The Slovenia Times Spring Edition 2015

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

www.sloveniatimes.com

Good forecasts for Slovenia’s tourist season Interview: Boštjan Vasle, M.Sc., Director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD)

"The privatisation process is a way to obtain more responsible owners" Tekst: Ljubljana European Green Capital 2016

Pivovarna Laško Sold to Heineken

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Editorial

'Confidence in the economy continues to improve' As the temperature rises and the spring blossom appears, are we also seeing signs of spring in the Slovenian economy? Is the updated GDP forecast of 2 percent a sign that the good times are on the way or just another false start?

Spring Edition 2015 www.sloveniatimes.com

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

Dunajska cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Editorial office

The tourism sector has certainly had a promising start to 2015 and early indications are that this summer the demand for a table by the river in our capital will be high. The runway is open for a record season with 160 regular weekly flights to 27 European destinations from Ljubljana’s airport, which also sees the return of Swiss International Airlines and Finnair, and Turkish Airlines doubling their weekly connections to Istanbul.

Following the release of the latest Slovenian Economic Mirror, which states that most of the confidence indicators in the Slovenian economy are continuing to improve, Boštjan Vasle from the Institute of Macroeconomic Development shares his views on the current business environment.

The hot topic for business continues to be whether the government will continue with the privatisation programme started under the government of Alenka Bratušek. "Slovenia’s top priorities are to determine the scope of privatisation and clearly signal the expectations" was the main statement that summed up the discussion at April’s AmCham Business Breakfast where, once again, the topic of privatisation in Slovenia was addressed with both positive and negative experiences shared about the process from the point of view of two foreign investors.

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

A lot is happening in both the tourist and business sectors this year with Slovenia’s neighbour, Italy, hosting the World Expo in Milan starting on 1 May through to 31 October. The Slovenian government has invested EUR 4m to build one of the most attractive pavilions with the goal to raise the profile of Slovenia as the country of choice for both business and leisure with their slogan of 'Green, Active, Healthy'.

In April, the news that the Dutch group, Heineken, had signed an agreement to purchase a majority stake in local brewer, Pivovarna Laško, was positively received particularly as Heineken stated at a press conference that they would retain both the local brands – Union and Laško. The brewery has had its fair share of troubles in recent years with a failed management buy-out by Boško Šrot who subsequently went on a spending spree which left the company with significant debt and an uncertain future. Not only will Heineken bring stability to the company, they will also provide knowledge and enable Laško to return to their brewing roots.

To get the full taste and vibrancy of sLOVEnia, enjoy the local brew and for some summer fun we recommend you stop for a bite to eat at Odprta Kuhinja (Open Kitchen). Every Friday during summer, at the Ljubljana market place in the centre of town, local restaurants tempt with specialities from their kitchen.

We hope you enjoy the magazine and find your taste of spring.

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

CEO and publisher Brane Krajnik

Marketing/Advertising +386 (0)31 446 808 Goran Mladenović goran.mladenovic@sloveniatimes.com

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Translation Sandra Klemenčič

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Contents Page 5

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

4 Good forecasts for Slovenia’s tourist season

5 Exceptionally successful winter season for Slovenian athletes

5 EXPO Milano 2015 – an opportunity for Slovenia?

ECONOMY Page 12

6 Twilight of common sense

8 FDI Summit Slovenia 2014 – Conclusion Paper event

10 German-Owned Firms plan to Invest and Hire More in 2015 12 Interview: Boštjan Vasle, M.Sc., Director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) 14 Interview: Ms Alena Kupchyna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus 16 ABC Accelerator wants Slovenia to develop into an innovative country 18 Interview: Branislav Vujović, Founder and President of New Frontier Group (NFG) 20 Pivovarna Laško Sold to Heineken 22 Safe and healthy living in renovated buildings 24 Ljubljana – European Green Capital 2016 26 Interview: prof. Luiz Moutinho 28 GREET Vienna: international and intersectoral Page 16

30 Paris - Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam - Schipol, 2 powerful Air France KLM's hubs

POLITICS 32 Ongoing Government staffing crisis 32 Social Pact Signed

EUROPEAN UNION Page 20

33 Slovenia Granted EU Special Status for Kranjska Klobasa 33 Slovenia Opposed to Border Checks for All Individuals

EXPERIENCE&LIFESTYLE SLOVENIA 34 Ljubljana at MIPIM 2015 36 Realise your wedding dream with the culinary ecstasy of chef Jovan 37 Otočec Castle 38 Kaval Group: Culinary indulging in everything... For everyone...

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40 EDEN Project: Slovenia’s Traditional Cuisine With A Twist 42 Grand Hotel Union

CULTURE&EVENTS 44 Interview: Jan Goossens 46 Event Guide Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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In the Spotlight

Peter Prevc; Photo:OKS

Tina Maze – Official Music Promo; Photo:Karo Media

Zelenci – Photo collection of LTO Kranjska Gora; Photo: Bor Rojnik Žan Košir; Photo:OKS

Economy

Good forecasts for Slovenia’s tourist season The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published a report on the economic importance of tourism in Slovenia. The total share of tourism in GDP is forecast to increase by 2.5 % in 2015compared to last year when total contribution represented 12.7% of total GDP. It is expected that the number of employees in the tourism sector, spending by foreign tourists and investment in tourism will increase from 2014.

Summer will also bring more flights to Slovenia. The main airport in Ljubljana will (re)open new routes to Stockholm, Helsinki and Berlin. Swiss Air has already started to operate a Ljubljana-Zürich route and Turkish Airlines have increased the number of weeklyflights to Istanbul. On 1 June, Adria Airways will launch a new route to London’s Southend from Maribor airport, flying the route three times a week until the end of September.

As Slovenia must work on its image as a tourist destination, the Slovenian Tourism Board will become an independent body once again and so will no longer a part of SPIRIT Slovenia. "Before it was absorbed into SPIRIT, the Slovenian Tourism Board was a strong national agency for the promotion of tourism and the approach to adequately support investments in tourism", said Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister for Economic Development and Technology.  Source: STA

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Jakov Fak

Filip Flisar

In the Spotlight Sport

Exceptionally successful winter season for Slovenian athletes One year on from Slovenia’s best performance in a Winter Olympic Games, the athletes showed that it was not luck. Slovenia’s athletes won eight World Championship medals and appeared on the World Cup podium 53 times.

This year’s best athletes were Peter Prevc, Žan Košir, Tina Maze, Jakov Fak and Filip Flisar.

In ski jumping, Peter Prevc won the overall title in ski flying and finished second overall in World Cup Ski Jumping with equal points as the winner, Severin Freund, but fewer victories during the season. In alpine snowboard, Žan Košir won the overall title in slalom and parallel slalom which, of course, meant that he also won the FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup. Tina Maze ended the season second in the overall World Cup in Alpine Skiing, just a few points behind Anna Fenninger from Austria. In biathlon, Jakov Fak ended third in the overall Biathlon World Cup. In the most important competition of the season, the World Championship, Slovenian athletes won eight medals, including four gold (Tina Maze won two , Jakov Fak and Filip Flisar won one each), two silver (Tina Maze and Žan Košir)and two bronze (Rok Marguč and Tim Kevin Ravnjak).

After this season’s success, it is not hard to be positive although caution is also necessary. In alpine skiing, Tina Maze has been one of the best skiers in recent seasons but other than Tina, Slovenia doesn’t have a skier who can reach the podium at least a few times during the season. Filip Flisar is also a "lonely rider" in freestyle skiing. It is only in ski jumping that Slovenia has a good base of competitors.

So hopefully, this season’s successes will help the Ski Association of Slovenia get more sponsors and promote these winter sports among the youth to encourage their participation. 

Interior of Slovenian pavilion for EXPO 2015; Photo: SPIRIT Slovenia

EXPO Milano 2015

EXPO Milano 2015 – an opportunity for Slovenia?

At the 2015 EXPO in Milan, one of the biggest global events this year being held from 1 May to 31 October 2015 under the slogan "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life", Slovenia will promote itself on a surface of 800m2.

Slovenia will participate in Expo Milano 2015 using the slogan "I feel sLOVEnia, Green. Active.

Healthy." Visitors will be guided through five themes: salt, bees, thermal and mineral waters,an active lifestyle and green technologies. The pyramid shaped pavilion will reflect the geographical diversity of Slovenia: the transition from the Alpine mountains to the Pannonian plains, the Mediterranean hills and the cultivated fields, under which lies an extraordinary subterranean labyrinth of Karst caves, stalactites and stalagmites.

The Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, explained that the main focus of Expo would be to strengthen the "I Feel Slovenia" brand, attract foreign direct investment and tourists, and forge ties between Slovenian and foreign entrepreneurs.

It is expected that more than 20 million visitors will pass through the Slovenian pavilion, which is positioned in an excellent location.

The last time that EXPO was held so close to Slovenia was in 1873 in Vienna.  Source: STA, http://www.exposlovenia.si/

Spring Edition 2014 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Lack of responsibility and "national interest"

Matej KovaÄ?

Privatisation

Twilight of common sense Prepared by Matej KovaÄ?

The first reason is the cult of "no-responsibility". Slovenes like those politicians who do not accept responsibility for any decision. The safest bet is not to decide about anything (at least not in public) but to show how much hard thinking (almost contemplating) is needed to make a decision. A successful Slovenian politician builds his strength by showing how he cares for his flock, not by how he leads them.

Second is the myth that state-owned companies or companies with a dispersed domestic ownership led by politically well-connected technocrats are, in fact, our common property.

In a similar vein to those medals won by our winter sporting champions "belonging" to us all, state-companies are also ours. This myth has been skilfully promoted over the last three decades by a network of cronies that wanted to transform their management entitlement into ownership.

Some members of this network have been frequent (non-voluntary) visitors to Slovenian courts recently. The leverage they used for taking-over already privatised companies was broken by the financial crisis - it is however, quite likely that the leverage was so significant, that it would have fragmented even without the crisis. However these individuals are only the heirs (in some cases appointed successors) of the genuine authors of the "national interest" ideology that led to the Slovenian version of crony capitalism. The fact that, on international competitiveness rankings Slovenia receives extremely poor grades for the quality of its corporate governance is downplayed so as not to upset our "captains of industry".

Technology as a force behind Privatisation is, in all countries, deregulation

a "hot potato" for politicians.

Successful privatisation is rarely an issue that supports future elections.

The opposition can always claim that the price of the privatised company was too low or that someone abused their public function and personally benefited from the transaction. The latter is often justified! In Slovenia, threats over the political career of those politicians who are recognised as promoters of a particular privatisation are even more acute for two reasons.

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

For Adam Smith, the postal service was the responsibility of the government. Scholars still argue why he thought that letter delivery should be a government service. Probably because he thought that with the technology of those times, a government-owned and managed postal service would be the most efficient.

Technology advanced, numerous private sector parcel delivery companies emerged and even the government-owned postal services are managed as private commercial corporations and in numerous cases are also being gradually privatised.

Telecommunications is a much more technology and capital intensive business than the postal service. In the countries where telecommunications were a part of the national, stateowned postal and telecommunication monopoly, the businesses were separated, competition introduced and national telecommunications

The myth that state-owned companies or companies with a dispersed domestic ownership led by politically well-connected technocrats are, in fact, our common property. This myth has been skilfully promoted over the last three decades by a network of cronies that wanted to transform their management entitlement into ownership.

operators privatised. In Europe, the Scandinavian counties were the trendsetters to the benefit of their businesses and their consumers.

The post-deregulation and post-privatisation ownership structure of telecoms depends on the development of the capital markets in the particular country and also the commercial interest of the biggest regional players in the business.

The weakest player on the common market is doomed In this process of telecommunication liberalisation, Slovenia is a laggard. Not for the benefit of the consumers, but to the benefit of special interest groups with links to this highly liquid, politically controlled business. In an attempt to block the privatisation, these interest groups recently retreated behind the ultimate defence: national pride ("we should not be bullied by the Germans into privatisation") and national security ("supposedly there are some risks for national safety if cables and switchboards in our territory would be foreign-owned").

It is quite likely that, in the not so distant future in the EU, there will not be any national markets for telecommunication services. The offer of the big players in the business will be unified across the borders of the member states. Sooner rather than later, Slovenia will be forced to privatise and the loss caused by the delay will be all ours! ď ´

15 September 2015 Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

International platform for doing business in South East and Central Europe

The FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Summit Slovenia 2015 is an executive-level business conference devoted to the investment environment and opportunities in Slovenia.

Being a business networking event, it is an outstanding opportunity to make new contacts with the leading business people in the region, top government officials, existing international investors in Slovenia and those interested in entering the Slovenian market and develop business in the wider region.

www.fdi.si

Economy

Photos: Aljaž Hafner

Conclusion Paper event At the end of January 2015, the follow-up event to the FDI Summit Slovenia 2014 was held at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana.

Following round-table discussions between business leaders of both locally and internationally owned companies in Slovenia, the diplomatic community in Slovenia and representatives of the foreign Chambers of Commerce and the Managers Association of Slovenia, the Finance Minister, Professor Dušan Mramor, took the floor for a Question & Answer session with the participants. Recurring themes of the session included the openness of Slovenia to foreign direct investment, the competitiveness of Slovenia including the requirement for taxation reform, the need to reduce the administrative burden, stability of the legal and political framework, the commitment of the government to privatisation and the necessity for a comprehensive and well-coordinated approach to promote Slovenia to the rest of the world.

