The Australian Slovenian Review Summer 1996 Vol. 4 Issue 1 Slovenia on ABC Airwaves Drugs in Slovenia Constructing Motorways Playing Santa » J' i* fi^im-K f^i&m Editorial Well, what do you think of the "New Look ASR"? A bit of colour in preparation for the festive season. As well as going to the extra colour, our production team have been working hard to develop a new style to our review. We are trying to add more 'white-space' and give it a more reader friendly look. I hope you like it. (Please write in and let us knowl) Introducing all of these changes has made this issue a nightmare for me. Having more "white-space" means less room for words. I have had to cut some articles people have submitted and save them for future issues. If you are disappointed that your article did not get published, rest assured it will surface eventually. Whilst on the subject of articles, it may sound as if we have a backlog and are therefore no longer looking for more work. This is far from the truth!! We do receive an array of personal experience / general interest stories (by no means too many) but when it comes to hard-hitting, topical, front page kind of stuff, we are sorely lacking in material! Somewhere out there, there must be Australian Slovenian Journalists with skills that can pick up this community and give it a bit of a shake. Our team has attempted to find some controversial issues and get a reaction from our readership, but it tends to get a limited response (if any). It takes alot of time to research a hard-hitting story let alone write it so we have come up with an idea to encourage people with skills in excess of ours to share their knowledge. We are going to run a competition and the successful applicant will receive financial rewards - this is a first for ASR. If you are interested in improving your financial situation find the Essay Competition section through this issue and find out more. Our fourth Christmas issue is full of well researched information on Slovenia. Boris Kobal put himself out enough to visit Slovenia and find out first hand about motorway development. Maryanne Hedl investigated Slovenian drug abuse and Renata Susanj also wanted to be sure what she said in her Regional profile was correct, so she also visited the areas she wrote about. A snippet of local news shows the talents presented at the Melbourne Youth Concert. By all accounts we have some up and coming stars in our midst. I remember in the 'olden days' when we made some special and lasting relationships between our peers interstate (even some long distance romances). I don't know that any of us hit it big in the entertainment arena, but we sure had alot of fun trying. Speaking of having fun, my family and I have just returned from a holiday at Lightning Ridge. Whilst there, we met some Croatian residents. We tried really hard to find some Slovenians but were unsuccessful. However we were told there were quite a few there. It was really intriguing to see how people's lifestyles vaiy in these parts of Australia and I thought it would be interesting for us to read about Australian Slovenians who live outside of the suburban scene. If you know of any, please write about them. To help with the "white-space" problem I'm going keep this editorial shorter than usual, so I wish you all pleasant reading and on behalf of all the ASR team, I hope you and your families all have a wonderful Christmas and New Yearl ❖ Editorial/ Writing Irene Stariha Dorothy Kobal Mia Smith Robert Pecovnik Renata Susanj Tania Kolar Vesna Hatezic Vilma Alley John Kem Boris Kobal Maryanne Hedl Marketing I Public Relations Robert Suber Jude Bavcar-Skubla Mark Stariha Jenny Stariha-EHeesing Production CirilKosorok Henry Stariha John Kobal Mark Stariha EdltorlalConsultant Olga Lah Administration Renata Susanj Sylvia Loncar The Australian Slovenian Review is a non-profit venture, which aims to publish quarterly. Production and distribution costs are funded by sponsorship and advertising. The ASR is not a platform for any particular interest group and does not represent any group or organisation within the Slovenian community. The ASR team believe that there should be a forum available to inform and discuss issues that are of interest to first and second generation Australians with a Slovenian heritage. Articles for publications are most welcome. They may be presented hand written, typed or preferrably on an MS-DOS format floppy disk. Articles can be sent to: ASR, P.O. BoxKL806 Kings Langley 2147 NSW Australia or faxed to: (02) 9674 4583 Sponsorship or advertising enquiries should be directed to: Robert Suber on (02) 9829 1303 If you are interested in joining our team or finding out more about the ASR please contact us at the above address or fax. News Slovenia's first medal in Atlanta Andra Vehovar attained Slovenia's first silver medal in the whitewater slalom event. In tire race on the Ococe River, which runs through the Cherokee National Forest, Vehovar was only defeated by Germany's Oliver Fix, while German Thomas Becker won the Bronze medal. A 24-year-old student of mechanical engineering, Andra Vehovar has achieved several important results: he came third in the 1988 and fourth in the 1990 Junior World Championships; he was the 1995 and 1996 national champion, and scored well in team performances in the World Cup. Slovenia bans imports from Turkey. The Minister of Agriculture Joe Osterc has banned imports and transport of domestic and wild hoofed animals, their meat, meat products and materials from Turkey. The ban was issued to prevent the introduction of Foot-and-Mouth Disease into Slovenia. The ban does not apply to hermetically closed and specially processed meat in cans. The Ministry has already issued similar bans in relation to these products from Yugoslavia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Albania and Romania. Slovenia participates in Partnership for Peace. Slovenian Defence Minister Jelko Kacin is attending the first Partnership for Peace (PIP) military exercise taking place in territory of a non-NATO country. Participating in the exercise taking place in Szolnok, about 100 km north of Budapest, are troops from eight NATO member countries and eight PfP countries, including Slovenia. The Minister met with his Hungarian counterpart Gyorgy Keleti and several NATO military officials, at which discussions were hold as to the joining of both Slovenia and Hungary to the North Atlantic Alliance. Next year Slovenia plans to host the first medical treatment exercise, where NATO and PfP member troops will participate. Slovenia's first battleship. The first Slovenian warship, named Ankaran (after the popular seaside resort) has been handed over to the Slovenian Army's 'Navy Squad'. The defence minister Jelko Kacin said that an historic moment had finally arrived for the Slovenian Army, as the Squad got a modern battleship adapted to Slovenian conditions. The 25 metre-long and 5.5 metre wide patrol boat was bought in Israel for USS3.594 million. It is powered by two diesel engines and can travel up to 40 knots with a 12 member crew Armed with two 20mm gums, sea-air and sea-sea missiles and two M84 machine guns, it can stay out of port for up to 96 hours covering 700 nautical miles. Australian Ambassador concludes his mission. The Slovenian President Milan Kucan received the Australian Ambassador Ronald Walker, who was concluding his mission in Slovenia. On this occasion, they discussed bilateral relations, concluding that they have been improving constantly over the last few years. