January 8, 2008
Slovenia wins media’s heart
If oompah music and fire-eaters in folk costume are the way to win the European media’s heart, then Slovenia, the new holder of the rotating EU presidency, is off to a flying start.
The melodies struck up by the accordionist, horn player and guitarist who entertained a pack of Brussels-based reporters at a farm restaurant outside Ljubljana on Monday night were so rumbustious that one normally vivacious French journalist slumped ever more glumly in his seat. “Is this what EU enlargement really means?” he was no doubt asking himself.
Earlier, the Slovenian government had taken everyone off to the mountain resort of Bled, where colourfully dressed performers swallowed fire and danced with swords in the castle courtyard.
If it sounds nuts, it is – but don’t blame the Slovenes. Every country that holds the EU presidency puts on a show at the start of its six-month term of office.
The more serious stuff involves the numerous opportunities that the reporters get to huddle with government ministers. For example, I was able to ask Janez Jansa, Slovenia’s prime minister, how his background as an anti-communist dissident in former Yugoslavia in the late 1980s would influence his handling of EU affairs over the next six months.
“This is precious experience,” he replied, “for example, when we discuss the future status of Kosovo and the relationship of Kosovars and Serbs.”
He continued: “Twenty years ago, when I was a freelance journalist, I was imprisoned for writing some critical articles about the Yugoslav army. The strongest support I got came from democratic forces in Serbia, from NGOs, which were more or less illegal at the time.”
In other words, Jansa was saying, don’t write off the potential for democracy in Serbia.
He went on: “When I was in military prison in 1988, among the 40 of us there were four or five Slovenes and more than 30 Kosovo Albanians. There had been a purge of the Yugoslav army, and the Albanians were treated worse than us. They were beaten. The Serbian guards didn’t let them have medical help… It’s not possible after all this for these two nations, Serbs and Albanians, to live in peace in one state. Better to start from a new beginning, with new generations, on the basis of European values.”
Jansa’s experiences 20 years ago help to explain why he believes Kosovo must be allowed its independence – but also why Serbia must be offered a convincing prospect of EU membership.
The Slovenes know the western Balkans inside out, and their judgements command respect. If they achieve nothing else during their presidency, let’s hope they at least make some progress in this unstable corner of Europe that got left behind when the Cold War ended.
I am thrilled with Slovenia’s presidency. They’ve really showed themselves capable of fulfilling the heavy responsibility of being the first ex-communist country to take on the task. From what they’ve been saying and how they’ve been saying it so far, I think they’ll be impressive
Posted by: rbw1 | January 14th, 2008 at 12:58 pm | Report this commentLet’s hope that little Slovenia can find the key to solving the big Kosovo independence/Serbia problem. It sound like they just might be able to do it. JLW
Posted by: Jerome Wilson | January 16th, 2008 at 3:07 am | Report this commentSlovenia has many problems at home and thinking of Slovenia as of a country, which will help to solve a problem of Kosovo is just an illusion. The main issue before the current government before the presidency was how to conceal the truth about some very tickly issues - deportation of Roma people; suppresion of citizen’s rights of so called “erased” Serbs,Croats and other ex-Yugoslav people living in Slovenia when it attained independence,.. - from the EU, democratic european public,and especially from the media. Hiding the real issues (which shows the country’s undemocratic character) from democratic Europe is a big burden for Slovenia and its people who should »obey« prime minister’s order not to expose Slovenian problems in front of the european public at the time of Slovenian presidency. ????Which problem should Slovenia solve first??
Posted by: Alenka Kuhelj | January 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 am | Report this commentI am soo dissapointed in Sloveniaand EU. It is amazing how Slovenia was leading the EU gang and intregal part of it doing the biding of the big members and most of all EU Brussels. Trying to convince even Russia that Slovenian as EU president its policies are for the best and the so called high ground of the European way meaning Brussels self serving ways. Now they are spooked panicked and scared what will happen to Slovenian investments in Serbia if their is a organized boycott of its company’s.
And Slovenian land grab crime is lower then we as a free people can prosses. Croatians have tried to go to international justice to settle their border disputes but the Slovenians have refused because they don’t have a leg to stand on. They try to threaten with the EU card what a poor excuse the mouse that roared. Slovenian land grab crime is namely territory over which Croatia has more than 15,000 Croats were murdered 4000 are still missing 220,000 displaced. Croatians suffered as Slovenia stab Croatia in the back. If we start redrawing borders Southeast Europe could fall off track again with open bordering issue, with nasty repercussions for everyone and Moscow and its Serbian mini-me on doorstep of the West’s elite clubs.
On Croatian side of the Adriatic Sea Croatia has every right under international law of the sea to implement it. Also not to be bullied when the hypocrites in EU, Italy and Slovenia have their own proclaimed protected fishing and ecological zones on their sides of the Adriatic sea. If the Croatian fishing fleet would ignore it and tried to fish their the boats would be sized and crews charged in court. I am soo dissapointed in EU and how they behaved towards Croatia on this matter.? EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement that refusing to open up the fisheries and ecological zone to all member states would lead to “negative” consequences. So the EU states can rape and pillage wipe out your resources at will and make a quick profit without any consequences to them selfs. To hell with both Italy, Slovenia and EU. Very sad picture how they behaved towards Croatia.
Posted by: mario cavloviak | February 20th, 2008 at 3:11 pm | Report this commentSlovenian and EU gang is a cruel public decapitation: EU continues to betraya their friends. Slovenia now a part of the EU gang, is not the only country, EU’s land grab crime is lower then we as a free people can prosses. The country’s institutions become only a rubber stamp of the masters in Brussels. EU is becoming a dictatorship it just needs a dictator and his cronies to take the helm. Is that what Croatia fought fore and sacrificed. My advise to any country thinking of becoming a slave of the EU run fast and separate your self from the EU its not worth it.
PS. so-called undivided Adriatic Sea. The sea is not and cannot be the subject of succession sea belongs to the land and depends on the land which is Croatia! What is sad about all this Slovenia disallows Austria access to sea.
Posted by: Phoenix | February 20th, 2008 at 3:30 pm | Report this commentPhoenix it is amazing how Slovenia is leading the EU: Slovenian foreign affairs minister Dimitrij Rupel commented on ZERP (Protected Ecological Fishery Zone) on Slovenian television. He said that he hopes that the Croatian Cabinet will soon solve the problem of opening up Adriatic Sea to Italy and Slovenia fishing and stop protecting Adriatic Sea and fishing stocks on the Croatian side of the Adriatic Sea, which Croatia says are being depleted by Italy, Slovenia and EU larger fishing fleet. Rupel said in a statement that refusing to open up the fisheries and ecological zone to European Union, or EU’s contrarys it will be faced with “sanctions”, said Slovenian press agency. “Slovenia wins media’s and hearts” Wake up and put down the crack pipe.
Posted by: mario cavloviak | February 21st, 2008 at 8:45 pm | Report this comment