junior coalition partner, the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS). Only 17.9% believe the government performs well. The most popular party in the survey is the opposition Democrats (SDS) at 19.3%
I only wanted to do my job in the field where I am the best in the country. But your people didn’t leave me in peace. I realize that you have bought all these lies and that you cannot evaluate a person fairly. Do you remember when we quit communicating? That was when I told, that Simona [Dimic] will become the greatest evil of this government and you called me to report into your cabinet. But I have no resentment. No, I felt pity for both of you. We have pushed you in a historic role, which you were unable to handle. We gave you a historic chance, but you have blown it. Along with the party itself. I’m sorry that we won. Sebastjan Jeretič, former public relations adviser to PM Borut Pahor in his letter to the Prime Minister.
Everybody has a right to say what he thinks, and so does my colleague Mr Jeretič. That’s why he remains my colleague. PM Borut Pahor commenting on Jeretič’s letter at a press conference.
When you fall into a pit and hit bottom, you have no guarantee that you can easily climb out and get on your feet. Normally this doesn’t happen and a rescue team is needed. Borut Pahor blurts out anything that comes to his mind on a daily basis. The results you can see for yourself. Opposition leader Janez Janša in a public internet debate commenting on Borut Pahor’s statement that we have already met the crisis’ bottom.
We are witnessing a typical case of ignorance of the law: the government calmly says we don’t have money and will not pay our duties. Can you imagine if all of us did so? That would really be a collapse of the law. Faculty of Law Professor Rajko Pirnat in a RTV Slovenia round table debate
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
Ghosts of the Times Past
POLITICS
Bilateral relations
By Jaka Terpinc
The story of Yugoslavia’s bitter end is also that
of overlooking a common past in order to establish new national myths. But this terribly successful project seems to have come to an end, with ex-Yugoslavs beginning to slowly and carefully rebuild their common memory. Take the main rivals in the story: Serbs and Croats. Business was first to set aside the prescribed national hatred. Then it went down to individuals, such as Serbian tourists returning to the Croatian coast. And now politicians have realised it is the right time to re-evaluate the situation. The presidents of both Croatia and Serbia have recently publicly apologised for the civilian killings committed by their armies. It is enough to lead some to speak of a Yugoslav renaissance. But, please – does something that moves from totally messed up to a little bit normal really deserve such a noble description? Slovenia’s attempts to come to terms with recent history have been hard as well, and the country is particularly divided when it comes to memories of Yugoslavia. This period, inevitably linked with Socialism and President Tito, is still burdened with emotions and prejudice; emotions which make good material for instant political debates. Here’s the current top three – out of many more. 1) The brothers we have neglected: Many Serbs, Croats, Bosnians etc, who have ended up living in Slovenia as a matter of inner-migrations back then are frequently put on a similar level to the Turks in Germany. Different. Unwanted. Unassimilated. A new government-proposed act on public broadcaster, which will have to pass a referendum check specifies that Slovenian national television will have to dedicate some airtime to special programming for the Ex-Yu community in their languages. The opposition has already found an effective campaigning weapon against the law with arguments such as “beware of the new Yugoslav television”. 2) The king is dead: Ljubljana’s Tito Avenue was renamed back to Dunajska and Slovenska two decades ago in a euphoric wave of correcting memory. But now the Mayor of Ljubljana has decided that Tito may, after all, deserve a street. A pro and contra front was immediately set up to wage ideological battle over the name of an avenue which ironically leads from the Stadium complex to a cemetery. 3) Job description changes: Even more controversial than names are the roles of the citizens. Evidently not every public official in charge 25 years ago has retired yet, and these individuals today serve a different kind of ideology and set of rules – particularly unpleasant for the people in charge of the oppressive methods. The main character in the most recent affair is Branko Masleša, a prosecutor general nominee. Masleša was a young member of a judiciary senate which judged (but did not carry out) the last death penalty in Slovenia, earned by a multiple murderer in the 1980s. The opposition also claims he opposed Slovenian independence. But does any of this disqualify him as someone who can rightfully serve the state of law today? Yes, there are people among us who are sensitive to their ethnical purity and disturbed by the “southerners” living in their environment. Some live the stereotype that the Balkans is so unpredictable we better keep off as far as can if we want to maintain order in our everyday life. Some even fear that Yugoslavia and socialism can strike back at any time. And we have parties such as the SDS who are only too willing to capitalise on the political potential of these fears, especially in the uncertain times of economic crisis. On the other hand, the impact of this badly digested past is fading. As for Tito street – many feel there was never any need for such a thorough purge of Tito’s name two decades ago, but in the same manner, there’s also no need to heat up this issue now and we could just look upon other names. And while many people seem to be taking the past for granted, not burdening themselves very much with whether life in the Yugoslav socialist era was fun or pain, younger generations have begun to rediscover the former country of their parents unburdened with this past. editor@sloveniatimes.com
Balkan Revival? Fifteen years after the fighting ended, it seems that the wounds from the Balkan war might finally be starting to heal. The past year has seen relations between the countries of the former Yugoslavia improve significantly. Is it time to talk of a Balkan revival? By Mateja Novak
I
f you drive around Serbia, you will quickly notice a series of billboard signs which all say one thing, in huge letters: “Lustracija”. The word translates as “lustration” (“to purify”) but in a land which experienced a bitter war it’s come to represent the concept of facing one’s past; coming to terms with the acts committed by your nation’s soldiers, and those committed against your people. The word isn’t just big on billboards. It has also become a cornerstone of Serbian foreign policy. Earlier this year, the country’s president Boris Tadić formerly apologised for the Serbian massacre of Muslim men and boys at the Srebrenica camp in Bosnia. Recently he went a step further, apol-
ogising for war crimes committed by Serbs in Vukovar, Croatia.
Time to say sorry
It is clear that Tadić believes that lustration is crucial to the future not only of his own country but of all those nations in the former Yugoslavia. Speaking during his trip to Croatia, he reflected that the two countries had experienced misunderstandings and the awful pain of war but that: “We [have now] sent an apology, which is an extremely important step for overall relations between the two countries. Without settling international and bilateral relations and economic cooperation between the two countries there will be no progress.”
Prime ministers Borut Pahor and Jadranka Kosor met seven times in 2010
POLITICS Photo: BOBO
Inevitably, some criticised the president’s actions. Some Serbs were offended that Tadić apologised for crimes which they argue were not committed by “real” Serbs but by Serbs living in Croatia. Some Croats, meanwhile, felt the president’s apology was too little too late. But the majority of people in both countries have welcomed Tadić’s efforts to make amends – as has the international community. And the Croatian president has followed suit. Ivo Josipović recently apologised to the families of Serbs killed by the Croatian army in Paulin Dvor near Osijek in 1991. Josipović sent a strong message, condemning all crimes and promising that his country will pursue those who committed them, regardless of nationality.
Progress
Photo: BOBO
It is not just Croatian/Serbian relations which have been improving in the past year, however. Slovenia has also been closely involved in this Balkan revival. Slovenia and Serbia have intensified cooperation – among many initiatives, the countries’ agencies for the promotion of exports have recently signed an agreement to work together; Slovenia continues to be one of the biggest investors in Serbia; and the countries’ railway operators, together with Croatia, have signed an agreement to ease border crossings for cargo trains. Visits have been frequent: Prime Minister Borut Pahor has visited Tadić in Serbia three times this year alone, while the Serbian
political has come to Slovenia six times. Slovenia has become closer to Croatia too. Prime ministers Borut Pahor and Jadranka Kosor have met a whopping seven times in the past twelve months. They have agreed on how to resolve the border issue, have even talked about sharing airspace, and have shown a willingness to finally resolve the long running dispute over Ljubljanska Banka’s debts to Croatian citizens.
countries have been facing similar challenges. After twelve months of significant lustracija progress, most hope that the dawning new year will bring the same.
Both President Boris Tadić and Ivo Josipović have apologised for the war crimes committed during the nineties
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Meetings
Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia are now organising regular trilateral meetings to discuss important issues relating both to the individual nations and to the region. Pahor says the meetings are a step towards strengthening trust between the three countries. He also argues they are a signal to others that mutual trust among leaders can help resolve important issues more easily and more quickly. Tadić agrees, saying that the get togethers contribute to a political relaxation not only in the three countries but throughout southeast Europe. He believes this will help European integration of the region’s countries – Slovenia has been credited for helping ease the visa regime for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro and hopes to do the same for Bosnian citizens – as well as helping secure major investments and new jobs. Many feel the meetings are particularly important in light of the financial crisis, given that all of the region’s
www.kliping.si December 2010
Energy
The Ongoing Chaos of Unit 6
Photo: BOBO
POLITICS
In the end, the need to turn on the emergency generators was narrowly averted. The employees of Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant ultimately decided to freeze a planned strike which could have caused a massive electrical blackout in Slovenia. Their actions nonetheless represent the latest in a long line of problems at the plant, most relating to the controversial plan for a sixth unit. By Martina Budal
I
t was back in 2004 that the long and complicated saga of Unit 6 at Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant began. In June of that year, the plant adopted a strategic development plan. Central to it was the construction of a new, lignitefired unit. In 2006, an investment plan for the 600 milliwatt (MW) unit was adopted. Two years later, a EUR 654m agreement for equipment was signed with Alstrom. Soon the unit was listed as an energy investment in all state strategic and development documents.
Initial support
The very early days of the project did not hint at the controversies that would ultimately swirl around it. Most locals enthusiastically supported the plan for the unit, realising that it would guarantee ongoing work both at the plant and at neighbouring lignite mine Premogovnik Velenje. The energy community, meanwhile, was excited at what would be a major investment in new technology. They pointed out that Slovenia’s electricity consumption The Slovenia Times
is growing at a rate of three percent a year and that the new unit would help ensure those needs can be met. At first, it was only environmental groups who expressed concerns about the plans. They warned of the environmental and economic consequences of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that would be linked with Unit 6. Not only would Šaleška Valley still be heavily polluted, they said, but Slovenian consumers would have to pay more for electricity due to new regulations around CO2.
Focus on the details
And then, slowly but surely, more people began to pay attention to the project – and became critical of it. The cost of the unit rose to EUR 1.2 billion, but the plant managers continued with the plan. The soaring costs were kept relatively quiet until earlier this year when rumours about irregularities reached Ljubljana and the government asked for information. From that point on, matters have gone from bad to worse. The most
recent controversy – the one plant employees are protesting about – is the supervising board’s decision to recall long-time plant director Uroš Rotnik. The board maintains that Rotnik was not recalled for bad project management but due to his failure to communicate the latest status of the Unit 6 project. Regardless, employees are not happy and refused to let newlyappointed director Simon Tot enter the premises.
Controversy continues
As employees argue over who should be responsible for the plant, environmental groups continue to argue that the new unit should not be built at all. Their most recent move has been to give comments on environmental permit documentation needed for the project. They believe that Austria has not been included in the assessment of the unit’s environmental impact and that carbon capture and storage was not analysed. Predictably, political parties are getting involved in the controversy. While Minister for Economy
Darja Radić and director general of the directorate for energy Janez Kopač both belong to the Zares party, Velenje is a town where the Social Democrats – the other main partner in the current coalition government – enjoy strong support. There is no doubt that the unit is an important issue for the state, not least because Slovenian power plants holding HSE is state-owned. But here too there is confusion and controversy. Current HSE director general Matjaž Janežič took up the post after a decision to recall Borut Meh, who held the post for only a year in spite of good results under his leadership. With the newly-established Agency for Management of Capital Investments opposing HSE’s decision to recall Rotnik and at the same time demanding that supervisors put Meh back in post, the mess surrounding the Šoštanj plant continues. Right now nobody can predict when it might end. For most it’s a case of hoping for the best... but expecting the worst.
Politics
Technology
Digitalise Me Straight from the horse’s mouth – Slovenia has switched off the analogue TV signal and sent shivers down the spine of everyone with an indoor or roof antenna who has failed to land a digital converter. By David Aleksander
Because one just can’t get too digital
In a world where mobile phones and Facebook profiles have long hijacked genuine human interaction it seems that modern society’s insatiable and often uncanny veneration of technology imposes a new religion in which there’s no such thing as being too digital. And if the simple nonconsumerism enjoyment of having a handful of free, occasionally snowy programmes did not cut it for you, you may now bask in a multiplicity of digital pleasures 24/7. The new system, which has been round for a couple of years but which now assumes the role of the only sheriff in town, would be nothing without its perks. Digital TV (DTV), which translates as “transmission of audio and video by discrete digital signals”, has several benefits over analogue tel-
Photo: BOBO
O
n 1 December 2010 Slovenia switched off the analogue TV signal and entered the digital TV era well ahead of some more industrialised nations. It was the dark of night, 3 am to be precise, when analogue transmitters were shut down. Those who continued to rely upon receiving TV signal via indoor or roof antenna, round one third of Slovene households, and had been reluctant to cough up a couple of smackers for a brand new digital converter were treated, instead of their favourite show, to a dose of white noise. The so-called “analogue darkness” did not come without a warning – just two weeks prior the Slovene PM Borut Pahor participated in a successful raise awareness campaign during which his simple press on a button sent the country into a 15-minutelong analogue darkness. Well, the analogue eclipse was not total since only three Slovene channels gave up the ghost, but it gave the people a taste of how digital TV era would look like come December. Truth be told, most people on cable or satellite TV had long been hooked on digital, so not much happened there, except for an occasional shudder wondering whether or not you were as modern as you thought you were.
evision – apart from being more resistant to interference, having better quality of sound and picture, offering additional services such as multimedia, interactivity, electronic programme guides and various language options, it also takes up less bandwidth, which means that digital broadcasters can now provide a greater number of digital channels in the same space; this translates as “bring on high-definition TV” and other additional services such as multiplexing, which allows several channels to be watched on one programme. Another reason for going digital is also the freeing up of the frequency spectrum via a smaller consumption of the radio spectrum, making the freedup frequencies available to broadband internet and other services. Some European countries had already made the digital switchover whereas most European states are to follow suit; the European Commission has recommended that Member States complete the
digital switchover by 2012.
Pride and generosity
The Slovene PM Borut Pahor, who in mid September performed the first test switch-off at Beli Križ, said that the act, like in many other fields, represented Slovenia’s transition to the digital era. In a similar manner the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Gregor Golobič expressed his firm conviction that the project was one of the more important ones in recent years, assuring that digitalisation was not a mere marketing campaign forcing consumers to pay more to get better service; the question, however, was whether or not the consumer would get any kind of picture at all. To this effect it has to be mentioned that for the territory where the digital signal is still too weak, i.e. round 3% of the territory which will remain digital-less until the middle of the next year, RTV Slovenia stated it would
apply for an extension of the analogue signal. In a poignant campaign that could only be dubbed as “No TV child left behind” the government put on its generous face and dispensed free digital converters to 4,000 of the poorest Slovene families and co-funded the purchase in the amount of EUR 50 to others. A nice gesture, I suppose, but is a high-tech digital converter – inevitably running up the hours spent in front of the magic box – truly what a struggling Slovene family going through an economic rough patch needs? Anyhow, as long as the government feels that entertainment is what people desperately want and need then entertainment is what they shall dispense, despite of, or precisely because of, the ever sliding approval ratings of the Pahor administration. At the end of the day it seems that there’s not much more to do than kick back and explain to your better half how much more enjoyable Celebrity Big Brother appears in HD. December 2010
10
Economy
FACTS AND FIGURES
source: STA, Slovenian Press Agency
Parliament Endorses Austerity Budgets The National Assembly has passed budget documents for the coming two years even though a small coalition partner refrained from voting for the plans. The budget bills for 2011 and 2012 were passed with an absolute majority of votes last month in spite of the refusal of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) to support the documents. Ultimately the government received the remaining votes it needed from a group of independent MPs. The documents state that the government deficit will stand at 4.9 percent next year and will be cut to 3.6 percent in 2012. To achieve this, the government will put in place a series of austerity measures, detailed in a special emergency act also adopted last month. The supplementary budget for 2011 reduces revenues by nearly EUR 500m to EUR 8.3bn. Spending is cut by EUR 360m to just over EUR 10bn. The savings will be found through slowed indexation in pensions and social transfers, which will
be reduced to 25 percent of standard indexation – the reason for DeSUS’ opposition to the plans. The emergency act also curbs public sector pay growth, investments in local government, and kindergarten subsidies. The biggest chunk of spending in 2011, EUR 2.5bn, will go to social security. The finance minister, Franci Križanič said this guarantees that despite curbed indexation of pensions and social transfers Slovenia will remain a welfare state. But the opposition reiterated its view that the government could have found additional savings for the next two years in spending not essential to propping up Slovenia’s economy. “This government is spending much more than it is able to collect in taxes,” said Andrej Vizjak of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). On this note, the People’s Party (SLS) entered amendments that would bring an additional EUR 191m in savings in 2011 and EUR 181m in 2012, but both were turned down in the vote.
Karl Erjavec, president of DESUS, did not support the new budgets
The National Assembly also adopted the budget implementation act, which allows the state to take out a total of EUR 3.2bn in debt in the 2011 budget and EUR 967.7m in 2012 to finance the budget. The budget vote was closely watched after DeSUS failed to provide votes in protest at their coalition partners refusing to endorse their demand for pension indexation. Such a move would have entailed additional budget outlays. DeSUS president Karl Erjavec suggested after the vote that the budgets may yet face a veto, which would create “significant problems” for the government in that it would not have enough votes to overturn such a measure.
Recession
Logistics
Awards
Economic growth
Another Wave of Bankruptcies Expected
Intereuropa Returns to Profit
Pipistrel Crowned Most Innovative Company in Europe
OECD Downgrades Slovenia’s Growth Forecast
The Slovenia Times
Intereuropa has posted a pre-tax profit (EBITDA) of EUR 19m for the January-September period, up 60 percent over the year before. The Koper-based logistics group achieved the result in spite of a two percent decline in sales, to EUR 139.7m. The company says the increase in EBITDA was largely due to real estate disposal, which accounted for over a quarter of the total pre-tax profit. Operating profit totalled EUR 8.2m compared to EUR 76,000 in the year before, largely on account of brisk growth (11 percent) in land transport, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of group revenue. All other segments contracted, with logistics solutions down six percent and intercontinental transport dropping by 22 percent.
A Slovenian light sports aircraft maker has been named the most innovative company in Europe. Pipistrel received the innovation prize at the European Business Awards (EBA) at a ceremony held in Paris last month. The firm was selected the winner from 10 companies short-listed in the innovation category following a recent hearing in London. A total of 15,000 companies had registered in the ten awards categories, with ten subsequently short-listed for special mentions in each category. In its description of Pipistrel, the EBA stressed that the company managed to increase output by 50 percent and its workforce by 10 percent in 2009. It also highlighted the recent launch of the Taurus-Electro, the world’s first electric-powered two-seater aircraft.
Slovenia’s growth readjusted 4
Source: OECD
Slovenia should prepare for a wave of bankruptcies according to its economy minister. Darja Radić says the process is part of cleansing of the economy: “Bad companies have to die out,” she says, although she adds that the nation does have many good companies with good products. Radić says that if a number of bankruptcies do occur, the country can expect an increase in the number of unemployed people throughout 2011. Commenting on the recent bankruptcy of construction company Vegrad, the minister argued it was a consequence of the overheating on the real estate market. Regarding potential tax hikes, Radić says that her position is that increasing taxes, contributions and excise duties is out of the question until Slovenia reaches an economic growth rate of three percent.
2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has downgraded its latest forecast for the growth of the Slovenian economy. It now predicts a two percent growth in 2011, a drop of 0.4 percentage points from its May forecast. The new forecast, released last month, projects that Slovenia’s economy will expand by 1.1 percent this year, which is slightly more than the 0.9 percent predicted by the Office for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD), a Slovenian government think-tank. OECD analysts are more pessimistic about growth in 2011 than IMAD, however. The think-tank has forecast 2.5 percent growth for next year.
11 Energy
Retail industry
Finance
Logistics
Among the Best
Mercator Group Profits Rise
NKBM Group with EUR 20M Net Profit
Slovenian Railways Lower Losses
The group around Slovenia’s leading retailer Mercator generated more than EUR 2bn in revenues in the first nine months of 2010 according to newly released figures. This represents 3.7 percent more than in the same period last year with net profit increasing by 59 percent to EUR 28m. Revenues from sales of goods abroad also increased, by 19.5 percent, thanks mainly to strategic tie-ups with Croatia’s Getro and Montenegro’s Panto. Revenues from sales of goods in Slovenia decreased by 2.3 percent, however, which Mercator attributes to a drop in the sales of textile and clothing.
The group around Slovenia’s second largest bank has reported a EUR 20.3m net profit for the first nine months of 2010 in November. NKBM recorded an operating profit of EUR 26.6m, a 64 percent increase year-on-year. The core bank saw a net profit of EUR 13.8m and an operating profit of EUR 16.2m. The group’s total assets stood at EUR 5.89bn at the end of September, which is 1.8 percent more than at the end of 2009, while the core bank’s total assets were at EUR 4.81bn. The group opened a new branch office in Ljubljana in November, with two more planned by the end of the year, in the Koroško region and in Gornja Radgona.
Finance
NLB Gets Capital Increase Shareholders of Slovenia’s largest bank, NLB, confirmed last month a EUR 250m capital increase designed to bolster the bank’s capital and help it meet new regulatory requirements. The proposal was confirmed despite opposition by the second-largest shareholder, Belgian banking group KBC. The news comes after the banking group reported a EUR 50m net loss for the first nine months of the year. NLB made a EUR 14.9m loss in the third quarter alone, which comes on top of the EUR 34.6m loss from the first half of the year. Fresh write-downs and provisions mean that the total loss for 2010 could amount to between EUR 100m and EUR 120m according to NLB chairman Božo Jašovič.
Air transport
Ljubljana Airport Reports Profit
Construction
Aerodrom Ljubljana has reported a drop in both profits and revenues for the first nine months of 2010. The operator of the Jože Pučnik Ljubljana Airport recorded EUR 24.95m in revenues and EUR 3.92m in net profit for the first nine months of the year – a drop of 4.7 percent and 40.8 percent respectively year-on-year. Nonetheless, the company reached 73.6 percent of planned revenues and 94.8 percent of planned profit for the JanuarySeptember period.
Slovenia’s construction sector has recorded one of the biggest falls in the European Union, new figures from Eurostat show. The sector contracted by 8.3 percent at the monthly level and by 18.5 percent on the annual level in September, in the biggest monthly fall and the second biggest annual fall in the EU. Output in the construction sector in the eurozone decreased by 2.1 percent at the monthly level in September, while shrinking by 1.7 percent in the whole of the EU. After Slovenia, the biggest monthly drops were registered in Slovakia and Portugal, while the sector recorded the highest growth rates in Romania, Poland and Sweden.
Slovenia’s Construction Output Drops Highest Within EU
Automotive industry
Car Companies Form Pharamceuticals Consortium Krka Records Ninefor Development Month Profit Eight Slovenian car companies have come together to reduce research and development risks and follow trends in the global car industry. The SiEVA consortium, formed in Ljubljana last month, is made up of Hidria, Cimos, Kolektor, Iskra Avtoelektrika, Iskra Mehanizmi, MLM, Polycom and TPV. The name is an abbreviation for ‘synergetic, environmentally friendly, safe car’. The consortium will strive for development of internal combustion engines, hybrids and electric engines, passenger safety and comfort, and production excellence.
Drug maker Krka reported a profit of EUR 120.9m for the first three quarters of this year, up 12 percent over the same period last year. Nine-month revenues were up 5 percent to EUR 726.6m. The results are in line with Krka’s business plan, which anticipates that the group will finish the year with revenuess in excess of EUR 1bn and a profit of EUR 159m, the company said last month. Krka generated 89 percent of all its sales on foreign markets. The biggest growth was seen in exports to eastern Europe, which were up by 14 percent.
Slovenian Railways has reported better than expected results for the first nine months of the year. The net loss at the state-owned national railway operator stood at EUR 8.7m, down from EUR 23.5m in the same period last year. The result is nearly EUR 13m better than expected. According to the management board, headed by Goran Brankovič, the improvement in the company’s operations was a result of a stronger showing in cargo. “Cargo revenues are up 23 percent over last year and are beating plans by 16 percent,” Brankovič says. Nevertheless, the division is still making a loss. For the first nine months it stood at EUR 12.7m, though this is much smaller than last year when it stood at EUR 30m.
Information technology
VoIP Connections on the Rise The number of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connections in Slovenia is growing, new data has shown. A report from the Statistics Office on the development of electronic communication services in Slovenia shows that, in the past two years, the number of VoIP connections increased by an average of 50.7 percent a year. At the end of 2009, around 280,000 VoIP connections were in use, which is almost a third of all connections at fixed locations. The use of traditional PSTN and ISDN lines, meanwhile, has decreased. Types of internet connections in Slovenian households (share in %) 70 60
Dial up Broadband
WAP, GPRS xDSL
optical, WiFi, modem 3G
Modem ISDN
UMTS, HSDPA Dial up connections
Source: SURS
The mobile website of the Ljubljana thermal power plant (TE-TOL) has been named one of the best in the world. TE-TOL was the only energy company among the nominees for the World Summit Award, organised under the auspices of the World Summit for Information Society of the United Nations. The international jury praised TE-TOL for an innovative mobile site which enables Ljubljana residents to review data on emissions from the plant twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The site also details the plant’s impact on the local environment, and gives information on production. TE-TOL says the site is the first in Slovenia to successfully link the environmental, energy and mobile technology fields. The World Summit Award, which has been running since 2003, is a global contest which aims to highlight best practice in e-content.
50 40 30 20 10 0
Q1 08
Q1 09
Q1 10
December 2010
12 ECONOMY
IEDC Bled
Losing the Competition When it comes to competitiveness, the Slovenian economy is losing the competition – and not in a good way. Statistics consistently show the nation lagging behind other established economies in its ability to sell and supply goods or services in a variety of markets. This year’s Annual Presidents’ Forum, held last month in Bled, questioned how to change that position. By Claire Read the government is working on. In his speech at the forum, he highlighted several efforts to cut the red tape that often proves offputting to those considering investing in Slovenia. He also said the government is looking to address the issue of costly labour. A cap on social contributions would, he said, ensure that the cost of Slovenia’s highly skilled workforce isn’t prohibitive for those looking to invest in the nation.
Positives
At the Annual President’s Forum organised by IEDC the govenrment was urged to focus on new markets
I
n September, the World Economic Forum published its latest data on the competitiveness of 133 world economies. The report declared Slovenia the 45th most competitive country out of 133. This was a drop of eight places from the 2009/10 results. The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, issued in May, told an even worse story. Slovenia placed 52nd of the 57 countries examined by the internationally renowned business school in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was a considerably worse position than the year before, when it was placed 32nd. It all equates to highly disappointing news for a country which is typically regarded as one of the most successful economies in South East Europe. It does mean, however, that the topic of last month’s Annual Presidents’ Forum could not have been more appropriate. The 23rd annual event – organised by the IEDCBled School of Management – saw more than 90 presidents, members of management and supervisory boards, general managers and other high-level guests discuss the issue of economic competitiveThe Slovenia Times
ness. And while these representatives may have been drawn from over 15 countries it was inevitable that much discussion centred on the performance of Slovenia.
New markets
The event’s keynote speaker, Professor Dr Stéphane Garelli – professor at IMD Lausanne and editor of the World Competitiveness Yearbook – urged a focus on new markets. “In order to achieve higher [levels of] competitiveness, countries have to focus on fast growing markets – especially those in Africa and Asia where higher growth is expected in the future as well,” he said. Garelli also argued that governments must focus on conditions at home, ensuring simple, predictable and transparent local legislation; proper infrastructure; and a business environment to attract foreign direct investments.
What’s the plan?
It has longed been feared that these are areas in which Slovenia is lacking. Matjaž Gantar, chief executive of financial organisation
KD Group, argued that for fifteen years there has been no discussion on the national level as to the kind of economy Slovenia wants. Goran Radman of the Croatian National Competitiveness Board, meanwhile, pointed out that it is essential countries have a clear vision of what they want to achieve economically in the next 15 or 20 years. According to Mitja Gaspari, Minister for Development and European Affairs, these are areas that
Topic Rankings
DB 2011 Rank
Dr Peter Kraljić, Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, said he was pleased by the government’s recognition that changes need to be made. “Minister Mitja Gaspari said that the major task of the government is to reduce bureaucracy, simplify many processes and ensure better horizontal coordination across ministries,” he noted. “That is a sign that there is not enough cooperation at the ministry level right now. Efficiency of government institutions has to be improved.” But Kraljić is encouraged that the government is finally discussing the issue which 90 individuals from 15 countries came to Bled to consider. “The current government has now started to talk about competitiveness. That is definitely an improvement and a good sign,” said Kraljić.
DB 2010 Rank
Change in Rank
Starting a Business
28
25
-3
Dealing with Construction Permits
63
63
No change
Registering Property
97
109
12
Getting Credit
116
109
-7
Protecting Investors
20
20
No change
Paying Taxes
80
81
1
Trading Across Borders
56
86
30
Enforcing Contracts
60
60
No change
Closing a Business
38
40
2
Source:www.doingbusiness.org
ECONOMY 13
Financiers conference
Growing Pains The Fifth Conference of Financiers took place in Bernardin Congress Centre in Portorož last month. It saw economists, business leaders, bankers, university teachers and journalists gathering to discuss a tricky question – how to finance the future growth of the Slovenian economy. By Seniha Muharemi Vukas
T
he event, organised by the daily business newspaper Finance, began with cautious optimism about Slovenia’s economic status. According to opening speaker Boštjan Vasle, director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD), the global economic situation is slightly improving and Slovenia is part of this trend. Positive economic growth is foreseen for the country, based mainly on the favourable influence of export and international trade. And Vasle pointed out the labour market is improving too. After a big increase in the number of registered unemployed last year, the situation is stabilising and IMAD predicts certain improvement in 2011.
A slow process
Stefan Kolek, senior credit strategist of UniCredit Group, argued that while recovery may be beginning, it is likely to be a slow proc-
ess. He pointed out that the global economy in general and Eurozone in particular has just emerged out of a so called balance sheet recession – a type of downturn which is tough to cure and tough to recover from. Kolek argued that the countries most affected by the slump in housing prices – namely the US and a number of European countries in the periphery – will struggle to exit the recession. The only exception in Europe is Germany, where booming export of machine tools, industrial plants and processing equipment to Chinese manufacturers is helping keep the economy strong. But Kolek believes that global growth in the near future will primarily be driven by large emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and to some extent in a number of European emerging markets like Russia and Turkey. The common denominator of emerging markets is that they entered the crisis with low debt levels, allow-
Both Matjaž Kovačič, NKBM chairman, and Božo Jašovič, NLB chairman (below) have warned the government they need recapitalisation
ing them to outperform industrial countries now.
