The Slovenia Times Summer Edition 2015

The Slovenia Times Slovenian Magazine in English Language Summer Edition 2015, Volume 12, EUR 4.90

www.sloveniatimes.com

Interview: Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana

Ljubljana, green capital and boutique tourist destination Interview: Ravi Chaudhry, Chairman, CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd

The biggest obstacles to a country’s growth lie within the country and not outside.

Discover Slovenia as a Local Page 28: A day of unforgettable beauty – a day in Lipica

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Editorial

Here comes the sun...

As we countdown to the holidays and dream about exotic destinations, the team this year decided our summer edition will be more about tourism and events and some thoughts from Slovenian and international academics, and less about the usual politics and business you can look forward to the Autumn magazine which will be full of all the updates about the economy and the investment environment.

In this magazine we have a focus on postgraduate education. In an interview with Professor Hellmut Schütte, Dean Emeritus of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) he shares his thoughts about China’s growth and development over the last 20 years.

Professor Andreja Cirman, the MBA Program Director at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, explains her philosophy on the skills required by tomorrow’s leaders. Finally, Ravi Chaudhry, Chairman, CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd, a sought-after speaker on Re-inventing Leadership amongst other issues, provides some answers as to why young people, with business and knowledge potential, go abroad to improve and achieve success.

In the spring, the Mayor of Ljubljana accepted the Tourism for Tomorrow 2015 award, on behalf of the City of Ljubljana, from the World Travel and Tourism Council. The mayor, Zoran Janković, highlights that the main criteria for the award was the realisation of the sustainability principles in all areas of urban policy and his vision for the city as it prepares for its time as European Green Capital 2016 Summer is festival season in Slovenia with one of the many towns across the country of-

fering a program which will suit your taste.

Our event pages give you a brief snapshot of some of the festivals - the annual MetalDays festival along the banks of the aquamarine Soča River, the Feast of Teran and Prosciutto in the Karst or the Old Vine Festival in Slovenia’s second largest city, Maribor. One of of the more important summer festivals in Europe is the Ljubljana Festival which will, once again, mark the summer in Ljubljana. Highlights this year include The Mariinsky Theatre from Saint Petersburg performing Romeo and Juliet, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted

by Zubin Mejta; We have included in this magazine your complimentary copy of the annual Slovenia Times Summer Guide which is also available on our webpage (www.sloveniatimes.com). This is your complete guide to help you plan your Slovenian itinerary and may even encourage you stay a few extra days as you wind your way from the mountains in the north west, to the coast in the south-west, through the centre with a stop in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, and on to the Pannonian plateau and the wine region in the north east of the country. This is your essential guide to the events, activities and tastes of Slovenia and gives you the best insights from locals as to where to visit and what to explore so you feel like a local!

Brane Krajnik CEO, The Slovenia Times

Summer Edition 2015 www.sloveniatimes.com

Published quarterly by Domus, založba in trgovina d.o.o.

Dunajska cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Editorial office Dunajska cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana phone – desk: +386 (0)31 446 808

CEO and Publisher Brane Krajnik

Editor in Chief Tina Drolc

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Contributors Aleš Čar, Bogdan Kozina, Davy Sims, Edita Krajnović, Jože Jerman Jerri, Ladeja Godina Košir, Leeanna Whirl, Tomaž Kučan

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Circulation: 5.000 copies The Slovenia Times is listed in the Media Register of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia under number 491.

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Contents Page 8

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

4 The world is now watching – and planning to visit

6 Interview: Marcin Petrykowski,

Regional Head CEE, Standard & Poor’s

8 Slovenian National Day at Expo Milano 2015

ECONOMY Page 10

9 World Investment Report Shows Slovenian

FDI Abroad Almost Dead

9 Expert Says Telekom Slovenije is

Uncompetitive in State Hands

9 Sovereign Holding in EUR 100M Bond Issue

26 Pahor Sees Unity and Shared Goals as Key to

the Country’s Future Success 26 Corruption Watchdog Retains Findings

Against Janša

EUROPEAN UNION 27 Slovenia & Croatia Awaiting

Border Arbitration Ruling 27 Finance Minister Feels Greek Situation

Should Motivate Faster Reform in Slovenia 27 Slovenia Joins OECD Development Centre

EXPERIENCE&LIFESTYLE SLOVENIA

10 Interview: Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana 28 A day of unforgettable beauty – a day in Lipica 12 The Competitiveness of the Slovenian economy 29 Health Tourism – the essence of water in

is improving; the key challenge remaining is to increase productivity (IMAD)

13 P.A.T.H. by Starck with Riko listed among the

13 most innovative examples of prefabricated architecture Page 14

14 Interview: Ravi Chaudhry, Chairman,

CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd

Slovenia 30 A Business lunch is an investment,

not an expense 32 GLAMPING – when camping can be

an unforgettable experience 33 Slovenia – paradise for cyclists

16 Interview: Professor Hellmut Schütte,

SPORT Vice President and Dean at CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) 34 2015 European Games: Four Medals for Slovenia at the European Games in Baku 18 Simple Rules that go beyond complexity in 34 Football: Slovenia Hosts Group Leaders, modern organisations England, in the Euro Qualifiers 19 Summit100: Growth Through Regional Page 24

Cooperation 20 Interview: Professor Andreja Cirman, MBA

35 Football: Maribor Get Astana in

the Champions League Qualifiers

Program Director at the Faculty of Economics, 35 Volleyball: Ladies Qualify for European Championship University of Ljubljana 35 Handball: Slovenia Gets 2016 Ticket with 22 Interview: Professor Judith Bachay, their First Win Under New Coach St. Thomas University 24 ABC Accelerator: From Ljubljana to EXPO Milan 35 Cycling: Špilak Wins the Tour de Suisse

and then Shanghai Page 32

25 PODIM 2015: Collaboration between start-ups

and established companies

POLITICS 26 Government and Municipalities Seek Deal on

Funding Cuts

CULTURE&EVENTS 36 Film Under the Stars 2015 38 Ljubljana Festival – the Centre of

Summer Culture 39 Event Guide Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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In the Spotlight

The world is now watching – and planning to visit By: Davy Sims

I have been talking to people about Slovenia for almost 20 years, and in recent times I have had to explain less and less what Slovenes have to tell foreigners for years – “No, you are thinking about Slovakia”, “No, Russia is not next door. Birmingham is closer to the Russian border than Ljubljana”, “Yes there was a war, but it was only 10 days long and that was almost 25 years ago.”

Less, but not never.

Steve Fallon’s Lonely Planet guide book was my inspiration to visit Slovenia in 1996; it remains a crucial guide for first timers and regular visitors. It has been a long trek, but Slovenia – and especially Ljubljana and Gorenjska where I live – are emerging on to the world stage ever faster as “the next destination.” Let’s look at the evidence.

In recent months in the UK there have been several national newspaper spreads about Slovenia – the Telegraph has published two of them – both by Steve Fallon who was back in Slovenia last summer. The Daily Mirror and The Guardian have also included supportive articles.

Granted, if you search “Slovenia” on the Daily Mirror website, you will get a lot about football, and the England v Slovenia in June will also have done a great deal of good raising the country’s profile.

As a “new” or “first time” destination, Slovenia is now firmly on the student summer Interrail map. Just go to Twitter and search #interrail.

On the list of places people are talking about you will find Ljubljana, Bled and Slovenia mixed in with Budapest, Copenhagen, Berlin and Paris.

Perhaps the strongest indication that Slovenia is on the verge of becoming a fashionable destination was when Monocle magazine – the style bible of the globe-trotting culturalists – fixed its sagacious eye on Slovenia and was satisfied with what it saw.

I will temper my almost unbounded enthusiasm for my adopted home with concerns about the difficulty getting here. Depressingly, flight timetables make it is easier to leave Ljubljana Airport than to get to it. An important destination needs to have better access. I have stories – but they will keep for another time.

In 2014, Slovenia recorded 3,438,279 tourist arrivals (exceeding the 2013 figure by 3.6%) and 9,343,574 overnight stays Travellers beyond Italy and Austria are noticing, Slovenia – are you ready for more? Just pray they don’t bring stag parties! 

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

Davy Sims is a freelance journalist and former BBC producer.

He lives in Slovenia for half the year [and the other half in Northern Ireland]. He is editor of www.lakeblednews.com e-mail editor@lakeblednews.com

In recent months in the UK there have been several national newspaper spreads about Slovenia - the Telegraph has published two of them – both by Steve Fallon who was back in Slovenia last summer. The Daily Mirror and The Guardian have also included supportive articles.

* Source Spirit Slovenija http://www.slovenia.info/pictures/TB_board/atachments_2/2015/ Turizem_v_Sloveniji_2014,_BREZ_KONKUREN%C3%84%C5%9ANOSTI_angl_19646.pdf

Investment and development ConferenCe Ljubljana – Slovenia October 14 – 16, 2015

Change.

OppOrtunities. awareness. trade mark. referenCe COuntry. amcham.si

In the Spotlight

Marcin Petrykowski, Regional Head CEE, Standard & Poor’s

Interview: Marcin Petrykowski, Regional Head CEE, Standard & Poor’s

Slovenia’s policies have become more predictable Prepared by Tina Drolc, M.Sc.

Marcin Petrykowski joined Standard & Poor’s (S&P) in January 2014. He is Managing Director of S&P Ratings Services, Region and Branch Head for Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) and Head of EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Relationship Management. Before joining the world’s largest credit-ratings agency, he was Investor Services Head of Coverage for CEE and Russia at J.P. Morgan in London. As he explains, all sovereigns in the CEE region are rated by S&P, “in June this year we revised to positive our outlook for Slovenia, affirming the ‘A-/A-2’ long- and shortterm sovereign credit ratings, which reflects our opinion that the ongoing economic recovery will broaden further, benefitting fiscal outcomes.”

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In the Spotlight Q When rating the CEE countries, which in- GDP in 2015. Our estimates of gross and net

A An interesting question and the answer

cludes Slovenia, how much weight do you put on qualitative factors and which ones are the most important in your opinion?

A Standard & Poor’s sovereign rating methodology addresses factors that affect a government’s willingness and ability to service its debt obligations on time and in full. The analysis focuses on the sovereign performance over past economic and political cycles as well as on factors that indicate greater or lesser economic flexibility in future economic cycles.

Throughout the rating process, five key factors form the foundation for our analysis of that willingness and ability: overall institutional assessment, economic assessment, external assessment, fiscal assessment and monetary assessment. We put them into two categories, one describes the institutional and economic profile (includes the institutional and economic assessment) and the second, the flexibility and performance profile (includes the external, fiscal and monetary assessment). Each assessment is based on a series of quantitative factors and qualitative considerations. Which qualitative factors are used depends mostly on which of the five factors we are analysing.

general government debt include BAMC-related obligations issued to purchase loans and other distressed assets from Slovenian banks at a discount to market. We do not yet incorporate the proceeds from the ongoing privatisation process but believe that, if these were applied toward government debt reduction, net general government indebtedness relative to GDP would decline at a faster pace than we currently anticipate.

falls outside the core S&P Ratings business.

Within the McGraw Hill Financial family we deliver indices through our S&P Dow Jones Indices entity. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a leading publisher of a wide variety of indices, many of which are used as benchmarks throughout the global marketplace. On the spot I do not recall an index that would focus on company’s wealth creation, but would need to better understand what you expect such an index to present. Through our independently calculated solutions, we create custom indices to meet specific investment criteria and hence could consider such an index, firstly however by needing to identify the demand and value of such an index.

what basis did S&P make this assessment?

er we actually rate the company subject to the process and if so: who the buyer is, the postacquisition strategy, the funding of the deal and other business considerations. Without knowing details, I am not able to advise whether the privatisation of a particular company will have a rating impact – it will depend on a detailed analysis that our analytical team would conduct as part of the assessment, only then could we share our view – i.e.: whether this has a positive, neutral or negative impact for the rating.

Q During the last few years, Slovenia has been focused on a big privatisation debate. What are the components S&P uses for the assessment of mergers and acquisitions?

A In respect to privatisation we do not have a specific approach to CEE or Slovenia in particular, but a generic approach. Overall, we could consider privatisation proceeds as a potentially credit positive factor for the overall risk assessment yet subject to what these proceeds are used for. If a government decides to use funds from privatisation to deleverage i.e.: decrease debt levels, then this could have a positive impact.

Q Does privatisation have an impact on S&P’s Q Slovenia is rated ‘A-‘ and you have just rating assessment of individual companies? changed the outlook from stable to positive. On A It depends on a few factors – mostly whethA Indeed on 19 June 2015 we revised the

outlook on Slovenia to positive. This revision reflects our opinion that the ongoing economic recovery will broaden further, benefitting fiscal outcomes. We believe that real GDP will likely rise on average by about 2.1 percent per year over 2015-2018, about 0.6 percentage points higher than projected at our last review in December 2014, with the composition of economic growth gradually shifting in favour of domestic demand. Longer term, we believe that the implementation of growthenhancing structural reforms, including in the judicial and administrative areas, could further boost Slovenia’s longer-term economic growth prospects. Although the economy benefits from its openness to international trade, significant administrative barriers still inhibit foreign direct investment. The positive outlook reflects a one-in-three probability of an upgrade over the next 24 months if the economic recovery broadens and, combined with structural reforms, results in improved fiscal and debt metrics.

