:Slovenia Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Slovenia
Type:
emerging democracy
Capital:
Ljubljana
Administrative divisions:
62 provinces (pokajine, singular - pokajina)
Independence:
25 June 1991; 15 January 1992 from Yugoslavia
Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991
Legal system:
based on civil law system
National holiday:
NA
Executive branch:
president, 4 vice presidents
Legislative branch:
bicameral; consists of the State Assembly and the State Council; note - will
take effect after next election
Judicial branch:
NA
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990); Vice President Matjaz KMECL
(since 11 April 1990); Vice President Ivan OMAN (since 11 April 1990); Vice
President Dusan PLUT (since 11 April 1990); Vice President Ciril ZLOBEC
(since 11 April 1990)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic, Lozje PETERLE, chairman; Liberal Democratic, Janez
DRNOVSEK, chairman; Social Democratic, Joze PUNIK, chairman; Socialist,
Viktor ZAKELJ, chairman; Greens, Dusan PLUT, chairman; National Democratic,
Rajko PIRNAT, chairman; Democratic Peoples Party, Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman;
Reformed Socialists (former Communist Party), Ciril RIBICIC, chairman
Suffrage:
at age 16 if employed, universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held NA (next to be held NA)
State Assembly:
last held NA (next to be held NA);
State Council:
last held NA (next to be held NA)
Communists:
NA
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
CSCE, IMF, UN
Diplomatic representation:
Representative Ernest PETRIC; Chancery at 1300 19th Street NW, Washington,
DC 20036; telephone (202) 828-1650
US:
Ambassador Ignac GOLOB, Embassy at NA (mailing address is APO AE 09862);
telephone NA
:Slovenia Government
Flag:
a three color flag, white (hoist side), blue, and red of equal width with
the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav in white against a
blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting
seas and rivers; around it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an
inverted triangle); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag
centered in the white and blue band
:Slovenia Economy
Overview:
Slovenia was by far the most prosperous of the old Yugoslav republics, with
a per capita income more than twice the Yugoslav average, indeed not far
below the levels in neighboring Austria and Italy. Because of its strong
ties to Western Europe and the small scale of damage during internecine
fighting in Yugoslavia, Slovenia has the brightest prospects among the
former Yugoslav republics for economic reform and recovery over the next few
years. The political and economic disintegration of Yugoslavia, however, has
led to severe short-term dislocations in production, employment, and trade
ties. For example, overall industrial production fell 10% in 1991;
particularly hard hit were the iron and steel, machine-building, chemical,
and textile industries. Meanwhile, fighting has continued in other republics
leading to further destruction of long-established trade channels and to an
influx of tens of thousands of Croatian refugees. As in other former
Communist areas in Eastern Europe, economic reform has often sputtered not
only because of the vested interests of old bosses in retaining old rules of
the game but also because of the tangible losses experienced by
rank-and-file people in the transition to a more market-oriented system. The
key program for breaking up and privatizing major industrial firms has not
yet begun. Bright spots for encouraging Western investors are Slovenia's
comparatively well-educated work force, its developed infrastructure, and
its Western business attitudes. Slovenia in absolute terms is a small
economy, and a little Western investment would go a long way.
GDP:
$21 billion, per capita $10,700; real growth rate -10% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15-20% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10% (April 1992)
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$4,120 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38%, other manufactured goods 44%,
chemicals 9%, food and live animals 4.6%, raw materials 3%, beverages and
tobacco less than 1%
partners:
principally the other former Yugoslav republics, Austria, and Italy
Imports:
$4,679 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactured goods 26.7%,
chemicals 14.5%, raw materials 9.4%, fuels and lubricants 7%, food and live
animals 6%
partners:
principally the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, former USSR, US,
Hungary, Italy, and Austria
External debt:
$2.5 billion
Industrial production:
industrial production has been declining at a rate of about 1% per month
(1991-92), mostly because of lost markets in the other former Yugoslav
republics
Electricity:
2,900,000 kW capacity; 12,250 million kWh produced, 6,447 kWh per capita
(1991)
:Slovenia Economy
Industries:
ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled
products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military
electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles,
chemicals, machine tools
Agriculture:
dominated by stock breeding (sheep and cattle) and dairy farming; main crops
are potatoes, hops, hemp, and flax; although self-sufficient and having an
export surplus in these commodities, Slovenia must import many other
agricultural products and has a negative overall trade balance in this
sector
Illicit drugs:
NA
Economic aid:
NA
Currency:
Slovene Tolar (plural - Tolars); 1 Tolar (SLT) = 100 NA
Exchange rates:
Tolars (SLT) per US$1 - 28 (January 1992)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Slovenia Communications
Railroads:
NA
Highways:
14,553 km total; 10,525 km paved, 4,028 km gravel
Inland waterways:
NA
Pipelines:
crude oil 290 km, natural gas 305 km
Ports:
maritime - Koper
Merchant marine:
0 ships (1,000 GRT or over) are under Slovenian flag; note - Slovenian
owners control 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 334,995 GRT/558,621
DWT; includes 14 bulk carriers and 7 general cargo ships all under Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines flag
Civil air:
NA major transport aircraft
Airports:
3 main airports
Telecommunications:
130,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 7 TV; 370,000 radios;
330,000 TVs