All about the money
Many of the speakers addressed the changes Slovenia needs to make if it is to increase its own performance. Andraž Grahek from KD Skladi argued that recapitalisation of the banking system is a fundamental condition for assuring continuing funding for businesses. In this context, he believes huge discounts should be offered to attract prospective buyers. Grahek cited the example of the Bank of Greece, where a 30 percent discount on the tangible book value of shares was offered. Following its recapitalisation, its Tier 1 capital index rose from 11.2 percent to 13.3 percent. In contrast, NLB currently has a Tier 1 index of 6.7 percent. The need for recapitalisation was touched on again in a debate between NLB chairman Božo Jašovič, NKBM chairman Matjaž Kovačič, and editor-in-chief of Finance Peter Frankl. The first men of the biggest state-owned banks in Slovenia played their role of half state-appointed bureaucrats, half genuine bankers with a refreshing sense of humour, but their messages to the government were stern and serious. In order to support ambitious development policy, the banks need recapitalisation. If the owners won’t provide the capital, the volume of lending will recede. While
both chairman are confident they can find private investors if need be, they need the government’s approval to do so. Nonetheless, Jašovič and Kovačič agreed that 2.5 percent growth rate predicted for Slovenia in 2011 is achievable, so long as domestic consumption also contributes its share. Not all companies want to acquire loan capital, of course. Some may want to acquire equity. For Andraž Grahek it is inconceivable that already globalised Slovenian companies keep their ownership concentrated in Slovenia, despite the shallowness of Slovenian capital market. He instead advised diversification of the ownership portfolio.
The retirement debate
Another hotly debated domestic issue was the nation’s retirement system. In his presentation, Dr Aleš Berk from Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, argued in favour of a “third pillar” for the system – a flexible individual voluntary pension insurance scheme – while Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Ivan Svetlik discussed the proposed modernisation of the existing system. By the conclusion of the one day conference, it was obvious that there is no shortage of ideas on how to encourage the growth of the Slovenian economy. The challenge now is to decide which ideas to make a reality – and quite how to go about it. December 2010
14 ECONOMY
Corporate Governance in Slovenia
Endangered Species? Financial and economic crisis. Liquidity crunch. Bad loans. Insolvent companies and highly illiquid real estate markets. Words which described the world economy in 2008 and the beginning of 2009 and are still commonly seen as headlines in the media in autumn 2010 in Slovenia. Other Central European countries have emerged from recession stronger, even in Eastern Europe there are improvements as can be seen in 3rd quarter GDP.
P
oor performance of the Slovenian economy in 2009-2010, overshadowed only by the troubled ‘PIGS’1, is of real concern. In order to stimulate economic growth and prosperity the underlying problems that caused the lagging recovery need to be identified and resolved. Two common identifiers of all EU countries in this economic havoc are a lack of transparency and government interference in companies including in day to day business operations. In countries with smaller populations this is even more obvious.
Slovenia?
Companies are not growing in this post crisis period. They are not adding jobs, revenues are lagging, added value is declining. All publicly listed companies, except Krka, are up to the eyeballs in debt. They need outside financing (restructuring and recapitalization) to resume investing in the underlying business. The lack of transparency in publicly listed companies caused the exodus of trust of minority shareholders. Majority shareholders, represented by the government and privatization barons, lack fresh capital because of their own high level of debt and so the vicious circle continues. Poor corporate governance decisions made in the previous decade backfired. Puppet CEOs without any real authority and
toothless supervisory boards, who are more interested in filling their personal coffers then developing the underlying business, have finally brought the economy to the brink of collapse. Leveraged buyouts and Management buyouts in prior years drained companies of essential development funds and today we observe obsolete, low value added products and companies leaving foreign markets when the rest of the world is “going emerging”. Banks, which in normal economies are the lifeblood of the economy, provide no financing. Slovenian banks borrowed heavily in earlier years to support the poor decisions of the ‘privatization barons’ and corrupt CEOs and are now left with rising non performing loans. They need foreign capital, but the local network of politicians and crooked businessmen are not yet ready to let go the geese that only a few years ago laid golden eggs. In their short sightedness, they don’t see that time is running out and that competitors are gaining the market share of Slovenian companies.
led pension funds in companies like Telekom Slovenije or NKBM is a case in point of how to fulfill some obligations but to not really do anything. It is not a problem for Slovenian pension funds to hold shares in Slovenian companies, the problem is the politicians running pension funds. A two tiered solution is needed. The first tier would be straight privatization by the government. There must be a clear timetable of exit from company ownership either by finding a strategic partner via public tender for a majority share or selling a minority share to investors with clear milestones and commitments for how the privatization will end. After the NLBKBC fiasco, when the finance ministry simply circumvented their obligation to sell a 51% to Belgian bank KBC, finding strategic partners with less than 51% participation will be a hard job. For the second tier it is necessary to find independent (foreign) asset managers with clear mandates to run government controlled funds and who won’t be influenced by daily politics. Slovenian companies need to restore investor confidence by nominating supervisory board members who are independent, have knowledge & experience of different aspects of business and have a clean past. When looking at potential candidates in Slovenia it is obvious that
The Solution is Privatization
It sounds simple, but with a history of how to privatize without privatization, it is a difficult task. For instance, selling government stakes to government control-
GDP Growth 5 4 3
-4 1
Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain
The Slovenia Times
United Kingdom
Finland
Sweden*
Slovakia
Slovenia*
Romania Portugal
Poland*
Austria
Malta*
Netherlands
Hungary
Luxembourg*
Latvia
Lithuania
Italy
Cyprus
Spain
France
Estonia
Source: Eurostat; Q3 2010; *Q2 2010
-3
Germany
Denmark*
Belgium
Czech Republic
-2
Bulgaria
-1
EU (27)
0
Eurozone (16)
1
Greece
Ireland*
2
KD Funds are invested in Krka, Gorenje, NKBM and Telekom Slovenije.
Aleš Lokar, Senior Portfolio Manager, KD Skladi
foreign supervisory board members are needed. With a restoration of confidence, companies can go out to the international capital markets with an IPO to restore their capital base. There have been hundreds of successful IPOs and bond placements in Central and Eastern Europe in the last 2 years, but not a single one from Slovenia. Only Telekom Slovenije managed to issue an international bond. Foreign investors will automatically increase transparency with their demands for implementing developed market corporate governance. The end result will be companies focusing on their underlying business and increasing market share instead of bleeding out existing customer base through cartel price fixing and building diversified holdings.
Investment Opportunities
Foreign investors automatically increase transparency. We can observe the appliance maker Gorenje situation whereby Dutch and USA based investors, together with proactive local asset managers, influenced the company to improve transparency. New supervisory board members were elected based on integrity and knowledge rather than on ties with the state and management board. If these changes increase profitability combined with an upturn in the economic cycle, the effect on the share price will be enormous. The same path awaits other Slovenian blue-chip companies if they are to survive harsh international competition in future years. There are gains to be made investing in the shares of these companies at current price levels. The only question is will the state and local investors seize the opportunity and allow foreign investor knowledge to increase transparency, increase capital base and improve return on equity. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Slovenia Times
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16 ECONOMY
Recession
Time to Bailout Again The long-feared bailout of another eurozone member has finally happened. Ireland fought hard to keep its problems within its own walls, but a lack of liquidity in its banks and the pressure on the euro has forced it to the last resort – the European Union (EU) stability fund and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Even before Ireland is back on its feet, talk is turning to which country might be the next victim of the crisis, with Portugal, Spain and Belgium all high on the list of likely suspects. Understandably other eurozone members are distinctly nervous – not least Slovenia. By Maja Dragović
W
hen Pr i me Mi n ister Borut Pahor informed the Slovenian nation that it will have provide up to EUR 250m in bank loan guarantees for Ireland – as well as potentially having to come to the rescue of debt-ridden Portugal in the near future – he was clear that the move was crucial. It was, he said, “a guarantee for the euro’s stabil-
Development and European Affairs Minister Mitja Gaspari is worried that Slovenia won’t be able to pay the loan if Ireland defaults
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Currency under pressure (Euros to USD) 0,75
0,74
Profil d.o.o. Parmova 53, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Phone: +386 01 280 54 00 Fax: +386 01 280 54 09 E-mail: profil@profil-group.com www.profil-group.com
By Jani Zupan, MBA, Profil d.o.o. 0,73
Perspective of Recruiters in 2010
Crash in 2009, Ambiguity in 2010, Optimism for 2011?
0,72
0,71
0,70 Oct 15
ity”, adding that Slovenia cannot be economically stable without the currency. The Prime Minister also emphasised the extent to which Slovenia’s economic success is tied to that of other eurozone members: “When we gave help to Greece, we helped ourselves,” Pahor argued. He continued: “It is clear that the eurozone and EU face an unprecedented event. Unprecedented because we are facing the bankruptcy of countries.” And the bottom line was clear: “I can’t imagine a Slovenia outside of the eurozone.”
Strong opposition
At a time when Slovenia is embarking on severe austerity measures to cut its deficit, Pahor’s proclamations were far from being met with universal support. The opposition especially came out against Pahor in force saying that Slovenia cannot afford to help out other states. Andrej Vizjak of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) said that if Slovenia continues in the way it has been it will suffer a similar fate to Portugal or Greece. While admitting that Slovenia has its own problems, Pahor is stressing that the country is in far better shape than Greece and other countries facing a debt crisis. As a result, the nation will soon have to take a stance on participation in the loan guarantee scheme. Slovenia should contribute EUR 2.073bn to the EUR 440bn eurozone stability fund, endorsed in May, but the country’s participation in the scheme is still subject to a Constitutional Court review. Pahor added that participating in the euro stability mechanism required Slovenia to push ahead with efforts to secure ironclad fiscal discipline and implement pension reform.
Nov 25
As long as it’s just a guarantee
At the same time, Pahor has stressed that Slovenia is not offering a loan to the Irish, but a guarantee that would be payable only if Ireland was not able to repay its loans. Pahor may have readily accepted the proposal to provide bank loan guarantees for the Irish, but he is hoping that it won’t come to actually having to hand over money. Indeed, Development and European Affairs Minister Mitja Gaspari has argued Slovenia would not be able to meet its debt obligations if borrowers who resort to the euro stability mechanism default. “We have already made it clear that Slovenia is absolutely not capable of meeting such a debt obligation,” Gaspari said. “It is therefore up to the major EU countries and the entire eurozone to run their policies and approach the capital and financial markets in a way that would alleviate anxiety and instability of the markets, not increase them.”
Still in favour of euro
In spite of the latest difficulties, support for the euro in Slovenia does not seem to be waning. In a recent interview with London’s Financial Times, President Danilo Türk reflected that when the country decided to join the euro it did not expect it to be a source of problems but rather of stability and protection. Nonetheless, he maintained that Slovenian support for the currency is as strong as ever. “The euro is a currency that we have to protect,” he concluded. The question for many: at what cost?
Following the global economic crash in 2009, companies in Slovenia were faced with liquidity problems and had to resort to employment dismissals in order to maintain profitability and survival. If 2009 came as a shock that almost nobody predicted, 2010 already showed the readiness and flexibility of the majority of companies to adapt to new conditions and prepare for the future. From the perspective of the labour market, 2010 came as one of the toughest and most demanding years in recent history. If 2009 came as a shocking moment for the economy, this year opened eyes and ended delusions with unemployment increasing significantly as the result of several companies’ breakdowns or downsizings. We recruiting professionals have never in our career heard so many hiring managers talking about “head count freeze” or “personnel optimisation” or similar. On the opposite side, the number of candidates on the market increased significantly with CVs pouring in from all sides. Although the top performers (“A” players) stayed motivated to stay within companies, their reaction to a headhunter’s call did not appear as arrogant as in years before. Readiness for interview or informal discussion over coffee seemed to be very high. Although the recession was a big challenge for all recruiting companies, with downsizing of placements and price pressure, every recruiter should admit that even recession has its plusses. In 2010, consultants received much more executive face time than when times are busy and sales are through the roof. At these times, it’s tough getting some oneon-one time with executives. Therefore I believe we should embrace the situation as for sure it will end at some point and we’ll be wishing for a time when we could get candidates to call us back. The ambiguity of the market and uncertainty of executives over whether they will retain their position placed every recruiter in a special position. This was especially the case when executives started to become aware that the role of a candidate or a client in an executive search could change immediately and is not separated at all. It means that today you can be our client or hiring manager but already tomorrow you could be motivated to be on a short list for an executive position somewhere else. Considering the impact of the economic crisis on the number of placements entrusted to recruiters, in general showed almost similar dynamics than before the crisis but the price pressure and clients’ demand for even higher added value and broadened consulting activity resulted in turnover decrease. Our experiences show that 2010, especially the last quarter, could be a sign of optimism for 2011 and economic recovery. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether the light at the end of the tunnel is a real exit from tough times or just the lights of a train that will hit us even harder than in 2009.
PROFIL is an independent human resources management consultancy, established as a limited company with private capital in 1989. It was the first consulting company in Slovenia and in SE Europe to provide executive search and selection services. They operate in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. The logo says it all: Three smiling faces, representing happy Client, happy Appointee and happy Consultant.
December 2010
18 FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
FDI
NEWS IN BRIEF
source: STA, Slovenian Press Agency
JAPTI
Electroindustry
Electroindustry
Steel industry
JAPTI to Fund Fairs Abroad
New Factory for BSH Hišni Aparati
Relocating to Slovenia
Steel Group Inaugurates New Production Line
BSH I.D. Invalidska družba Hišni aparati d.o.o is to open its own factory. The company, founded in 1997 and owned by BSH Hišni Aparati, has achieved business level high enough to enable it to expand and build its own premises. The new factory will employ 65 people. All business processes, production and facilities will be specially adapted to the needs of disabled and elderly.
Exports
Exports Grow at Double-Digit Rates Exports in 2010 in ‘000 EUR 1800
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Trade
Slovenia and Serbia will Jointly Promote Exports The Slovenian Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments (JAPTI) has signed a memorandum on cooperation with the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency. Under the agreement, the two bodies will promote Slovenian-Serbian trade and joint activities in foreign markets. The memorandum was signed in Belgrade last month as part of a JAPTI-sponsored business conference which focused on new ways for the two countries to cooperate.
Source: SURS
The Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments (JAPTI) is to help fund appearances by individual Slovenian companies at fairs abroad, it has announced. It is the first time that the organisation has assisted individual companies wanting to appear at events abroad. Previously, JAPTI only funded joint appearances by groups of companies. According to JAPTI director Igor Plestenjak, the change has come about because some companies wanted to take part in very specialised fairs or visit countries where it was impossible to form groups. A public call for funds, as part of which the agency wants support fair appearances for at least 60 companies, is open until 13 December. The agency will cover up to 60 percent of the costs of participation at fairs, with a cap of EUR 10,000 per company. Selection will be based on a combination of criteria, including the importance of the fair, the potential of the market where the fair is being held, the potential for growth in the sector concerned, and the outlook of the company.
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Slovenia exported goods worth EUR 13.44bn in the first nine months of 2010, new figures from the Statistics Office show. This represents a 13.6 percent increase on the same period last year. Imports also rose, however, by 12.9 percent to EUR 14.16bn. Trade deficit through September amounted to EUR 715.3m and the export-import ratio was 94.9 percent. Most experts were to EU countries – EUR 1.24bn, or 72.6 percent of the total. Goods imported from the EU, meanwhile, were EUR 1.39bn, or 78.8 percent of all imported goods. Slovenia exported EUR 468.8m worth of goods to non-EU markets, and imported EUR 374m worth of goods from those markets in September.
JAPTI (Public Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investment) is a business facilitator providing free information and advising services for foreign investors: • • • •
Information on business opportunities, legislation, taxes and incentive Information on industrial sites and local suppliers Links with industry and local authorities Arranging visiting programmes to the most suitable locations The Slovenia Times
Danfoss Trata, part of the Danish Danfoss Group, a leader in developing, manufacturing and sales of electromechanical products, is relocating its production from Finland to Slovenia. Danfoss Trata general manager, Aleksander Zalaznik said the reason for relocation is to streamline operations through pooling of individual companies. “We wanted to establish production in our existing facilities in Ljubljana, but as there was not enough space, we hired a 4,000 m2 facility in Kamnik.” At the facility, the company plans to develop and produce heat exchangers for use in district heating and cooling systems - the products that enable the transfer of heat from one medium (like water heating system) to another medium (such as water in the radiators). Heat exchangers are a relatively new Danfoss product, having been part of its production program for about five years. “Due to increased efficiency and competitiveness of the product associated with a strong brand and market position in the segment in which we operate, we foresee significant growth in this product group”, Zalaznik adds.