Q It seems a popular approach these days is to increase debt, especially in the EU and the US. How would you explain servicing debt in Slovenia according to the size of our economy?

A In general and to simplify: the stronger the economy, the greater its ability to service debt.

Referring to the Slovenian case, we estimate the government’s net debt position at 72 percent of

Q Companies from this region are more and more actively competing for financing from international players. How do you decide which companies you will rate?

A We operate in a free market environment and apply the issuer-pay model. This means that it is the issuer’s decision as to whether he needs an S&P rating based on the value proposition we present. We engage in a dialogue with the issuer, understand their needs, present our methodology, expert analytical experience, industry know-how and value proposition, underlining our best in class recognition with global investors. Following such an approach, the issuer takes the decision on getting rated.

Q Do you offer any fundamentally weighted indices, for example indices which focus on the company’s wealth creation? If not, would you consider offering this?

Q During the recent financial crisis, S&P underestimated the risk of some complex financial products. Which new models or changes have been introduced since then in order to improve, or even avoid, such a situation in the future?

A We have taken to heart the lessons learned from the financial crisis and since 2008, spent over USD 400m on improving overall integrity, independence and performance of our ratings. We made significant changes within the management, brought in new leaders, many of them from the banking world with strong compliance and risk management experience.

The CEO of S&P, Neeraj Sahai, is a former Citi veteran, CEO of McGraw Hill Financial, Doug Peterson is also former Citi, I am an ex-banker and many of our leaders are former bankers with a strong leadership, compliance and risk culture. We significantly enhanced and recreated our global risk management program and strengthened our approach to managing risk and compliance. We created an independent group that objectively validates our models and analytical approach and altered the way we rate many of the structured products. Finally, the ratings industry is now far more regulated with ESMA as the European regulator. 

Indeed on 19 June 2015 we revised the outlook on Slovenia to positive. We believe that real GDP will likely rise on average by about 2.1 percent per year over 2015-2018, about 0.6 percentage points higher than projected at our last review in December 2014.

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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In the Spotlight

04 01 Perpetuum Jazzile performing at Slovenian National Day 02 Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and alpine ski superstar Tina Maze 03 Slovenian folk group in national costumes 04 Welcoming mini walnut cakes Photos: Anže Malovrh/STA

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Slovenian National Day at Expo Milano 2015 On 19 June, Slovenian National Day was presented at Expo Milano 2015 and was attended by Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek. From 1 May to 31 October 2015, the World Exhibition in Milan will showcase 144 countries, including Slovenia in its own pavilion with the slogan, I Feel Slovenia.

Green.Active.Healthy.

The main theme of Expo Milano is food with a focus on solutions to the global challenge of good-quality food, sustainable use of production resources, water and agricultural land, with the aim to preserve the environment.

Slovenia is introducing its natural beauty and wealth to raise awareness that sustainable development is essential for the preservation of the Slovenian “green”. “The environmental

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

degradation and inappropriate use of land have a negative impact on the well-being of humans, the lives of present and future generations and ultimately the competitiveness of the economy. It is all about the important global challenges that countries cannot address individually, so it is necessary to act collectively and in coordination at a regional as well as at a global level”, were the thoughts shared by Slovenian Prime Minister

Miro Cerar upon his visit to Expo Milano and the Slovenian Pavilion.

Slovenia is presented in its own, 800m2 pavilion which is just a part of the entire 1,910m2 Slovenian space in the centre of the exhibition.

The Slovenian pavilion is a pyramid shape, standing on a dynamic geometric surface reflecting the geographical diversity of Slovenian territory. It illustrates the passage of the Alpine mountains, the Pannonian plains, the Mediterranean hills and the cultivated areas that hide a remarkable underground world. As much as 60% of Slovenia’s surface is covered with forest.

The Slovenian pavilion is built mostly from natural materials, mainly wood and glass.

Therefore the facility was very demanding to construct - it is a mirror of the competitiveness of Slovenian timber construction knowledge.

“EXPO is an excellent opportunity to promote Slovenia as a tourist destination, enhance the country’s reputation and build the recognition of the national trademark I Feel Slovenia, as well as promote economic trade between Slovenia and the world, especially Italy”, emphasised the Commissioner-General, Jerneja Lampret, when commenting on Slovenia’s presence at Expo Milano 2015.

Expo offers numerous opportunities for the integration of the Slovenian economy. With the purpose of effective coordination and assistance to Slovenian companies, a business centre was established in the Slovenian pavilion by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, and SPIRIT, the Slovenia Public Agency for promotion. Since the beginning of the exhibition, 619 Slovenian companies have so far been included in Slovenia’s presentation at Expo.

For Slovenia, presentation at the World Expo is of the utmost importance, in part because of the proximity of the event. Italy is Slovenia’s second most important trade partner (total trade between the two countries accounts for EUR 6bn in goods and EUR 1.3bn in services), and is the most important country in terms of the number of tourists in Slovenia and the third largest foreign investor in Slovenia. 

Economy

World Investment Report Shows Slovenian FDI Abroad Almost Dead The latest World Investment Report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that investments by Slovenian companies abroad have almost ceased, while there was an improvement in inward flows in 2014.

Presenting the report at the end of June, Andreja Jaklič from the Faculty for Social Sciences said inward investment flow to Slovenia reached EUR 1.56bn, while there was very little outward flow. “Outward investment activity has been very weak in recent years,” Jaklič said, adding that a lot would depend on the continuation of privatisation which she says in unfairly stigmatised in Slovenia.

She also presented the results of a survey carried out by the Faculty for Social Science’s Centre for International Relations and SPIRIT, the agency responsible for promoting Slove-

nia. The results show that, among other things, 70% of foreign companies in Slovenia continue to observe a deterioration in the conditions for foreign investment in the country. “Foreign investors see Slovenia as a country where things move slowly and where the same obstacles have persisted for ten years – an inflexible labour market, the burden on highly skilled labour and payment delays,” Jaklič said. She also raised brain-drain as an increasing problem afflicting Slovenia.

The State Secretary from the Economy Ministry, Aleš Cantarutti, also commented on the report, saying that investments abroad will be vital for Slovenian companies if they wish to remain connected to global supply chains. A number of companies have been reorganising and consolidating, which has affected their activities in foreign markets, he noted. 

Sovereign Holding in EUR 100M Bond Issue The Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) issued its first bond at the end of June, a five-year paper with a fixed interest rate of 2.5 percent, with which it raised EUR 100m.

The move was billed by the manager of state assets as the biggest Slovenian corporate bond of recent years. The money raised will be used for refinancing existing liabilities and shore up the long-term financial stability of the holding, Chairman Matej Pirc said in a statement. “As a result the costs of financing for this year and the next will be reduced,” added Pirc.

The issue was managed by investment firm Alta Group and NLB bank and was offered at home and abroad, the holding said without providing information on the buyers.

The 100,000 bonds at EUR 1,000 apiece will fall are due on 24 June 2020, while interest will be paid annually on 24 June. The bond is due for listing on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange following approval from the Securities Market Agency. 

Expert Says Telekom Slovenije is Uncompetitive in State Hands The Head of the National Council for Electronic Communication, Dušan Caf, cannot imagine Telekom Slovenije being competitive in the long run as a state-owned company. Telekom has never been independent and autonomous enough to be able to make a major breakthrough, Caf said in interview with a daily newspaper.

Telekom Slovenije; Photo; Marko Pentek

He believes that the question of whether Telekom Slovenije is in state or private ownership has no impact on users. Users are not really interested in technology, they need services and a good user experience, and the ownership of the company providing the service is not important, he added.

Caf, who also heads the council of the national Agency for Communication Networks and Services has assessed that, at the EU level, Telekom Slovenije belongs to “those former monopolists which have lost the most in the retail market of broadband access.” The company was ordered to give rival internet service providers access to its fibre-optic local loop, while it has been less successful in marketing it services than the competition. What’s more, cable operators in the market are very strong, Caf explained. He added that the reasons for

the current situation in the retail market lies in the overly strict regulation of Telekom Slovenije historically and partially also to the company’s inability to adapt. “It is no secret that it has been left behind technologically,” Caf admitted.

Regarding the construction of a national optic network as the infrastructure of future, he said that the cost would be too high. “The state had no clear policy and strategy, and supervision has failed,” he said, adding that the state should prevent the nonsensical overlapping of optic networks. 

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy As stated by the Commission, Ljubljana is a city that has achieved the greatest change in the quality of life in the shortest time. We have restricted motor traffic in the city centre, we are proud of our clean drinking water from the tap which must remain a public good accessible to all, we care for biodiversity, air quality and we introduced ecoinnovation, etc.

Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana; Photo: Miha Fras

Interview: Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana

Ljubljana, green capital and boutique tourist destination Prepared by Tina Drolc, M.Sc.

With the arrival of spring, the Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, received the Tourism for Tomorrow 2015 award, on behalf of the City of Ljubljana, from the World Travel and Tourism Council at the award ceremony held in Madrid, Spain. The mayor highlighted that the main criteria for the award was the realisation of the sustainability principles in all areas of urban policy.

Annually, Ljubljana generates one million overnight stays and has a longterm aim to increase the number to three million, the mayor also referred to the individual treatment of tourists, as well as the strengthening of congress tourism in the capital. In the spirit of European Green Capital 2016, which the European Commission granted to Ljubljana, there are a set of “green” measures such as restricting motor traffic in the city centre, measures to ensure minimal pollution from public transport and a strategy to implement the concept of reducing waste at its source.

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Q The City of Ljubljana received the WTTC award as a tourist destination for implementing the principles of sustainable tourism. How does Ljubljana implement sustainable tourism and therefore encourage tourist operators?

A During the eight years of my leadership of the capital we have moved to living sustainably in all areas, not only in tourism. We always encourage our citizens to be even more sustainable, particularly in terms of our relationship to the environment in which we live. It also helps a lot if one citizen to another becomes the best neighbour. The ceremony for the WTTC Tourism award was held in Madrid and was attended by many leading people from large companies such as Ryanair, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines, Booking.com etc., who have more revenue than the entire Slovenian budget and, in such company, Ljubljana was rewarded as a tourist destination of the future. From the very beginning I believed in victory, since I am sure no one could be better just because of their origin. However, the truth is that Slovenia, as a young country, confronts the problem of recognition, which also applies to tourism.

Such promotion therefore requires some time, however the media itself and the wider public in Slovenia are not aware of what we are actually capable of, what has already been done and what else we can do. Annually, Ljubljana has one million stays and the long-term goal is to have three million, which means a million visitors per year that stay in the city for

Economy up to three days. It is important to treat every tourist individually, since the worst thing that could happen is to arrive at a destination with higher expectations than what is on offer. For now, tourists in Ljubljana get more than they expect, but at the same time, the awards we receive also raise tourist expectations.

Q Do you intend to allocate funds for the promotion of Ljubljana as a tourist destination?

A The biggest promotion is all the awards we have already received: the WTTC Award; the European Green Capital 2016; the European Mobility Week award which we received twice… We promote Ljubljana by participating in international exhibitions in Rome, Milan, Berlin, Moscow, London, Vienna and we have even received an invitation from Brazil to participate in promoting Ljubljana as a tourist destination. Ljubljana is becoming an important destination on the world tourist map, which brings many benefits for all the suppliers and workers in tourism.

Q What is the story of Ljubljana as a tourist

Very important are also the future measures which we have promised will be realised: for example, newly planted trees - in April the employees of the City of Ljubljana administration have, together with our colleagues from public institutions and companies, planted 4,050 trees. By the end of next year, we will have planted a total of 12,089 trees - one for each employee. In addition, I would like to mention our environmentally friendly public transport and the urban bicycle system, Bicikelj, used by the citizens of Ljubljana. An even greater commitment is that we must spread our good practices to other European capitals. In the near future we plan to visit Ankara; we have already visited Paris, Sarajevo, Berlin and Madrid and attended the meeting of Mayors of Southeast Europe in Belgrade. Therefore, it is a commitment that must be fulfilled and then expanded elsewhere. In addition, rarely can any European capital ensure an equal quality of life for future generations. For the highest award that the city could ever get - the European Green Capital I am grateful to all my colleagues and the Project Manager, Deputy Mayor Tjaša Ficko.

It is important to treat every tourist individually, since the worst thing that could happen is to arrive at a destination with higher expectations than what is on offer. For now, tourists in Ljubljana get more than they expect, but at the same time, the awards we receive also raise tourist expectations.

town?

A Ljubljana has an excellent geographical loca- Q In May, the renovation of Slovenska cesta, tion in the centre of Europe, which is accessible to all. Unfortunately, we still lack optimal airline and railway infrastructure. What we have is that Ljubljana is a green city, with 75 percent green space, a clean city as we are the first European Capital undertaking the Project Zero Waste. Additionally, Ljubljana ranks among the 20 safest cities in the world and is a town of friendly people who speak foreign languages extremely well. There are challenges still ahead such as a higher category hotel in Ljubljana and strengthening the city for congress tourism. Otherwise, the best advertisement for the city continues to be the praise that is spread by word of mouth. I have always said that Ljubljana is the most beautiful city in the world and there are more and more people at home and abroad using this slogan.

Q As you have already said, the European Commission granted Ljubljana the title of European Green Capital 2016. What kind of commitment does that brings for a city, perhaps also in numbers?