Professor Mramor highlighted that since the FDI Summit in October 2014, it had been a hectic time for the government with a supplementary budget approved to stabilise the fiscal position of Slovenia in the future and the preparation ofa comprehensive strategy for state owned assets, the banking sector and

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

the insurance sector. On the issue of the tax burden on companies, making the country less competitive for foreign direct investment (FDI), the Minister advised that there had been agreement that the social burden will not increase but that the initial priority of the government is to get the budget in order which will be achieved through a decrease in public expenditure.

Development of the country’s infrastructure is also important for the competitiveness of Slovenia. Professor MojmirMrak of the Faculty of Economics stated that there are many problems with projects in Slovenia, raising the issue of the inability of the country to finance important development projects and the possibility of public private partnerships and European Union funding. In response, the Minister highlighted the increased allocation of funds in the budget to support infrastructure projects such as the rail network from Luka Koper and the openness of the government to public private partnerships.

For many years, at consecutive FDI summits, the question of whether Slovenia is

'open for business' has been on the table with mixed messages received by both existing and potential foreign investors. Although the rhetoric indicates that Slovenia welcomes foreign investors, the promotion of the country has been somewhat fragmented. Hogler Postl, CEO of TAM-DuraBus, a Slovenian company purchased and restructured by Chinese investors in 2011, raised the question of what is necessary to convince public officials that FDI is essential for the Slovenia economy. It was also identified that Slovenia needs a clear development strategy with clearly defined strategic priorities and that the promotion of the country must be well coordinated and focussed.

Everyone agreed that the session was very productive but also that actions speak louder than words. And so, although the government is well aware of the issues 'blocking' Slovenia’s development and return to economic health and the need to make the country more competitive, they are working on them in a structured manner but it will take time. It is not just about fixing the present, it is about setting up the country for the future generally not just economically and for that, Slovenia needs focus! As stated by David La Rose, IBM General Manager for CEE, at the FDI Summit 2014 – Slovenia must 'decide what you want to be famous for and act with speed'. 

Economy

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Conclusion paper from the third FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Summit Slovenia 2012

Recognising the new reality and implementing measures are WKH ÀUVW VWHSV WR UHJDLQLQJ FRQÀGHQFH 08

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04 Giancarlo Miranda, President of the Management Board, Banka Koper: "The Slovenian banking sector, after 2014, turned the page and now it relies on a more solid funding capacity. The ultimate challenge is to now create the conditions for making the current operations more profitable."

07 Nevenka Kržan, Senior Partner, KPMG Slovenia: "I do not think that, in general, Slovenes are aware that at the end of every investment is a private person that owns this equity and if Slovenia wants to be a developed country it must accept private investment"

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01 Dušan Mramor, Finance Minister: "Privatisation has been a source of considerable debate in all democratic countries, but I can assure you that the privatisation process is going according to plan" 02 Sonja Šmuc, Managing Director, The Managers’ Association of Slovenia: "We do not create the circumstances for the young and highly-educated people in terms of labour taxation" 03 Vojmir Urlep, President of the Management Board, Lek: "We have approximately 3,100 highly-educated employees in our regional business centre and when we add bonuses to the wages, people are very disappointed with their net amount."

05 Anton Chernykh, President of the Board and CEO, Slovenska Industrija Jekla discussing the high taxation in the energy sector. "We are thinking about whether it is reasonable to keep the production here as the taxation increases more than four times a year."

06 Andrej Božič, CEO, Steklarna Hrastnik: "For the reason of a less competitive environment Slovenia cannot attract talent and people are moving abroad"

08 Jurij Giacomelli, General Secretary, NLB pointed out that an optimal privatisation process needs a consistent approach that consists of a stable political environment, legislation and clear communication: "Uncertainty must go away" 09 Aleš Cantarutti, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development and Technology: "In the program 2015 – 2020 for internationalisation, a special place is for FDI and the aim is that Slovenia will be among the top 30 most attractive countries for FDIs in the world"

Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy

Photo: Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce

German-Owned Firms

New investments already underway

plan to Invest and Hire More in 2015 German-owned companies in Slovenia plan to invest more this year than in 2014 and expect to hire more people, according to a survey by the SlovenianGerman Chamber of Commerce.

Presenting the results, Chamber President Gertrud Rantzen said that the problems in Slovenia remain the same despite a more positive economic situation.

Although the business environment has improved significantly from last year, according to the survey, companies in Slovenia still face high taxes, high labour costs and rigid labour legislation.

The survey, undertaken by German companies in Slovenia, has been conducted by the Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce since 2006. "Throughout the years, the advantages and weaknesses have remained more or less the same," said Rantzen.

The survey shows that 53% of German companies in Slovenia believe that the economic situation in the country is satisfactory, a 35%

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

improvement from last year’s survey. The situation is however still far from good, according to the chamber. Those who are optimistic about this year tripled to 27%, while the share of pessimists halved to 19%.

The survey also showed that 32% of the companies plan to hire this year (up 10 points from 2013), while 40% intend to increase investment (up 16 points year-on-year).

Furthermore, Slovenia also managed to gain three spots, to place fifth, among the middle and eastern European countries with regard to attractiveness for investors.

There are currently 550 companies with German capital in Slovenia. They employ 46,000 people and their investments in 2013 topped EUR 684m (up 1.8% from 2012).  Source: STA

Škofja Loka-based insulation maker, Knauf Insulation, has announced a EUR 25m overhaul of one of its production lines which is expected to be ready for use in May. The new line will be powered by natural gas, with the help of a EUR 15m oxygen production plant planned nearby by the German Messer group. Knauf Insulation will be the main user of what is to be Messer’s first oxygen production plant in Slovenia.

Knuaf Insulation will be switching from coke to natural gas as part of the upgrade at one of its three production lines. "The new technology will be used for the production of stone wool and it will be technologically the most developed line in Europe which will mean a significant competitive edge for the company" stressed Tomaž Lanišek, Knauf Insulation Slovenia CEO. Messer, which has been active in Slovenia for 23 years and employs 101 people within Messer Slovenija, said this was its biggest investment in the country to date and is expected to generate 15 to 20 new jobs. The goal is to start operations at the end of 2016 or at the beginning of 2017, according to CEO Danilo Lukač.

SPIRIT Slovenija, Public Agency DimiÄ?eva 13, SI - 1000 Ljubljana tel: +386 1 5898 550, fax: +386 1 5898 560 e-mail: expomilano2015@spiritslovenia.si, www.spiritslovenia.si Architectural design of the Slovenian pavilion: SoNo arhitekti d.o.o.

Builder of the Slovenian pavilion: Lumar IG d.o.o.

Economy

Boštjan Vasle, M.Sc., Director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD)

Interview: Boštjan Vasle, M.Sc., Director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD)

Boštjan Vasle, M.Sc.: "The privatisation process is a way to obtain more responsible owners" Prepared by Aleksander Koren

In June 2014, Ernst & Young raised its growth forecast for Slovenia from 1.2% negative economic growth to 0.6% growth for 2014 - the actual growth of 2.6% surprised everyone. Mr Boštjan Vasle, Director of the Slovenian Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) joined us for an interview to comment on Slovenia’s economic indicators and to shed some light on the current and future Slovenian macroeconomic position.

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Economy Q In 2014 Slovenia achieved a remarkable result rate remains at 12.8%. What are the reasons The review shows that for of 2.6% year on year real GDP, which is among the best in the EU. How did the Slovenian economy manage such an incredible feat?

A Last year’s economic growth was marked by two factors: improvement in the international environment and macroeconomic adjustments carried out in Slovenia. The economic situation in the euro area improved last year and so did the situation on the financial markets, which was reflected in reduced uncertainty. Adjustments in macroeconomic policies carried out in Slovenia helped improve our competitiveness, which was reflected in higher exports. Investment also increased, boosted by the stronger absorption of EU funds.

Q The largest contributor to growth was positive net exports throughout recent quarters however, in the fourth quarter of 2014, gross investment fell sharpely to -7.0% from a 7.8% increase in investment in the third quarter. At the same time we observed a fall in household consumption of -0.8% from an 0.3% increases in the previous quarter. Should we be worried that the economic growth will be short lived?

A Economic growth is still fragile in both Slovenia and the entire euro area and it is associated with quite a few significant risks. However, the positive movements regarding exports and investment, the main drivers of current growth in Slovenia, are strengthening. Exports to most of our markets are on the increase and Slovenia’s market share in our main trading partners has risen for the second consecutive year. In 2014, investments were first recorded primarily in the public sector, they were also accompanied by private sector investments in the last few quarters of 2014. In view of these developments, we also expect similar economic growth this year.

Q In the labour market we can observe some positive trends in unemployment statistics and an increase in earnings, but the unemployment

that these numbers are not declining more rapidly as should be expected from such positive economic growth?

A The labour situation has been improving since the beginning of the recovery in the real sector. Slovenia thus recorded an approximately 1% increase in employment in 2014, while unemployment declined gradually during the year. Companies have understandably been cautious in the initial phase of recovery, which explains the slow initial response in the labour market. Certain structural problems have also accumulated in the labour market in recent years, such as the high unemployment of young people and an increase in the number of unemployed people without appropriate education, which also impedes a quicker recovery of the labour market when economic growth is higher.

Q The main challenge of the current government is privatisation. The Minister of Finance provided assurance that strategic infrastructure and companies of public interest will not be privatised. While the main airport has already been sold, how do you see the selling of other state owned companies? Are we obliged to follow the directives of the European Commission and why?

A One of the main reasons for the deeper crisis in Slovenia relative to many other euro area countries is related to governance issues, and a significant portion of assets which are still state owned. The problems that have accumulated in the banking sector, reflected in the large volume of bad loans, arise from inappropriate management of assets, often those owned by the government. This is also partly true for the corporate sector, its often poor business decisions and high indebtedness. The privatisation process is a way to obtain more responsible owners. Two years ago, when the economic situation was critical and when, for example, the government could no longer borrow on the euro market, Slovenia committed, within the framework of EU processes, namely, to contribute to the stabilisation of the situation by better asset management. This commitment should therefore be honoured, in my opinion.

Now is the time to deal with the issue of wages through Q Where does the government stand now? wage policy measures, Should it follow through on its commitment to unfreeze wages and entitlements in the public i.e. determine the alignment of sector since higher economic growth of more than wages on the basis of productivity 2.5% was achieved or should we follow the Euchanges, start thinking about other ropean directive and further consolidate public debt? What will be the outcome of each decision? issues, such as appropriate A The relationship between these two processes is not a simple trade-off. Over the last payment for work done, the quality years, the dynamics of wages has been of the labour force that will remain in few mainly defined by fiscal consolidation: oneoff measures to reduce expenditure always the public sector etc....

economic growth to continue and the quality of life to increase, Slovenia will have to improve its competitiveness, adapt to an ageing population and balance public finances accordingly.

involved public sector wages (freezing of a large portion of wages, a reduction of holiday allowances, a progressive reduction of higher wages ...). Now is the time to deal with the issue of wages through wage policy measures, i.e. determine the alignment of wages on the basis of productivity changes, start thinking about other issues, such as appropriate payment for work done, the quality of the labour force that will remain in the public sector etc....

However, this does not exclude the continuation of fiscal consolidation, though not by one-off measures which were acceptable for the beginning of the crisis, but with more sustainable adjustments in areas causing fiscal imbalances. Which brings us back to the management of state-owned assets, the consequences of an ageing population...

Q Please list at least three important objectives for the government in 2015 and explain why you deem them necessary? What are the medium term predictions for Slovenia’s future?

A At the Institute, we are just about to finish a review of the realisation of Slovenia’s development priorities. On the basis of the review of economic, social and environmental developments from the perspective of both current movements and their sustainability, we are trying to define Slovenia’s advantages, as well as areas which need further improvement.

The review shows that for economic growth to continue and the quality of life to increase, Slovenia will have to improve its competitiveness, adapt to an ageing population and balance public finances accordingly. 

Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Interview: Ms Alena Kupchyna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus

Is a bright future for Belarus on the horizon?

Ms Alena Kupchyna, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus recently took time out of her busy schedule to share with The Slovenia Times her views about regional issues. She covered a broad range of issues such as the process of reform and the liberalisation of the Belarusian economy, the role that Belarus is playing in regional issues, the developing economic ties between Belarus and Slovenia and what the launch of the Eurasian Economic Union on 1 January 2015 will mean for the country.

Q Belarus has recorded slow but constant energy resources (oil and natural gas), raw magrowth over the last two years. What does the most recent growth data for 2014 and forecasts for 2015 indicate?

A According to our statistics, in 2014 Belarusian GDP amounted 101.6 percent to the level of 2013, and in 2015 we officially expect only 0.2% -0.7% growth.

Belarus is an open economy and its growth depends a lot on foreign markets. More than 50 per cent of goods produced in the country are exported. In 2014, goods exported amounted to USD 36.4bn and services exported totalled USD 7.8bn. Oil products, potash and nitrogen fertilisers, metal products, trucks, tractors, chemical fibres and yarns, tyres, dairy and meat products, and sugar composed the core of Belarusian exports. In turn, we mainly import

terials (metals and metal products, raw materials for the chemical industry) and components (machine parts, manufacturing equipment).