Real estate
Keeping Apace with World Trends A Slovenian estate agency has become the first in the country to offer virtual tours of the properties listed on its website. Visitors to the Elite Properties website can now enjoy a 360 degree tour of the luxury properties the company has available. The service is standard practice around the world, but Elite Properties is the first Slovenian real estate firm to introduce the feature.
SIJ, the Slovenian steel group owned by Russian group KOKS, has officially opened a new production line at its subsidiary Acroni Jesenice. Company officials say the line, which has been operational since the summer, will help boost productivity at the group. Record outputs have been achieved since its launch. Acroni general manager Simon Kanalec says the new line is part of the company’s focus on developing new products and enhancing quality. He expects Acroni to generate revenues of EUR 430m this year with output of 320,000 tonnes, although he does not expect it to make a profit yet. The SIJ group, however, will end the year in the black.
Real estate
State Selling Real Estate Worth EUR 51M Slovenia plans to sell EUR 41m worth of real estate in 2011 and another EUR 10m in 2012, it has been announced. The sales are detailed in a decree backed by the parliamentary Committee on Interior Policy, Public Administration and Justice. Under the plans, real estate including 14 plots of land worth EUR 12.9m, seven business facilities worth EUR 4m, five apartments worth EUR 6.7m and two other facilities would be put up for sale in 2011. In 2012, the state plans to sell seven properties the value of which exceeds EUR 10m. Most are cultural monuments owned by the Culture Ministry, including six Slovenian castles. The decree now needs to be passed by the National Assembly.
Division for FDI Verovškova 60 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia tel.: +386 1 5891 870 fax: +386 1 5891 877 e-mail: fdi@japti.si www.investslovenia.org
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT 19
FDI success story
Reaping the Benefits Car parts manufacturer Hella Saturnus is undoubtedly one of Slovenia’s biggest foreign direct investment success stories. The car part manufacturer – an official supplier for heavyweight firms including Nissan, Opel and Volkswagen – now makes 91 percent of its sales on foreign markets, and its revenue increased by 70 percent in the last year. The firm is clearly reaping the benefits of a Slovenian presence. But at the same time its managing director believes the government must do more to support foreign direct investment. By Claire Read
A
t October’s prestigious FDI Awards, Hella Saturnus took home the prize for best business management during the economic crisis. It was a deserved win: the firm has prospered in spite of the automobile industry being hit hard by the financial downturn. Revenues have grown – from EUR 135m last financial year to EUR 220m in 2009/10 – and profit has been far greater than initially predicted. The good results are such that the firm now employs some 1,700 people. This is more than double the number employed when Hella entered the Slovenian market by purchasing a majority of shares in Saturnus. “The goals we set out in 1997 have been more than accomplished,” reflects managing director Christof Droste. “We currently have big sales happening all over Europe and September 2010 was an all time record month for us.”
Cut costs
Droste is clearly delighted with the successes achieved since Hella invested in Slovenia. But, at the same time, he issues a warning: “At the moment we are still competitive by doing business out of Slovenia. But it is up to Slovenia to keep it that way.” He argues one key area that needs to be urgently addressed is the financial cost of doing business in Slovenia. “It is easy to talk about reduc-
ing taxes,” Droste argues. “But the government should start with reducing costs, including its own – that is a big issue which the state has to work out. A good example is the whole municipality structure. In Germany in the 1970s, they decided to merge municipalities but here in Slovenia they are carving them up into even smaller municipalities. This not only complicates administration but adds a lot to costs.”
Workforce
Droste says the cost issue is such that it reduces the impact of one of Slovenia’s biggest plus points for foreign investors – the quality of the country’s workforce. He has been impressed by the highly skilled nature of the nation’s employees. “Slovenia is a good choice for the type of business where you need well-educated people,” he says. “The country’s universities do a good job of educating students in the right way. Another strong point is employee loyalty. A lot of companies have been attracted by countries where the wages are, unlike Slovenia, very low. Yet a good example of what happens in such cases is Slovakia where it is extremely difficult to keep educated staff. This doesn’t happen in Slovenia. “But these are not credits just for the government,” the businessman argues. “It is the character of the people living here.”
The importance of Europe
Hella Saturnus’s managing director Christof
Droste says there are some as- Droste has praised the quality of workforce in pects of that character and mind- Slovenia set that do need to be further refined if Slovenia is to flourish. He specifically suggests that the country, and its fellow EU members, need to think more in terms of Europe than of individual member states. “We have to start thinking of ourselves more as part of Europe than as Slovenia alone,” Droste argues. “Slovenia is not competing with Germany, we as Europe are competing with the US or Asia,” he suggests. “I think this is a generational issue, with [younger people] now starting to feel European and not just Slovenian.” At the end of its thirteenth year in Slovenia, Hella Saturnus is in a good position. But it is safe to say that Droste feels the state could do more to enhance and consolidate that position – and to encourage other investors to come to Slovenia. December 2010
20 FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Interview: Vladimir Gasparič
A Diplomatic Approach It is now more than a year since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established the Directorate for Economic Diplomacy with a view to increasing Slovenia’s trade abroad. According to its director, Vladimir Gasparič, it’s been a promising first twelve months – and he is confident that more success is to come as foreign embassies start to better understand the department’s role. By Maja Dragović, photo Maja Kaplan
The diplomatic-consular network of the Republic Slovenia • 42 embassies (+1 office) • 7 missions to international organisations • 6 consulates general • 2 consulates • 26 economic advisers • 80 honorary consuls The Slovenia Times
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia
It has been one year since the establishment of the economic diplomacy department. Are you pleased with how the first year has gone? In its first year, the department has functioned well. There has been a drastic increase in the responsiveness of our embassies to companies’ enquiries and many embassies have become proactive. When they see a niche for a certain Slovenian company, they call the company. A lot of people ask us how many millions of Euros’ worth of contracts economic diplomacy has helped to sign. However, we can-
not answer that question since we are a diplomatic department and not some sort of a trade agent. Even though we helped with some contracts, it would not be fair to take credit for the success of the companies. After all, they are the ones who put the most effort into achieving their business goals. What does the work of economic diplomacy involve? It consists of two parts: the visible and the not so visible. The visible part of what we do is organising business delegations that accompany the president of the country, the prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs. In just one year we have organised 14 economic delegations – nine with President Danilo Türk, four with Prime Minister Borut Pahor and one with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Žbogar. The largest were the delegations to the Russian Federation with 95 businessmen; Bosnia with 141; and Qatar with 70. Have companies been pleased with the outcomes of these delegations?
In general the companies are satisfied with what we do. They can meet new partners and the fact that the event is organised by the president, prime minister or foreign minister ensures a high level of meetings and earns it a lot of attention. Our top directors do already have access to their successful counterparts in other countries because they lead renowned companies. But the president can take them to an even higher level. Do you work with other organisations to set up these events? Everything we do is in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments (JAPTI), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business and many others. There are also very strong links with the cabinets of both the president and the prime minister. How do you go about supporting these other organisations? And how do they go about supporting you?
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT 21 Take the Chamber of Craft and Small Business. They are very well organised, but these tradesmen’s businesses are really small. They are active especially in Italy, Austria and the Balkans but have ambitions to extend their trade into other countries. Well, that’s where we come in, working in cooperation with their organisation. Between all these organisations, there is the knowledge we need to succeed. JAPTI is good at attracting foreign investors, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry knows all about big firms, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business knows all about small firms. If we all unite, and share our knowledge, we are bound to be successful. At the beginning, there were some doubts over who would do what and foreign embassies were concerned about this. But slowly and surely they are beginning to understand what this is all about. How do you ensure that economic diplomacy becomes a priority for all embassies? In order for economic diplomacy to really become a priority, we have established a system which guides our embassies on increasing their economic diplomacy activities and also assesses their work. This was not done to give embassies grades, but to direct them more effectively: see where they are good, what needs to be improved and so on. How does the system work? We have issued tailor-made guidelines for each individual embassy. They need to collect and mediate business information, help the companies to make contact, organise business delegations, advise, give information to foreign investors, find foreign investors, promote the Slovenian economy and so on. As you can see, their duty isn’t merely to follow the macroeconomic environment of their host country, which is a standard diplomatic activity in any case. There are also subtasks and we then ask everyone to report exactly what they have done. We ask the ambassadors to report twice a year, while economic advisors report every three months. On the basis of these reports, we assess the efficiency of the embassies and get information on where is room for improvement. We started with this system in March so the first results are already available. We found out that there was a remarkable leap in quality and quantity. Among all our bilateral embassies, 10 received an outstanding mark meaning they have done more than was required of them.
How reliable is the grading system? Can the embassies be creative with the information they provide? We always check with the companies the embassies mention in their reports. We ask them if they were satisfied with the work of the embassy so that there is feedback from the business side as well as from the embassy itself. I believe the system can be improved but the basis is good. When the economic diplomacy department was set up, it was said that special attention would be given to helping small and medium sized companies. Has this been happening? Of Slovenia’s 8,500 exporters, 80 percent are small and medium sized businesses and they make up 30 percent of our total exports. So it’s clear we need to focus on supporting them. The large exporters need us when they get into really big troubles, but this is quite rare. Smaller firms, on the other hand, call us because of all sorts of problems they have. Usually these are small family firms and many times they come here for help since they often do not know where to go for help and how to go about resolving a problem. We are more than happy to provide our support to such firms. Doesn’t this just turn ambassadors into sales representatives for Slovenian businesses? There has certainly been negativity about this; some ambassadors and economic advisors have feared that we are turning them into sales representatives. It is true they will sometimes need to perform tasks very close to what the sales representatives do. But the small firms need that. So the mentality of our diplomats must be adjusted.
But we are having successes. We sent a request from one small firm to five potentially suitable embassies. Two replied that this was not their problem and that they are not market analysts, while the other three reacted phenomenally. And they performed the role of a sales representative: they conducted a small marketing analysis, went around, did some questioning and sent the answers to the firm. This firm found it fascinating and exactly what it needed. So this can be done. What are the department’s plans for 2011? In future we will try to put more focus on certain countries so that we don’t exhaust our capacities by trying to cover every country equally. That is why Foreign Minister Samuel Žbogar and Darja Radić, the Minister of Economy, have formed a special work group to check which branches of the Slovenian economy need our help abroad most. The list of planned activities for the next year is long and detailed, but not intended for publication just yet. I can however announce that we will organise two big delegations to India and Brazil. These will take place at the beginning of the year. The most recent delegation to Moscow saw an abundance of initiatives and one of them is the mixed commission for economic co-operation in February. This is an excellent opportunity to promote new projects and have follow up meetings. Finally, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we are thinking of opening new embassies in North Africa and in the Gulf for purely economic reasons. So there is plenty of activity in the pipeline.
Everything we do is in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments (JAPTI), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business and many others.
The large exporters need us when they get into really big troubles, but this is quite rare. Smaller firms, on the other hand, call us because of all sorts of problems they have.
December 2010
22 DIPLOMATIC SOCIETY
EMBASSY DIARIES US embassy/American Chamber of Commerce
The new US Ambassador to Slovenia arrived in the country last month. Joseph Adamo Mussomeli landed in Ljubljana on 12 November. Talking to journalists at the airport, he said his priorities would be improving economic cooperation between Slovenia and the US, working with Slovenia to see how to help the region given the country’s “unique place historically and geographically...as part of the Balkans, central Europe and the Mediterranean”, and representing US policy in Afghanistan. Later in November Mussomeli took part in a meeting organised by the American Chamber of
Commerce where he said that Slovenia should implement reforms that will make its economy more open to foreign investors. Saying that Slovenia has many advantages for doing business, including a well-educated workforce, Mussomeli told the meeting that the country was failing to reach its full potential due to delays in reforms. He said the post-recession period was the time to make painful reforms. But this does not mean that Slovenia must shape its economy on American solutions. “Slovenia is a European social democracy; it should not simply rely on the US model,” he said. “However, there are comparable European social democracies – Switzerland, Denmark and Finland – that are more in line with Slovenia and are among the most competitive in the world.” Mussomeli argued the main areas needing attention in Slovenia were transparency in public procurement, red tape, high taxes and the labour market. “It also appears that the government controls, directly or indirectly, far too great a share in far too many companies, even by European standards.” He pointed to one-stop shops for foreign investors, privatisation of non-strategic industries and sim-
Photo: BOBO
Mussomeli arrives in Slovenia
plification of taxation as solutions the government should look at when implementing its reforms. This was echoed by Tomaž Lovše, the Slovenian businessman who heads AmCham Slovenia, who said that he hoped the government would push ahead with its reform drive. “I would truly like to see a big US investment in Slovenia that would mark a centrepiece of economic cooperation between our countries and be a positive sign to other foreign investors,” Lovše said.
Swiss embassy
Sounds like Latvia
Migrating realities
The Latvian embassy last month organised an official reception to mark the 92nd anniversary of the Republic of Latvia. The reception, held at Ljubjana City Museum, was attended by foreign diplomats accredited in Slovenia; employees of state institutions; parliamentary and commission representatives that included Andreja Jerina and Dragoljuba Benčina; business representatives; and Latvians living in Slovenia. The guests enjoyed Latvian food, Riga’s Black balsam, and Latvian beer. They also watched a short film about Latvia entitled “Sounds like Latvia”.
The Swiss embassy and FDV Gallery in Ljubljana have launched a picture exhibition called “Switzerland and Migration”. Over 36 photographs the exhibition shows the coexistence of locals and immigrants in three Swiss towns, as captured by three different photographers. Ursula Markus has photographed lives in Lugano, Edouard Rieben documented daily life in Bern and Pierre-Antoine Grisoni observed the Lausanne suburbs. The curator of the exhibition is a photographer Katri Burri. Before the exhibition came to Ljubljana it was on show in Budapest and Prague. It will be next shown in Stockholm.
Photo: I. Middleton
Latvian embassy
Polish embassy
Roads to independence The Polish Embassy marked its country’s national independence day last month with a reception at Ljubljana Castle. The reception was followed by a concert from Renata Drössler and the Polyrhythmic Trio performing ballads inspired by the music of Fryderyk Chopin. Drössler, who has been called “the black butterfly of chansons”’ and the “Czech Marlene Dietrich”, sang songs from the famous Polish composer in both traditional and lesser known versions. The event was accompanied by an exhibition entitled “Roads to Independence”. The Slovenia Times
French embassy
French Order of Arts and Letters Slovenian translator, literary historian, critic and editor Aleš Berger has been awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters for his achievements in literary work. French Ambassador Nicole Michelangeli presented the award to Berger at her residence in Ljubljana last month. According to Michelangeli, France wanted to recognise Berger’s lifetime of literary work, which has contributed to strong relations between France and Slovenia. Aleš Berger, who was born in Ljubljana in 1946, was a long-time editor at the publisher Mladinska knjiga. As a translator, he worked on French authors such as Comte de Lautreamont, Guillame Apollinaire, Samuel Beckett, Raymond Queneau and Jacques Prevert. His translations have earned him the Sovre Award for translation and the Preseren Fund prize.
DIPLOMATIC SOCIETY 23 French embassy
Hungarian embassy
MEPI awards ceremony at Ljubljana Castle
The books meetings draw to a close
A friendly toast
Photo: Gašper K.
British embassy
British Ambassador Andrew Page last month attended an awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of a number of young people. Page attended the MEPI awards ceremony, where Slovenian president Dr Danilo Türk presented 45 youngers with Gold Awards. Launched in the UK in 1956 as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, MEPI is the Slovenia version of this voluntary, non-competitive programme designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25. There are currently thirty MEPI award operators and over four hundred participants. Page himself received The Duke of Edinburgh’s award in 1983.