A I believe we received the title based on the Vision of Ljubljana 2025 strategy adopted nine years ago in which we committed to sustainable development and which we have now realised. As stated by the Commission, Ljubljana is a city that has achieved the greatest change in the quality of life in the shortest time. We have restricted motor traffic in the city centre, we are proud of our clean drinking water from the tap which must remain a public good accessible to all, we care for biodiversity, air quality and we introduced eco-innovation, etc.

also known as one of the “green” measures in the city, was finished. What are the “green” characteristics of this street renovation and what was the investment in the project?

A The investment into the renovation of Slovenska cesta, starting at Šubičeva and ending at Gosposvetska was EUR 3.8m. In addition, we are renovating Cankarjeva cesta. With regard to the traffic regulation on this part of Slovenska, we had thorough, in-depth discussions regarding whether to have a common transport zone or not. After careful consideration, we decided for a limited speed zone (30 km/h), since it is important that the public transport go through the city centre if our long-term goal is to get the largest possible number of people using it. Overall, 63 small ash trees on the road are already green and after the change in traffic regime, we measured a 44 percent lower carbon footprint and I believe we will maintain the quality even when the zone will be opened for public transport, environmentally friendly taxis and the guests of Hotel Slon.

Q What is the planned structure of European funds for 2015 and what specific areas and projects have your support as mayor?

A The majority of funds are allocated to the Regional Centre for Waste Management project, which we started to implement in 2008 and is worth EUR 144.5m. This year we must realise the rest of the funds amounting to EUR 77m. The centre will then start to function with the purpose of processing the waste generated by a third of the Slovenian population.

The second largest project, amounting to EUR

70m, is the construction of a connecting channel in Ljubljana together with an upgrade of the discharge of urban waste water system in the municipalities of Medvode and Vodice and an increase in the Central Waste Water Treatment Plan for which we expect a decision from the European Commission. We also expect further European funding for the renovation of the Cukrarna and Rog buildings. We are hoping that Europe will contribute 85 percent as the main reasons for the renovation of the buildings are energy restructuring, regulation of the pedestrian zone and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Q This year a prominent sports facility in Ljubljana, Hala Tivoli, celebrates half a century.

Over 50 years the hall has hosted over 30 million visitors and a number of events; from world championships to world-renowned musicians. Do you perhaps, at this point, think about renovating or upgrading the building?

A Over 50 years there have been many tears in Hala Tivoli, both of happiness and sadness.

Hala Tivoli has hosted world names in both sport and music. The renovation of the building is scheduled for 2018, to carry out energy sanitation, increase the ice hall to eight thousand seats and alter the basketball hall to host smaller matches. In the lower part there will be a room for curling established. The net financial value of the works is approximately EUR 8m, entirely funded by the municipality.  Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy

Production line in Revoz – Slovenian exports still increasing; Photo: Revoz, Novo mesto

The Competitiveness of the Slovenian economy is improving; the key challenge remaining is to increase productivity After deteriorating significantly at the beginning of the crisis, the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy has been rising over the past few years. This holds true for both export and cost competitiveness; the composition of exports has also improved since the beginning of the crisis.

However, since the onset of the crisis, productivity improvements have been mostly as a result of a decline in employment. The main challenge, therefore, remains to increase value added which, in the short term, will depend mainly on the availability of sources of funding to increase investment. In addition to limited sources of funding, Slovenia is facing a number of medium-term challenges in raising value added, such as increasing the innovation capacity and human capital. It should also continue to improve the efficiency of the state and its institutions.

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The key short-term condition for improving competitiveness is access to sources of finance to increase investment, including foreign direct investment. With FDI, the corporate sector could also gain access to new knowledge, technology and new markets, which would be beneficial for value added growth. This would also be conducive to better governance, particularly in state-owned enterprises.

In the medium term, it is essential to improve the efficiency of investment in Research & Development, maintain the high level of business sector investment and increase government support for research and innovation. A potential additional source of finance is European funds. To increase the efficiency of investment, it is necessary to strengthen both the cooperation between research institutions and companies and inter-company cooperation (for example, between small and large companies). It is also necessary to foster the development of human resources in support of the innovation capacity, which should also improve the knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship and use of modern technologies.

The competitiveness of the economy should also be boosted by a further strengthening of human capital that should be more adapted to company needs.

The educational structure of the population is improving, but there is a significant mismatch between the supply and demand for personnel, while the quality and efficiency of study are too low. A greater match between the enrolment structure, study programmes and employer needs could be achieved by establishing a system for medium-term forecasting of labour market needs, assessing employer satisfaction with the skills of young people and strengthening cooperation between educational institutions and companies. From the point of view of efficiency and quality of study, it is vital to remove anomalies in the education process, such as fictitious enrolment and the excessive duration of study.

To ensure the good performance of the economy and set up an environment conducive to entrepreneurship, it is necessary to further improve the efficiency of the state and its institutions. In recent years, Slovenia has made significant progress in reducing the administrative burden and the grey economy and improving insolvency legislation; it has also adopted constitutional amendments in the areas of fiscal policy and referendum rules.

Institutional competitiveness, nevertheless, remains low by international comparison.

Establishing an effective state asset management system, including further privatisation of state-owned enterprises, also remains a challenge.

Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development ď ´

Economy

P. A. T. H. by Starck with Riko in Montfort l Amaury; Photo: credit Baptiste Lanne

P.A.T.H.

by Starck with Riko

listed among the 13 most innovative examples of prefabricated architecture Internationally acclaimed designer, Philippe Starck and Slovenian company, Riko, have joined forces to create a collection of “Prefabricated Accessible Technological Homes” - P.A.T.H. This unique turnkey living solution combines Starck’s recognisable timeless design and Riko’s state-of-the-art prefabrication technology to ensure respect for the environment and provide maximum living comfort.

Janez Škrabec, CEO of Riko, says: “We have integrated the most advanced engineering knowledge and building technology to create a contemporary living solution which is accessible to all who appreciate the symbiosis of ecology and aesthetics”.

P.A.T.H. involve cutting-edge ecological solutions, enabling owners to generate energy from renewable sources, while saving time and money. According to Philippe Starck: “Building one’s own house can be a source of extreme danger. We all know when it starts but we never know when it is going to end or how much it will cost. Thanks to P.A.T.H. and its industrial process using prefabricated elements, everyone can access property ownership in six months and within a defined budget, without any surprises”. As a design-it-yourself turnkey concept, P.A.T.H. is available in 34 different floorplans and offers a wide selection of exterior and interior finishes, all handpicked by Philippe Starck. By providing the most complete solution on the prefabricated-housing market, P.A.T.H. was listed by the iconic Architectural Digest among the 13 most innovative examples of prefabricated architecture and thus joined the preeminent company of architectural giants such as Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames and Shigeru Ban.  Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Interview: Ravi Chaudhry, Chairman, CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd

The biggest obstacles to a country’s growth lie within the country and not outside.

Prepared by Tina Drolc, M.Sc.

Ravi Chaudhry, Chairman, CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd

Ravi Chaudhry is the founding Chairman of CeNext Consulting & Investment Pvt Ltd, New Delhi. Prior to this, he was the Chairman of four companies in Tata Group, India. He is a strategy consultant to corporations, governments and civil society, mentor to CEOs and corporate boards and is a much soughtafter speaker on Re-inventing Leadership, corporate governance, innovation, morality and values, and sustainability. His clients include several Fortune 1000 corporations, including BASF and BMW (Germany), DHV (Holland), Sunstar (Japan), Sabanci (Turkey), Domino Sciences (U.K.), Perfetti (Italy), numerous Indian business groups and many others.

Q India is the second most populated country in

It is somewhat difficult to accept the rationale that, just because a company employs many people, the state should own it.

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the world with over 1.2 billion people and GDP per capita of USD 1,500. Where do you see the opportunities for cooperation with Slovenia, a country with a population of two million people and GDP per capita of USD 23,300?

A There are many entrepreneurs in Slovenia who have done pioneering innovative work in several industries, such as ICT, the automotive and renewable energy sectors, but somehow the Indian corporate sector has not been proactive in looking for opportunities in Slovenia.

First, there needs to be an organised attempt from within Slovenia to attract the right type of Indian investment, by identifying specific opportunities and targeting specific Indian companies that can succeed in Slovenia and also make a tangible contribution to the economy by generating new skills and employment.

This process has to be undertaken in a very systematic manner. Secondly, the Indian companies need to realise that Slovenia provides

a cost-effective efficiency-hub, strategically located between Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Even the flight connectivity between India and Slovenia has improved in recent years. In spite of this, Slovenia is not on the tourist or business map for India. The current Slovenian Ambassador in India and her predecessor have taken many good initiatives in this regard; I hope we will see the results of their efforts in the coming years.

Q Based on your exceptional leadership career, what would you advise Slovenian companies to do to successfully meet the needs of the Indian market and what kinds of goods from Slovenia have the potential to be sold in India?

A Firstly, I am glad that many Slovenian companies have already taken initiatives to enter the Indian market. Some of them faced teething problems, but eventually they will overcome them. India is one of the few go-toplaces in the world today. To make the best

Economy There are 15 countries in Europe with a population of less than five million. There is concern that some of them will start feeling the “too small to succeed” syndrome. of it, Slovenian companies need to keep four cardinal principles in mind: 1) India offers ferocious competition in every domain. To succeed, you need to create a new business model for India. You need to discover the price point where you can increase sales, not incrementally, but by a multiple.

2) Do not go with the mind-set of seeking what you can sell in India. Seek answers as to how India can help improve your global competitiveness. Such answers can be a game-changer.

3) Be careful, very careful on how and who you choose as your business partner. The most suitable partner has to be found through a search process, not the one who approaches you first, and 4) There are many Slovenian companies with a strong brand, somehow they are losing out in Europe, because there is a new bottom of the pyramid emerging in Europe. To meet that demand, you have to lower the cost. How do you do that? Slovenian companies could seek help from Indian companies to lower costs.

Q You have been an advisor to the governments of Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil and Norway and you are also interested in privatisation. How do you see the privatisation process in Slovenia?

A I know that the privatisation process in Slovenia has got complicated over the years. There needs to be clear answers to two fundamental questions: “Is it the business of the government to run the businesses?” and “Should the government be focused on preserving existing jobs, or on generating net positive new jobs every year?” It is somewhat difficult to accept the rationale that, just because a company employs many people, the state should own it. That does not appear to be the strategy that would lead to future growth and productivity.

It is at best a strategy to maintain the status quo. I am glad there is an active debate; I am sure Slovenians will themselves determine the optimal way. I do hope that this process leads

to strengthening the spirit of entrepreneurship. Eventually, most of the jobs are created by small and medium scale entrepreneurs. A nation that respects small entrepreneurs is the one that will grow stronger and happier.

Q It often happens in Slovenia that young people with the business and knowledge potential, go abroad to improve it or achieve success…

A It needs to be analysed why that is so. We all know that Slovenia is a small country. I am writing a new book, which looks at 15 countries in Europe with a population of less than five million. There is concern that some of them will start feeling the “too small to succeed” syndrome. They do not have resources, they do not have a market and if they do not have good governance then you cannot quickly overcome these disadvantages. The country with just two million people has to be like a family.

The biggest obstacles to a country’s growth lie within the country and not outside. In every country, there are four major actors: the government, the well-to-do people, the not well-to-do people and the youth with no jobs.

All of them have to collaborate as equals and the Government policy framework has to be implemented transparently. Any equitable arrangement would call for sacrifices. Obviously, those who are well to do will have to make more sacrifices than those who are not and this is the reality which has to be accepted by all the players in every country.

Q As the author of the book, Quest for Excep-

tional Leadership: Mirage to Reality, you are deeply committed to improving the standards of corporate governance and social responsibility worldwide. Political and business leaders use this phrase many times, however nearly half of the world’s population lives on less than USD 2.50 a day and the world’s multinational corporations continue to create more wealth for themselves.

A I have written in my book that one of the biggest fault lines, in most countries, has been the nexus between business and poli-

tics. Policies have tended to support businesses that already prevail. So far, it has been okay but now, with the new technologies, it is the end of privacy. It is no longer possible to make deals in private. Everything you do or write or say, will get known, if not today, certainly tomorrow. Leaders who don’t accept the new reality and don’t start changing their outlook will find it difficult to succeed hereafter, but those who change will be the new winners. I can see that this transformation is already happening.

The risk of getting caught is high. As soon as the risk of getting punished becomes equally high, the transition towards socially responsible corporations will accelerate.

The four billion poor people in the world will no longer accept poverty as destiny. The change has to come about.

The youth today, supported by civil society and new media can accelerate this process of change, provided they commit to themselves and to the nation that they will be incorruptible when they become leaders.

Q India is the third-largest Internet market after China and the US, with 232 million users in 2014 and it is the fastest growing Internet market globally. What do you think about the potential of creating added value in India and GDP growth from digital technologies?

A The digital phenomenon is playing a significant role all over the world, not just in India or China. The challenge is “Will we let digital technologies substantially reduce the global inequalities?” I have two equalities to target: equality in opportunity and equality before the law. If we use digital technologies judiciously, they can certainly help reduce inequalities. Societies all over the world will then grow and prosper; otherwise digital technology will create knowledge, but not necessarily knowledge with wisdom. With wisdom, we will not merely focus on added value and GDP growth, but also on improved lives and livelihoods, and wellness and happiness. 

The biggest fault lines, in most countries, has been the nexus between business and politics.

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Now China is building its own international development bank.

China has become so big that the only country China takes seriously is the U.S.

