Slovenian President advocates improving information on Austrian Carinthia’s Slovene minority and support for projects to promote Austro-Slovenian coexistence

Ljubljana, 17.6.2008  |  press release

The President of the Republic, Dr Danilo Türk, today received the journalist and author, Mr Mirko Bogataj, who has a reputation as an expert on the situation of the Carinthian Slovenes, the internal political development of Austria and the Austrian Bundesland of Carinthia. Mr Bogataj gave the Slovenian President a copy of his book ‘Die Kärntner Slowenen: Ein Volk am Rand der Mitte’ (Carinthian Slovenes - A People on the Margin of the Middle), which was previously presented in the Austrian Parliament on 29 May 2008. With this and other presentations, the author has made a highly valued contribution to dialogue between the majority and minority communities in Carinthia, and to awareness and understanding of the Slovene minority and its importance in Austria.

Dr Türk and Mr Bogataj agreed that communication between Carinthian Slovenes and their Austrian counterparts still required additional efforts, both in Austria and otherwise, to help eliminate outmoded prejudices and fears. They, therefore, advocated establishing better economic, cultural and political cooperation between Carinthia and individual Slovene local authorities. Dr Türk and Mr Bogataj agreed that good neighbourly relations and functioning coexistence between the two nations are the two factors which would best ease the situation of the Carinthian Slovenes.