Swedish embassy
Czech embassy
Closing down
New exhibition opens
The Swedish embassy has closed its representation in Ljubljana. From now on the country’s embassy in Vienna will also cover Slovenia. The Swedish ambassador in Vienna, Hans Lundborg, gave his credentials to Slovenian President Dr Danilo Türk last month.
A series of French-Slovenian meetings dubbed “The Book and Digitalisation” has drawn to a close with a ceremony in Ljubljana’s Cankarjev dom. Speaking at the ceremony, Slovenian President Danilo Türk highlighted the special cultural bond which has connected Slovenia and France since the 18th century when Anton Tomaž Linhart wrote his famous comedy. Boris Pahor was also at the ceremony, and French Ambassador Nicole Michelangeli took the opportunity to reveal that the Slovenian author is to be formally recognised by the French nation. French Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand will give the award to Pahor, who described it as a great honour. He also thanked France for “bringing Europe to Ljubljana” during the “The Book and Digitalisation” meetings. Also in attendance at the ceremony was Slovenian Culture Minister Majda Širca.
It wasn’t just Slovenian wine producers who were present at this year’s Slovenia Wine Festival – famous Hungarian producers were on hand too. Seven Hungarian wine producers brought excellent wines from nine wine cellars in the wine regions of Etyek, Villány, Szekszárd and Tokaj. To coincide with the festival – which ran on 18 and 19 November – the Hungarian embassy in Ljubljana organised a reception attended by both Hungarian and Slovenian winemakers, as well as representatives from diplomatic missions in Slovenia. The participants also played a game of football, keeping the score friendly at 1:1.
Netherlands embassy
Sharing experience
Photo: Mladinska Knjiga archive
The Czech ambassador last month opened an exhibition of academic painter and graphics artist Marie Michaela Sechtlova at the Family Gallery in Ljubljana. Petr Voznica opened the exhibition at the end of November. As well as enjoying the special graphics exhibition, based on the duality between lightness and weight in real life, guests were treated to the Czech beer Bernard. They also had the chance to listen to the composition of Antonín Dvořák and others, as performed by a married couple from the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Netherlands’ embassy, together with Slovenia’s leading publishing house Mladinska knjiga, recently organised a roundtable discussion with Dutch journalist Joris Luyendijk.Luyendijk was joined at the discussion – entitled “Truth and lies about the Middle East” – by Ervin Hladnik Milharčič, Manca Juvan and Kristina Božič. He has recently published a book of reports with Mladinska knjiga, “Is it true or have you just seen it on TV?” in which he describes his five-year experience as a reporter in the Middle East.
December 2010
Photo: D. Wedam
Hom e grown Christm as d el igh ts Dine with Style
December
Shopping in the City
Shopping
City Centre or Shopping Centre?
Photo: BOBO
26
Whether we like it, love it, or despise it, shopping is a part of our everyday lives. Not so long ago, shopping in Ljubljana involved a trip to the city centre. But times are changing and stores in the centre of the nation’s capital are now facing strong competition in the form of shopping centres on the outskirts of town. By Polona Cimerman The definition of Ljubljana city centre has changed significantly in recent years. In the past, the centre was the hub of industry, enterprise and commerce – and as such the economic, cultural and political heart of the capital. In recent years, however, the processes of industrialisation and urbanisation created have created much stronger bonds between the city centre and its suburbs. With the suburbs flourishing, the centre has seen a decline in population while businesses have relocated to cater for the needs of newly formed external communities.
City centre as a choice
Shopping centres have been central to this change. They began to spring up in the early 1980s and increased in popular-
The Slovenia Times
ity as Slovenians grasped the capitalistic mentality that came with the change of regime in 1991. By 1996, malls located in the suburbs near highways were already commonplace. Today the commercial space per inhabitant is more than twice that of the socialist years. The boom in out of town shopping has seen the city centre lose its hierarchical position and its competitive advantages – regardless of its so-called prime location and its historical heritage. Traditional shopping in the old part of Ljubljana is no longer seen as a necessity like in the past, but as a choice.
The freedom of the outskirts And many commercial enterprises are choosing not to go central. This is not
least because shopping centres in the outskirts are subject to much less restriction and regulation than they would encounter in the centre of Ljubljana and so are able to expand more quickly. In addition, the land and the building processes there are cheaper and faster. The epitome of a shopping centre which is developing at high speed is BTC City with its countless shops and restaurants in numerous halls, an open market, children’s playground, spa centre Atlantis, multiscreen cinema complex Kolosej, theatre, and fitness centres. Its current project, the Crystal Palace, will be yet another hub for shopping, business offices and wellness as well as the tallest building in Slovenia. BTC advertises itself as being a city in itself and gives that impression with its space management – they have created an environment which resembles a city centre. They achieved this with the shape of build-
27 ings, a system of streets, trees and green surfaces. Together with plenty of parking spaces, the key to BTC’s success is the shopping-accompanying activities. Ljubljana city centre, on the other hand, faces many strict restrictions like protection of architectural heritage, suitability of the planned buildings in the city environment and the fact that the building space is extremely limited. While the suburban shopping centres are able to offer a nearly limitless range of products and services, the cen-
H&M, Zara and Orsay are all also located in the hot location of Čopova Street. The old part of Ljubljana is home to many jewellers and furniture shops, as well as Bang & Olufsen with its classy audio and visual systems and Rogaška Slatina’s exclusive glass shop. Stores selling selected teas, cosmetics, handicrafts and cute accessories are firmly established in Ljubljana’s old city centre together with many upmarket restaurants and cafes. However, buying groceries in the centre can be a problem due to
commercial activities,” they say. ”We want to make sure that what is on offer in the centre is different from what’s available in the suburban shopping centres. Besides that we strive to make the shops in the old part of Ljubljana open on Saturday afternoon and Sunday mornings.” According to Pollak and Souvan the main advantages of shopping in the city centre are the pedestrian zone and the historical, cultural and architecturally ambient environment. The City knows that the centre does not meet the conditions to develop mass shopping due to lack of space, high rents and insufficient numbers of parking spaces. But they argue that if the city centre had the same attributes as the outskirts, this would devalue it: “Just like all over the world, the centre of our capital with its cultural heritage is appropriate for shops and cafes with a middle and high pride bracket,” they say. “Urbanc Palace with its architectural monumental protection is an example of this – Galerija Emporium (GE) is in harmony with this status.”
Give and Enjoy! NE W
Location, location, location
tre cannot come even near to this state of affairs and consequently it seems likely to follow the negative trend seen in the centres of other European capitals.
The charm of the city
But the centre is finding other ways to appeal. In the past decade many prestigious boutique shops have opened in the heart of Ljubljana, offering an alternative to cheaper products, one of the traits of mass shopping seen in suburban malls. The items in focus are clothes and shoes of highly-priced brands like Escada and Lacoste. There are two top-fashion stores very close to each other – Midas and the newly opened Galerija Emporium in the freshly renovated Urbanc Palace. The centre of Ljubljana also has two department stores. Maximarket and Nama have a long tradition but have managed to successfully reinvent themselves, offering fancy clothes and other luxurious items. However, it is interesting to note that low-priced clothing shops
the limited number of stores. Nama and Mercator’s Maximarket specialise in prestigious and partly exotic food items, and the latter especially has a wide selection and a special emphasis on organic products. Such stores undoubtedly lend a distinct charm to the traditional city centre. It is a charm the city government is trying to enhance and reinforce. Karel Pollak and Tomaž Souvan from the Department for Spatial Planning “are already carrying out the physical renovation of the city which includes reconstruction of buildings and renovation of the public city space together with its infrastructure.” Pollak and Souvan say that Ljubljana’s centre does not face problems as severe as other European cities, but that it does have similar troubles, among them the closure of premises and uncontrolled and market-led transformation of their activities: “Our aim is to turn the city into an attractive environment both for residence and
The company behind GE already has many successful stores in BTC. Petra Draškovič from GE’s marketing department says they decided to open another one in the city centre because of the prime location of Prešernov Square: “The frequency of people here is the highest and this is its main advantage. There are always people in the centre, be it those who work there, live there or are here on a trip.” The new shop focuses on accessories, bags and shoes from expensive brands such as Cavalli and Versace while the stores in BTC sell products for a wider segment of customers; they offer large children’s collections, lingerie and sports clothes. The clientele is thus different. “Also the service is different,” says Draškovič. “Shopping in GE is more personalised; a customer has a shop assistant who is with them all the time to help and advise them.” GE does not fear its immediate competitor Midas, which has its fashion store in the immediate vicinity: “Our location cannot be compared to anything and we believe this makes a crucial difference.” They also do not see any problems with parking since two car parks are about to open in the near future. “We think the capital deserves a beautiful shop and in our opinion our store will help revive also other shops,” argues Draškovič. It may have been bruised, but it seems the traditional city centre is far from surrendering in the battle with new shopping centres on the outskirts of town.
Storck d.o.o. Brdnikova 44, 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 (0)1 2443 776 December 2010 www.storck.si
Photo: BOBO
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Time For Gifts!
Festive December is a month of shimmering lights, glittering decorations and nicely wrapped presents for our loved ones. The reasons for gift giving are plenty and behind it there are many old traditions. However, types of presents differ from one culture and country to another; how is it in Slovenia? By Polona Cimerman Gift-giving is a symbolical act – an expression of interaction and communication – since it delivers a certain message. It forms and affirms a special bond between the person who gives and the one that receives the present; it creates social and psychological ties. People usually give presents to show love, friendship, respect, admiration, care and concern. Functional and made with love In December, Slovenians are paid a visit by three good men who bring joy and presents. The first one is St. Nicholas who opens the gift-giving season on Monday the 6th. Children mostly get his presents, and they are usually small and simple, like dried fruit, biscuits, nuts and sweets. The naughty ones may be given a hazel rod to “make them aware” of their misbehaviour. On that day, the adults also prepare small gifts for one another. For many Slovenians, the central gift-giving occasion in December is the family-oriented Christmas Day, and the presents are much less humble that those given for St. Nicholas. In the era of socialism, The Slovenia Times
the holiday was celebrated in the privacy of homes; later, it quickly became the focal point of the holiday season, together with the imported Santa Claus. Most people give presents to their family members and close friends, some of them also to colleagues at work. According to a small survey and internet forums, they usually buy practical things like gloves, scarves, socks and other clothes, cosmetics, special teas, food and household items. Sometimes they give books. Slovenians also try to listen to the subtle wishes of those whom they decide to give presents to. In general they spend around EUR 130 for gifts, which is mostly the same amount of money as in previous years, but they admit that they sometimes exceed their planned sum. Many make the gifts themselves; very popular and extremely appreciated are home-baked cookies and cakes, home-made liquors, handmade decorations, all packed in hand-made boxes with a personal note. One of the trends is socially beneficial gifts that are liked to
charity and/or are ecologically labelled. Yet another chance for Slovenians to give something nice is the New Year’s Eve, for which the same trends apply as for Christmas. The good fellow who brings presents on that night is the Slavic variant of Santa called Grandfather Frost. Most Slovenians give presents twice in December: for St. Nicholas’ Day and either Christmas or the New Year’s, while some exchange gifts on all three occasions.
Practical but with some twists
In Mercator, the largest Slovenian retailer, it has been noticed that – despite the recent crisis – consumers still perceive December as a month of celebrations and gift-giving. They note that traditionally sales increase in the last days before the holidays. The sales of basic items in December are 20 to 30 % higher than usual, while for textiles, cosmetics and electronics they rise even more. People buy more branded festive products like belts, purses,
watches and jewellery, cameras, audio equipment and also specially designed trips and holiday packages. Mercator says that Slovenians buy functional presents and are rational when making purchases, while a certain segment of consumers buys also products of a higher price range. Before the holidays, customers of Sportina Group of shops, which specialise in fashion products, most often buy scarves, gloves, caps and various accessories, which they most often give as presents. Contrary to popular belief, they notice that in the past people used to buy more practical gifts, but now they look for presents with emotional significance. It is important that the item is exclusive, branded and nicely packaged; people are ready to pay a bit more for this. According web pages on gift-giving, presents like massages, saunas, adrenalin experiences, wine tasting and gift vouchers are becoming a well-accepted part of the demand. However, they also offer traditionally practical things like slippers, cosmetics and household items.
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Vesel BoĹžiÄ?!
Photo: BOBO
Many argue that the real Christmas is long gone - that a primarily religious and family holiday has given up to a holiday of merchants. But the essence of this celebration still lies in the Christian nativity. Slovenes, a traditionally catholic nation, approach it with both creativity and respect for the heritage.
Vesel BoĹžiÄ? (Merry Christmas) is a common phrase exchanged between Slovenes during the Christian holiday. The term “BoĹžiÄ?,â€? means “little Godâ€? and stems from pre-Christian times when people celebrated the “little godâ€? Svarog, the Sun god’s son. The tradition of having a Christmas tree came to Slovenia from Austria during the middle of the last century; before WWI people embellished the trees with chains and flowers, and marked the “god’s cornerâ€? by hanging green wreaths, branches and paper doves (representing the Holy Ghost) from their ceilings and walls. Interestingly, people gave only symbolic gifts like nuts or apples to children, as spending time with loved ones and celebrating their faith in God were far more important than today’s shopping madness. Pigs were usually slaughtered before Christmas, so pork dishes were often on the table, together with special Christmas breads and pies, which differ from region to region. On December 24th, children are asked to decorate the Christmas tree and set up the nativity scene, while women bake the delicious “poticaâ€? (a rolled cake with walnuts, cottage cheese and raisins) and various other sweets. On Christmas Eve, the whole family gathers around the table to eat a rich Christmas dinner, traditionally centred around a
they displayed this well known story. Cribs may be a challenge for both professional artists and amateurs. There are numerous wooden Christmas cribs, fretted both in the traditional way and the modern way, i.e. taking more liberty with the shapes of figurines on display around the country. While nearly every church attracts the visitors by displaying the cribs, there are some outstandingly designed ones which become a local attraction in December. In Ljubljana they are in the Franciscan church. More and more popular are also live nativity scene with amateur actors and actresses, accompanied by Baroque music – at least two deserve a special mention: in Postojna cave and in Mojstrana, where the scene is set beside a frozen waterfall.
goose stuffed with chestnuts, apples and raisins. Afterwards, everyone goes to midnight mass, often times battling through piles of snow. On 27th December, winemakers take their best wines to church to have them blessed for special occasions. They get the blessing of St. John (Janez), and such wine is called ŠentjanŞevec (St. John’s wine). The next day is the feast of the Holy Innocents – the only day of the year when children are allowed to flog their parents with a birch rod without consequences. According to pagan tradition, this protects the adults from the ghosts of their forefathers.
The Nativity Miniature
The first nativity scene in Slovenia was set up in 1644 by the Jesuits at St. Jacob’s Church in Ljubljana. Soon other churches began setting up nativity scenes with painted figures sawn out of boards. The gentry and the bourgeoisie joined in the 18th century, although they preferred to place the scenes in their closets. In the 19th century, farmers started setting up nativity scenes in “God’s corners�; their cribs were made from paper,wood, plaster or clay. Despite the message of cribs remains the same, its presentation has evolved and today it is amazing to see the creative ways in which
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Dine
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Home Edition
Jade’s All-Local Christmas Menu Breakfast Puff pastry mince pies, accompanied by coffee... and presents, of course! Mid morning Oven baked brie, stuffed with toasted walnuts and homemade quince jelly, wrapped in puff pastry. Served with a French baguette or crostini. Time for a toast Dates stuffed with manchego cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, finished with a balsamic reduction. Served with local sparkling wine. Christmas dinner Apple brined roasted rack of pork Pan fried brussel sprouts with toasted chestnuts Wild mushroom bread and butter pudding Sliced roasted potatoes finished with rock salt Red cabbage and apples with juniper berries Pumpkin pie with homemade ginger ice cream
Keeping It Local This Christmas As a professional chef, Jade Van Bareen is well used to dealing with culinary challenges. But her latest is one of the toughest: making Christmas lunch for her family with most ingredients grown or sourced from within a hundred metres of her home. Can it be done? By Jade Van Bareen After a busy week in Ljubljana, my family and I love to escape to Goricko regional park and our stress-free weekend house in the small village of Fokovci. The property has more than 350 fruit trees, a thriving vegetable garden and a small vineyard, meaning that we jokingly refer to ourselves as renegade weekend farmers. There is certainly more than enough to keep us busy. And this year I’ve added to the workload with a special challenge – designing a Christmas menu that is 75 percent locally grown or sourced within a hundred metres of our home in Fokovci.