Transport services, reflecting the favourable geographical position of Belarus, make up more than half of total Belarusian service exports. IT and construction services are also among major export positions.

The launch of the Eurasian Economic Union on 1 January 2015 essentially marks a new level of Eurasian integration and serves as the most significant base for the future economic growth.

The process of reform and the liberalisation of the Belarusian economy is proving effective with Belarus receiving positive international evaluation. According to the World Bank and

Ms Alena Kupchyna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus

the International Finance Corporation "Doing Business – 2015" report, Belarus is 57th out of 189 countries. Our strategic aim is to rank among the top thirty countries.

Q How has international pressure, specifically financial and economic disturbance connected to the open political "issues" between Belarus and western countries, affected the growth and development of Belarus in recent years?

A Indeed, Belarus has remained under political and economic pressure from the west for almost 20 years. Nonetheless, despite different sanctions and restrictions, the country has been dynamically developing and in many ways has emerged as a leader in the Eastern EU neighbourhood. According to EU and World Bank statistics, our prosperity has grown steadily over the years. In the region, Belarus has always been second only to oil-rich Azerbaijan when it comes to GDP per capita, including on a purchasing parity basis. In fact, Belarus is the clear leader in terms of human development and social progress.

The only distinct negative effect of sanctions is the declining trust in the EU as a partner and missed cooperation opportunities in addressing common challenges.

At the same time, we hope that the EU will revise its policy vis-à-vis Belarus and assist us in strengthening the economic dimension of our independence through access to the resources of European financial institutions (such as the EIB and EBRD) and supporting our WTO accession. This is in the interest of both Belarus and the EU and a major facet for regional stability.

Q We don’t hear a lot in Slovenia about the situation in Belarus. What are your current economic issues? As far as we know, over the last ten years you have been trying to lower inflation as it was a major concern and you are also trying to improve living standards – have you succeeded?

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Economy A Last year turned out to be difficult for the The process of reform and the Belarusian economy and our currency also.

The unprecedented aggravation of the situation in our region due to the Ukrainian crisis, resulting in "sanction wars" between Russia and the West, had a negative impact on the development of global and regional trade, pushing the economies of our bordering countries into recession and to currency devaluation and resulting in a decline in our traditional export markets.

At the same time, efforts aimed at building up a favourable investment climate proved to be efficient. One of the most obvious examples of our successful cooperation with foreign investors is the construction of an electric-train manufacturing plant in Belarus, launched by the Swiss company, Stadler, in November 2014.

The government seeks to preserve the relatively high standard of living with ongoing, steady development. This includes a very high level of education, access to the health care system, a stable labour market (unemployment is kept under 1 per cent) and crucially – a high level of personal security.

Q You are strategically connected to Russia and its economy. How is this affecting balanced economic development and foreign trade? Are you concerned about excessive dependence on Russia in the long term?

A Well, it goes without saying, the Russian Federation is the major trading partner of Belarus and accounts for more than 40 per cent of our exports and more than half of imports and the European Union is the second largest trade destination for Belarus and accounts for more than 30 per cent of exports and 20 percent of imports. Germany, the UK, Poland, Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania and Latvia are our main partners among the EU Member-States.

I wouldn’t say, however, that we face, as you have put it, excessive dependence on either Russia or on the European Union, since one of our current priorities is to penetrate a range of other important markets. By this, I mean the economies of Latin America, Africa, Middle East and South-East Asia. There are positive dynamics in our cooperation with Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador, China, India, Indonesia and Turkey. In all, Belarus maintains trade relations with more than 180 countries globally.

This policy, which we adopted some time, helps us to diversify our export base and thus ensure the well-balanced economic development you mentioned in your question.

Q Belarus is certainly an interesting market for Slovenian companies. Where do you see the major business opportunities in the coming years?

A Our economies are quite similar, they are both export-oriented. The mentality of our entrepreneurs is also similar and is based more on

liberalisation of the Belarusian economy is proving effective with Belarus receiving positive international evaluation.

According to the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation "Doing Business – 2015" report, Belarus is 57th out of 189 countries.

Our strategic aim is to rank among the top thirty countries.

135m. I hope you will agree that this is a joint achievement that both countries can be proud of.

You are right that, at present, the volume of our imports from Slovenia is essentially higher than our exports to your country and we strive for more balanced bilateral trade. But politics has nothing to do with it. If you take a closer look at our trade you will see that a significant proportion of our imports from Slovenia is manufacturing equipment and engineering tools, which are necessary for the modernisation of our machine-building, wood-processing and energy sectors. We buy the equipment in Slovenia and then our plants sell the finished products to other countries. Our import substitution policy, for instance in pharmaceuticals, has been also progressing over recent years, which means that sooner or later there will be no need to import some of the goods.

Q We cannot ignore the Ukraine crisis. How trust than profit. It might be an element of our joint economic past from the old "Council for Mutual Economic Assistance". I emphasise this because it is always easier to build or develop something when you have experience of cooperation and knowledge about each other. As a result, our trade turnover has been increasing gradually for the last three years.

As for the spheres of potential interest, I would mention tourism, innovation and environment. Belarus is mainly interested in technology and "know-how". Slovenia, for its part, can make use of the new business opportunities which arise from the Eurasian Economic Union single market of 175 million people. For the future, we have to think over the advanced forms of our cooperation, such as the creation of joint ventures and co-production of goods oriented to external markets. I guess this can be a "win-win situation" for both countries.

Q Trade between Slovenia and Belarus is still very low considering the market potential. As we know, it’s grown from 2009 but is extremely unbalanced with Slovenia exporting around EUR 60m to Belarus and importing a mere EUR 10m per year. Is the problem the structure of the Belarus economy or previously mentioned political issues?

A I partly agree with the fact that the market potential for our trade relations is higher than the figures we have now. But please note that our bilateral turnover in goods since 2011 has grown almost 1.5 times and now comprises USD 110m. And let us not forget the spectacular results that we have achieved in the trade of services. Due to the implementation of a range of large-scale bilateral projects by the Slovenian construction and energy company, Riko, during the last four years, this figure has grown almost 18 fold and by 2014 reached USD

is this affecting the stability of the Belarusian economy?

A Belarus is deeply concerned and grieved about the violence in eastern Ukraine, the growing number of refugees and civilian casualties.

Allow me to mention that the Belarusian government provided to people fleeing the conflict zones, who came to Belarus, all possible assistance including facilitated access to educational institutions, the health care system and labour market. From the economic side – according to last year’s statistics and despite a minor decrease in trade, Ukraine remained our second largest economic partner in the world.

Q We noticed that Belarus is trying to have a role mediating the Ukraine conflict. What do you see as the solution of this unfortunate crisis?

A You are right. Thanks to our stand on the crisis in Ukraine, close and friendly contacts with all our neighbours, Belarus has become the best possible location for talks to settle the conflict, providing the necessary conditions for negotiations. The "Trilateral Contact Group" format confirmed its efficiency. Owing to the agreements stipulated by the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum, the situation in eastern Ukraine was temporarily alleviated. In addition, the meeting of the Presidents in the Normandy format was held in Minsk in February, when the so-called "Minsk II" agreement was reached.

Belarus stresses that continuing the dialogue is of vital importance and concrete measures must be urgently implemented to avoid a standstill. We are ready and willing to fully assist this process, hosting international meetings in any format. The main goal is to make real steps towards establishing peace in Ukraine.  Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy

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ABC Accelerator wants Slovenia to develop into an innovative country

By Ladeja Godina Košir, Giacomelli media; Photos: Iztok Dimic

The question of how to connect participants from innovative environments to enable Slovenia to make a breakthrough among innovative countries is not a new one. Now, it seems, the time is right.. ABC Accelerator was introduced at a media event at the beginning of March 2015. Co-founders of ABC Accelerator are: ABC TIM, Ltd; BTC, PLC; XLAB, Ltd; and AmCham Slovenia. The strategic partners include IBM and the University of Ljubljana who signed the strategic partnership agreement with ABCTI, Ltd at the ABC Accelerator introductory event which took place at the IBM Innovation Centre.

Let’s strengthen Slovenia, connect the region, integrate the world Dejan Roljič, founder and CEO of ABC Accelerator, sets out the advantages of the accelerator. Firstly, there is the team of cofounders and partners who all have the objective of proving that it is actually possible to strengthen the ecosystem and position Slovenia as a best-practice, innovative country by connecting participants who cocreate the innovative environment. The next step is to expand the model to the region and

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also to integrate into innovative environments in different parts of the world. Neighbouring countries and China have already shown interest. It is the entire development story of ABC which maintains a unique network of connections - between small companies and multinational corporations, between the academic and business environments, between different disciplines and generations, between cities and countries and most importantly, between various accelerators and other innovative junctions. In this way, space becomes more attractive for all agents in the market and also for investors.

Dejan Roljič: Once values like trust, integration, co-creation and cooperation strengthen, the value system starts to change and consequently the business culture and general social climate also change.

We believe in this and because of it, we power ABC. We strongly believe it can be an excellent development generator of a more advanced business environment and sustainable economic growth.

900 m2 for ABC Accelerator at BTC City Having ABC at BTC City, with the objective to become an innovative place, gives the ac-

Economy A more detailed description of how start-ups can apply for the programs and what is included in the three month acceleration program are available at: https://abc-accelerator.com/ how-does-it-work.  01 Jože Mermal,dr. Ivan Svetlik, Julij Božič - signing of the partnership contract with the University of Ljubljana 02 Various participants are connected within the ABC Accelerator 03 From application to entry to the global network of innovative junctures 04 Presentation event for the media - Centre of innovation IBM, Ljubljana, 9. marec 2015 05 Dejan Roljić, Julij Božič, dr. Ivan Svetlik, Jože Mermal and Ladeja Godina Košir 06 Dejan Roljić, Jože Mermal, dr. Ivan Svetlik and Julij Božič

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celerator a unique advantage. Nowhere else in the world do companies, which participate in the accelerator programs, have the opportunity to immediately test their products or services in such a significant business environment, such as ours, which is provided by BTC City. Those, who get accepted into ABC, are given this opportunity. Additionally, IBM provides the start-ups with the latest technological infrastructure and involves them in the network of Innovation Centres in 42 countries. The mentoring program is the domain of CEED, Microsoft and IBM and it will be developed together with other partners from Slovenia and abroad. XLAB joins with its extensive experience with start-ups and AmCham is a strong link to the international environment and its branched education program.

The first program, Smart Cities, commences on 30 March 2015 In 2015, two 3-month programs are available in the ABC Accelerator. On 30 March 2015, the selected start-ups and small companies will join the Smart Cities program. This is the first and therefore, in a way, a test program which includes various fields – internet, automation, logistics, sustainable solutions, mobility, energy economics... The autumn program, titled Health, will be dedicated to the healthcare segment in the broadest sense of the word. In return for the 8 percent, borne by ABC, each start-up that qualifies for the program (probably eight teams for each program) will receive the above mentioned ‘’package’’ upon joining. In addition, they will receive EUR 15,000 in cash and infrastructure services up to EUR 350,000.

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Jože Mermal, Chairman, BTC City: "The founders share a common interest to build the accelerator as a platform that will serve as the juncture of innovation and an engine to start small companies and start-ups. The project fits within the development strategy of BTC which, until 2020, establishes BTC City as an innovative place from 2015. I believe ABC Accelerator can encourage the development of an advanced business environment in Slovenia."

Julij Božič, General Manager, IBM Slovenija: "IBM has an extraordinary network of Innovation Centres in 42 countries. We will enable those who will join the ABC Accelerator program, to connect with these centres and be guests there, if the need arises. In addition to the mentoring program carried out by IBM, there is the latest technological infrastructure of IBM which will significantly support the work of start-ups."

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Dr. Ivan Svetlik, Rector of the University of Ljubljana: "The University of Ljubljana strengthens the pillar of knowledge transfer and supports various forms of cooperation with the economy and elsewhere. We see the accelerator as one of those support forums where students, researches and those having entrepreneurial aspirations and ideas can find their place to network, and develop entrepreneurial knowledge and connect initiatives for a successful market placement."

Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

17

Economy

Branislav Vujović, Founder and President of New Frontier Group (NFG)

Interview: Branislav Vujović, Founder and President of New Frontier Group (NFG)

The Digital revolution is here, changing the way we think, live and do business Prepared by Tina Drolc, M.Sc.

Branislav Vujović is founder and president of the New Frontier Group (NFG). After studying in Belgrade, working in Ljubljana and then in multinational companies in Vienna, Vujović founded NGF in 2006. NFG is now one of the leading solutions and service companies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with 2,000 employees operating in 17 countries, including Slovenia. As Vujović says, we live in the times of the digital revolution which is like the industrial revolution at the end of 19th century. Such a 'revolution' changes the constitution, laws and regulations and that is what is happening today.

Q NFG, which now has annual revenue of more poses but we live here. We built the team, got was placed among the top 10 IT companies in than EUR 200m, began as a startup. Can you explain the business model and the reason you started the business in Vienna?

A Through my work in multinationals, my colleagues and I decided to combine the best of multinationals with the best of local companies and make something for this region, from this region. We started in Vienna because the business environment was very good in terms of domiciling the company and for tax pur-

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

strategic investors and then started with the acquisitions or better said - partnerships. We were looking for the companies that had their business in a specific country. We had the idea to combine the best companies and become a regional player to compete with the large multinationals. In the first two years we grew through acquisition and from 2010, we have grown organically with acquisitions a very small part of our business. Two years ago, NFG

CEE.