Q You are Vice President and Dean at CEIBS

Photos: IEDC – Bled School of Management

Interview: Professor Hellmut Schütte, Vice President and Dean at CEIBS (China Europe International Business School)

Building bridges between the West and China Prepared by: Tina Drolc, M.Sc.

Professor Hellmut Schütte is Dean Emeritus of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Professor of Management and European Chair for Sino-European Business Relations. His research in the area of international business has a special focus on Asia and the Emerging Markets. For 11 years, he worked as an executive in marketing and investment banking. Professor Schütte is also a visiting professor at IEDC – Bled School of Management. As he says, China represents the world’s most attractive market and is growing into the world’s biggest economy.

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(China Europe International Business School).

What is the main purpose of CEIBS and what competencies does the education bring? According to the per capita income of people in China, the school’s fee is very high at about EUR 90,000 for the degree.

A We are closely linked with the modern history of China and only 20 years old. When we started, China was a truly communist country and as a business school we obviously had to deal with the characteristics of a planned economy. We were formed as a joint venture between the European Commission and the Chinese government to bring Western management and expertise into China.

Today, CEIBS is a truly international business school in China, trying to bring together what we know from China and what we know from the West. Our school is very large like many other organisations in China; the faculty consists of 50 percent foreigners and 50 percent Chinese. We have, right from the beginning, set the school up as an ambitious undertaking to become one of the best schools in the world.

If you want to do that, you have to have the best professors and you have to pay them very well.

According to the global table of the Financial Times, CEIBS is among the top 20 schools in the world. We have 160 professors and they are paid in line with the top schools in the United States. That gives us a cost base which requires very high fees; we are not subsidised and we have to balance our books.

Q Ten years ago everybody went to China to produce because it was cheap - China was seen as the factory of the world. Today, China is viewed more as the key market to sell your product, even premium goods. How has this change happened?

A That comes from the success of China’s economic development. When you grow more than seven percent, you double the size of your economy every ten years. China is a large market and has upgraded itself much faster than anybody ever expected. Sales of very expensive products are linked with the size of the market. If you approach just the top one percent of the market, you still deal with 14 million people. Even the smallest niche for luxury cars such as Ferraris is relatively big as you still find a number of people

Economy who can afford them. Ferrari has three showrooms in Shanghai; Mercedes, BMW and others are selling very well. The factors that caused this change: the Chinese are very ambitious and hard-working; the government has been extremely good in managing the scope; and finally, the competence of the people. From 1950 to 1980 China was a complete disaster. One does not talk about this anymore; 20 or 30 million people completely unnecessarily died of hunger, because of extremely bad economic policies. Now it is the total opposite.

Q As a regular contributor to the World Economic Forum in Davos, how would you describe the position of China’s economy towards the other economies of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia and India)?

A China is very clearly in its own category.

When you look at numbers and you take the 10 largest BRIC countries other than China together, they are not as big as China and the gap is still growing. Some years ago there was a lot of talk and excitement about a BRIC bank.

Now China is building its own international development bank. China has become so big that the only country China takes seriously is the U.S. The main advantage of China’s economy is the size of the market – but also increasing industry competence and tremendous financial resources. China has by far the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world, which makes the country very strong when it deals with other states that are bankrupt or tries to acquire companies abroad.

Japan is also not in good shape financially. The other advantage is a very stable government with very stable policies. As far as income per capita is concerned, which defines the average standard of living, the picture is very different. The U.S. has an income per capita of USD 50,000 and growth of two percent, which means each American has, at the end of the year, USD 1,000 more in his pocket. In China, the average income is only USD 6,000.

Even with seven percent growth, the Chinese will have only USD 420 more in their pocket at the end of the year. Will the Chinese reach the standard of living of the Americans? This is highly unlikely.

Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba, is the thirdlargest company (market cap of USD 232.8bn) and Internet holding company, Tencent, is the sixth-most valuable with USD 190bn market cap. However, Apple holds the top spot (market cap of USD 763.6bn) and Google scored second place (USD 373.4bn market cap). The number of “global public Internet companies” based in China provides an indication of how the country’s strength in the online sector continues to grow.

Do you think that, in the future, Chinese digital champions could prevail?

A When you come from a big country and you have state-owned companies, of course your companies are big. No surprise that the four biggest banks in China are among the top ten banks in the world… The case of Internet companies is very different. We have certain aspects of the Internet world, which are determined by the government. Google is fundamentally blocked in China and that means it is not competitive in China. Then we have Alibaba, Tencent and so on… in a huge market. We have 6,000 million people with Internet subscriptions in China, no other country has these numbers. Therefore, the volume of transactions and consequently the stock valuation numbers are very high. The fundamental question is, is the Internet world a global market? I would argue no! It needs a lot of localisation as the technology is now everywhere. Every Chinese company can build platforms such as those of eBay etc., but the business model as to how you structure the business is the differentiating factor. The Internet pages of companies in China are chaotic, like a bazaar. In the U.S., Amazon is very classy, but the Chinese prefer the other version. What will happen in the future? It is very open. Whether Alibaba and other companies

The fundamental question is, is the Internet world a global market?

I would argue no!

of this nature will be successful abroad… is not obvious. eBay, Amazon and Expedia were first movers in China but Alibaba and others outcompeted them totally.. This is quite extraordinary.

Q As the author of the best-seller ‘Strategies for Asia Pacific’, what would be your advice to Slovenian companies to successfully meet the needs of the Chinese market and what kind of goods from Slovenia have the potential to be sold in China?

A There is a whole range of different industries in Slovenia. When you look at the market from the point of view of the segments, you have the top segments, which are basically in the hand of large multinationals, like Louis Vuitton or Mercedes. Then you have cheap companies, their product is cheap and no-one cares for environmental control, they steal the technology, etc. There is a middle segment that multinationals cannot reach because they are too much in the top segment, and for the Chinese companies it is still difficult to move towards the middle segment because they are so used to cutting corners. So in this middle segment, which I call the “good enough market” where relatively good products are not so expensive and do the job, that to my mind is the field, whether in machinery, components or even in agricultural products, that Slovene companies should be positioned. 

Q Several Chinese companies entered the top 15 companies based on market capitalisation.

When you grow more than seven percent, you double the size of your economy every ten years.

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

17

Economy

Simple Rules that go beyond complexity in modern organisations Prepared by Ladeja Godina Košir, M.Sc., Giacomelli Media

Yves Morieux; Photo: BSG Consulting

Adding regulatory requirements and we end up in environments where 60 percent to 80 percent of time gets wasted on writing reports or similar, non value-adding activities.

Morieux points to productivity as the sole most important long-term factor of any society’s well-being. “If productivity grows at 1 percent a year, it will take three generations to double the living standard,” he explains. “Do you know what the productivity growth of Slovenia is? Or that of Germany?” Productivity is a largely overlooked indicator that has typically been lagging in most organisations. So, Morieux and his BCG team have been working for a number of years to explain where and why the productivity potential, embedded in the new technology, has been disappearing, even though the advancements in technology have been widely applied in most modern organisations.

Their major discovery is the connection between low productivity and work crises: only 11% - 23% of the workforce felt engaged in the US and it has been constantly falling. The best engagement score in the area of the former Yugoslavia is 15 percent.

Another team looked into the reasons behind the falling engagement rates, depart-

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

In delivering a remarkable speech at the Summit 100 in Portorož, Yves Morieux, Senior Partner and General Manager of The Boston Consulting Group, explained the six simple rules that can help any organisation boost its productivity by reducing chronic complexities. He also makes everybody want to watch the women’s 4x100m relay final at the 2003 World Athletics Championships over and over again.

ing from company strategies and taking into consideration that structure inevitably follows strategy. They found a plausible explanation in the functional organisational structures, which follow the logic of cost-advantage strategies, according to Michael E. Porter. On top of that, companies add customer differentiation components, which result in inefficient, multilayer matrix structures. Adding regulatory requirements and we end up in environments where 60 percent to 80 percent of time gets wasted on writing reports or similar, non value-adding activities.

The solution to overcome such structures, that create too much friction, is to look outside the box and see what actually keeps them together. “Instead of skeletons, we need a functioning nervous system,” argues Morieux, “which is composed of leadership, cooperation and engagement.”

Here he brings in lessons from the glorious victory of the French in the 100m women relay at the World Athletic Championship in Paris in 2003: the average team won due to the miracle of cooperation.

“Why cooperation does not happen more often?” Morieux asks himself. By analysing the importance of the third runner, he shows, she made a perfect pass, but this went at the expense of their performance at the standard individual measurement. She shouted to the fourth teammate stronger and earlier than the other runners, again, at the expense of the old metrics.

“Less cooperation leads to over-consumption of resources,” underlines Morieux. “But there is

no measurement in the world that tells you the reason why the fourth runner was so fast. That was thanks to the third runner’s energy put into the transfer of the baton!”

As the title of his best-selling book suggests, there are “Six Simple Rules”, to improve cooperation and productivity along with it. Firstly, to use the sense of observation to understand what people really do. Second, reinforce integrators. Third, empower people.

Next, increase reciprocity, people should not be self-sufficient, otherwise they will never cooperate. Then, expand the shadow of the future, in other words, raise the expectations about the positive consequences of your common goals. And finally, reward those who cooperate.

“Blame is not for failure but for not helping or not asking for help!”, Morieux cites Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, the CEO of Lego.

And how can you change the mentality?

Can you actually do that?

“You cannot change history,” vows Morieux to the leaders of South Eastern Europe. “But you can change the context.” 

“Blame is not for failure but for not helping or not asking for help!”, Morieux cites Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, the CEO of Lego.

Economy

Summit100: the leading business initiative in South East Europe The main goal of Summit100 is to increase competitiveness of national economies and strengthen the competitive potential of South East Europe through A New Deal for a New Age.

Over 180 business and political leaders: presidents, ministers and mayors, gathered in Porotorož at Summit100.

Summit100: Growth Through Regional Cooperation Prepared by: Edita Krajnovic´

More than 180 business and political leaders from South East Europe gathered in Portorož, Slovenia on 1- 2 June.

They discussed ways to increase the competitiveness of the region through cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, transport, ICT, transport and energy, with an emphasis on the development of smart cities in the region.

“We must go beyond the construction consortium Feniks, which has shown that it is possible to look for work together in third markets.

Smart cities of the future: Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade announced the radical reduction of the use of fossil fuels and our wish is to put in the spotlight a rapid rail system that will link Munich and Istanbul through these cities and provide a fast connection to the countries of the region so that the trip from Macedonia or Montenegro would not last longer than a trip to Los Angeles or Tokyo,” urged Iztok Seljak, Chairman of the Managament Board of Summit100. He expressed the commitment that, based on the Summit100 conclusions, business leaders have made to take concrete steps within six to twelve months.

New investments in South East Europe In her vibrant speech, Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, advised that in

late April the European Union launched an initiative for the unification of transport networks in Europe with a special draft for a network in South East Europe. She stressed that the European Union, when investing, seeks to connect private and public capital in investment, in business and infrastructure projects: “When these sources of associations can lead to the achievement of potential, then we have the creation of new values and new technologies and we also achieve digitalisation and decarbonisation of transport.“ Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, pointed out that European institutions, including the EIB, will provide guarantees up to EUR 21bn, for investment that could reach EUR 320bn. Projects in which private investors are sought are in the sectors of transport, energy, research and development, water supply, transport, the digital economy and the development of broadband Internet networks.

Participants at Summit100 discussed concrete proposals for the improvement of regional co-operation. Proposals were presented in front of ministers, with the intent for them to be transmitted to their government colleagues.

Summit100 2015 was organised by the Managers Association of Slovenia (MAS) in cooperation with the Serbian Association of Managers (SAM), the Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP). the Atlas Foundation from Montenegro, BBI Bank and ASA Holding from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Alkaloid from Macedonia. 

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy

Design thinking enables managers to successfully face the business challenges of today and tomorrow Professor Andreja Cirman is the MBA Program Director at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana.

She shows both great pride and devotion for the participants of the MBA program and is determined to give them the opportunity to learn important managerial skills through the specifically structured program but also to achieve personal growth through various exchange programs and alumni activities.

Professor Andreja Cirman, MBA Program Director at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana; Photo: Mediaspeed

Q The Faculty of Economics, University of Lju- search helps us to have solid fundamentals bljana has an almost 70 year history in economics and business. How do you combine tradition on the one side and business education needs and trends on the other when designing your program?

A Our environment and ambitions are forcing us to follow the changes and anticipate them every day. FELU’s tradition in integrating economics and business education and re-

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in experience and up-to-date knowledge.

Having these, we are able to share the knowledge and skills that business needs to better cope with the challenges of the dynamic global business environment of today and tomorrow.

As an internationally established institution with two of the most prominent accreditation’s, AACSB and EQUIS (only 80 schools in the world have both), we exchange knowledge

Economy with our partner institutions and through that, we are an integral part of the latest trends, innovative methods and knowledge. The school builds on the advantages of our wide network of distinguished lecturers with extensive business experience, international partner schools and close cooperation with our corporate partners and also on our commitment to deliver the latest, innovative and highly applicable knowledge and skills.

within the firm, they understand the complexity of the business environment and they have the knowledge and skills to act as responsible leaders. Within the program they can test their acquired skills on real life business projects.

By embracing design thinking, I have no doubts that they will be very successful in facing the business challenges of today and tomorrow.

provide the participants with the latest tools and skills to face the challenges of the business world? What makes it different from other MBA programs?