Meet the meat
For most a good Christmas menu is synonymous with a good cut of meat. But since I do not have any animals at Fokovci, finding our main dish was the first worry. Thankfully our neighbours have come to the rescue. In exchange for the meal scraps we feed to their pigs year round, we have kindly been rewarded with some lovely prime cuts of pork. I know that pork is not the tradi-
tional meal for Christmas, as my disappointed husband has frequently reminded me. But I am determined to keep it local and unless Justin is willing to shoot some pheasant on the property, he will have to make do. Besides, it’s not like the pork won’t be utterly delicious. My plan is to brine the meat, which guarantees it will be moist and full of flavour. I’ll be using apple brine, made by combining fresh pressed apple juice from our orchard with brown sugar, juniper berries, bay leaves and salt.
Nutty for nuts
The apple trees aren’t the only ones yielding their treasures for our Christmas
meal. Our walnut and chestnut tree have been bountiful this year, so I intend to incorporate those nuts in several of the dishes. And there are local treats on the ground as well as in the trees overhead. One recent morning I rose early and went out to gather mushrooms with my neighbour Kornelia. She was kind enough to show me the best spots and lend her expertise on which mushrooms can be eaten and which must be avoided. By the end of the long morning I had a plentiful harvest of mushrooms and was busy planning a wild mushroom bread and butter savoury pudding. This is a great dish for buttery tasting breads or, for even great indulgence, day old croissants. Speaking of indulgences, the Christmas dessert this year is going to be a somewhat unconventional one. Across the road from us lies a huge field of plump colourful pumpkins. For a while now they have been calling to me, asking me to use them for something sweet and delicious. The neighbours have been dubious – they tend to believe the only useful part of a pumpkin is the seeds – but I am determined to prove that pumpkin pie with homemade ginger ice cream is a heavenly way to end a Christmas meal. Of course, I’m extremely lucky to have the bountiful harvest of Fokovci as I plan my all-local Christmas feast. But you don’t have to be a renegade farmer like me to take on the challenge. You’ll find all the locally grown ingredients you need at your grocery store or market. As my family prepares for a Christmas meal that has
Top choice
Jamski Dvorec
Turizem Kras, Jamska cesta 30, Postojna Tel: +386 (0)5 700 01 00 info@turizem-kras.si www.turizem-kras.si Innovative cuisine inspired by regional and medieval heritage. Excellent wine choice.
In Issue 126
JB logo 4/15/08 4:32 PM Page 1 C
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JB Restaurant
Miklošičeva 17, Ljubljana Tel: +386 (0)1 430 70 70 restavracija.jb@siol.net, www.jb-slo.com Open: Mon – Fri, noon – 10pm Sat, 5pm–11pm In Issue 127
City Restaurant - BTC CITY Ljubljana Poslovna stolpnica, 13th floor, Šmartinska 140, Ljubljana Tel.: +386 (0)1 585 19 97 www.btc-city.com Restaurant open: Mon-Fri, 11am – 4pm Bar open: Mon-Fri, 7.30am – 6pm
been made from the wonderful bounties all around us, I hope your family might choose to do the same.
Composite
In Issue 128
Castle Otočec Restaurant
Grajska cesta 2, Otočec Tel.: + 386 (0)7 384 89 00 booking.otocec@terme-krka.si www.terme-krka.si www.castle-otocec.com Open: Every day until midnight
In Issue 129
Barka Restaurant - St.Bernardin - Portorož Obala 2, Portorož Tel: +386 (0)5 695 30 08 restavracija.barka@h-bernardin.si www.h-bernardin.si Restaurant with selected fish dishes Open: 11am – 11pm
In Issue 130
Vila Prešeren
Veslaška promenada 14, Bled Tel: +386 (0)4 575 25 10 vilapreseren@sportinaresorts.si Open: 11am – 11pm In Issue 131
Pule Estate
Drečji vrh 16, Trebelno Tel: +386 (0)7 34 99 700, (0)51 373 662 marketing@pule.si, www.pule.si Open: Wed-Sat: 12am-10pm, Sun: 11am-8pm; Pule Estate is also available for rental Traditional Slovene cuisine with other culinary delights
In Issue 132
Cafe Central
Grand Hotel Portorož ***** Obala 33, Portorož Tel: +386 (0) 5 692 1050 info@lifeclass.net, www.lifeclass.net Open: Every day, 8am – 9pm In Issue 133
Promenada Gourmet Restaurant Cesta svobode 15, Bled Tel: +386 (0)4 579 18 39 restavracija.promenada@hotelibled.com www.sava-hotels-resorts.com Open: Tuesday to Sunday: 12pm–10pm In Issue 124
Wellness
Technology
Fashion
Gadgets
Wine
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The Slovenia Times
Ladies ski
Weekend
Avto Aktiv Volvo Center & The Slovenia Times Ladies’ Ski Weekend Spend at least one weekend this winter with your best girlfriends and have an unforgettable winter experience. After a stressful week at work, spend a relaxing weekend at a ski resort where you will be pampered with wellness services and culinary delights as well as by many other unique winter activities. The Ladies’ Ski Weekend is organized by The Slovenia Times, having one single goal – to serve you the winter experience of your dreams. Our exclusive partner Volvo will take care for your safe arrival and departure with the latest and safest cars they have to offer. The best ski instructors from the Institute for the Promotion of Sport, who possess a great deal of international experience, will make sure your skiing skills improve. These newly gained skills will be tested on the latest models of Elan skis, made exclusively for women. Your body will be treated with an exclusive wellness package of massages and saunas. This all-inclusive offer is a guarantee for your complete relaxation and the enjoyment of every precious minute of your ski weekend.
We invite you to attend our introductory gatherings from November onwards at the selected boutique locations in Ljubljana. Applications and further information: ski@zavod2010.com and www.zavod2010.com
In the 2010/11 season three dates and destinations are available 17th–19th December 2010 - Kranjska Gora (HIT Alpinea hotels) Ski opening in the most relaxing and luxurious way. Combine the relaxed atmosphere of merry December with the best ski experience.
21st–23rd January 2011 - Pohorje (ŠC Pohorje hotels) This is the weekend after Pohorje and Maribor are hosting the traditional Ski World Cup Golden Fox competition. Experience what is available for the world’s best skiers in Maribor and realize why this location is the most popular female ski destination in the World Cup.
370 €
18th–20th March 2011 - Bovec or Vogel
Extra discounts for early and group applications.
oranisor
partners
Avto Aktiv
Institute for promotion of Sport
End the season in the most relaxing way possible – with a high spring sun along with your best friends and first-class pampering. A Ladies’ Ski Weekend starts on Friday at 6 p.m. and ends on Sunday around 5 p.m. It includes: transport to and from the ski resort (Volvo) 2 nights in a hotel with all food included 2-day ski 2 days skiing with a ski instructor(private and group lessons) testing of brand new models of Elan skis a boutique dinner event on Saturday evening wellness: one massage and free use of saunas in the hotel And with a lot of small surprises throughout the weekend.
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The Capital
Time To Be Merry Photo: BOBO
December is here and – due to numerous parties and various other events – it is known for being the craziest of the month of the year. You can join in the festivities in the centre of Ljubljana and experience the vibe of the magically decorated Slovenian capital. By Polona Cimerman
December’s celebrations start on Friday 3rd with a short festive ceremony, followed by the official switching on the countless Christmas lights across the city, including the two new bridges. “We have enriched the traditional theme of the lighting, ‘the Universal as LJ- KARTICA - 113x155 mm 6/24/10 15:12 Page 1 Ljubljana’, with a special focus on life,” explains Petra Stušek from
Ljubljana tourist card
• free admission to the main sights • free public transport, boat ride, funicular, tourist train • other attractive free services 24 hours: € 23.00 • 48 hours: € 30.00 • 72 hours: € 35.00 Sales outlets: • Tourist Information Centres and major hotels
The Slovenia Times
www.visitljubljana.si
Ljubljana Tourism. “This means that new lighting elements are going to be added. There will be less blue and more pleasantly warm yellowish red.”
From fairs to fairies
The lights will greet the opening of two fairs. St. Nicholas’s Fair will take place on the square Prešernov trg for three days and its cheerfully decorated stalls will be offering various goods suitable for presents which are traditionally given to children on 6th December. There will also be St. Nicholas’s procession with devils and angels giving biscuits, fruits and sweets to youngsters. The popular square together with Breg and Cankarjevno nabrežje embankments will host also the Festive Fair, open until 2nd January, when the entire festive programme will end. Each year this fair, with its food and drink stalls, especially mulled wine and honey brandy, is the centre of the city’s social life. “The fair is visited by thousands of people daily,” says Stušek. The other stalls sell a rich selection of holiday products, local goodies and designer items that are mostly not available in shops. In the second half of the month, two special guided tours around festive Ljubljana with a drink and snacks will be organized daily, one of them
with Father Christmas as a guide. At 5 p.m. from 18th to the 30th December, the Good Fairy will grant wishes to everyone approaching her in front of the Town Hall on Mestni trg. On Christmas Eve, there will be a concert in Prešernov trg. The organizers promise performances of top Slovenian musicians. Like all other events organized, this one is also free of charge.
Countdown to 2011
The last days of 2010 will be an opportunity to enjoy in a rich cultural programme. In the afternoons before the New Year’s Eve, children will enjoy puppet, dance, circus and magician shows attended by Grandfather Frost, the Slavic counterpart of Santa Claus. He will arrive in a carriage, drawn by genuine Lipizzaner horses and his friends from folk and fairy tales. The children’s venues are on Prešernov and Novi trg while at the new Mesarski most there will be street theatre performances for a bit older visitors, hosting Ana Mraz and others. The peak of evening music concerts will to be the New Year’s Eve celebrations held in three central squares with a lavish fireworks display. “Tens of thousands of people are expected to join in the celebrations,” says Stušek.
Photo: STO
Look Forward to a Green December! Slovenian tourism’s December is going to be green! This does not mean that the winter will not be white, it means we will discuss green issues. At the 13th Slovenian Tourist Forum we will discuss competitiveness and sustainable tourism. Distinguished guests, lecturers and an abundance of opportunities to exchange experience await us on Thursday and Friday, 9 and 10 December 2010, in the health spa and cultural-congress centre of Dolenjske Toplice. The Forum is the most important professional annual meeting of the Slovenian tourism industry. It is devoted to the public harmonisation of viewpoints on further development and marketing of tourism at the national, regional and local level. The forum scrutinises a strategic orientation, current policy and more important projects of Slovenian tourism. The main topic of the 13th Slovenian Tourist Forum will be Competitiveness and Sustainable Development in Tourism. Sustainable tourism is a priority of the European tourist policy and a key orientation of the future development of tourism in Slovenia, drawn up already at the last year’s 12th Slovenian Tourist
Forum. Sustainable or green will also be a fundamental philosophy that will provide a basis for a basic strategic document of Slovenian tourism, a new Strategy of Development and Marketing of Slovenian Tourism prepared in 2011 for the next topical period (20122016) by the Ministry of the Economy in cooperation with the Slovenian Tourist Board. Tourism’s competitiveness is closely linked to its sustainability, which not only preserves the natural and cultural environments but also has economic and social effects. It is a known fact that the climate is changing. This has already affected tourism to a large degree and it will continue doing so. The green market is on the rise – polls have shown that consumers are ever more environmentally conscious and ever more opt for environmentally-friendly holidays. And the offer is changing too – tourist enterprises are introducing sustainable management and
www.slovenia.info/forum environmental designations, increasing energy efficiency, forming local supplier chains and developing new products, which are adapted to climate change and altered expectation of tourists. Slovenia boasts magnificent intact nature, a wealth of natural and cultural treasures - in other words, all necessary requirements for the development of sustainable tourism. The story of green is also included in the brand ‘I FEEL SLOVENIA’ itself. On account of economic, social and environmental gains it makes sense to give value to these treasures through accelerated development of sustainable tourism (in hotels, at destinations, in the country), and thus fulfil the brand’s promise as well as attract tourists who appreciate environmental, social and cultural efforts of a destination and its local character.
Lecturers and guests Zenel Batagelj, VALICON
Zenel Batagelj is engaged in architecture, positioning and forming of brand portfolios as well as providing consultancy in the fields of branding and marketing strategies. The presentation on the topic Slovenian Tourist Enterprises on Climate Change and Tourists on a Green Slovenia will reveal results of two studies conducted in Slovenia in 2010 by the Slovenian Tourist Board in cooperation with its partners.
Janez Bogataj
Dr Janez Bogataj is an author of more than 55 books and numerous scientific and expert discussions from the fields of culture, cultural heritage and tourism. He will deliver a lecture on the topic If and How can also Tourism Be Green in Green economy?
Christoph Engl, Director of Südtirol Marketing
Dr Christoph Engl is the director of the company Südtirol Marketing, a subsidiary of the province of South Tyrol. The company’s task is to boost the image and increase attractiveness of South Tyrol as a destination. At the forum, he will lecture on how can also destinations be trademarks.
Mihael Kline, the Department of Marketing Communications and Public Relations, the Faculty of Social Sciences
Mihael Kline is a Doctor of psychological sciences whose scholarly career includes psychology, organisational science, management, communicology, and economy. He will present a study on the segmentation, positioning and competitiveness of the destination Slovenia.
Luka Kukec, Bifin d.o.o.
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Luka Kukec started his career in the company Kompas d.d. as an e-business manager and moved on to manage Potovanje d.o.o., a subsidiary of Kompas d.d, engaged in the development of web solutions. In his lecture Mr Kukec will present from the perspective of controlling practical cases of the introduction of economical environmentally-friendly technologies and show methods and tools for accompanying such projects.
Dr Tanja Mihalič, Professor, Faculty of Economics
Dr Tanja Mihalič is the manager of ITEF (Institute of Tourism of the Faculty of Economics) and manager of the international tourism progamme Erasmus Mundus EMTM (European
Master in Tourism Management) engaged in orienting future tourism managers towards sustainable tourism. Following the presentation of the research Slovenian Tourist Enterprises and Tourists on the Impact of Environmental Changes on Tourism, she will assess what indicates the Green Tourist Barometer for Slovenia.
Janez Sirše MA and Miha Bratec MA, the National Tourist Association
The lecturers, academically involved in studying and university teaching of tourism, will give a presentation on the method of measuring competitiveness and sustainability of tourist destinations. The CapaCities Alpine Competitiveness Monitor presents an innovative example of the useful and simple systematic monitoring adapted to characteristics of tourist destinations in the Alps. At the same time it functions as a tool for benchmarking a destination with its competitors, and as an indispensable aid for strategic planning of tourism’s sustainable development.
Zoritsa Urosevic, UNWTO
Zoritsa Urosevic has joined UNWTO in 2006 as an executive secretary of UNWTO’s Business Council. She is a manager of the project whose goal is to establish a strategic commitment and partnership with the United Nations’ agencies for resource mobilization and tourism positioning. Moreover, she takes part in the HES project which aims at providing (European) accommodation facilities with practical tools that would encourage them to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and thus increase the competitiveness and sustainability of facilities.