Q NFG is a venture capital investor in the digital field in CEE. How much does the group intend to devote to venture capital activities annually?

A The money we use to finance our potential partners we call Super smart money. There are many startups in our territory, although only a very small percentage succeed. The entrepreneurial focus of a startup is development; gen-

Economy erally the people do not have knowledge about management and sales. We offer them money to continue development and put them in contact with our partners (Microsoft, Oracle, etc.) and the biggest customers. They test the solution and give them feedback. If it is good, we help the startup go to the market in our region.

Our EBITDA is around EUR 20m which is the limit of how much we invest into these activities.

Q You have a good startup story in Slovenia in the telecommunications field. How has this business flourished?

A CSB, as a startup, officially joined our group in 2012. They produce a very interesting software solution which brings change to the telecommunication sector. Telco operators first adapted the solution and today we have extended to other markets with 130 million potential customers through participation with Telekom Austria and Mobile TeleSystems Russia. Our solution, developed in Slovenia, enables telecom operators to go into a new digital business. Furthermore, because the CSB team is doing very well, we will bring to Slovenia more software to be developed.

Q Why, in your experience, is it important for Slovenia to confront the challenge of the digital era and the transformation it brings?

A We can answer that in all ways. For example, online buying or selling is much cheaper than traditional buying. Digital transformation optimises processes to reduce the cost. The fact is that we live in the times of the digital revolution which is similar to the industrial revolution at the end of 19th century. Such 'revolutions' change constitutions, laws and regulations and that is what is happening today. Small startups jeopardise large companies. If you compare the WhatsApp or Viber apps with Telekom Slovenija, Si.mobil and other world operators, these apps are taking part of their revenue from them, because they use the capability of the digital revolution. What does it mean?

Telekom Slovenija spend a lot of money to do business (registration, licenses, infrastructure, people), but operates only in Slovenia. On the contrary, WhatsApp and Viber made only one app, sold worldwide, without any registration fees, licenses... Why? It was the same thing in the industrial revolution. It took 100 years for all laws to be adjusted to the industrial revolution. It changed the way we think, live and do business. The same is with the digital revolution and there is a vacuum now. There are no laws for these apps. WhatsApp has only 30 engineers but more than 800 million customers.

Telekom Slovenija has many employees and a million customers. In Slovenia, the change will come from both the companies and the government. Slovenian companies can embrace

digital transformation and become global and some do this very well. Unfortunately, because of the law and the way of doing business, they move to Silicon Valley and become American companies. Slovenia is still behind in supporting people to start a good business. You are not able to distinguish if someone makes good software that brings a high value to the company, people and the country. The UK gives a tax benefit if someone invests in a startup and all invested money can reduce the tax. If you take into account that our future depends on this, it makes a lot of sense.

Q The Internet of Things and the digitisation phenomenon are a continuous process. NFG developed methodology The Missing Link, which incorporates digital into the business strategy.

Annually, you execute more than 1,500 projects for over 500 companies. What kind of "links" have you already solved?

A We explain to large companies the dangers and opportunities of the digital economy and The Missing LInk in achieving a 'wow' effect.

We do this for different industries. For the banks, NFG developed iBanking, an online banking solution. The digital approach is personalised as much as possible. Because your interest is not equal to mine, giving to you the same information as to me is not efficient. The Missing Link in iBanking combines all parts of the banking business in a personalised way. If I have glasses, my screen only has two widgets with big letters so I see my statement of account and the transfer of money. For young people, interested in investing, there are many graphics added with information on investments, markets, etc. We define the value of information, which is the main asset of the digital economy and made up from two things: first, what is interesting for you and secondly, gives you knowledge. iBanking increases the value of information for the users of the bank.

Q In Slovenia, you already cooperate with Gorenje and Si.mobil. What was The Missing Link and the solution?

A The question for Gorenje is the buying process. People search online for their products, then go mainly to the shop to buy them. It is not just digital but it is a combination. We are optimising this in the way that no matter where someone starts the shopping process care is taken. Gorenje has great potential to do great business wherever. Si.mobil has increased loyalty dramatically. The basic idea of increasing the revenue was new offers to the customers to improve loyalty. NFG developed additional services that help SMEs to develop new business and to focus on their core business. The name is One bill and combine all services (banking, telephone, utility services, etc.) within one invoice.

Q What are the numbers that digital transformation brings to a company? Can you give some examples?

A There is direct and indirect profit. If I take an example of a mobile operator, AirTouch and iBanking, the consequence was an increase in customer loyalty. Another example is switching to online insurance made for a bank in Russia. They have 30 employees and thousands of online customers. The cost of doing business is negligible compared to other insurances in Russia which have 10,000 employees. The cost in high and now a company with 30 employees will start to disrupt the business. When we implemented iBanking in a Serbian bank, the use of online transactions increased in six months by 65 percent with a 16 percent increase in the number of online requests for loans. This is the effect of the digital economy if you do it properly! ď ´

Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Economy Dušan Zorko, CEO of Pivovarna Laško: "The acquisition by Heineken as a strategic investor allows Pivovarna Laško to continue building our historic local brands and to develop our position in regional export markets, as well as give us an opportunity to better utilise our production capacity. We are excited about being part of one of the most successful brewery groups in the world. This will enable Pivovarna Laško to focus on and grow its core business."

Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken: "This acquisition strengthens our position within the region and will bring two complementary strong local brands into our existing portfolio. We are very much looking forward to welcoming Pivovarna Laško as a successful member of our group."

Pivovarna Laško Sold to Heineken Dutch brewer, Heineken, signed an agreement to purchase the majority stake in Pivovarna Laško for EUR 25.56 per share in a deal that values the entire company at about EUR 224m. They will also acquire the Ljubljana-based brewer Pivovarna Union through Laško.

Heineken will pay EUR 114.3m for the 51.1% stake pending approval by the anti-trust authorities, according to Heineken and Laško officials. Under Slovenian law, Heineken must publish a takeover bid for the outstanding Laško stock, offering the same price to all shareholders.

Reactions to the sale of the majority stake in brewer Pivovarna Laško to Heineken have been

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

overwhelmingly positive. The general view is that this will bring in new know-how and help the company grow in the domestic and foreign markets. Most importantly, the company’s financial health will improve and, as stressed by Pivovarna Laško CEO Dušan Zorko, the acquisition will allow Laško to return to its brewing roots. "Heineken is a brewer by soul and it can give us back what we have missed."

Most notably, the downside of the acquisition may be the fact that Heineken will get between 66% and 80% of the Slovenian beer market in a single swoop. "We have foreign competition in the sense of beer imports and the Laško-Union market share has been decreasing, but a significant chunk of imports are coming from Heineken’s other production facilities. This warrants close scrutiny of the new owner’s competitive behavior." said agrarian economist, Aleš Kuhar.

The current Laško strategy already stipulates that Laško and Union will be merged, which will lead to job cuts. Heineken promised that that this will be done with attrition and in a normal time frame, not drastically and quickly The deal ends Laško’s agony, years of teetering on the brink of collapse due to a spectacularly failed management buyout by Boško Šrot. It also ends 15 years of national interest politics that started as "the brewer’s war" between Pivovarna Laško and Interbrew (now Anheuser-Busch Inbev) for the acquisition of Pivovarna Union.

Heineken officials have stated that they plan to preserve both key brands, Laško and Union. The production facilities in Ljubljana and Laško will remain operational for now, but they did not rule out closures in the future. 

Courage + Quality + Good service + Feedback = Success in the U.S. market

Join our business mission!

Colorado, 18 – 22 May 2015 More: www.amcham.si American Chamber of Commerce in Slovenia

Economy MIKrovent is an innovative local ventilation system, supplying an area with clean air while the windows are closed and maintains the heat in the area.

• Drains the area of excessive humidity and prevents mildew occurrence.

• Cleanses the air with the help of filters and ensures a healthy living environment and well-being.

• Provides 100 percent air exchange using inbuilt recuperation, ensures saving on heating.

• Allows air flow of up to 120 m3/h and up to 90 percent heat retention.

• Prevents draught and insect penetration.

• Prevents penetration of outside noise.

• Easy to install and operate.

• Suitable for the ventilation of public and private buildings.

• MIKrovent meets the conditions for receiving a subsidy from the ECO fund.

Safe and healthy living in renovated buildings Today, rebuilding and renovation represent more than 25 percent of all construction work. As a result of ageing materials, wear and tear, energy inefficiency or simply the different demands of facility users, not only the damaged but also well-built facilities are in need of renovation. Rapid technological development, the introduction of modern building materials and energy efficient solutions also trigger the need for change not only for energy efficiency but also healthy facilities.

In the area of energy efficient building renovation, one of the biggest Slovenian companies for the production of doors and windows, MIK, saw an opportunity and developed solutions to offer permanent solution for energy efficient and healthy living. MIK supplemented their comprehensive offer of PVC, wooden and ALU doors and windows, winter gardens and glass facades with the innovative local window ventilation system, MIKrovent, a product developed by MIK and the final step toward energy efficient and healthy living.

Material development and increasingly rigorous demands for energy conservation led to windows developed over the last decade or two which are better sealed and have greater thermal insulation, retain heat, prevent draughts,

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

penetration of dust and dirt, and prevent sound as well as preventing automatic, uncontrolled air and humidity exchange through crevices.

Therefore, changing an old window for a newer one led to an increase in humidity concentration in the area and consequently to surface condensation on glass and window profiles or even problems with mildew on walls.

As a solution to too tightly-closed spaces, MIK developed a unique window ventilation system, MIKrovent, which allows ventilation of areas with windows closed and without loss of heat. The MIKrovent system substitutes ventilating a room by opening a window and therefore preserves up to 90 percent of heat from outgoing air with 100 percent air exchange in the area.

Due to its compact execution, high heat retention and operation adjustment, MIKrovent is suitable for use in apartments, houses, kindergartens and schools, as well as in hospitals, nursing homes, hotel rooms and last but not least, offices. The demands and needs for the ventilation of public, business and private areas certainly differ but the operation of the MIKrovent ventilation system is perfectly adjustable to suit the purpose and size of the area, and can be operated either by hand or remote control or according to preset parameters in line with the needs and wishes of the user.

MIKrovent is a unique ventilation system, a result of many years of work by a Slovenian development team, which today reaps rewards from across the globe. Numerous best practice cases of installation and the use of the MIKrovent ventilation system confirm the excellent work at the lowest possible energy use with low maintenance and operational costs.

MIKrovent is therefore an excellent solution for quality local ventilation of public and private areas, which does not require a significant investment or construction work. 

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MIKrovent® is a unique high quality controlled room ventilation system with minimal heat loss.

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Fresh air is one of the key factors of healthy living. With the MIKrovent you are guaranteed a controlled and economical way of ventilating the apartment while keeping your windows closed. MIKrovent replaces the need to ventilate a room by opening windows while conserving 87 % of the heat from exhaust air with 100 % air exchange within the room.

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Economy

prof. Luiz Moutinho

Interview: prof. Luiz Moutinho

'Smart Tourism' In The Alpe-Adria Region Mr. Luiz Moutinho is currently a Professor of Marketing at the University of Q What do you think 'smart tourism' is for the Glasgow and has held positions in countries such as the US, China, Alpe-Adria region?

A Well 'smart tourism' is, first of all, not lookNew Zealand, Taiwan, Austria, UK, Lithuania, Portugal, and others. ing at tourist variables, but at quality, customer He is the founding editor of the Journal of Modelling in Management and has experience, partnerships with the local comanother four Associate Editorships as well as being on the Editorial Boards munity, and using technology that will help of another 46 international academic journals. His areas of research include that interaction and that partnership with the customers. It means protection of the environbio-marketing, neuroscience in marketing, modelling consumer behaviour, ment, sustainability, but much more than susmarketing future cast, and tourism. He has over 130 articles and tainability, it means sustain-agility and work27 books published. ing side by side with local communities. Smart tourism is the role of leisure in society. People want to discover, but they want to discover

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Economy in one company. People can go through 19 dif- of them are unknown, but I am glad it is unNow from the consumer point of ferent jobs by the age of 67, in 19 different com- known, because the kinds of people you need view, we have all the power we want, panies, but this generation is a very different are the people who know themselves and who one because this generation is actually looking discover and explore a destination. This is a the internet allows us to have an for the good of society. They want to create good strategy for Slovenia. input and a voice. It is self-designed and they do create their own businesses. This generation will, hopefully, have an impact on Q How is climate change affecting Slovenia’s tourism, by travellers, for travellers. the future for the next few generations. People tourism seasons?

We have a huge strength in terms of are moving from a "me society" to a "we society" A That is a very important issue. For ski and this is transforming the way we do busi- resorts in the world, for every 1 centigrade person to person review. People ness, the way industries work, and competitive degrees increase in average temperature, in have enormous influence, terms of snow, you have to increase about 300 structures. metres on a mountain. People from northern they can make or break any Q How would you say virtual technology and countries in Europe, who usually come to the business or any destination. globalisation is affecting the tourism market? southern countries, are not coming anymore

A From a company’s point of view, they want

their own domestic realm. When people do travel, they travel and analyse the authenticity of a destination. Smart tourism involves a new frame of mind. Tourism in Slovenia has an impact on employment, on jobs, on the trade balance, but not because of mass tourism, with lots of people coming in and going out. It is because of the quality that Slovenia has to offer.