A The International FELU MBA is a two year, part time program. Its uniqueness is its combination of courses from business, economics and leadership. While the core of the FELU MBA program consists of business courses, economics courses help the understanding of the macro drivers affecting everyday business (particularly crucial for small, open economies) while leadership courses not only build leadership and communication skills, but also shape the personality of candidates supporting their strong personal integrity, ethics and sense of responsibility to ensure they are well-rounded individuals. We are also very proud that we incorporate the design thinking methodology into our program, which I strongly believe is an excellent approach to boost creativity for solving practical problems.

We have structured the program in a way that best suits the needs of managers. They need mindsets, skill-sets, knowledge and tools with which they can successfully solve business challenges at work. What also makes our MBA special is the in-depth personal approach to each participant, seeking and developing their potential and talent.

There is a lot of mutual communication, exchange of experiences and building of existing knowledge. In the class, the lecturer shares his or her knowledge and supports it with the participant’s individual business practices.

Through this mutual communication, participants expand their knowledge, systematise it and learn new tools which they can directly apply.

als primarily seeking broad, practice-oriented business knowledge and skills. As key people in their business, they need strong leadership skills. All participants have prior experience in middle or top management which is also one of the requirements and an important cornerstone in sharing experiences in class.

It is also for the individuals for whom this form of education represents a springboard or the ambition for a step forward in their careers.

Our participants do not necessarily have a background in business or economics. There are actually more and more candidates with technical, chemical, computing etc. backgrounds, holding a position or the ambition that requires them to make business decisions every day.

Q What is the profile of the individuals who usuQ One of the programs that you offer is the ally attend this program?

International FELU MBA program. How do you A Those who enter the program are individu-

Q How important are the various exchange programs for the development of both the education and growth of a person? In addition, what are the currents exchange opportunities?

A Neither business nor education is limited to our borders for a long period of time. We work in a complex, dynamic, global environment and

therefore it is essential to expand our working and learning environment. This year we offer our students an international exchange opportunity, the so called “Leadership Week” in Silicon Valley, California and Chinese business experience in Hong Kong. Both programs offer business courses, visits to and from companies and organisations. They are also an integral part of the study content.

We also offer shorter exchange possibilities with our partner MBA program at the Management Centre Innsbruck, which allows them to be away for a short period of time and still experience the international environment. 

We have structured the program in a way that best suits the needs of managers. They need mindsets, skill-sets, knowledge and tools with which they can successfully solve business challenges at work.

What also makes our MBA special is the in-depth personal approach to each participant, seeking and developing their potential and talent.

Q What does the individual actually acquire through participation in such a program and what is the practical value of the individual for the company in which they operate?

A Our graduates are equipped with insight into the latest knowledge, they have a toolbox of relevant business skills and the latest tools that they can readily apply to everyday decision making. They can look at the business from the perspective of various business functions Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Interview: Professor Judith Bachay, St. Thomas University

Professor Judith Bachay “In Slovenia I would like to see more and continued collaboration” Prepared by Smiljana Fister, Ph.D.

Professor Judith Bachay, Fulbright Specialist, conducted a series of lectures, workshops, and speaking engagements, that included innovative methods of intergenerational and cross cultural modalities of service delivery. She introduced new paradigms for addressing the needs of an increasingly aging population that can be incorporated in Slovene curricula. Using a relational approach, she met with members of the LGBT community, addressed the current needs and challenges, and contributed models intended to help move forward in mutuality and respect.

Professor Judith Bachay, St. Thomas University

Q What are some of the social changes and modern lifestyle differences you see between Slovenia and the US? A I observed the effects of the Bologna agreement and the way that students now attend classes and what I have enjoyed is helping students find their voice and be participative in the classroom. In the past, I’ve noticed that some students are very hesitant about expressing themselves and I believe that engaged brain based learning requires a very participative learning community. I incorporated a model called andragogy which is a model of adult learning in which we intentionally develop a safe learning environment where the life of the mind can be intensely lived. Engaging in a learning community requires student acknowledgement and responsibility for their learning and an understanding that they are not blank slates, but bring with them unique perspectives and a knowledge base that contributes to the learning of others. With passive professors and students, I find that the knowledge production that creates creativity and innovation needed to address the complex problems of the future is actually thwarted. The role of a professor is to light the fire of intellect and curiosity.

I’ve noticed that students are now learning that their informed voice has value. Passive learning, does not a student make, learners need to engage and be accountable for their learning. When their informed voice is legitimised and informed they are brilliant.

They inspire me with their ability to make important contributions to the futurescape of all sectors of Slovene civil society.

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

Economy Q How do we reverse the marginalisation of within complementary medicine, entrepresupport organisations?

neurial intergenerational programs, an elderly

through the dialog and conversations that I have with individuals and small groups, they can lead to dialogue and action to provide equality and voice. People who are living in their homes alone, and the LGBT population are marginalised groups and when we think of systemic change, we’re dealing with deep cultural changes. Complex issues require collaboration by all. I think, relationally, having open, respectful dialogue is important, especially in a culture that may judge or not accept people who are burdened by limiting and hurtful stereotypes. I am hopeful that emerging circles of dialogue, and activism by and for our most vulnerable, will increase the much needed economic and social capital needed for a just society.

the US and other European countries can learn from. We have to take a very active and organised stance against the prejudice of ageism, which is rampant and toxic. I was thrilled with my students because they are doing just that. And that is something I can take back to the United States. I’m a Fulbright specialist, but I’m here to learn and take back the strength, the beauty, the new ideas, and to build relationships. I am fortunate that St. Thomas University is very open to engaging in global academic partnerships and exchanges.

A Support organisations are truly needed and facility (DOSOR) and exemplary models that

Q Demographic changes are shown in the aging of a population. What challenges and opportunities do you see for the individuals, society and the environment?

A This is occurring worldwide and I think it is a really exciting time. I’m proud of Alma Mater Europaea, because they are the first private school to provide a three tiered Social Gerontology academic program. Social gerontology can almost be considered revolutionary in a global culture permeated by age discrimination. Theoretically, we consider aging over the life span but policies and attitudes to incorporate the needs of this most diverse society do not support the vehicles needed for healthy social connectedness and the well being of the elderly. Geriatrics or the medicalising of the aging process has been the norm, whereas social gerontology reflects a holistic approach that incorporates research about the total aging human person within the social context. For me, to see that Slovenia is addressing the needs of a largely invisible population through a comprehensive life span approach incorporating the interconnectedness of generations is fantastic. I think that there will be economic challenges posed by the demographic changes, but I think there will be a lot more work spaces for the associated professions. In Slovenia, I’ve learned techniques to deal with early dementia and innovations

Q What are your personal impressions of Slovenia?

A I love the country and I love the people. I think Slovenes are like coconuts, they may be hard on the outside. Initially they may seem impenetrable like the hard shell of a coconut, but once you break that shell, I’ve never met such beautiful and warm people. The sweet part is on the inside and it is real, genuine and gifted me with friends and even a “Slovene family”, Boris and Kati Berdnik. When friendship is bestowed it is of the deepest and most genuine of sorts. When that hard shell of the coconut is cracked, there is a sweet flow of authentic caring. In contrast, the Americans, we’re like peaches. We’re very sweet and friendly on the outside, but on the inside, there is a hard seed, and sometimes, our smooth sweet exterior, like the peach, may hide a bit of artificiality when you bite into it and hit the seed.

Q What about professionally?

A Sharing new ideas, research and methodology in a mutually collaborative way has been generative. I think it is important to promote cross cultural research. I see this being done in Slovenia and I would like to see more and continued collaborations, but my professional experiences have been great. My students in the U.S. are enthusiastic about providing their voice, whereas here, students are much more tentative, but after trust is developed, the communication is absolutely wonderful. My experiences have provided fertile grounds for diverse and generative durable networks of human and institutional connec-

I think that there will be economic challenges posed by the demographic changes, but I think there will be a lot more work spaces for the associated professions.

We have to take a very active and organised stance against the prejudice of ageism, which is rampant and toxic.

tivity. I am very grateful to Sasa Albreht, who, without her help, I could not have actualised the Fulbright mission of increasing mutual understanding between people of the United States and other countries. She represents the very best Slovenians have to offer the world, a gentle strength and resilience beyond compare.

Q You’ve come to Slovenia several times, what keeps you coming back?

A This is a beautiful country and I always gain such hope when I’m here. I love this saying by Emily Dickenson. She says, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” and for me that is so Slovenia. To hear, feel and reflect on the value that Slovene’s have for nature here is phenomenal. The commitment to engendering a mutual future of peace and prosperity uplifts. This poem is a metaphor for my sense of Slovenia, which perches in my soul. There is that sense of personhood and caring. There is a deep sense of compassionate concern for humanity. I love Slovenia and its people and have been transformed by both.  Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy

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ABC Accelerator:

From Ljubljana to EXPO Milan and then Shanghai Prepared by ABC Accelerator team

Slovenia is positioning itself on the entrepreneurial map with the biggest, privately owned, accelerator located in South East Europe. In only six months, ABC Accelerator has become a proud member of the iHUB Network of European Business Accelerators and received an invitation to join the Global Accelerator Network (GAN). More than 60 international investors participated in the final Demo Day in Ljubljana where eight start-ups presented their business stories to potential investors. The Pre-Demo Day organised at EXPO Milan 2015, and a strong presence at the PODIM Entrepreneurship Conference are just two examples of how the ABC team is continuously building recognition of the Slovenian innovation ecosystem internationally. The next steps on the agenda are the opening of ABC Accelerator in Salzburg and a Shanghai branch with Smart Cities investors Premier Group.

01 Symvaro (Rudolf Ball) at the Pre-Demo-Day at EXPO Milan 2015; Photo: Taja Košir Popovič 02 EXPO Milan 2015 “Beauty and the Beast” – Tjaša Dornik, entrepreneur – Bollicine di Stile and Julien Coustaury, Investor and Mentor – ABC Accelerator; in dialogue, moderated by Ladeja Godina Košir, ABC Accelerator; Photo: Taja Košir Popovič 03 Visit of Xie Guangping, Chairman, Shanghai Premier Investment Group to ABC; Photo: Edina Dyachenko Delic

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

ABC runs a number of programs each year, the current program, Smart Cities, is reaching the end of its active part, and ABC’s partners – BTC, IBM, CEED, Xlab, and AmCham are now preparing for the next chapter. The next program, Smart Living and Health, is open for applications from the start of October. Dejan Roljič, founder and CEO of ABC Accelerator states: “The Accelerators we know today will not exist in this form in the future. Founders lose two months with their start-ups to find the right business model, to create the right media deck, investor deck, flyers, web pages, just to change the way they think. We can disrupt accelerators in the next few years by creating the first virtual pre-accelerator program”, which is why ABC Accelerator is launching the biggest, global project next year, which will affect the way we handle start-up businesses and it will catapult Slovenia forward as a country of innovation.

Each three month program offers a variety of workshops, key speakers, motivational talks, one-on-one meetings with CEO´s and mentors.

ABC is a success story reaching global recognition that started implementing changes within the ecosystem. During the program, people from many other accelerators visited ABC to check on the good word that has been spreading: “The teams at ABC were a pleasant surprise because not only that they have some really good products, they also have a good understanding of customer development and some good traction already. It was refreshing to see an accelerator that is helping all aspects of that ecosystem”. - Dominic Coryell, Distribution Hacker and Investor, 500 Startups Accelerator.

Symvaro, a young Austrian company that has joined ABC, is an all-in-one tool for water utilities, developing Smart City solutions with a focus on water & waste management. When expanding to neighbouring countries, it was logical for Symvaro to apply to ABC: “Coming to ABC Accelerator was one of the biggest business opportunities and experiences in our five year history. The thing is that for the last two years we were unable to grow outside Austria. We are successful in Austria but outside of our culture we weren’t succeeding and so we took ABC Accelerator as a big opportunity to learn how to grow fast and smart, how to get experience from someone who had already done it. What came out of this is that our team is so much stronger now, we are absolutely focused, we know what we want and we know how to get it. This is based on the experience we received from the mentors. Mentors have been a great advantage for us, they shared their experience with us for free – and it would take us years to learn it on our own”, explains Rudolf Ball, CEO of Symvaro.

Building a bridge between Europe and China - with a branch of ABC opening in Shanghai in 2017, ABC Accelerator will present new possibilities for the next generation of start-ups, expanding their possibilities to otherwise unreachable markets. 

Economy

PODIM Challange 2015; Photo: PODIM / Mediaspeed

Monika Byléhn, Strategic Marketer at Ericsson; Photo: PODIM / Mediaspeed

PODIM 2015:

Collaboration between start-ups and established companies PODIM is the leading conference on entrepreneurship and innovation in the Alpe - Adria region and this year celebrated 35 years by bringing together over 600 start-up entrepreneurs. The massive event with an incredible influence on the development of the regional startup ecosystem took place in the second largest Slovenian city, Maribor.

Stefano Virgilli (Voxlab), Tudor Birlea (Startcelerate), Thibaut Rouquette (Venturescout), Jan Kennedy (Academy for Corporate Entrepreneurship), Mike Bott (Blue Chip Venture Company) and Oksana Hoshva (Hoshva PR); Photo: PODIM / Mediaspeed

Gina Waldhorn co-founder of Evol8tion; Photo: PODIM / Mediaspeed

With intensive courses and networking opportunities, the two-day event brought together all key stakeholders from the European entrepreneurial ecosystem under the slogan “Collaboration between start-ups and established companies”. Each successful large company has a need for constant innovation requiring it to be also a start-up company in a way and each start-up company must wish to become as successful as the leading company in the industry.

