Slovenian President meets representatives of Slovenian minorities from neighbouring countries

Ljubljana, 7.2.2012  |  press release

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, received representatives of the Slovenian national communities from Austria, Croatia, Italy and Hungary to mark the Slovenian Cultural Holiday. On this occasion, President Türk had a long conversation with the representatives of the Slovenian national communities on the common Slovenian cultural space and the current situation and projects for Slovenians in Slovenia's neighbouring countries.

The Slovenian President first described the common Slovenian cultural space as an idea that gives relevance to Slovenian identity and culture and which, to a significant extent, depends on individuals providing for the development of culture in this area. He underlined that the Slovenian language is vital in this regard. He recalled the European projects which enabled the use of the Slovenian language as a modern European language on the one hand, and the efforts made to ensure standard language rights such as bilingual place names or the use of the Slovenian language in administration and schools, on the other.

President Türk also touched on the issue of topical political questions as being important for the development of the Slovenian cultural space. He noted that Slovenia currently finds itself in a certain development crunch, which stems from the conflict between the tradition of gradually implementing social changes and the need for more radical reforms. Among the questions indirectly linked with the Slovenian cultural space, he highlighted the issue of youth unemployment, which affects the frame of mind of young people, while among the issues indirectly linked with the Slovenian cultural area, he touched on the question of the concept and understanding of culture itself.

Culture is not just about the arts, which represents the most sophisticated part of the culture, but much more, underlined President Türk. He explained that this was a system of values for our life and reality in the widest sense of the word. The concept of culture, according to President Türk, also includes some topical issues such as the question of relations between different branches of power, the institutional regulation of relations in the area of culture, and financing artistic activities.

President Türk also touched upon the development of the Slovenian cultural space in Slovenia's neighbouring countries. He pointed to the compromise reached on bilingual place names in Austria as a good example of this, which is being continued with the discussions underway on the law on national communities. In Hungary, which recently adopted a new constitution, a suitable interpretation of the autochthonous status of the Slovenian minority in Hungary should be ensured, serving as a basis for suitable practical solutions.

The arbitration agreement with Croatia has created a new climate in bilateral relations and contributed to the more open treatment of the position of Slovenians, the Slovenian language and culture in Croatia. A certain improvement to the political climate has occurred in Italy and the level of financing of Slovenian community projects in Italy remained in place despite the financial limitations.

At the end of his address, President Türk pointed out the importance of those European projects that provide new opportunities and bilateral agreements for the development of the existing activities of the Slovenian national communities in each country.