Q Where is the Slovenian tourist market in terms of sustainability?

A The issue of sustainability has been talked about for over 10 years now, but in fact there has been a lot of green washing and people know that. That is why I do not use the word "sustainability", I use sustain-agility. So put your money where your mouth is and just do it. There are so many things we can actually do and we need to do them. One part is purely on the consumers side, called eco-sumerism and there is also in business, and I am not just talking about in tourism, but in all markets.

Q What kind of trends are we seeing in the AlpeAdria region and how do we stay on top of the trends?

A Well, there are so many things but there is a huge divide between rich and poor. This polarisation is going to be a bit more marked now.

So you have people who are rich, in terms of time and people who are poor in terms of financial resources. Of course, I’m talking about the western world, because obviously in the eastern and Asian cultures, they have a middle class and that is boosting tourism. That is what is actually preserving the 47% of market shares for European destinations, overall, because Asians, Indonesians, and Russians, are traveling more and more. Obviously there are many things affecting this, people are losing jobs, countries are now coming out of recessions, but they are still in a kind of post-recession mode.

Look at what happened in Greece. There will definitely be a domino effect, in terms of the European Union. It is different from my generation where people worked their whole lives

to maximise profits and they are using technology to do this, but this is wrong. You have to use technology to really interact and allow the consumer to interact with you, to voluntarily tell you what you want to know, to help the consumers, and create side by side value with the consumer. Now from the consumer point of view, we have all the power we want, the internet allows us to have an input and a voice.

It is self-designed tourism, by travellers, for travellers. We have a huge strength in terms of person to person review. People have enormous influence, they can make or break any business or any destination.

because it is too hot and this has a negative effect on the tourism industry.

Q What innovations are happening in Slovenia’s tourist market?

A There are lots of ideas about innovation, mainly there is innovation through exploration which allows tourists to explore and create the world around them. Innovation is about realising that it is not so much about getting a new idea, as it is about looking at the trends and true innovation comes after analysing those trends. Innovation needs to be co-created with tourists and that will create value.

Q We are half way to 2020. How is the Europe Q How are the issues we face impacted by a "bi- 2020 Strategy affecting the region? polar luxury market"?

A One of the major premises is environment A Slovenia has to go for quality. Croatia has and that will have an impact. That guideline, in made a lot of mistakes already and now they are actually going for quality. But it depends on people, the financial situation, and it depends on their references, so there will always be a bipolar luxury market, but more and more we are seeing a huge increase in premium consumers.

Everything is the same, there is no differentiation. If you compare a car within a certain price range they are all the same, if you take away the tags, people would have a hard time saying which is which. It is the same thing with hotels; they are all the same even if you have some kind of an advantage, which is very difficult to get. A competitive advantage is an illusion and people do not see that. We need to stretch out minds. You have to break the mould.

Q Does Slovenia have a competitive tourism market?

A Slovenia’s potential is still a kind of secret in Europe. People do not know much about Slovenia, but people are discovering it. So yes, in a niche sort of approach, Slovenia is competitive but you do not want to spoil Slovenia.

Slovenia has the right conditions. It is beautiful and I am the biggest supporter of Slovenia, I love Slovenia, but again you could compare it to Norway and anywhere with mountains and lakes. Slovenia has all these things, but most

terms of preserving the environment and sustainability will have an impact. We will have to wait and see, especially in terms of the environment and eco-resorts. I think that will be a major factor in terms of policies in the future. 

'Smart tourism' is, first of all, not looking at tourist variables, but at quality, customer experience, partnerships with the local community, and using technology that will help that interaction and that partnership with the customers.

It means protection of the environment, sustainability, but much more than sustainability, it means sustain-agility and working side by side with local communities.

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Economy

GREET Vienna takes place on 20-21 May 2015 in the historic Palais Niederösterreich in the city centre of Vienna.

GREET Vienna:

international and intersectoral The Global Real Estate & Economy Talks, in short "GREET", brings together investors with projects which have an international orientation with a strong focus on Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe (CEE & SEE). The projects are from all different segments of the real estate industry and include shopping centres, retail real estate, residential properties, hotels and resorts, infrastructure and logistics, office buildings, health and welfare real estate.

GREET Vienna is an international event, which is why it emphasises the "G" for "global".

Although the main topic focus is on Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe, including Russia, CIS and Turkey, the main goal of GREET Vienna is to bring together players from the real estate industry and from other business segments from all over the world and to offer a platform for establishing contacts, to meet each other and to compare information and experience or, in short: to offer the possibility of establishing long-term business relationships.

The networking and exhibition comprise one of the two pillars on which GREET Vienna is based. There will be a special networking and exhibition area in a historic and exclusive setting where companies will present themselves and their projects. There will also be an evening event which will offer the opportunity to meet and to talk to each other. Furthermore, there will be many special networking formats and areas for individual discussions during the two days of the event. Panel discussions are the second pillar of GREET Vienna, with the conference program which will take place in the different halls and rooms of Palais Niederösterreich. The program addresses a wide range of real estate topics covering various segments as well as the different investment markets in CEE/SEE. "Healthvienna", launched at GREET 2014 and dedicated to real estate in the health and welfare sector, will be expanded this year. Demo-

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graphic changes have a considerable impact on the real estate market and there is considerable demand for barrier-free residential real estate and health care buildings – not only for the retired but also by investors and insurance companies. Hotels are also following this trend and many of them already offer healthcare services.

Industry and real estate are closely linked and therefore GREET is also very interesting for manufacturing companies and industrial parks. Companies intending to start a new business abroad demand land and real estate.

As they look for new locations, what better opportunity to find a lot of decision makers from the various regions and industrial parks under one roof than at GREET Vienna?

The also applies to hotels. Many hotel chains and hotel investors are expanding very quickly and are looking for new locations across the globe. They evaluate the potential of diverse regions and open their new hotels in regions and cities where they expect a specific growth rate in terms of tourism. Investors in hotel and tourism real estate as well as hotel chains will also participate in GREET Vienna.

In every respect, GREET Vienna 2015 is set to become an interesting and informative event.

The way is clear for lively discussions and fruitful talks among the participants and many of them will return home from Vienna not only full of good information but also with a clutch of useful contacts that will pay off in the near future.  More information about GREET Vienna can be found at: www.greetvienna.com.

CEE &SEE

GLOBAL REAL ESTATE & ECONOMY TALKS

20 & 21 May 2015 Palais Niederรถsterreich Herrengasse 13 1010 Vienna

www.greetvienna.com

Economy in several categories proving the efficiency of the airport.

In 2013, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has received the following awards: • Best Airport Europe (SKYTRAX) • Best Airport (ACI Europe) • Best Airport for Business Travellers (Business Traveller)

KLM offering for passengers an airport navigation service at Schiphol airport

Paris - Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam - Schipol,

2 powerful Air France KLM's hubs With its two hubs, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol, Air France KLM offers the most extensive route network between Europe and the rest of the world and a unique travel experience to its passengers with a total of 231 destinations in 103 countries.

The group’s two hubs linked together

Air France at Paris-Charles de Gaulle

The Air France and KLM networks are complementary to efficiently link Europe to the rest of the world. The two airlines offer smooth and optimized connections.

Air France’s flights are all grouped in the East of the hub, in terminals 2E, 2F and 2G allowing passengers to enjoy shorter, fluid and fast connecting channels. The flights to and from Ljubljana arrive and leave from Terminal 2G. Thanks to new transfer facilities they remain airside during their transit, they do not have to go through the security check again and save up to 10 minutes transit time.

Paris-Charles de Gaulle The most powerful hub in Europe At Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France operates the most powerful hub in Europe in terms of connections and offers over 18,000 connecting opportunities between long-haul and mediumhaul flights, and vice-versa, in less than two hours.

Air France honoured by Skytrax for its La Premie `re lounge On 15 July 2014, at Skytrax’s World Airline Awards in London, Air France was awarded two of the highest distinctions in recognition of the high quality of its La Première lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The lounge was deemed the best first-class lounge in the world.

The lounge’s restaurant and menu designed by Chef Alain Ducasse also won a prize for the best food selection in a first-class lounge.

Amsterdam Schiphol Awards winner for the past 20 years Since 1980, Schiphol has won over 200 awards as best airport in Europe or world-wide

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As a recognized leader in digital innovations, KLM offers its customers exclusive functionalities. Lastly and since September 2014, KLM is the first airline to use beacon technology to provide this indoor navigation service.

Upon arrival, passengers receive on their smartphone a notification to download the navigation application using the free Wi-Fi offered

by Schiphol airport. This application gives passengers a map of the airport indicating them the route they need to take and the time they need to reach the next gate. The route and time are updated every time the passenger passes a beacon. (Available for Android smartphones and iOS in the near future)

SkyPriority An exclusive service at the airport SkyPriority is the alliance-wide, red carpet treatment for the top passengers of the 20 airlines member of the SkyTeam alliance, including Air France and KLM. This service unites the most exclusive airport benefits of all 20 airlines into one and consistent experience.

With SkyPriority, passengers take advantage of a range of exclusive and priority ground services to guarantee easy and priority access at the airport. These services include baggage check-in and drop-off in dedicated areas, priority line for security and immigration clearance (in some airports), dedicated line at our ticket offices and transfer desks, priority boarding and baggage handling. For Air France KLM, Flying Blue Gold and Platinum, passengers on Air France flights in the La Première, Business and Premium Economy and passengers in the World Business Class of KLM are all eligible.

Currently available at most airports served

by Air France KLM, it will gradually be extended across the entire SkyTeam alliance global network serving over 1000 airports worldwide. 

In partnership with:

MEET NEW TRENDS IN TOURISM AND CREATE NEW ONES All tourism management knowledge in one special program Management Program in Tourism is intense program, focused on preparing participants for managerial roles. Program covers all major fields in tourism and combines them with general management disciplines of main business functional areas.

Designed to enhance your career prospects Do you want to become widely recognized by the industry and have access to a global Alumni network?

By enrolling into our program you can boost your international career and upgrade your managerial skills to become the business leader in Tourism.

Work with top international experts in the field Learn from top global experts in the field - from both tourism and management!

Expand your business network Participants come from a wide region of Central and Eastern Europe, which offers an exceptional opportunity to expand your business network, collaborate and exchange experiences.

The Management in Tourism Program is focused on preparing participants for managerial roles in Tourism. It combines concrete practice from tourism with broader management knowledge. With participants coming from the wider SEE region, you also have a unique chance to expand your professional network.

Education for career advancement in TOURISM More information: +386 4 5792 500; ampt@iedc.si; www.iedc.si/ampt

Politics

Social Pact Signed More than three months after the launch of talks, the government, trade unions and employers signed a social pact for 2015-2016, a document aimed at securing stability and social peace.

Klavdija Markež and Janko Veber; Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Ongoing Government staffing crisis After Jožef Petrovič, Violeta Bulc and Stanka Setnikar Cankar, Education Minister Klavdija Markež and Defense Minister Janko Veber are the fourth and fifth ministers that had to step down in less than a year. Of these, Violeta Bulc is the only one who left the position without a scandal, stepping down when she became European Commissioner for Transport.

Education Minister Klavdija Markež stepped down following the revelation that her master’s thesis was plagiarised. Markež offered her resignation to Prime Minister Miro Cerar, who accepted it.

In a brief statement for the press, Markež said she offered to step down because she was "aware of her responsibility". Prime Minister Miro Cerar described the case as "unfortunate". He was assured during the vetting process that there was no such misconduct. "I talked to the Minister and when we established that her conduct was utterly inappropriate, she herself concluded what needed to be done," the Prime Minister said.

Within a week of her appointment and just three days after she formally took over ministerial duties, Markež will be among the minister’s with the shortest term on record, trailing only Igor Maher, who lasted two days as infrastructure minister in 2013.

Defence Minister Janko Veber is the only minister in this government, who didn’t step down voluntarily. His dismissal was proposed by the Prime Minister who claimed Veber overstepped his authority in ordering military intelligence to analyse the sale of Telekom Slovenije.

Cerar told MPs that Veber was both directly and indirectly responsible for the unlawful, incorrect and opaque operation in which the Defence Ministry’s intelligence and security service (OVS) looked into the potential effect of the privatisation of Telekom Slovenije.

Veber meanwhile insisted that the true reason for his dismissal was his outspoken stance that one of the most important companies for the security of Slovenia must not be sold. He repeated that he had merely done his job. Veber however failed to convince MPs that he acted appropriately, being voted out of office with 68 votes in favour to 11 against. The only party to indicate support - apart from his own Social Democrats (SD) - was the opposition United Left (ZL), a strong opponent of privatisation.  Source: STA

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Only the fifth such document and coming after the previous agreement expired in 2009, the social pact foresees 140 measures in key areas, although the issue of minimum wages will be tackled separately.

The government committed not to increase the tax burden on business except in the case of force majeure. Whilst a real estate tax is to be introduced, the taxation on labour is to be cut.

The document also provides guidelines for health reform and envisages a blueprint of changes in the pensions system beyond 2020.

The partners pledge to enhance the effectiveness of the public sector, provide a social market economy, a suitable level of social security and a fair distribution of burdens.