Dr Helmut Zolles, Partner, Zolles&Edinger
Dr Helmut Zolles has been active in tourism for many years and has held a large number of senior positions, e.g. CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office. He will give a presentation on key factors of the Austrian tourist development in the past decades.
Paul Wright, Director, Oxford Intelligence
Paul Wright has over 20 years of international sales experience in the field of foreign direct investment. For the last five years he has been the sales director at Oxford Intelligence. The topic of his lecture will be the importance of foreign direct investment in tourism and the need to create a suitable environment for business and political measures.
36 EVENTS
The Slovenia Times Recommends
Christmas in the Postojna Cave The Postojna Cave, the mysterious underground beauty, also offers sanctuary to the heroes of the Bethlehem story about the birth of the Saviour in this time before Christmas. This is the twenty-first year that the enactment of the nativity scene will take place in this cave. The biblical story takes place in the most beautiful stalactite rooms of the cave. The visitors can look at the nativity scenes casually, as they walk through the cave. Choirs from all over Slovenia and abroad will contribute to the holiday spirit in an original way. The nativity scene will be accompanied by a Christmas fair, a children’s programme and by festivities on the platform in front of the
entrance to the cave. The visitors will be able to taste fresh pancakes, chestnuts and mulled wine. The visitors will also be able to view the biggest underground Christmas tree in the world. The special feature of this year’s nativity scene will be the performances of the great vocal group Eroika. The music that accompanies the scenes is timeless, the theme is Christmas and is absolutely appropriate and perfect for this occasion. The nativity scene is performed by young people from Postojna and the surrounding areas, and with all the events surrounding it, it should offer something enjoyable for most people.
Sat 25 Dec–Wed 29 Dec and Sat 1 Jan–Sun 2 Jan at 2, 3 and 4pm, Postojna Cave, Postojna
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Nenad Cizl, 20+10 Sat 4 Dec at 7pm–Mon 31 Jan, Umetnostna galerija, Maribor Nenad Cizl is one of the most interesting authors in the field of graphic design, illustration and visual communication in the last ten years. This exhibition was created in an effort to present his work and vision. Although still young (born in 1980), Cizl has won several international awards and has presented several incredible exhibitions. This one will show us a selection of some of his best work.
R&B
Brian McKnight
Ljubigrad - Belana
Sat 4 Dec at 9pm, Cvetličarna, Ljubljana, EUR 29–34
The exhibition Ljubigrad - Belana features a series of photographs of Ljubljana and Beograd. The photographs, taken by the renowned Belgian photographer Jim Sumkay, who did not know much about the two cities before embarking on his project, reveal the similarities and differences between Ljubljana and Beograd, often in surprising ways. The exhibition’s title, Ljubigrad - Belana, was coined from the phrases “ljubi Beograd” (beloved Belgrade) and “bela Ljubljana” (white Ljubljana), both commonly used when referring to the two cities affectionately.
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Photography Fri 15 Oct–Mon 3 Jan, The Tivoli Park, Ljubljana, no admission
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art and fashion photography and war photojournalism. Together with Man Ray she revisited the surrealistic concept of the “found object” (objet trouvé) and perfected the solarisation technique of photography. The retrospective exhibition of her work brings together 96 photographs spanning her entire career and offering a cross-section of her work, consisting of over 40,000 photographs of various styles and types taken across the world.
Brian McKnight is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and R&B musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, French horn and trumpet. In his career, he has worked with many popular artists, such as Mariah Carey, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Vanessa WilliamsBoyz II Men and Christina Aguilera. He has won many prestigious awards in his life. He has also been nominated for 16 Grammy awards, but has not won one thus far. He is considered one of the best soul vocalists of our time, not only for his amazing range but also for his ability to sing in many different styles.
Photographic exhibition
Legendary Lee Miller Dance Mon 22 Nov–Sun 9 Jan, the The Edge of the Jakopič Gallery, Ljubljana, World EUR 2–3 Lee Miller (1907-1977), who began to develop her artistic expression as an assistant to the famous Man Ray, left an indelible mark on the 20th century fine The Slovenia Times
Sun 5 Dec at 9pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 9–11 Choreographer Jaka Lah spotlights the disorientation and bizarre
DECEMBER 2010
Friday, 03. December 2010 at 21:00 YANN TIERSEN (F) Tuesday, 07. December 2010 at 18:00 FINNTROLL (FIN), SAMAEL (C H), ROTTING CHRIST (GR), METSATÖLL (EST), NOTHNEG AL (MV) Thursday, 09. December 201 0 at 21:00 EDO MAAJKA & band (BiH) D OŠA & band (SLO) Sunday, 12. December 2010 at 20:00 THE SpLIFF REpORT, movie Monday, 13. December 2010 at 21:00 BORBETOMAGUS (USA), THO MAS ANKERSMIT (NL) Wednesday, 15. December 2 010 at 21:00 OpEN MICROpHONE and ESK OBARS unplugged Thursday, 16. December 201 0 at 21:00 YU GO: SREČNA MLADINA (S LO), VROOOM (SRB), HEMEN DEX (HR)
Box office 030 310 110 · w ww.kinosiska.si
38 EVENTS stalemate condition of man as an individual and as a self-proclaimed final stage in human evolution. The performance begins at a point when man realises that the path he has trodden is wrong and aimless. He has no alternative but to composedly acknowledge his own inanity and through cruel self-condemnation master courage and the strength for an auto-reset, self-destruction, self-annihilation and consequentially self-sacrifice. Life sacrifices itself for the sake of illumination!
World music
Niyaz Mon 6 Dec at 8.15pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 11–24 At the forefront of Niyaz is the charismatic Iranian singer Azim Ali, who resides and works in the USA. Ali has continually redefined the classical Persian, Urdu and even Baroque canons with tasteful flourishes of modernity. Fusing tradition and electronica to great effect, she has established a reputation of one of the finest concert performers. At first a trio, Niyaz has lately been extended by superb instrumentalists from Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey
playing traditional instruments, such as saz, oud, tabla, and rik. Nevertheless, the electronic violin and charging rhythms inform their sound with current value.
Tango
Vesna Zornik – Tangoapasionada Tue 7 Dec at 8.30pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 11–14 Besides Boštjan Narat, another key member of the Katalena band opted for a parallel solo career. Although the charming vocalist Vesna Zornik released her first solo album, TangoApasionada , in spring 2010, she has been dedicated to tango for quite some time. She has formed a duo with pianist Erik Marenče, and then collaborated with the Astorpia tango quintet. Her solo album displays an overall tendency of Zornik and her group towards tango old and new, not excluding the electronic variant.
Metal
Metal Festival
Kino Šiška will again be host to a metal festival, this time created by five metal bands of the highest calibre. The show should be very versatile, as the bands all play quite different styles and they all hail from different countries. Thus, we will be hearing black metal, folk metal, heavy metal, etc., from bands Finntroll, Samael, Rotting Christ, Metsatöll and Nothnegal.
Classical
Royal Blue Thu 9 Dec at 7.30pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 6–19 The conductor Evan Christ and pianist Aleksander Serdar are already so well known to our audience that they need little introduction. However, it is important to mention that the American conductor Christ is also an oboist, a composer, a pianist and a mathematician. He was born in Los Angeles and came to Europe in the nineties to study in Budapest; nowadays he works mostly in Germany. They will be performing compositions by, among others, Mozart and Beethoven.
Tue 7 Dec at 6pm, Kino Šiška, Ljubljana, EUR 22–27
Hip hop
Edo Maajka & band Thu 9 Dec at 9pm, Kino Šiška, Ljubljana, EUR 12–18 Edo Maajka is one of the most respected hip hop artists not only in the region of former Yugoslavia, but in Europe as well. Edo is no stranger in Ljubljana and Slovenia, as he regularly visits our country. This time his band will comprise of the likes of Jani Hace, Teo Colloria and Anže Metod Breskvar. The show will also include several guests which were featured on his last album.
Classical
PPO Vevče Sun 12 Dec at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 12–14 This Christmas and New Year concert will feature the performance of the paper mill brass orchestra from Vevče. The evening will also include performances by concert facilitator Marjan Bunič, one of the finest Slovene singers and excellent soloists, including Marko Deferri on accordian, Matej Rihter on trumpet and tenor singer Vladimir Čadež, a member of the Slovene octet.
Thursday, 09. December 2010 at 21:00
EDO MAAJKA band (BiH) DOŠA
band (LJ)
Info blagajna 030 310 110 · www.kinosiska.si
The Slovenia Times
EVENTS 39 Metal
Helstar Mon 13 Dec at 9pm, Gala hala, Ljubljana Helstar is a legendary American speed metal band, famous for their amazing instrumental and vocal prowess. Particularly impressive are the vocal acrobatics of frontman James Rivera, who has still kept most of his voice intact to this day and age. In their career they have released a number of critically acclaimed albums, particularly the 1989 album Nosferatu, which is still considered one of the best recordings of the genre. Going on before them will be the Slovene bands Metalsteel and Decilence.
Musical
The Sound of Music Tue 14 Dec at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 16–26 The Sound of Music is a world famous musical about a singing nun who becomes the governess for seven children. She tries to instil her love of music on the family by singing at every opportunity she gets and the family responds favourably, even the father. The governess and the father gradually fall in love. Besides the themes of music, love, the beautiful countryside and family values, the musical also tackles the problems of Nazism.
Rock
Bajaga & Instruktori Wed 15 Dec at 9pm, Cvetličarna, Ljubljana, EUR 23–27
Not to get stifled in the sugary pre-Christmass season, Šiška offers a cleansing shock therapy with the legendary New York based noise band Borbetomagus and the rising star of European experimental music and sound art Thomas Ankersmit. Borbetomagus formed in 1979 when saxophone players Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich joined with electric guitarist Donald Miller. Their aggressive music has been described as “a huge, overpowering, take-no-prisoners mass of sound.” While the core trio listed above has been responsible for most of Borbetomagus’s music, they have collaborated with Swiss circuit bending duo Voice Crack, Dutch cellist Tristan Honsinger, German double-bassist Peter Kowald, and others. In 2006, they recorded a collaborative album with Hijokaidan live at the Festival de Musique Actuelle in Victoriaville, Canada, and in 2007 their long out-of-print cassette Live In Allentown was released on CD with nearly twice as much material as the original. Sauter and Dietrich have also recorded a duo CD, and a collaborative CD with Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore. Thomas Ankersmit (1979, Leiden, Netherlands) is a saxophonist, electronic musician and installation artist based in Berlin and Amsterdam, who combines abstract, intensely focused saxophone playing with hyper-kinetic analogue synth and computer improvisation. He also creates installation pieces that use sound, infrasound and “modifications to the acoustic
characters of spaces” that disrupt the viewer/listener’s perception of the exhibition space and their presence within it. He is frequently collaborating with other well known innovative musicians. Richard Pinnell of The Wire wrote: “Ankersmit constructs a musical world that feels alive and capable of going anywhere, and yet also manages to give the music a strong sense of structured purpose, a degree of compositional control unusual in this area of live performance. It is the fine balance between the sense of chaos that threatens to pull everything apart and the controlled formation of the music into clearly defined sections of differing intensities that raises the work above that of so many of Ankersmit’s contemporaries and makes this such a captivating recording.”
Mon, 13. Dec. at 9pm; Kino Šiška, 6.40 EUR-10 EUR and soon made an impact. He has penned many hits, which include “Plavi safir” and “Muzika na struju”. Fans of nostalgic Yugoslavian rock will surely not want to miss this concert of him and his band Instruktori.
Electronic
David Guetta Fri 17 Dec at 9pm, Stožice Sports Park Arena, Ljubljana, EUR 35–49 David Guetta, currently one of the world’s most acclaimed DJs,
foto: Nataša Volčanjk
Bajaga started his musical career in Riblja Čorba, one of the biggest Serbian and Yugoslavian bands. He then went on to form a new band, where he was the leader. He began his own path in the early 1980s
A Noisy Experimental Evening
Film festival about action sport & nature: Snow Sculptures festival Stop motion workshop Freeride camp Trade fair Winners tour 2011
will perform at the biggest indoor party ever held in Slovenia. After many years of his musical career, Guetta rose to stardom with a series of summer hits including When Love Takes Over (featuring Kelly Rowland), Gettin’ Over You (featuring Chris Willis, Fergie & LMFAO) and Sexy Bitch, among others. Guetta began to pursue a career as a club DJ in 1984 and recorded his debut release in 2001. Earlier this year he received a Grammy Award. He is famous as a producer for such pop stars as Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Kelis, Kelly Rowland and Madonna.
Jazz
Jazz Christmass Sat 18 Dec at 8pm, Hotel Mons, Ljubljana, EUR 20 The Christmas concert at the hotel Mons has already become somewhat of a tradition. Just like with every event held at their jazz club, this evening will also take on a jazz hue, with some clever remakes of Christmas standards in the typical jazz manner. The concert will be performed by the Big Band of the Slovene Radio and Television, while the conductor will be Lojze Krajnčan.
4. BOVEC OUTDOOR FILM FESTIVAL SLOVENIJA 28th - 30th December 2010
December 2010 www.boff.si
40 EVENTS Clown mime
Programme of festive events
The Family (SeMiAnYki)
December 2010 in Ljubljana The festively decorated old city centre will see a range of different events intended for people of all ages and different tastes. The festival will traditionally begin with the event entitled Let’s Turn on the Light, People!, part of which is the turning on of the Christmas street lights. It will culminate on 31 December, in the open-air New Year’s Eve celebrations taking place in Ljubljana’s central squares. The series of festival events will include:
Mon 27 Dec–Fri 31 Dec at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 11–36
26 Dec–2 Jan at 8pm: concerts at Prešernov trg and Stari trg 31 Dec at 9pm: New Year’s Eve celebrations held at town centre squares
3-6 Dec: St. Nicholas Fair 5 Dec at 5pm: Festive Fair, St. Nicholas Procession 24 Dec at 5pm: Christmas Concert, 26 –30 Dec at 11am: Children’s programme at Prešernov trg square 26–30 Dec at 4 pm: Children’s programme at Novi trg square,
Ballet
The Nutcracker
26–30 Dec at 5pm: Grandpa Frost processions,
Wed 29 Dec–Thu 30 Dec at 6pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 13–28
26–30 Dec at 7pm: Street theatre performances at Mesarski most, Fri Dec 3–Sun 2 Jan, Old city centre, Ljubljana, no admission
World music
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In the last decade, the Licedei clown mime theatre from Sankt Petersburg has toured the world to astounding success. Their speechless shows are universally understood and intended for audiences of all ages. Theirs is not a usual type of circus, but a theatre combining clowning, variety show and tragical farce, embracing dancers, acrobats, musicians and actors. SeMiAnYki paints a sweet and sour portrait of a »totally crazy family«, a picture of a cartoon-like Russian family. Their lives are a ceaseless power struggle between the family members, but in the end it all turns out fine.
Wed 22 Dec at 8pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 17–39 Following the astounding concert, I Have a Song for You, held by Rade Šerbedžija and Miroslav Tadić in 2008, the two artists are returning to Ljubljana. On their grand Balkan tour, also stopping in major cultural centres of former Yugoslavia, the songsters are promoting their latest album, Devet novih in Barbara. The lyrics have been written by legendary actor and singer Rade Šerbedžija, who will perform in the company of guitarist Miroslav Tadić and his ensemble, composed of remarkable artists from Los Angeles, among others also members of Frank Zappa’s band.
Exhibition of illustrations
Zveneči stripi in sladki kolaži Thu 23 Dec–Thu 20 Jan, Kino Šiška, Ljubljana, no admission This is an exhibition of illustrations made especially for the booklet Pojoči grad (Singing Castle):
a manual for building original instruments in comic books! This exhibition takes us into the wonderful world of music, which we hear through the illustrations, which sound like sweet music. The story in the comic book takes you on a journey through the Singing Castle, where the moody king gets a new lease on life through his love of music.