Collaboration between large and small companies can lead to even greater success.

At the PODIM Conference, more than 70 Slovenian and internationally known speakers presented! They flew to Maribor from nearly all the continents of the world: from America, many European countries, the Middle East and Asia, to share their knowledge, experience and wisdom. There was Tristan Pollock, the star of American social and internet entrepreneurship, placed in Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30 list; Mike Bott, General Manager of the American start-up accelerator, The Brandery, placed amongst the best 15 accelerators in the U.S.; Gina Waldhorn co-founder of Evol8tion; Monika Byléhn, Strategic Marketer at Ericsson; and Rok Uršič, founder and CEO of Instrumentation Technologies and Chairman of Red Pitaya and many more.

There were 12 globally known investors and 27 representatives from international venture capital funds and business angels from Slovenia and abroad. Mike Edelhart, the lead partner of the Social Starts investment fund and CEO of the Tomorrow Project, organisers of the Pivot Conference in NY (USA), Ari Korhonen, business angel (Finland), Michael Gross, VC Point (Germany), Jonathan Cooper, Vision Investment Services (Oman, Croatia), Jon Bradford, Techstars (Great Britain) and many more.  Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Politics

Government and Municipalities Seek Deal on Funding Cuts The government and representatives of the 212 municipalities in Slovenia will seek a deal on the local government funding cuts being proposed by the government for the second half of 2015.

In an effort to save about EUR 10m a year, the government recently adopted a proposal for a 2% cut in the per capita rate of state-funding for municipalities.

The proposed EUR 514.22 flat rate is more than the EUR 500 the government had initially sought, but the municipalities are still unhappy as they argue that not enough has been done to bring down the costs of the municipalities by reducing the obligatory services that they must provide. The government maintains that it has already provided for about EUR 10m in savings

for municipalities through measures implemented at the start of the year when it decided to hold back on funding cuts in an effort to find additional savings in talks with municipalities, but the talks failed to produce a breakthrough and the government is now ready to act unilaterally.

The municipalities say that the savings implemented by the government are not producing the effects for them and that the funding cuts cannot be carried out overnight as the required documents have not yet been prepared. 

Pahor Sees Unity and Shared Goals as Key to the Country’s Future Success “Reconciled, we are ready” was the concluding motto and central theme of the address delivered by President Borut Pahor at the main state ceremony on the eve of National Day, which remembers the day 24 years ago when the country declared independence from the former Yugoslavia.

The need for reconciliation and unity was stressed again and again by Pahor before a distinguished crowd in Ljubljana’s Congress Square at a ceremony that, as always, began with the firing of salvoes from the cannons at Ljubljana Castle by a guard of honour.

Among those present were PM Miro Cerar, Parliamentary Speaker Milan Brglez, Constitutional Court President Miroslav Mozetič, a number of ministers and MPs as well as the Address by President Borut Pahor; Photo: STA

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

Archbishop of Ljubljana Stane Zore. Also in the front row were former President Milan Kučan and the prime minister of the first democratic Slovenian government, Lojze Peterle.

Pahor warned that in the future Slovenia could, against its will, again find itself in a similar situation as “three quarters of a century or a quarter of a century ago”. He argued that overcoming divisions is what allowed Slovenia to secure independence and that the question to ask now is whether “we are also trying hard enough today to form a shared perspective so that our cooperation and as a result our unity, would not be put into question in decisive moments of history”.

“My answer is that we are trying hard enough but that this is much, much less than we are in fact capable of,” said Pahor, who sees Slovenia as well as the world at a crossroads that also has roads leading toward a downward spiral.

While urging a winning spirit, bold decisions and arguing that Slovenia overcoming the crisis “alone, without foreign aid” was reason for confidence, he also noted more focus would be needed on people as opposed to only institutions. 

Corruption Watchdog Retains Findings Against Janša In June, the Corruption Prevention Commission published a new report against Democrats (SDS) leader, Janez Janša, that supports their findings of 2013, including that the former prime minister had failed to account for EUR 210,000 worth of assets. Janša rebuffed the validity of the report and the Commission’s methods.

The current Commission, which has been headed by Boris Štefanec since early 2014, decided to repeat the investigation against Janša after Janša successfully challenged the original report in the Supreme Court on procedural grounds.

While Janša, whose government collapsed after the 2013 report, was not given the chance by the previous senate to respond in writing to the findings before they were made final, he ignored the opportunity to respond in the renewed procedure. This was stressed by Boris Štefanec, who succeeded incumbent Justice Minister Goran Klemenčič as head of the integrity body.

The report, unanimously confirmed by the senate, is unchanged or very similar to the original report, Štefanec explained, saying he saw no reason to notify the police of its details since it is public. The current senate upheld the findings against Janša, claiming he financed real estate, utility bills, a luxury car, judicial costs, private holidays etc. with funds that did not come from his official revenue stream.

Janša responded by claiming that several of his basic human rights had been violated again in the procedure by the integrity body. In a document published online he said that the new senate had “adopted and used all the methods that were used illegally in the previous procedure” even though the previous report had been repealed.

Janša claims that several of his constitutional rights had been violated as well as Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights since he was not given the a fair opportunity to defend himself. 

European Union

Slovenia & Croatia Awaiting Border Arbitration Ruling

Slovenia Joins OECD Development Centre

A year after the conclusion of oral arguments, Slovenia and Croatia are still waiting for the arbitration ruling that will demarcate the disputed border.

Preliminary forecasts indicated a decision would be made in the first half of 2015 but it appears increasingly likely that it will not be forthcoming before the autumn.

At the end of June, Slovenia became a member of the OECD Development Centre, a forum where countries share their experiences of economic and social development policies.

The centre unites 28 of the total of 34 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and 21 developing countries.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration, which acts as a secretariat of sorts for the ad hoc arbitration tribunal set up under an inter-governmental agreement, is tight-lipped about the release date given that the procedure is confidential. The Slovenian and Croatian foreign The Gulf of Piran; Photo; Marko Pentek

ministries say they have no indication when the ruling might be issued.

According to the 2009 arbitration agreement, the arbiters - President Gilbert Guillaume, members Bruno Simma and Alan Vaughan Lowe and nationals Jernej Sekolec and Budislav Vukas - are under no time constraints.

The accord merely stipulates that the tribunal will decide “expeditiously after due consideration of all relevant facts pertinent to the case”.

But the expectation is that the proceedings should not take much longer given that it has been over three years since the tribunal held its first session together with both states on 13 April 2012, and over five years since the arbitration treaty was signed, on 4 November 2009. 

China, Ghana and Uruguay are in the process of joining the forum, the Foreign Ministry stated in a press release. An important advantage of the membership is a country’s ability to exchange information on markets and opportunities for international economic cooperation.

“Slovenia’s membership in the Development Centre will therefore enhance our bilateral economic cooperation with countries in the regions where Slovenia has no diplomatic representation, especially in Africa,” the press release reads. 

Finance Minister Feels Greek Situation Should Motivate Faster Reform in Slovenia At the Greek crisis escalates, Slovenian Finance Minister Dušan Mramor said that a potential Greek default would also affect other countries and that Slovenia needs to speed up the measures being developed as well as introduce structural reforms in all areas to neutralise the negative effects.

Because Slovenia is a so-called peripheral country that nearly needed a bailout, we can expect higher interest rates for borrowing and slightly more difficult access to financial markets than has been the situation so far, Mramor told STA. The Minister feels that in order to neutralise, in a maximum way, the risks that financial investors see for Slovenia, it is vital to speed up all activities already set down for this year and 2016.

There are currently a number of bills and strategies in parliament, he pointed out, mentioning the implementation bill for the fiscal rule, a strategy for state asset management and the certified tax registers bill.

If the fiscal rule is not adopted, privatisation continued, a development and investment oriented budget adopted, and all executed as envisaged in the national reform programme for 2015 and 2016, then the consequences could be significant, Mramor believes. All these measures strengthen trust in the country, Mramor argues, noting that this is not only about the borrowing costs of the state but also of companies.

Also necessary are faster structural reforms in all areas, including pensions, education, health care, long-term care and social transfers, the Minister added.  Finance Minister Dušan Mramor; Photo: Aljaž Hafner

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

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A day of unforgettable beauty –

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a day in Lipica Lipizzaner horses gracefully making their way to the pastures in the morning, magnificent avenues and the elegant movements of the white stallions during a presentation by the Lipica Classical Riding School will leave you breathless. A pleasant walk through the historical centre of the 435 year old stud farm which enchants visitors from all over the world and is an unforgettable experience.

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01 Lipizzaner horses; Photo: Lipica Stud Farm 02 Lipica Classical Riding School; Photo: Lipica Stud Farm 03 The figure of classical dressage; Photo: Lipica Stud Farm 04 Lipizzaner horse in stable; Photo: Boris Pretnar for Lipica Stud Farm

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

The Lipica Stud Farm is a place of astonishing beauty that welcomes visitors all year round. It is one of the most beautiful cultural historical monuments in Slovenia and the cradle of the famous white Lipizzaner horses. Today you can find a rich offer of various unforgettable experiences and comfortable accommodation there.

A guided tour of the stud farm is a must for all visitors and includes a relaxing walk through the grounds of the stud farm accompanied by a friendly guide. You will learn about the cradle of the Lipizzaners - one of the oldest stud farms in the world dating back to 1580!

You will visit the stables where the white mares take care of their dark foals and be able to admire the historical centre of the stud farm and its oldest stable, Velbanca. You will discover everything about Lipica and the Lipizzaners in the interactive museum, Lipikum.

Presentations by the Lipica Classical Riding School are scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 15.00pm until the end of September and every Sunday in October.

White stallions will charm you with their elegant movements, noble character and effortless ease as they present the figures of classical dressage. The presentation lasts 45 minutes and finishes with the beautiful “School above the ground”.

The “Experience the Lipizzaner” program invites you to get to know the white Lipizzaners during their training sessions, when the bonds of trust are created between the stallions and their riders. The training sessions, in the riding hall, are accompanied by music and an easy to understand explanation.

Carriage-rides through the Lipica estate welcome you to experience the estate in a special way and indulge in some romantic moments. Friendly carriage drivers and elegant Lipizzaners take you along the avenues of Lipica, awakening your memories.

For playful and curious children, Lipica offers also some attractive children’s and family programs tailored to their age. The stud farm staff will present the Lipizzaners and ponies to the children and explain how the horses communicate and how they like to be patted.

The Lipica Stud Farm also offers weekly riding programs, which are not only about riding skills but also about the correct approach to the horse. Experienced riders can enjoy outrides in the green landscape of the Lipica estate and then enjoy the charming smell of Karst delicacies and Karst wines at the restaurant at Hotel Maestoso.

The peak of this year’s lively tourism season in Lipica will be the Day of the Lipica Stud Farm on 13 September. Visitors are invited to the gala equestrian show of the Lipica Classical Riding School with special guests at 15.00 in the open arena and a rich and varied program for families with children which will run all day. 

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

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Health Tourism – the essence of water in Slovenia

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Prepared by: Bogdan Kozina & Jože Jerman Jeri, travel journalists

Ancient Greeks used to say “Listen to your body”, words which still hold true today as the balance between work and other areas of life needs to be established more than ever. The ancient Greeks rejected superstition for the treatment of diseases, instead observation of the symptoms became a preoccupation of the Greek doctor, the most famous being Asclepius who prescribed medicinal baths to his patients.

Slovenia lies on the water! In terms of drinking, thermal and curative water, the country is at the top of the European water scale. Considering its amazing structure, the list of diseases that the water treats or at least helps, is quite extensive. The Slovenian Spas Association represents fifteen spas and thermal baths and soon the youngest resort, Terme Snovik, which is only 30 km away from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, may join the society. Other official members will also soon include Terme Vivat from Moravske Toplice, which has already undergone the process in terms of suitable accommodation and food preparation for Arab guests. In addition, they have added an Olympic swimming pool for athletes with the exact temperature of the competition pools used in swimming meets. There are also two football fields heated by thermal hot water and therefore suitable for playing in the winter when there is snow around.

“Disease knows no borders,” they say, which is also true of Slovenian natural spas whose reputation extends far beyond the borders of Slovenia. Whether someone needs treatment or rehabilitation after an operation, has rheumatic disease, cardiovascular disease, issues with their digestive tract, urinary tract issues, metabolism or damage to their musculoskeletal frame and spine, gynecological, neurological or pulmonary diseases.

Slovenian natural spa resorts are also the choice of world-renowned athletes who have been shocked by various injuries. The fact is that today, people are increasingly experiencing lifestyle related diseases due to inappropriate nutrition and stress. A sick body loses the ability to self-medicate and therefore many medical specialists not only treat but also advise on how to eat and live a healthy life.

Slovenian spas are a paradise for visiting guests who want to preserve their health or

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simply enjoy the beauty of Slovenia’s natural resources. From sea mud baths, soaking in brine and massages to the drinking of the mineral water in Terme Radenci or Rogaška Slatina, the benefits of which were already known in the times of the Roman Empire, hence the name for the Roman Spa – Rimske toplice.