The main commitments include ensuring a new development breakthrough, reducing unemployment, dealing with the crisis of values, boosting competitiveness, economic democracy and internal consumer demand. 

Social Pact Signed; Photo: Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

European Union

Slovenia Granted EU Special Status for Kranjska Klobasa Slovenia has managed to gain EU special status for the Kranjska klobasa (sausage) with the European Commission announcing it has approved its addition to the register of Protected Geographical Indications.

The popular sausage is the 22nd Slovenian product to be registered with the European Commission and the 11th to be granted the Protected Geographical Indication which designates agricultural products or foodstuffs whose quality, reputation or other features are closely associated with a certain geographical area.

The Agriculture Ministry said the protected status was a "great success" for Slovenia as it means that at least one of the production procedures must be carried out in the designated geographical area.

"Kranjska klobasa" is a semi-durable sausage made from minced pork and back fat, spiced with sea salt, garlic and pepper and mildly hotsmoked in beech wood.

Slovenia’s attempt to protect the sausage has stirred disputes with Austria and Croatia.

The latter received a transitional period of 15 years in which it will be able to use the name "kranjska klobasa" for its sausage.

An agreement has also been reached with Austria, whose variation of the sausage, the "Käsekrainer", is different as it is made with small chunks of cheese.

Source: STA Carniolan Sausage; Photo: Tomo Jeseničnik

Slovenia Border Post at Korensko sedlo; Photo: Wikipedia

Slovenia Opposed to Border Checks for All Individuals Slovenia voiced serious concerns about the possibility of systematic controls for all individuals entering or exiting the country as the EU interior ministers discussed ways to increase and modernise external border controls.

Two options were discussed: a systematic control of all travel documents and persons on the external border, and checks on the basis of common risk indicators, said Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, who supports tougher measures.

Slovenia is opposed to the first option, as it would mean checking all individuals on entry or exit. This would be a big burden for Slovenia, considering it has around 55m individuals crossing the border, 45m of whom are EU citizens for whom the measure would apply, stated Interior Ministry State Secretary Boštjan Šefic in Brussels.

He went on to say that the measure would make waiting times at border-crossings substantially longer, especially during the peak summer season. Šefic also voiced doubt about the effectiveness of the measure, which would not be based on common risk indicators. "Excessive control can be very ineffective."

The ministers agreed that the measures must be targeted and based on common risk indicators, which are to be prepared by the European Commission in about a month and a half as the basis for further work. Proposals can also be made by member states.

While debate on the fight against terrorism focused on the effective application of Schengen rules to enhance external border control, the ministers also discussed internet content inciting terrorism and extremism, the fight against illicit trade of fire arms and boosting information exchange and operative cooperation.

Slovenia is considering the possibility of imposing a preventive temporary confiscation of travel documents of potential terrorist fighters. Working material is ready. Once the interest of the country‘s security is defined the measure may be put forward, the State Secretary said.

The Interior Ministry has drawn up a report on activities in the legislative field at the request of the National Security Council, detailing changes that will make the work of the law enforcement authorities easier, Šefic said, adding that changes in the penal code were not necessary for now.

The ministerial also discussed the migration pressures from Kosovo with the most affected countries, Germany, Austria and Hungary, calling for the establishment of a task force for the Western Balkans similar to the one tasked with dealing with the migration issue in the Mediterranean.

Slovenia called for a comprehensive approach to resolving the situation in the Western Balkans, underscoring the situation in the region was unlike that in Africa or in the east, according to Šefic, who said the reasons for migrations in the Western Balkans were economic and social.

Slovenia urged an approach which deals with the causes of the problem, also by tapping the existing initiatives, including the Brdo Process launched by Slovenia and Croatia. "Fragmentation through various initiatives that have no real effect often costs precious time and energy," Šefic said.

Source: STA

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

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Ljubljana at MIPIM 2015 The biggest real estate investment trade show in Europe, MIPIM, took place from 10 - 13 March 2015 in Cannes where, for the eighth year in a row, the City of Ljubljana was presented.

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MIPIM is the biggest international real estate investment forum where leading real estate decision makers and investors from all around the globe are introduced to the latest real estate trends and key investment projects. For the City of Ljubljana this was an opportunity to show potential investors the investment environment in the Slovenian capital as well as some investment projects in Ljubljana.

This year the exhibition pavilion of the City of Ljubljana was in the spirit of Ljubljana European Green Capital 2016 and the main theme was the renovation of the city ("reusing the city") in the context of which the following projects were highlighted:

homeless shelter. The building is a listed heritage monument and is the largest remaining historic industrial building from the industrialisation of Ljubljana.

The purpose of the project is to create a space for contemporary art and international cultural events, such as the Graphic Biennial and Biennial of Design. The new art gallery will operate in synergy with the nearby ROG - Contemporary Art and Design Centre. The transformation of the historic building into a space for contemporary culture will be according to the shape and meaning of the old factory.

The interior structure of the factory will be completely removed and replaced by a voluminous exhibition space, while the exterior walls will be preserved. The gallery spaces will hang from the roof structure, creating an assembly of volumes within the void of the factory.

CUKRARNA – THE SUGAR FACTORY The sugar factory was built in 1828 and operated during the 19th century as a sugar refinery. Later it served as a barracks, hospital and

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Expected completion: 2018; Assessed investment: EUR 18.2m

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia ROG CONTEMPORARY ARTS & DESIGN CENTRE The revitalisation of the abandoned urban area includes renewal and repurposing of the former bicycle factory, Rog. Underground parking spaces will be built to support the transformation of the courtyard into a multi-purpose park.

The new Rog Centre will provide a fusion hub of production, laboratory and education programmes, with artists from the fields of architecture, industry, graphic and fashion design. With Rog, Ljubljana will build a centre for creative industries, devoted to projects that will benefit from state-of-the-art technology as well as traditional art methods and techniques.

The Rog Centre will join an international network, offering living studios for artists in residence to work and exhibit in Ljubljana.

Expected completion: 2018; Assessed investment: EUR 27.6m

REDEVELOPMENT OF LJUBLJANA’S CENTRAL MARKET Being one of the most vibrant spots in the city, Ljubljana’s central market is visited by both locals and tourists. To locals, a call to the market is a social need; to visitors, a stroll along Plečnik’s arcades is one of the city’s sightseeing attractions.

The redevelopment of the market includes the construction of a car park under Vodnik Square, various restoration works, building an extension to the Mahrova house along the east side of the square and redesigning the market’s open space.

The car park is designed to have four underground levels. The first floor will accommodate the delivery and logistics needs of the market, the three lower levels will be open to local residents and visitors. The ground level of Mahrova house and its extension will host a new covered market. The floors of the exten-

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sion will connect with those of the old house in order to accommodate various services: a hotel, catering facilities or shops.

The open market will be equiped with new urban furniture and several trees. A part of the renovation will expose the rich archaeological heritage. In particular, the medieval city entrance with an undeground information point under Krakov square, which can also acess the lower funicular stop to Lubljana castle.

The central market, including Mahrova house, has considerable development potential due to its location in the heart of the city along the Ljubljanica river.

Expected completion: 2018; Assessed investment: EUR 28m 01, 03 Cukrarna – The Sugar Factory; Render: Biro Scapelab 02 Pavilion of the City of Ljubljana at MIPIM 2015 04, 05 The Rog Centre; Render: MX-SI architectural studio 06, 07 Ljubljana's Central Market; Render: Studio Kombinat

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia 01 Park Novo Celje; Photo: Gregor Audič 02 Chef Borut Jovan; Photo: Domen Kolšek 03 Table setting; Photo: Gregor Audič

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A wedding in the heart of a baroque park

Realise your wedding dream with the culinary ecstasy of chef Jovan Even as little girls, women plan their wedding. Through their compliance, men, of course, want to show them just how much they love them - two persuasive reasons for the wedding planner to bring their A game so a couple can live out their wedding dream.

"A couple usually start to plan their wedding before they get in touch with us. At an introductory meeting I try to learn as much as possible about them.

Particularly important is to learn information about them - their way of thinking, their taste and likes - not only about food but also the style of decoration, what music they like and so on," says Goran Obradović, event organiser at "Galerija okusov" (or the Gallery of Taste). Mr Obradović goes on to say: "This is the information which forms the basis of what we can offer couples and which they are maybe not even aware of themselves. This is to be expected because this is their first wedding." The wedding is abundant with tradition which is obligatory, but there are more and more nontraditional weddings and even the throwing of rice as a symbol of fertility is no longer common practice, but there are some things that

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remain: "One cannot do without the wedding ring and the kiss; as a closed circle the former symbolises eternity and wearing it on the ring finger accentuates the 'heart' because the love vein runs through this finger which is directly connected with love and the kiss is a signature of eternal fidelity" elaborates Mr Obradović.

Located in the midst of one of the rare, still preserved, baroque parks in the country, Galerija okusov offers an idyllic setting. Tall trees, the crowns of mighty centuries, tell the stories of romance; sunbeams light the fresh herb gardens with their fragrances cradling the tranquil offer of a friendly environment. Later in the day the moon and stars, in combination with garden lights, unfold in the tree branches, candles and torches outline a movie scene of romance in front of our eyes. All of this is taken

into consideration and so it is no surprise that couples choose this setting for their special day.

"The advantage of our location is peacefulness and remoteness from the city, but at the same time it is close to the Ljubljana-Maribor motorway. Couples like the possibility of realising the entire wedding in one place - from sending out invitations to decoration, the performance of the wedding ceremony and the celebration," replies Mr. Obradović when asked about the popularity of their location.

With a wedding, every detail truly counts.

Supposedly, a wedding guest’s best memory of a wedding is the gown and the food. With the latter, you simply cannot disappoint them with the banquet offered at Galerija okusov; on the contrary, you will leave them speechless. Chef Borut Jovan carefully chooses dishes for the wedding because he learns the tastes of the bride and groom as much as possible. In order to achieve this he follows his main philosophy - to use seasonal ingredients, to awaken traditional Slovenian cuisine prepared according to grandmother’s recipes and combines them with the modern culinary techniques which he has mastered by working in Michelin-star restaurants. "There are no problems because couples who want to marry here are familiar with our style.

We let every couple know that on this special day only two people are important and should therefore not worry about the taste of each individual wedding guest. Sometimes the couple "gets scared" of the menu but we ease their mind and explain that our flavours are not exotic for they are the authentic flavours of dishes we are all familiar with from our surroundings. What makes my plates special is the manner of preparation and bold combination of flavours," further explains chef Jovan.

The form of the wedding banquet nevertheless depends on the wishes of the couple. Most frequently the decision is a reception with seasonal finger foods followed by the wedding ceremony in the heart of Novo Celje park, a champagne toast, buffet with seasonal fruits in ice sculptures during the photo shoot, main reception with the preparation of the food in front of the guests, wedding cake and a snack at a later hour. "Our cakes are not traditional not according to taste nor appearance," says chef Jovan and adds: "here we continue to display our boldness with the combination of flavours of fresh seasonal fruits and fresh herbs. The flavours are divine and an important role is played by my sous-chef, Aljaž Novšak, who is usually in charge of the creation of the cake. The presentation is also a deviation from the traditional; most couples choose cakes where every guest gets a little cake of their own. We also go back to tradition here. The multitier cake was invented by a French confectioner but prior to this the guests would bring a small pastry to the couple and piled it up in tiers". 

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

Otočec Castle Located in the idyllic atmosphere of Dolenjska, by the emerald green Krka River, amidst thick woods and white swans, sits a special jewel among Slovene castles - the fairytale Otočec Castle hidden behind ancient walls.

Hotel Castle Otočec*****, a member of Relais & Chateaux

In recent decades, a premium hotel has been proudly standing on the islet, with only a wooden bridge connecting it to the land. The hotel has been a member of the Relais & Châteaux international chain of hotels since 2010. The romantic past blended with contemporary style will seduce you in the luxuriously equipped suites.

Dejan Pavlič, chef: Otočec Castle is well-known for its excellent cuisine. We are famous for venison, freshwater fish dishes and for our vegetables sourced from local farmers. A special feature is our degustation menu which is adapted to the season and has become our trademark.

The castle restaurant promises an exceptional gourmet experience.

On the photo Dejan Pavlič, chef, Otočec Castle Restaurant’s

Weddings at Otočec The stunning Otočec Castle is the most romantic and exclusive five star wedding venue in Slovenia. Its glamorous environment and energy make for the perfect fairytale setting where dreams come true. …While I saw a number of spectacular places within the ever-changing landscape in Slovenia, there was something special about Otočec Castle. .... I still remember the magical, peaceful and comforting feeling I felt in this setting….

There is no doubt that Otočec Castle was the perfect setting for what was definitely a magical day. The wedding was exactly what I had been dreaming of and more. To this day, our guests comment on how truly elegant the wedding was.

Selina Metez & Christopher Zyderveld, Canada

Otočec Castle

The perfect venue for your perfect day Visit the 5 star luxury castle hotel, a member of Relais&Chateux association!

Enjoy exceptional cuisine or play a round of golf in the heart of unspoilt scenery!

Hotel Grad Otočec***** T: + 386 7 38 48 901 booking@terme-krka.si www.castle-otocec.com Spring Edition 2015 | The Slovenian Times

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia Strelec restaurant; Photo: Arrigler

Castle cafe

Restaurant and pizzeria Angel; Photo: B. Čeferin

GoodLife

Restaurant and café Element

Evergreen restaurant

Pub and pizzeria Kaval

Culinary indulging in everything...

