Highlights – August 2008
The topic of the month: The Parliamentary elections 2008
The president of the Republic Danilo Turk confirmed the 21st of September, on Sunday, as the date of this year`s elections in the Parliament assembly. The election campaign will officially begin on 22nd of August, before autumnal parliamentary elections and during summer holidays, therefore 30 days before the election day. The time for registering the list of candidates will expire on 27th of August. If you are registered in the evidence of citizen voters of the republic of Slovenia with the right to vote, but you don`t have the permanent residence in the region of Slovenia, then you will be put on the electoral roll, which will be composed for the region of the jurisdiction of the diplomatic-consular mission. The electoral roll will be accessible on the place of the Representation up to the 6th of September 2008. Within these days it is possible to get an insight into the electoral roll and claim the corrigendum.
You can give your vote on the election day on the 21st of September in many ways:
a) By post: on your address you will be sent – in accordance with the constitutional provisions under the Law of Elections in the Parliament assembly, paragraf 82 – the official voting but blank paper or the voting paper with the list of candidates and their names. Also it wil be enclosed the election district , unless you are to far from Slovenia. On the voting paper it will be stated the directive of the tecnical view of the elections and the explanation enclosure. You will fill in the voting paper, sign with your own signature and send it to a district electoral commission; the address wil be enclosed. It will be possible to send it also to the diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Slovenia.
b) On the polling station in the place of the diplomatic – consular mission of the Republic of Slovenia on the 21st of September 2008, open from 9 am to 5pm, local time.You must have a document with you – for your (required) identification.
c) On the special polling station into the district od Republic of Slovenia, but only with your previous announcement to a district electoral commission (administrative unit) in the district where you will vote, but not later then 18th of September 2008.
For more information you can contact with the diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Slovenia or directly to the State electoral commission. You can get more details about the Legislation and electoral information on www: www.dvk.gov.si.
The successful fellow countrymen: Dr. Avgust Božidar Pust – graphic designer, artist, publisher and diplomat
In his life Mr. Pust built a distinguished career not only in his profession but also in numerous fields of work. He is crowned with success in his native country and new country, too. He is this year`s recipient of a special prestigious medal awarded by the USA for the successful work with numerous ethnic groups in the State of Ohio. This Medal, 2008 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, is named after the small island Ellis in New York. It matters a lot to him, that he prides himself upon his title »director emeritus« of the Multicultural Affairs & International Relations, in the Governor’s Office, State of Ohio.
He is also a retired member of U.S. Commisson for Preservation America’s Heritage Abroad and as the »Citizen Diplomat« he collaborates with bringing to effect the international and non-government programmes. The linkage and exchange of young professionals run over these programmes abroad. He is also a founder-member of the Slovene Museum and Archives, Slovene-American cultural Counsel and Slovene-American artist club. Several times he was awarded by the Slovenia, too. He is the recipient of the »Memorandum« / in 1992/, deserving thanks of Slovene government for the efforts at the recognition of the new State and the recipient of the »Honorary Order of the Freedom Medal« of the Republic of Slovenia /in 2001/.
Our notes: The meetings of Slovenes
In the beginning of summer Slovenia hosted the numerous meetings of the Slovenes from the world. These meetings served as the source of many useful information for the participants in the exceedingly pleasant meeting again and the association. The world`s Slovene congress was the intiator of the first professional meeting on Slovene mountain-climbing abroad, which was intended for the recognition and the connection of our mountain organizations from the world with the similar organizations in Slovenia. The meetings took place from 26th to 29th June in Bled and other sites of Gorenjska. On Thursday, 3rd of July, already the VIII. Pan-Slovene meeting took place in the great hall of the Parliament assembly in Ljubljana and every year it is organized by the Commission for the relations with the Slovenes abroad and over the world. The topic of this year`s meetings was the » intercultural dialogue«. This special dialogue was one of the topic, which was extra exposed to the time of Slovene presidency to the EU. On the 6th of July the Slovene felow countrymen gathered also on the traditional performance so called »Srečanje v moji deželi«/ The meeting in my country, which took place this year in the Kromberk castle at Nova Gorica. The meeting, meant for the recognition and friendship, has been organized by the Slovene emigration Society for more then 50 years. This year they arranged for a novelty – they invited to join the foreign folllowers, living in the Slovenia. On the 12th of July already the 15th camp for the Slovenes abroad took place in Velike Lašče and its surrounding, organized each year by the emigration society »Slovenia in the world«. The central topic ot the meeting, first organized outside of the rooms of the educational establishment of St. Stanislav in Ljubljana, was a chance of mutual connection between the native country and Slovene fellow countrymen abroad.