Wisdom, experience, a natural environment and sport. An active body feels good when exercising the spirit and Slovenian spas are definitely the flagship of Slovenian tourism which have a lot to offer in terms of their rich spiritual, cultural and folk life. 

01 Terme Topolšica; Photo: terme Topolšica 02 Thai masage – Terme Laško; Photo: Terme Laško 03 Wellness Orhidelia – Terme Olimia; Photo Terme Olimia 04 Wellness – Šmarješke Toplice; Photo: Šmarješke Toplice

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

Union hoteli General Manager Mr. Tomislav Čeh

A Business lunch is an investment, not an expense Let’s be honest - no type of advertising can be a substitute for interpersonal interaction and face-toface meetings. The author of “The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 and 2” says that “Breaking bread breaks barriers.”

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This view is shared by Union hoteli Generel Manager Mr. Tomislav Čeh, who regularly takes part in and organises such lunches, which play an important role in the business world when it comes to closing deals. When asked what kind of effect do business lunches have, he answers: “I never consider the time required, only the effect.

We spend too much time on emails and telephones which do not convey personality. A business lunch meanwhile provides an opportunity to get to know your interlocutor and listen to him or her without interposing media, especially when dealing with a potential client.”

When selecting the restaurant for business lunches, Mr. Čeh mainly scrutinises the menu and the discreetness of waiters, who must know when to leave their guests alone.

The hotel he manages houses the Smrekarjev Hram and (in the summertime) the Union Garden restaurants. The first is a proud recipient of numerous awards and famed for its freshly innovative cuisine with a whiff of tradition, which however knows that it cannot avoid current trends, while its booths provide for complete discretion when talk turns to business.

The Union Garden, Mr. Čeh’s first choice in the summer, meanwhile beckons with the nostalgic Union cuisine to be relished in the shade of 100 years old chestnut trees. “A peaceful atmosphere, mannered and unobtrusive staff, top-notch dishes, available parking and location in the town’s centre are the five key elements when selecting a restaurant for a business lunch and I am proud that the Union Garden has everything that we usually expect for special occasions.

That is a good thing, because it increases the level of hotel restaurant offerings as a whole and raises their perception from underestimated, a necessity at least for Slovenia and its locals.”

We also quizzed the Union hoteli CEO on the profile of guests to Union Garden. We wanted to know whether the green oasis in the middle of the city was mainly the abode of hotel guests or have the locals managed to find their way in as well. “The Union Garden is an excellent choice for foreign guests, who want to taste top-quality Slovenian traditional cuisine during their short stay in the country’s capital, so they naturally form the majority of visitors. But the choice of delectable lunches, pleasant atmosphere and budget-friendly prices has made the venue increasingly popular with the locals. During lunch hour, employees from nearby companies make up the majority of guests, the number of organised business lunches is on the rise and in the evenings we see numerous couples who seem to have taken a liking to the specifically romantic and ‘ jazzy’ ambient beneath the treetops.”

The friendly shade, waiters’ discreetness and top-notch cuisine combine to make the Union Garden the first choice for business lunches in the summer, but it is also an excellent choice for all who want to savour nostalgic tastes often and in creative ways. 

So, what are the top 10 recommendations for a successful business lunch?

• Chose a restaurant with discreet staff well versed in business lunch protocol and with nearby parking.

• Prepare an interesting introductory chat; start with topical events and trends in the industry.

• Turn off your mobile phone and take it off the table.

• Refrain from ordering fatty or bloating food that could cause an embarrassment – after all you are here for more than just food. Trust the chef’s recommendations.

• Wine expertise is an extremely welcome ice-breaker but do not forget that only a single glass is “allowed”.

• Listen to your interlocutor but do not allow the talk to turn to private affairs.

• Do not forget that you are at a business lunch. Food evokes pleasure and can quickly cause us to lose focus, so prepare your agenda in advance.

• Stick to appropriate etiquette.

• Start discussing the deal only when dessert is being served. Business and contract details are better served by later communication via email.

• Pay with a business debit card as it is both the simplest and most professional method of payment.

NOSTALGIC CULINARY TREATS IN A PEACEFUL ATMOSPHERE OF HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD STORIES The Union Garden with Grand Hotel Union’s entire range of culinary treats has been revived. The branches of centuries-old chestnut trees will shelter you from the sun while you are enjoying a delicious lunch or dinner based on international and traditional Slovene cuisine.

OPEN EVERY DAY FROM 10 A.M. TILL 22 P.M. E info@unionskivrt.si T + 386 1 308 1295 WWW.UNIONSKIVRT.SI

Grand hotel Union Miklošičeva cesta 1 1000 Ljubljana

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

GLAMPING – when camping can be an unforgettable experience

A calm night under the stars, you and your beloved, there is absolutely nothing that can disturb the peace at that moment. That is except for the fact that you still need to put up the tent, a couple of bugs here and there and the hard root on which you are lying. It is that uncomfortable feeling that makes you suddenly wish you hadn’t decided to go camping and could be at home in your cosy bed. But what if you could go camping without any of the discomfort? Well, now you can!

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The world has been taken over by ‘glamping’ (i.e. ‘glamour’ and ‘camping’). Instead of tents, guests are accommodated in tree houses, caravans, yurts, gipsy wagons and many other amazing structures. Glamping is a modern, amazingly comfortable and lovely way of camping, where mother nature and the camp owners assure a worry free vacation.

In the past decade, glamping had become such a big hit globally that there is immense choice when it comes to the location. You can enjoy a safari in Africa, see California’s amazing mountains, watch the stars in Chile or get acquainted with Turkish history and art at their Museum Hotel. In this online age, all you need to do is search ‘glamping’ and all the information about location, price and available packages is at the tip of your fingers. There are also glamping possibilities in Slovenia which can be found at www.glamping.com The centre of glamping in Slovenia is still Bled. From April until October, the amazing Garden Village in Bled opens and guests have the choice of spending nights in a treehouse or enjoying one of their package options such as a romantic weekend for two, a sporting or newlywed package and many more options.

Bled is not, however, the only glamping location in Slovenia. Other options include Luče, Ptuj, Visoko, Veržej or Čatež spa resort. The

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Luče region offers tree houses and cosy stalls, whilst Ptuj offers stays in large, nicely decorated wine barrels. If you would like to experience a hint of India or sleep on the water, Čatež spa resort is the perfect choice.

Prices vary depending on the theme, location and type of the package. For example, in America, prices start at EUR 77 per night, in the UK at EUR 91, whilst in Turkey some prices are equivalent to Slovenia’s minimum wage. In Slovenia, prices range between EUR 18 to a little less than EUR 400.

The concept of glamping is, amongst other things, based on the fact that people have less and less time today to take long vacations and so resorts which offer glamping are the perfect choice for someone who would only like to take a few days off whether they are by themselves or with their families. The hosts will make sure you have the relaxation you deserve: from unforgettable massages to breakfast in bed or different sporting activities and much, much more.

Glamping is the perfect option for those who want a special holiday with a difference.

When you think about it, being able to relax and spend time out in the nature surely makes it worthwhile.  D. K.

01 Hause Raduha in village Luče 02 Lushna Glamping – Bled 03 Indian village – TermeČatež 04 Pirat village – TermeČatež 05 Wine Barrels – Terme Ptuj

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

Slovenia – paradise for cyclists Article and photos by: Tomaž Kučan

Slovenia’s potential as a cycling country It is commonly known that recreational and competitive mountain and road cycling in Slovenia is well developed. The reason probably lies somewhere between the diversity of the terrain, the pleasant climate and the perseverance of the Slovenian people. Slovenia is one of the most densely forested and water-rich countries in Europe and offers astonishing and breathtaking landscapes which are perfect for cycling. You can choose between mountain trails and road routes in any direction, be welcomed at local guest houses and small hotels, taste the local food and cycle through vineyards. We all want cycling to become one of the most comfortable and affordable types of recreation, not just because it is healthy!

Year round cycling Because of Slovenia’s unique geographical location in the heart of Europe and favourable climatic conditions, it is possible to ride a bike in all seasons. The mild coastal climate is perfect for cycling in winter, it is commonly known that many professional cycling teams choose the Adriatic coast to train during the winter.

In the Gorenjska region, the most challenging terrain can be found. Cycling is best from May to October and especially mid-summer when the weather is more stable. Due to the small distance between regions, you can easily test and try all types of cycling, from mountain biking to road cycling, on several nicely marked routes and trails with a map or guide. If you are a cyclist with racing ambitions you can easily find an event to test how fast you really are.

Top 5 destinations From Bled to Piran This tour for trekking cyclists focuses on the main cultural and natural attractions with many points of interest. On this route, starting in Bled, you can visit the Pokljuka high plateau, continue through the Primorska region, visit vineyards in the Karst region and see Lipizzaner horses, finishing in the beautiful Venetian coastal town of Piran. www.slovenia.info

Single trails of Čičarija This is a mountain bike trip on a mountainous plateau 45km long and 15 km wide with the highest peak at 1,272m above sea level. Located in south west Slovenia, this trail is well-known for its beautiful views and one of the best single trails that Slovenia can offer. www.adriaction.com

Rogla Rogla lies 1,500m above sea level in the north east of Slovenia and offers many unforgettable trails among hundred year old Pohorje spruces.

Everybody can find a trail or just follow marked trails for the whole day. It is the perfect choice for cyclists who enjoy riding bikes with their favourite people and enjoy multi-day cycling. www.rogla.eu

Assault to Vršič pass An uphill ride to the highest pass in Slovenia, Vršič starts in Kranjska Gora and is one of the toughest short bike tours in the region and is suitable for road and mountain bikes. This is a 13.5km ride with an altitude difference of 801m and a gradient of 10.8 percent and an average gradient of 7.25 percent. www.td-kranjska-gora.si

Bike park Krvavec If you are searching for an adrenaline rush, there is the Rock’n’Flow Trail suitable for a wide range of mountain bikers. You will be amazed by a run between the upper and lower cable car stations of one of Slovenia’s most popular winter skiing destinations and be able to enjoy a long slide without using your own energy for the uphill. The altitude difference is 850m with a trail which offers plenty of bands and jumps.

For real trail and downhill mountain bikers! www.rtc-krvavec.si Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Sport 2015 European Games: Four Medals for Slovenia at the European Games in Baku In June, Slovenian judokas earned three medals at the European Games in Baku. Tina Trstenjak grabbed silver in the women’s 63kg category, Roki Drakšič took bronze in the men’s 73kg category and Anamari Katarina Velenšek won bronze in the women’s 78kg category. The gold medal for Slovenia at the European Games was won by veteran gymnast Sašo Bertoncelj on the pommel horse. Slovenia was represented by 83 athletes in 20 sports at the 2015 European Games.

Football: Slovenia Hosts Group Leaders, England, in the Euro Qualifiers In June, the Slovenian national football team hosted a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Group E leaders, England, at Stožice Stadium. The 16,000 seat stadium was packed with around 2,500 English fans who started arriving in Slovenia three days before the match.

Photo: siol.net

Slovenia lost to England 2:3 in the Euro 2016 qualifier. Wayne Rooney delivered England’s fourth straight win against Slovenia four minutes from stoppage time. England retained its perfect slate in qualifying in Group E, while Slovenia has nine points from six games heading into the long qualifying recess before an encounter against Switzerland on 5 September.

Photo: www.goal.com

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

Sport Handball: Slovenia Gets 2016 Ticket with their First Win Under New Coach In June, playing their first match under new head coach, Veselin Vujović, the Slovenian men’s handball team secured a berth in the 2016 European Handball Championships in Poland with a 26-20 win over Slovakia in Prešov.

Photo: NK Maribor

Football: Maribor Get Astana in the Champions League Qualifiers Slovenian football champions, Maribor, who made it to the UEFA Champions League group stage last year, will start this season’s qualifying campaign for Europe’s elite competition in July against Kazakh champions, Astana.

The first match of what will be the second round of qualifying will be played on 14 or 15 July in Maribor’s Ljudski vrt stadium with the return match in Kazakhstan a week later. “This is the least favourable draw for us,” Maribor Sports Director, Zlatko Zahović, stated, adding that Astana played well in 2014’s Europa League and that they were already in competition mode. “The first match is at home and we will need help from fans who will need to turn out as if we are already playing in the Champions League. The first match with Astana will be the match of the season,” said Zahović, who is optimistic about Maribor’s chances.

Astana was founded in 2009 and play their home games at the 30,000 seat Astana Arena. According to Transfermarkt, the overall value of the club’s players is EUR 12.1m, which is EUR 3.5m less than that of Maribor players.

Volleyball: Ladies Qualify for European Championship

Slovenia controlled the match against the last-placed team in group 3 qualifying, taking a 16-8 lead into half time and then calmly bringing home the win. A 33-14 win by Sweden over Latvia in the other qualifying match guarantees Slovenia second place in the group and qualification for the tournament which will be played in January 2016.

The match in Prešov was the first for Vujović. The Montenegrin handball legend was brought in to lead the team after Boris Denić was let go due to a string of unimpressive performances in qualifying. The 54 year old Vujović responded by making several personnel changes and taking away the heavy focus on the centre to create plays for the match with Slovakia.

Cycling: Špilak Wins the Tour de Suisse In June Slovenian cyclist, Simon Špilak, won the nine-stage Tour of Switzerland in Bern. His biggest achievement on the UCI World Tour tour to date.

The 28 year old Katusha rider finished five seconds ahead of Britain’s Geraint Thomas (Sky) in the overall rankings. Špilak came from 47 seconds behind the day eight leader, Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), to snatch overall victory on the final day.

Although he crossed the line behind Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) in the time trial, his time was sufficient for the win as the Dutchman trailed the Slovenian by 37 seconds coming into the stage. Dumoulin finished third, 19 seconds behind the Slovenian. It is the latest in a line of notable achievements for Špilak on Swiss roads, after his win in the Tour de Romandie in 2010 and finishing second there for the past three years.

Photo: www.theguardian.com

In May, Slovenia’s women’s volleyball team secured their first ever berth for the final round of the European Championship by beating France 3:1 in a return qualifier in Maribor after winning the away match in Niort.

The CEV Volleyball European Championship final rounds will be held in the Netherlands and Belgium between 26 September and 4 October.

Slovenia will play in Pool A in Apeldoorn with the Netherlands, Poland and Italy.

Source: STA Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia Culture&Events Sunday, 5 July Gemma Bovery Anne Fontaine, France, 2014, 99’ (French and English spoken)

Monday, 6 July Leviafan Leviathan Andrej Zvjagincev, Russia, 2014, 141’ (Russian spoken)

Tuesday, 7 July Birdman Or: The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance Alejandro G. Iñárritu, US, 2014, 119’ (English spoken)

Wednesday, 8 July Shaun the Sheep The Movie Mark Burton, Richard Starzack, GB / France, 2015, 85’ (No dialogue) Open-air cinema at Ljubljana Castle

Film Under the Stars 2015

Whiplash Damien Chazelle, US, 2014, 107’ (English spoken)

Friday, 10 July Force Majeure Turist Ruben Östlund, Sweden / Denmark / France / Norge, 2014, 118’ (Swedish, English, French and Norwegian spoken)

Saturday, 11 July Mad Max: Fury Road (2D) George Miller, Australia / US, 2015, 123’ (English spoken)

Open-air cinema, Ljubljana Castle, 2-25 July 2015

Sunday, 12 July

On mid-summer nights, the film stars come out in the courtyard of Ljubljana Castle. A program selection including this season’s top films has once again been put together The Salt of the Earth

by Kinodvor in cooperation with Thursday, 2 July Opening Night Ljubljana Castle and the City of The Salt of the Earth Ljubljana. This year’s program will Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro also include three films which will Salgado, France, 2014, 110’ have their Slovene premiere on the (French, English and Portuguese spoken) Castle courtyard. Friday, 3 July Avant Premiere Loin des hommes Far From Men David Oelhoffen, France, 2014, 110’ (French, Arabic and Spanish spoken)

Saturday, 4 July Interstellar Christopher Nolan, U.S., 2014, 169’ (English spoken)

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Thursday 9 July

Still Alice Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland, US, 2014, 101’ (English spoken) Far From Men

Experience&Lifestyle Culture&Events Slovenia Monday, 13 July

Wednesday, 22 July

Citizenfour Laura Poitras, US, 2014, 114’ (English, Portuguese and German spoken)

Belje noči poštalona Alekseja Trjapicina The Postman’s White Nights Andrej Končalovski, Russia, 2014, 101’ (Russian spoken)

Tuesday, 14 July

Thursday 23 July

Hross í oss Of Horses and Men Benedikt Erlingsson, Iceland / Germany /Norge, 2013, 81’ (Icelandic, Swedish and Spanish spoken)

Foxcatcher Bennett Miller, US, 2014, 134’

Friday, 24 July She’s Funny That Way Peter Bogdanovich, US, 2014, 93’ (English spoken)

Saturday, 25 July Vikend Avant Premiere Amy Asif Kapadia, GB, 2015, 127’

45 Years

Wednesday, 15 July Avant Premiere 45 Years Andrew Haigh, GB, 2015, 93’ (English spoken)

Films are screened every day at 21:30, in their original language with Slovene subtitles.

Ticket price: EUR 4.50; Avant premieres: EUR 5.50.

No discounts. No reservations. www.kinodvor.org/en/get-togethers/ film-under-the-stars/ www.ljubljanskigrad.si/dogodki

Amy

Thursday 16 July The Imitation Game Morten Tyldum, GB / US, 2014, 114’ (English spoken)

Friday, 17 July Gone Girl David Fincher, US, 2014, 149’ (English spoken)

Saturday, 18 July Ex Machina Alex Garland, GB, 2015, 110’ (English spoken)

Sunday, 19 July The Theory of Everything James Marsh, GB, 2014, 123’ (English spoken)

Monday, 20 July La rançon de la gloire The Price of Fame Xavier Beauvois, France / Belgium / Switzerland, 2014, 114’ (French spoken)

Tuesday, 21 July Mr. Turner Mike Leigh, GB, 2014, 150’ (English spoken)

Open-air cinema at Kongresni Trg

Open-air cinema at Kongresni Trg Kinodvor, City Cinema, is again offering Ljubljana, its citizens and visitors The Open-air Cinema at Kongresni trg. It was presented last year for the first time as part of the Kinodvor 90th anniversary celebration of cinema at Kolodvorska ulica. On 24th, 25th and 26th August three timelesss film classics will be shown on Kongresni trg, with free addmission.

Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia Culture&Events

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Ljubljana Festival -

the Centre of Summer Culture Summer in Ljubljana is marked by a number of cultural events intended for a wide range of artistic tastes and generations. The Ljubljana Festival, one of the more important summer festivals in Europe, is again marking the summer in Ljubljana. It is taking place until 28 September.

Visitors can enjoy performances from established Slovenian and global artists - from music, opera, dance, performing and fine art. The 63rd Ljubljana Festival officially opened on 28 June with Martial Arts Trilogy, a visual-music performance from Oscar winner, Tan Dun, who conducted the performance in Ljubljana.

Other highlights of the festival include A Polish Requiem which will follow the baton of one of the most important Polish composers and conductors, 81-year old, Krzysztof Penderecki; the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta; while Jonathan Nott will conduct the performance of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie which will draw the final curtain of the long festival summer on 28 September.

Interesting opera nights will take place in the company of Elīna Garanča and Željko Lučić and guest appearances by the China National Opera House from Beijing performing Turandot and the Sofia National Opera and Ballet with Tristan and Isolde. The Mariinsky Theatre is back from Saint Petersburg, this time performing Romeo and Juliet with a full

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

cast. The festival will host Edward Clug and the international dance production in cooperation with Slovenia’s EnKnapGroup. There will be two musicals at this year’s festival – in addition to the repeat of the extremely successful Blossoms in the Fall, the performance of the popular Mamma Mia! is on the schedule again in Autumn. Faust, a great story about a man who sold his soul to the devil, is brought to life

by Tomaž Pandur.

The 63rd Ljubljana Festival is dedicated this year to Elza Budau, the Belarus National Chamber Choir, the Hover State Choir of Armenia, Slovene Octet, pianists Nikolaj Luganski, Dalibor Miklavčič and Tina Mauko, violinist Lana Trotovšek, the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, the 2Cellos, Vlado Kreslin, Uroš Perić and others.  These however are just some of the Ljubljana Festival highlights. You are invited to discover the full program on the official website: www.ljubljanafestival.si/en/.

03 01 Opening spectacle of the 63rd Ljubljana Festival at Kongresni trg. Photo: Mediaspeed.net 02 The Mariinsky Theatre of Saint Petersburg is a regular performer at the Ljubljana Festival. This year the whole troupe will appear. Photo: V. Baranovsky 03 Outstanding mezzosoprano, Elīna Garanča.

Photo: Mediaspeed.net

Event Guide

Photo: Concilium musicum Wien

Photo: Russian Svetilen

Photo: Amsterdam Corelli Collective

Slovenia has events to suit everyone’s taste. Every day there is a chance to see the work of the best artists from Slovenia and further afield, there are concerts and festivals at which to enjoy great music, theatre, dance and other art and entertainment events.

You can also support your favourite team or athlete at sporting events or test your own physical prowess at any number of recreational events.

Ethnological and culinary events offer not just entertainment, but a chance to learn local traditions and tastes. Children too can extend and challenge themselves in Slovenia.

Cultural Heritage Experience

Festival Seviqc Brežice 2015

Exhibition

Jazz photography exhibition Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, 1. July – 12 Septeber Urška Lukovnjak’s photography exhibition, The Light of Jazz; features 25 black and white photographs, portraits of musicians taken at diverse festivals including the Jazz Fest Sarajevo (2011), the Lent Jazz Festival Maribor (2013/14), the Ljubljana Jazz Festival (2014), Jazz and the City, Salzburg (2014), Druga godba, Ljubljana (2014), as well as the Alpen Adria Jazz Festival, Klagenfurt, Austria (2014). The selection of works was made by Brane Kovič.

Brežice, July – November 2015 The Festival Seviqc Brežice program is designed solely on historically informed performance and takes place only at Slovenia’s cultural heritage sites which are historically important locations and especially interesting for visitors. Each year the program of concerts is comprised of the musical heritage from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the twentieth century. Music at the concerts is performed by authentic instruments and in an authentic way. They keep live art in the foreground, as is evident from the name Seviqc: “SEmper VIva Quam Creata” or “always alive as created”.

This year the festival offers a superb variety of music and cultural heritage venues, audiences will get the chance to see some ensembles the festival has hosted in the past but with new programs. For example, for the opening concert, the French XVIII-21, Le Baroque Nomade has prepared the program, L’Eloge de la Folie followed by a recital and book presentation by their leader and flautist, Jean-Christoph Frisch, a day later in Ljubljana. Other friends of old include the Académie baroque européenne d’Ambronay with Violino Fantastico, the Russian Svetilen with orthodox music and the Flemish Recorder Quartet. The festival will also host the brilliant Croatian lute player, Edin Karamazov, who will perform Bach. Two new ensembles to perform, the German Camerata Bachiensis and the Dutch orchestra, Amsterdam Corelli Collective, which are the result of the emerging program, a four-year project from eight partners from France, Italy, Latvia, Germany, Romania, Slovenia and Great Britain, supported by Europe. The French duo, Faenza, will let tarot, a card game from the 15th century, determine their program, while the Concilium musicum Wien have decided to commemorate the 800 years of the first mention of Dolenjske Toplice by playing Vienna court music. The festival concludes in November with the Swiss vocal ensemble, Voces Suaves and motets and madrigals celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the birth of Capriano de Rore.  Summer Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Event Guide

Festival

Festival Ljubljana

Culinary experience

Feast of Teran and Prosciutto

Ljubljana Marsh; Photo: Rok Godec

Dutovlje, 14.8. - 16.8. 2015 The Feast of Teran and Prosciutto, which traditionally takes place in the heart of the land Teran, will take place once again this year.This is the central feast attributed to all the people of the Karst and those who worship the central two attributes of the Karst. Over three days, the program is rich in cultural, sporting and ethnological events with a fun social program to attract to the Karst a few thousand visitors from local and foreign places.

Music Festival

Metaldays Tolmin, 20. July – 24. July 2015 The Metaldays Festival will present vistors with a friendly and absolutely relaxed atmosphere, perfect to just forget about yours worries and enjoy your holidays. The festival is based in Sotocje, which lies between two mountain rivers - the Tolminka and the Soca. Tolmin is located approximately 65km from the Mediterranean Sea, giving you that holiday feel. The road to get to the festival leads visitors through the Alps, a scenery that will astonish both full grown metalheads and families with children alike. The area is also part of the Julian Alps National Park and the river Soca is one of the cleanest in Europe. This year, performers will include Saxon, Dream Theater, Cannibal Corpse, Accept, Sepultura and many more.

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The Slovenian Times | Summer Edition 2015

Cultural Heritage Experience

Experience the Ljubljana Marsh Ljubljana, 21.8. – 27.8. 2015 You can take a short walk through a uniqe ecosystem, the nature reserve Mali plac. This area has special reconginition as the southernmost bog in Europe. Close by is Jurca Peat Bog (jurčevo šotišče), where you can experience and see the peat bog floor. A tour will continue with a visit to the largest Slovenian museum - the Tehnical Museum of Slovenia. Outside the building, visitors can enjoy the Museum park, springs of the Ljubljanica and a magnificent Carthusian monastery. Inside you can admire the impresive exhibition of Tito‘s cars and many other collections.

Old Vine; Photo: Domen Groegl

Cankarjev dom, 24 August 2015 Festival Ljubljana is a member of the European Festival Association (EFA) and the International Society of Performing Arts (ISPA) and is, undoubtedly, one of the peaks of summer life in Ljubljana. One of the biggest events this year will be hosting The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with their fameus conductor, Zubin Mehta. The program includes R. Strauss Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28; A. Schoenberg: Transfigured Night, Op. 4; P. I. Čajkovski: Symphony in B minor, No 6, Op. 74, Pathétique

Culinary experience

15th Old Wine Festival Maribor, 4.10. – 11.11. 2015 The Old Vine Festival is the top tourist culinary-wine-cultural festival in Maribor, the biggest tourist event in autumn with over 500 participants. The festival provides an opportunity for meeting experts and amateurs, for entertainment and learning and for the body and soul. The Old Vine Festival is the main happening in the cycle of events From Vine to Wine, from pruning to St Martin’s Day celebrations, which in Maribor is prepared in the honour of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world.The Old Vine is Maribor’s greatest ethnographic sight, which symbolises the rich wine culture of Maribor and Štajerska and is, at the same time, the starting and finishing point of the wine road which intertwines the hilly town wine growing district.

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