Ljubljana castle

Restaurant and café Element

Pub and pizzeria Kaval

Ljubljana castle is, in addition to the Dragon Bridge, Prešeren Square, Plečnik’s Market Square and the Three Bridges it connects, a wellrecognised sign of Ljubljana giving heridentity and a crown to the castle hill that marks its silhouette. In the wonderful castle surroundings the past meets the present.

Located in the Domus Aurea business hall, in Spodnje Črnuče, this is where the east meetsthe west through taste from places in the world where all five elements occur. Be the element… feel the element… be the fifth element.

Located atthe edge of Ljubljana, far from the city hustle and bustlebutat the same time close, almost at the foot of the Šmarna gora hill and near the Sava River and Tacen rapids.

Castle cafe and the GoodLife

Located inthe Mercator Center Šiška, in Ljubljana, thisis a true spectacle for the eyes and the soul with its minimal but homely lounge ambience.

Give into the divine summer indulgence above the city. On hot summer days, you are cooled by magical angel mist from heavenly heights …

The Middle Ages fairytale and castle spirit with stories from ancient times… The castle café, with itsrocky hall is a unique choice for self-indulgence. At Kaval Group, in addition to events, we conjure up the most memorableday of your life – your wedding ceremony and the wedding feast…

Strelec restaurant The tower of shooters overcomes anyone who enters its embrace. The area is marked by culinary, artistic and cultural events inthe highest level. Seepedwith history in its own peculiar way, it links the castle and the city below.

Castle café Seats Inside: 50, Outside: 100 For: Hostingthe most demanding eventswith catering, musicians, DJs GoodLife Castle Lounge Bar Seats Inside: 150 For: Hosting the most demanding events withcatering, use of all accompanying spaces, from the cloakroom to the lobby; musicians, DJs Strelec Restaurant Seats Inside: 48, Outside: 80 For premiumevents

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Restaurant and pizzeria Angel

Evergreen restaurant The Evergreen restaurant is locatedin idyllic natural surroundings in the midst of perfect nature and is a part of the concept Diners Golf & Country Club Ljubljana. The culinary focus of the concept is: "Back to nature and its basics".

Allow yourself to be spoiled in the idyllic environment and give into the divine delights of the Evergreen restaurant.

Restaurant and Café Element Seats Inside: 80, Outside: 70 For: hostingthe most demanding feasts withcatering, musicians, DJs Restaurant and Pizzeria Angel Seats Inside: 90, Outside: 60 For: Hostingthe most demanding feasts withcatering, musicians, DJs Evergreen Restaurant Seats Inside: 100, Outside: 50 For: Hostingthe most demanding events with catering, musicians, DJs

Spaghetteria and pizzeria Favola In the urban, business oriented location inthe heart of Ljubljana’s Bežigrad, it spoils with sensuous tastes, typical for authentic Italian cooking.

Jezero (lake) Inn Located at the edge of Ljubljana Barje, only a few kilometres from the city centerwhere the embrace of Barje and the green hills tempt.

In homelysurrounding, the innoffers culinary indulgencesfromrenowned Kaval chefs with trademarkKaval Group quality.

Pub and Pizzeria Kaval Seats Inside: 110, Outside: 120 Allows for the most demanding feasts, catering, musicians, DJs Spaghetteria and Pizzeria Favola Seats Inside: 85, Outside: 35 Musicians, DJs, banquets and feasts for small groups Jezero Inn Seats Inside: 90, Outside: 100 Allows for the most demanding events with catering, musicians, DJs

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia Spaghetteria and pizzeria Favola; Photo: B. Čeferin

Paviljon pub

Lolita; Photo: Kambič

Jezero Inn

'Pri Trubarjevi mami' Inn

Café Bienale; Photo: B. Gradnik

For everyone...

Paviljon – pub with a concept

Lolita – sinful sweetness

Kaval pool hall

Situated in Gospodarsko razstavišče in the popular "Jurček" at the fountain with the dancing Urška and Povodni mož. The Paviljon pub is for all lovers of hop beverages and exquisite wine. Of course, there are also culinary delights. The basement space, full of nostalgia and homeliness, continues its established tradition forsocialising over food and drinks, tasting different quality wines and local and foreign beer. The upper part offers a café and lounge bar…

Lolita seduces and satisfies all the senses… if you enter its surroundings, you will succumb to its charms. Seated on a warm sofa, staring out the large windows and enjoying the movie Ljubljana playsout in front of you,it will smell ofalmonds, chocolate, freshly baked cookies, vanilla, tea, and coffee.

In November, 2014, the renovated pool hall Kaval opened its doors.

Events atthe Kaval pool hall: State Championships, Kaval Masters’Tournament, Snooker Masters League, State Championship in snooker, darts tournaments, event broadcasts, pool classes forall levels.

Pool hall Kaval is a part of the Kaval Club Pub and Café. Located far from the city hustle and bustle and at the same time very close, almost at the foot of the Šmarna gora hill and near the Sava River and Tacen rapids.

'Pri Trubarjevi mami' (Trubar’s mother) Inn Under the close surveillance of Dr Janez Bogataj, the nice little inn, Kavalino – Kaval Group has gained a new culinary dimension… typical local dishes from the 16th century on the plates of the culinary catechism from the times of Primož Trubar. The Pri Trubarjevi mami Inn is a newly developed culinary story from the times of our ancestors, where a tasty and modern signature plate is presented, with respect and regard to the dishes and foods of the days of Trubar.

Paviljon – pub with a concept Seats Inside: 90, Outside: 120 Enables the most demanding feasts with catering, musicians, DJs, event organisation Pri Trubarjevi mami Inn Seats Inside: 90, Outside: 60 Musicians, DJs, banquets and feasts for small groups

Café Bienale In the heart of Ljubljana’s Tivoli Park, in the wonderful manor at the topof the Tivoli promenade, surrounded by greenery and a beautiful rose ambience. In winter, the café is where thereal winter fairytale takes place, anidyllic view to the centre of Ljubljana takes your breath away.

Cat Café & Sweet shop Sapramiška Intended for our youngest visitors. In the fairytale environment, where aspiring youngsters can play free of care. Fabulous and very special birthday parties and celebrations take place here. In this fairytale, two little cafes are hidden, offering a wide selection of sweets, cakes, ice cream, croissants, and beverages.

Lolita – Sinful Sweetness Seats Inside: 50, Outside: 116 For smaller events (presentations, etc.)

Cat Café Hosting children’sbirthday parties, catering

Catering Kaval Kaval catering is famous for its difference and creativity. Well-versed and professional staff conjure upan unforgettable event, superiorcuisine, complete trust and enjoyment of anevent.

Each event is designed with a personal touch, difference, and creativity…

Catering Island on the Sava river "Posavec" Kaval Group hides many different pearls. On the Posavec island on the Sava River, in Podnart village under a hayrack and in the shadow of high trees, we have arranged an idyllic picnic spot. The place is ideal for socialising, team building, weddings, office parties etc.

Mežica Coalmine Unique culinary indulgence in the Peca underground. King Matjaž and his Alenčica conjure up an unforgettable adventure for you.

Far from the crazy world, far from all those thoughts which burden our everyday lives.

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia Polenta – Jelkin hram; Photo: Pukšič

Slovenia’s Traditional Cuisine With A Twist EDEN (European Destinations of ExcelleNce) is a project with the goal of advocating the advancement of sustainable tourism in the European Union.

It began in 2006 and follows the guidelines of the European Tourism Policy and was initiated by the European Commission. It is designed to promote European beauty, culture and diversity. The project is based on national competitions and each year there is a new theme to advocate diversified tourism.

Until now, there have been five locations in Slovenia which have been chosen to receive this prestigious award. Based on their culinary delights, environmental, cultural and social sustainability, these locations have been stamped as the best in tourism.

Sirnek – Aged Solčava cheese

The Soča Valley

The Solčavsko region

The Soča Valley was the first Slovenian location, chosen in 2008. The Soča Valley is a beautiful destination located in the region of Primorska, near the border between Slovenia and Italy. The valley boasts the Soča River, a natural marvel featuring green-sapphire water, guaranteed to delight any traveller. The traditional culinary experience is one to experience - from the famous Tolminc cheese, which has been made for centuries in the traditional manner, to the "Bovški krafi", a desert similar to ravioli, filled with dried pears. The Soča Valley is unique in its cheese making, made using both traditional and modern methods on the alpine hills above the valley. A dish not to be missed is "frika", potatoes cooked with Tolminc cheese.

The perfect desert to finish with is "Kobariški štruklji", a pastry filled with walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. The Soča valley offers a wellrounded cuisine that can be enjoyed by all ages.

The 2009 winner was the Solčavsko region close to the Austrian border. Its main feature is most definitely the local cuisine. Almost all of the farms in the area are organic and the culinary offer is based on local ingredients, the most famous dish is undoubtedly "sirnek".

This dish can be translated as "aged Solčava cheese", with its pungent taste; it is perfect for cheese lovers and connoisseurs. Homemade cheese is abundant in this region, often flavoured with herbs and spices. The next most famous dish is "zgornjesavinjski želodec", a type of salami which, while being difficult to pronounce, is most definitely easy to enjoy.

It is not hard to see why, being locally made and a geographically protected product, it is produced from and cured by the clean alpine climate. Other dishes that are a must include lamb, deer, honey and small dumplings filled with dried pears.

Zgornjesavinjski želodec

Harmony of Nature – Hiša Franko

Tolminc cheese Žlinkrofi – Dumplings

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

Belokranjski nadev; Photo: T. Urh

Žlikrofi with Bakalca; Photo: Kenda Manor

Potica – A yeast cake with nuts

Belokranjska pogača

Kanomlja Trout; Photo: Kenda Manor

Thermana Honey Pie

Bela Krajina lamb

Chicken ragout "Ajmoht"; Photo: Kenda Manor

Laško beer

The Kolpa River

Idrija

Laško

The Kolpa River won the award in 2010. Located in Kočevsko and Bela Krajina, on the border between Croatia and Slovenia, it is picturesque in nature. Don’t be surprised if you are served "belokranjska pogača" when you first arrive – an inviting flat bread, usually served warm, to welcome guests. Meals are simple such as "čušpajs" (a traditional stew), dumpling soup and mutton and cabbage stew, all of which pair nicely with one of the award winning wines produced in Bela Krajina. A time not to be missed is Easter, with the famous Bela Krajina Easter eggs or "pisanice" which are the jewels of spring. They are decorated with the most intricate of patterns and the process is an art all its own. The traditional Easter dishes "belokranjski nadev", meat filled with ham, eggs, dried bread, and onion and "ajdova povitica", a savoury-sweet cake made with a ricotta and sour cream filling, are a treat during the spring.

Other local dishes include pork, lamb and sausages, perfect for any meat lover.

This is not your typical traditional experience though. While the cuisine does have a strong heritage, it is also sometimes mixed with a modern twist, bringing the recipes of our grandmothers, into the 21st century.

In 2011, Idrija became the fourth winner. Now a UNESCO Heritage site, Idrija is best known for mercury, lace and "idrijski žlikrofi". One of the largest mercury mines in the world was located in Idrija and it is also has a tradition of lace-making that has been handed down for more than 300 years. The culinary delights to be had are numerous. One of the most famous dishes is "idrijski žlikrofi", a savoury dumpling usually filled with potatoes, onions, herbs and meat. They are served with different sauces, most traditionally with a sauce called "bakalca", which is made from mutton and vegetables. There are also delicacies such as "zeljševka" (rolls with herbs), "smukavc" (a type of vegetable soup), "štruklji" (dumplings), "ocvirkovca" (a type of bread with crackling), and many more satisfying dishes. Make sure to wash it all down with a glass of "geruš" or wormwood liqueur, a famous drink traditionally enjoyed by the local Idrijan miners. There is even a feast held in honour of the famous idrijski žlikrofi on the last Saturday in August yet another reason to visit Idrija.

The last Slovenian location to win was Laško in 2013. Laško is near the centre of Slovenia and if you ask a Slovenian about Laško, the first thing they would most likely say is "pivo" (beer).

Laško is known for its traditional beer brewing, which just so happens to be the perfect drink to complement the fine cuisine to be had in Laško.

The local cuisine is one of the special experiences to be had in Laško with a unique tradition of using warm cream, paired with dishes such as gnocchi, "potica" (a yeast cake with nuts), honey cake, dumplings, ravioli and meat. There is also a strong tradition of beekeeping. Laško features the famous Gardens of Honey Plants and tasting the honey is an experience not to be missed.

The locals also like to integrate beer and honey in their food: you can taste numerous dishes at Castle Tabor which includes beer (from starters to desserts) and try the "Honey Menu" in Thermana Laško. Tourist farms are also famous in Laško, providing year round fresh ingredients for the fresh and unique cuisine. They feature sustainable chicken farming and sheep cheese making, along with other dairy products. The highlight of the year is the famous "Pivo in Cvetje" (Beer & Flowers) event. It is a celebration with beer, music, an exhibition and an amazing fireworks display, making Laško the place to be during the hot summer months. 