Figure skating
The magical and extremely popular ballet, The Nutcracker – A Christmas Story, by Hungarian choreographer and director Youri Vamos has been enthralling ballet enthusiasts of all generations ever since its premiere by the SNG Opera and Ballet ensemble from Ljubljana in 2002. Librettist Marius Petipa based The Nutcracker on Dumas’ adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, and Vàmos complemented it with the worldcelebrated and timeless novella, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
Cinderella on Ice Sun 26 Dec at 5pm, Stožice Sports Park Arena, Ljubljana, EUR 35
Classical
Enchanting, fairy-tale like and full of grace, Sergei Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” is the fantastic story of the transformation of a poor orphan girl into a princess, which is ideally suited for the glittering world of ice. This fascinating production, originally intended as a one-time event to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the city of St. Petersburg, has grown into a fixed event over the past, and continues to cast its spell over more and more spectators, be it in Europe, the USA or in Asian countries.
Sat 1 Jan at 6pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 13–31
New Year’s Concert The New Year’s Concert is a traditional event in most of the western world and Slovenia is no exception to this rule. This time the Orchestra of the Slovene Philharmonic will be conducted by Emmanuel Villaume. The programme will be traditional, with musical compositions from the dynasty of the Strauss family, the pop music stars of their era, including many standard waltzes.
EVENTS 41
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December 2010
42 SPORTS
Interview - Andrej Šporn
Kitzbühel, Here we Come Again! Andrej Šporn, the Slovenian downhill sensation, has great expectations for the new skiing season. By Aleš Smerdel
S
kiing has been the most popular sport in Slovenia for many years, particularly in the Yugoslavian era. But even in the golden age of Bojan Križaj, Rok Petrovič and later on Jure Košir, all the great successes were in the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom. Slovenian racers never came even close to the best downhill racers from Austria, France and Switzerland. All of this changed on 23 February 2007, when Andrej Jerman won the downhill in GarmischPartenkirchen. This was the fiftieth Slovenian World Cup win and yet the first in men’s downhill. Since then Slovenian downhill skiers have became unstoppable. Last year we were just millimetres away from the first Slovenian triumph at the most elite race in the world, the downhill in Kitzbuhel. Andrej Šporn finished second, just behind the Swiss legend Didier Cuche. We met with Andrej just a few days before he went to North America, where the first downhill World Cup races of the season will take place, to ask whether he can go one better this year.
Photo: BOBO
The World Cup started a month ago, but the first downhill races are in December. It must be hard to wait so long for the start of a new season? Definitely, I must admit that my pre-season training has been very
The Slovenia Times
best racers. He is 100 percent committed to his work and that gives you extra energy and motivation for hard training sessions.
successful and that I can hardly wait for the season to begin. The summer training is the hardest part of the season, physically and mentally, while the races give you the motivation through the winter season. What did the pre-season look like? You always start a new season with fitness and condition training. This is usually in June and July and this year was no exception. Our first days on snow were in Zermatt, Switzerland, where we had some kind of introduction to the new season, just to get the feeling of snow back. Right after Switzerland we went to Chile for the
main summer training. We stayed there for one month and practiced hard every day, not only downhill but also a lot of giant slalom. The conditions were great even though there was not a lot of snow. The second part of pre-season training took place in Pitztal, Austria. In the first few days, before bad weather came to Austria, we had perfect conditions and we had a couple of good training sessions with the Norwegian aces Svindal and Jansrud. If we put everything together I have nothing to complain about when it comes to the pre-season. The curve of your results went up dramatically last season. What were the main things that put you up there with the best skiers in downhill? Many things have to come together at the right time. For the first time in many years I had no problems with injuries. On the other hand, the atmosphere in the downhill team is great and on the base of the good results of Andrej Jerman, who won the Bormio downhill last year, other racers became more confident. And there is one more person we cannot forget – our downhill coach Burkhard Schaffer. He is a legendary coach with more than 20 years’ worth of experience from Austria and Canada, where he worked with the
The peak of last year’s great season was the second place on the legendary downhill in Kitzbühel. What does it feel like, standing as a current leader in the finish arena, watching the best racers lagging behind you? When I finished my run I did not believe that I could be on the podium at the end of the race. I made a big mistake in the top section, where I lost a lot of time, but on the other hand I knew that the bottom part of the course was extremely fast. When Bode Miler and Michael Walchhofer came after me, I started to believe in the top three placings. At the end only Didier Cuche, the best downhill skier of recent years, was faster and when I spoke with him after the race he admitted it was one of his best runs in the career. Regarding the atmosphere, Kitzbühel is a race like no other in the world. When you put together the hardest and the most extreme piste in the world and 70 thousand fans in the finish arena, it is just amazing to be there as the leader, waiting for other guys to come down. The season starts in Canada and the USA, right after both Italian classics in Val Gardena and Bormio. And then there’s a crazy January with Wengen and Kitzbühel. It’s a busy schedule. Which downhill do you prefer best? It’s true it’s busy but we have trained hard and are in good shape. The downhill in Bormio is always very challenging because of the ice and great speed. Wengen is magical because of the ambience, it is the longest race of all and the only transportation there is mountain trains and helicopters. It is a place like no other in the World Cup, but Kitzbühl is definitely at the top of the list. I just love racing there. Slovenians have won a few slaloms in Kitzbühl but now it is time for a downhill win and my own winner’s gondola!
SPORTS 43 ing and stay there. At the time of writing, he is no. 108.
Tennis
The beginning of something big?
Kavčič & Co. Aim High When Blaž Kavčič reached number 96 on the ATP ranking at the end of March, he reached one the personal goals that he had set for himself when he started his professional tennis career. At age 23, the future is wide open for him. By Simon Demšar
W
hile Katarina Srebotnik reached no. 20 on the WTA ranking and other women tennis players were not lagging much behind, it seemed that men’s tennis was heading nowhere. There had been some attempts since early 1990s but without notable success. With the arrival of Blaž Kavčič and Gregor Žemlja, things have taken a different course. Kavčič’s reached his first milestone in January, after he qualified for the main part of the Australian Open tournament. Having climbed to no. 96 on the ATP ranking, he directly qualified for the Paris Masters, the first Slovene to do so. At the same tournament, Gregor Žemlja became the first Slovene ever to win a Grand Slam match, when he beat Juan Monaco of Argentina, ranked 30th at the time. Only hours later, Kavčič followed him by beating another Argentinean, Eduardo Schwank. Had they won the second round, they would have played against
each other in the third round, but of course it was too much to expect. Kavčič was happy enough to have had a chance to play on the main court against Andy Roddick, who eventually won but not without Kavčič’s strong resistance (3-1 in sets). “I am very happy to have had a chance to play in front of such a big crowd, which was on my side, and against a player who has been a Top 10 player for a decade. Those were my dreams when I started playing tennis,” said Kavčič after the match. A few weeks later, he took part in Wimbledon and lost in the first round. This marked the beginning of a temporary downfall, which saw him slipping back to no. 152 at the end of August. Looking from a distance, it now appears that it only boosted him to new heights as he went on to win three Challenger tournaments, between 21st August and 26th of September. During this time, he presented his new team, joining forces with
Romanian coach Adrian Voinea and fitness coach Klemen Jakša. His priority for next year is first to play in the main tournament of the Australian Open, and then to reach the top 70 on the ATP rank-
Together with Gregor Žemlja, Kavčič reached another notable success. At the end of September, they beat Lithuania 3-2 in the Davis Cup on their ground, after trailing 1-2, and qualified for Euro/African Group One. “Playing for the national team is a completely different experience,” said Kavčič who won the decisive match in a tie-break. “The atmosphere was hectic and the pressure was on me, but I could feel the rest of the team breathing with me.” Slovenia had been in a similar position a year earlier against Latvia, but Kavčič lost the final match. Team coach Blaž Trupej believes that this is only the beginning of something big: “I think we can stay in Group One for a few years, maybe even taking a shot at the World Group. The guys are young and they will still improve.” The first test in Group One will be between 4th and 6th March, when Slovenia will play Finland on home turf. Observers believe that this is a good opportunity to win and establish the position in Group One.
Family tradition continues Blaž Kavčič began playing tennis as a young boy in a family where sports runs in the blood. His grandfather took part in the 1956 Olympic Games as an alpine skier and his mother, Bojana Dornig, was a member of the national ski team, two-time national champion and athlete of the year in 1981. As a 14-year old boy, Blaž won the European Masters, followed by quarter finals at the Nike Masters. He turned professional in 2005. His significant climbing up the rankings began in 2009 when he improved his ATP position by nearly 200 places. His childhood hero is Pete Sampras. In 2006, he played an exhibition match against former Swedish star, Stefan Edberg, in Ljubljana. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf with his father, listening to music and going to the cinema. December 2010
COLUMN
Where the amazing happens
Basketball, NLB League
Union Olimpija – Crvena Zvezda (Ser)
By Milan Glamočanin Institute for Promotion of Sport
Two months ago, how many of us would have believed that Union Olimpija would be at the top of their Euroleague group? I am sure that even the coach and the players did not dare to dream of such a result, never mind being – after eight rounds – the leading team of the regional NLB League. It has definitely been a dream start to the season for a club which two months ago appeared to be on the brink of ruin. So what’s responsible for the dramatic turnaround? It’s clear that the greatest Union Olimpija signing this year was not a player but the director of the club. Janez Rajgel, with his determined and sometimes headstrong approach, was just what the crisis-ridden team needed. Together with head coach Jure Zdovc, he formed a roster of players which in turn became a group of positive personalities. It is no coincidence that so many matches have been won with last minute comebacks. An incredible team spirit, along with hard work, has been the defining characteristic of the team this year. The second important change has been the positive atmosphere all around the club. The roots of this atmosphere are in the new Stožice Arena. If the first match of the Euroleague against Efes Pilsen had not been sold out to the last seat, the story would surely have been different for the next games. Instead, Panathinaikos set a new Slovenian record regarding the number of spectators in an indoor sports match. More than 13 thousand fans were part of the amazing triumph over one of the greatest basketball giants in Europe. Just a few days after, the remaining three home matches of Euroleague sold out. People all over Slovenia are enthusiastic about the performances of Union Olimpija this season and tickets for Euroleague matches are now the most wanted piece of papers in the city. The financial benefits of the sold out Stožice Arena are also worth mentioning. A sold out Euroleague match brings revenue of around EUR 120,000. Assume that there will be at least five home matches, plus another three if Union Olimpija qualifies in the TOP 16 round, and the season figures for gate money comes close to EUR 1 million. The money means that for the first time in many years the club is able to make some long-term investments in youth players. This season, three great young talents signed multiple-year contracts with Union Olimpija. First was the 19-year-old Sasu Salin from Finland, who has already had a few bright moments in the Euroleague and the NLB League. The second was homegrown talent Dino Murić, who mostly plays in the regional NLB Leagues. And the last signing, 18-year-old Latvian Davis Beltrans – considered one of the greatest talents in Europe – signed a six year contract. We can only hope that the positive trends will continue and that Stožice will prove to be a place where the amazing can happen.
Basketball, Turkish Airlines Euroleague
Union Olimpija – CSKA Moscow 15 Dec at 8 pm, ŠRC Stožice, Ljubljana, EUR 7-35 Union Olimpija’s last domestic match in the group stage of the Euroleague. First clash between the same opponents in the beginning of November finished with a close win of CSKA Moscow. This was CSKA’s only triumph in the The Slovenia Times
a brutal move on a match against Salzburg. Both teams have a goal to qualify for the playoffs where top 8 teams from the league of 10 will play.
18 Dec at 8pm, ŠRC Stožice, Ljubljana, EUR 3-10
first leg games and on the other hand the only match Union Olimpija lost. It is expected that before this match Olimpija will already qualify in the TOP 16. If not, this will be the crucial match of the season. CSKA Moscow was one of the main favourites of the competition before the start of the season, but at the moment their qualification in the second round seems to be mission impossible. This could easily be one of the last games for their coach Duško Vujosević who was proclaimed the best coach in Europe in the previous season.
Few years ago this would be one of the most anticipated matches between the regional basketball giants. However, the situation now is much different. Crvena Zvezda, once the biggest Yugoslavian club in now on the edge of financial collapse. They are fixed to the last position in the regional NLB League and every win they make is a big success for a young team. Even though Union Olimpija’s games in regional league are way less enthusiastic than those in Euroleague, everything else but triumph of the team from Ljubljana would be a huge disappointment.
Photo: A. Fevžer
44
Volleyball, CEV Champions League
Football, Prva liga – Slovenian Premier League
Olimpija Ljubljana – NK Maribor 18 Dec at 8 pm, Stadium Stožice, Ljubljana, EUR 10 Last round of the first part of the football season will treat us with a match between top rivals in Slovenian sport. The winner will enter a long winter break full of confidence, while the loser will have a lot of time to think what went wrong. Olimpija Ljubljana is slowly rising on the league table after a shocking start of the season but things in the club are still not perfect. On the other hand Maribor will start the break as a champion of the first part of the season. However, this is just a small step on their road to a final victory and to a ticket for UEFA Champions League competition next year. First match in Ljubljana finished with 1-0 victory of Maribor.
ACH Volley – Olympiacos Piraeus
Biathlon
14 Dec at 8.15 pm, ŠRC Stožice, Ljubljana, EUR 5
From 16 Dec till 19 Dec, Pokljuka, EUR 10
In just one week time, both teams will meet for the second time. This time ACH Volley will be the host. ACH Volley saw a great start of the season with a bit surprising tight victory in Poland. Now the second home match is here to confirm the good form. The team from Greece is much more expensive and has a few great individuals, but ACH Volley always plans to win home games. They also wish to sell out the Stožice Arena once again, this time with a minimum entrance fee.
Biathlon World Cup is back to Pokljuka. A new biathlon centre was built and now Pokljuka, besides being one of the most traditional places to host the World Cup, is also one of the most modern and comfortable centres. The competition starts on Thursday with Men’s and Women’s individual race. There are no competitions on Friday. Saturday is reserved for both sprints, while Sunday will see the most attracting mixed relay race, where also the Slovenian team is planning to finish among the best. It will be interesting to see the new force in the Slovenian team. Ex-Croatian and last year’s Olympic medallist Jakov Fak finally received a permission to compete for Slovenia.
Ice Hockey, EBEL League
Tilia Olimpija – Acroni Jesenice 10 Dec at 7.15 pm, Tivoli Hall, Ljubljana, EUR 6-30 Another in the series of the big derbies of teams from Ljubljana and Gorenjska. The season is slowly turning into a second part and every point is important. Olimpija’s star player Andrej Heabar who scored a decisive goal on the first match was disqualified from the competition because of
World Cup
A record year of 2010: TEU container number 400.000 already in November! The ever increasing Luka Koper’s annual throughput stood at 343.165 containers last year.
The Red Noses delivering christmas gifts at a home for elders at Vrhnika. The campaign is sponsored by NLB bank.
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
European campaign for preservation of biotic diversity at Kolosej Cinema: Forensic team of Ana Monro theater investigates the mysterious murders of various species.
Singer Eva Moškon and Interior Minister Katarina Kresal at a workshop “Making advent wreaths with the celebrities”. (Photo: Mediaspeed)
Just another beauty contest: Tina Starc, “The beautiful neighbour” 2010 by Hopla magazine. (Photo: Mediaspeed)
20 years of continuous success: Rock band Big Foot Mama at Kino Šiška premiere of “their” documentary. (Photo: Mediaspeed)
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SLOVENIA GREEN 13th Slovenian Tourism Forum
Competitiveness and Sustainable Development in tourism 9th - 10th December 2010 Terme Dolenjske Toplice & Dolenjske Toplice Congress Centre
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