Ocvirkovca; Photo: Kenda Manor

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Experience&Lifestyle Slovenia

Grand Hotel Union THE TRADITION, THE VENUE, THE EXPERIENCE

MELODY, CULTURE AND TASTY EXPERIENCES

CONNECT, EXCITE, INSPIRE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF WINE

It’s finally spring! The warm sunshine and longer days make it feel like summer already and it is somewhat reassuring that we might be done with the snow for the next few months.

The arrival of the new season also brings new ideas, events, travel and happenings. We just love to explore new venues, listen to concerts, meet for drinks after work, network… For more than a decade, the Grand Hotel Union has been Ljubljana’s longest, continuously running hotel dedicated to providing a comfortable and beautiful experience to guests visiting Slovenia and the city of Ljubljana. The Grand Hotel Union is not just a hotel, it comes with a treasure trove of experiences- it is a venue with the look and feel of a warm, welcoming palace where nice things happen. Just perfect for this spring!

The Union café, situated within the hotel, has the peaceful atmosphere of hundred year old stories where new chapters are written every week. Not only a cafe, it is an enjoyable venue that offers an impressive line-up of concerts and special events throughout the year. There is always something interesting going on in this lively café - from cultural debates, theatre performances for children, gourmet events, dance evenings, acoustic concerts and wine degustation.

In cooperation with many musical societies, the Union Hotels Group supports the next-generation of musicians and keeps the tradition of folk music alive through regular concerts. One of the most acclaimed artists in Slovenia, Neisha, following her acoustic concert at the Grand Union Cafe said: "This place oozes character, homey comfort, serenity, and positive energy".

Wine and the culture of wine are an increasingly important part of not only our everyday lives, but also of the business world. Knowledge of wine is a great starting point for discussions with business partners, especially when you invite them to wine tastings, which are a most pleasant experience and an indispensable part of any good company.

The Grand Hotel Union is well aware of this and offers not only a welcoming ambience under the chandeliers, but also a wine list featuring more than 170 types of fine wine.

The hotel is committed to promoting wine culture through their monthly educational wine events, VIVA IL VINA. These events are the perfect opportunity for creating new business or personal stories, which start with attendees admiring the beautiful wine colours, savouring the wine aroma and tasting the full flavour of the wines and is rounded off by making an excellent impression on business partners.

You are kindly invited to visit the Union Cafe! 

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

2015 Ljubljana, 7 - 9 May

#ifeelsLOVEnia

BUSINESS STORY: TRUE STORY: YOUR STORY! Live it in Ljubljana!

SIW - Slovenian Incoming Workshop The largest business event in the Slovenian tourism industry with the greatest number of tourism providers in one place.

www.slovenia.info/siw siw@slovenia.info

Culture & Events Interview: Jan Goossens

Q How did you get involved with Slovenia?

Q Contemporary performing arts are not among A As always, I connect first with people rather first associations when someone thinks about than with places. In the case of Slovenia, that person is definitely Exodos-producer, Nataša Zavolovšek who I met on the Board of IETM, the informal European theatre network.

Through many intense conversations about international performing arts, we developed a common understanding of what we find important and worthwhile and then later decided to continue this relationship by collaborating on the Exodos Festival.

Q Every Exodos Festival focuses on a different

Mamela Nyamza; Photo: Zanele Muholi

Future archives: an Africa focus

world region. This year the focus is on Africa and you were invited to curate the program. How does Africa inspire you personally?

A One thing that has really struck me is that the reality of Africa in the 21st century has very little to do with our own prejudices about the 'dark and exotic' continent that we constantly project on it and which say much more about us and the way we tend to look at the 'other', than about Africa itself. Yes, Africa has its problems, its wars and its diseases. But then again, doesn’t Europe also?

And yes, Africa is a huge continent, but does Africa, as one homogenous place, really exist? What do the realities of Mozambique in the south-east and Senegal in the west, and their artists and cultures, have to do with each other? Very little! And mostly, isn’t Africa also a continent of huge possibilities, of real growth, of immense wisdom, of great pleasure and joy and of boundless creativity?

Definitely! As African philosopher, Achille Mbembe, once said when referring to Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas who spent a lot of time in the Nigerian capital, Lagos and came back very impressed: 'The world is catching up with Africa, not the other way around.'

Jan Goossens, a world renowned name in the field of contemporary performance arts and Artistic Director at the Brussels City Theatre KVS has dedicated his work to transforming the theatre into a multidisciplinary and multilingual cultural institution with strong international connections. He is one of the initiators of the KVS-Congoprogram, through which KVS has Q The festival will show performances from built an intense exchange program Africa. What were the criteria you used in the selection process? with Congolese artists and cultural A As always I was looking for adventurous, organisations. Goossens is also daring and very personal work. None of the co-founder of the Shared Spaces chosen artists are reproducing or reconfirmnetwork, focusing on intercontinental ing what we think we know about Africa. Their work has the power to open our eyes to what work-netting of cultural operators. Africa is today: an extremely diverse contiHe will be visiting Ljubljana in nent, of more than 50 countries and more than April as the program curator of 19 a billion people and of extremely diverse and Exodos, the festival of contemporary daring artists, who not only experiment with their art form, but also really have something performing arts. to say and share with the world, and with a larger audience than just the spectators in the performance spaces. So generally speaking, my criteria were no different from the ones with which I look at work from any other artists for any other program: I am interested in singular, deep and brave voices, both as artists and as human beings.

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Africa. What can an audience expect from the festival?

A Compared to Europe in 2015, Africa is probably a continent that is a lot more in touch with many contemporary evolutions in this world than we can see or want to see from here.

Along with some of the negative developments of the 21st century such as global warming or religious extremism, also plenty of positive and innovative forms of social, cultural and artistic activities are emerging on the continent.

Some artists react to it poetically, some are angry, some in a charming or festive way, but all of them are very directly and deeply in touch with the 'here and now' surrounding them. So I can’t really think of artists in this world that are more contemporary than the ones that will visit Ljubljana in April. And hopefully all audiences will let themselves be surprised by them, rather than arriving with their own fixed expectations of what 'African' means that they then want to be confirmed.

Q Why is such a festival important for Slovenia and what is its significance at a European / global level?

A I think Europe and Slovenia desperately need windows on the world. When I travel in Africa, Asia or Latin-America, I notice how people are open, look outward and want to move forward. Starting with their own backgrounds and sensibilities, but with a desire to be citizens of the world and to think about the world with a curiosity. Festivals like Exodos remind us of that and therefore make an immensely meaningful contribution to the future of our societies. They deserve a lot more public support than they are getting. In general, I would say that it is crucial for all countries, but certainly for small ones like Slovenia, to have outgoing and curious artists and cultural operators. They invite the world into Slovenia and they also give the country exposure in the rest of Europe, and in other continents.  Jan Goossens; Photo: DannyWillems

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Photo: Dunja Wedam/Turizem Ljubljana

Photo: Eventim

Photo: Maj Pavček/Cankarjev dom

Event Guide

Festival

June in Ljubljana Kongresni trg, Ljubljana, 12 – 21 June Light entertainment by day, high culture by night available in the heart of the city free of charge. That is what the June in Ljubljana Festival is all about. City life in Ljubljana will be livened up by a great many free events held in the Kongresni trg. Those taking place in the morning will be intended for children, afternoons will be reserved for light dance and music performances and evenings for top quality dance, theatre and music events.

Multimedia Show

Improvision Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, 25 May, Tickets EUR 14 – 25 For the fourteenth time, Improvision, an improvised parody of the Eurovision Song Contest, will entertain audiences desirous of aesthetic kitsch.

Dance performance

A Marathon Duet

Rosana Hribar, Gregor Luštek Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, 4 June, Tickets EUR 18, at 20.00 The couple’s dance duets (10 Years, Duet 012, Fourteen, 16) express the sixteen-year professional and romantic history of the contemporary dance artists Rosana Hribar and Gregor Luštek, who relate their life story on stage through the idiom of dance. Based on ongoing research, Pas de deux – Form or Way of Living is reconstructed and updated every two years.

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The Slovenian Times | Spring Edition 2015

Photo: Aleš Fevžer/Turizem Ljubljana

Križanke, Ljubljana, 7 June, Tickets EUR 32 This summer Ljubljana is about to witness the return of one of the seminal rap-metal bands that walks and talks the tough life as we know it - Body Count from South Central, Los Angeles. Led by the infamous rapper and renowned action film actor Ice-T, Body Count hit hard and mercilessly with their EP, Copkiller. As brutal as its title, the EP showed the world that the deadly quintet meant business, even if it meant crossing the line of taste, diplomacy and tact.

Body Count always means business. With their first, self-titled album, Body Count showed their view of LA which was burning in the fires of LA riots, while always giving top-notch performance to back up this statement of disgust and criticism with utter efficiency and razor sharp frankness. The next album was even more powerful - Born Dead was a deadly strike against the establishment, while the following opus Violent Demise: The Last Days gave the world a chance to witness how the warriors of South Central grew older and colder. Last year the shotgun fired again and Body Count rose to the scene with their deadly effort Manslaughter.

Photo: Jana Jocif/Turizem Ljubljana

Ljubljana, 13 – 17 May This event will be held in the centre of Ljubljana where a table with 22 guests will be suspended at a height of 50 metres by a team of professionals, with a guest chef and waiters serving from the centre of the table and where guests can enjoy one of their life’s most unique and special meals with their relatives and friends. It’s truly a gastronomic experience like no other.

Body Count

Culinary experience

Ljubljana Wine Route Photo: Miha Fras/Cankarjev dom

Dinner in the Sky

Photo: SORA Catering/Split Tourist Board

Culinary experience

Music

Ljubljana, 20 June The wine tasting and culinary event, the Ljubljana Wine Route will once again bring together winemakers from Slovenia’s three wine regions. Wines and traditional Slovenian dishes will be available from stalls set up in front of the old city centre’s restaurants and bars. The event will be accompanied by performances from various cultural societies and folklore dance groups.

Poster: Metaldays

Photo: Toto Press

Photo: Bob Dylan Press

Event Guide

Music

Toto

Support Act: Perpetuum Jazzile

Bob Dylan and his band

Photo: Eventim

Dvorana Stožice, Ljubljana, 25 June, Tickets EUR 46 – 99 Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour is coming to Ljubljana for the fourth time. He performed in the Slovenian capital in 1991, 1999, 2010 and he's cooming back this June. The Never Ending Tour has been the nickname for Dylan's endless touring schedule since June 1988. It’s a stark contrast from the 1970s and ’80s, when Dylan would only occasionally tackle short world tours and appear at such major events as Live Aid and Farm Aid. But in 1988, Dylan discovered the right road rhythm and took off, hitting the circuit in June and playing 73 shows. He hasn’t played fewer than 80 shows a year since. During the tour, musicians have come and gone and the band has continued to evolve. They have amassed a huge fan base; with some fans travelling the world to attend as many Dylan shows as possible.

Festival

Flow Festival Tobačna mesto, Ljubljana, 26 – 28 June, Tickets EUR 45 (1 day) – 95 (3 day) The Flow Festival is one of the most creative and unique music festivals in the world is for the first time expanding beyond it’s native Helsinki. The lineup for the Flow Festival Ljubljana includes the Pet Shop Boys, Roisin Murphy, Metronomy, Run The Jewels, Caribou, Jose Gonzalez, Derrick May, Âme, Dixon and BonoboDJ set, as well as local and regional artists such as Bad Copy, Edo Maajka, Polona Kasal x KALU and Torul. The festival area includes three venues and the lineup will include over 30 acts.

Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana, 2 July, Tickets EUR 38 - 55 Few groups in the history of recorded music have individually or collectively had a larger imprint on pop culture than the members of Toto.

As individuals, the band members can be heard on an astonishing 5,000 albums that together amass a sales history of half a billion albums.

With over 38 years together and thousands of credits and accolades to their names, Toto remains one of the top selling tour and recording acts in the world. They are the benchmark by which many artists base their sound and production, and they continue to transcend the standards set by the entire music community, being simply synonymous with musical credibility. In 2015, Toto embarked upon a massive world tour where they will unveil some songs from their new album, share some deep tracks from past Toto albums, and perform all the hits their fans have come to love and expect.

For the very first time in front of Slovenian audiences, Toto will perform their timeless hits such as Africa, Rosanna, Stop loving You, Out of Love and other popular songs from their long and illustrious career. The a capella group, Perpetuum Jazzile, will open the night, exclusively in Ljubljana.

Festival

Metaldays

Photo: Photo archive Turizem Ljubljana

Music

Sotočje, Tolmin, 19 – 25 July, Tickets EUR 149 (7 day) The festival is being held at Sotočje, which lies in between two mountain rivers, the Tolminka and Soča. Metaldays has two “festival-owned” beaches for you to relax on. However, the two rivers are not the only reason Sotocje is that beautiful: Tolmin is located about 65 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea, which really gives you that holiday feel. The road you travel on will lead you through the Alps, scenery that will astonish both full grown metal heads and families with children. The Metaldays area is a part of the Julijske Alpe National Parks and the river Soča is one of the cleanest rivers in Europe.  Culinary experience

Open Kitchen Food Market Central Market, Ljubljana, Every Friday From the first day of spring until the end of October, sunny Fridays in Ljubljana are reserved for casual get-togethers at the Open Kitchen Food Market. Between 8am and 8 pm a number of freshly prepared homemade goodies and a variety of international dishes at affordable prices are served with an unforgettable vivid atmosphere, right in the heart of the city.

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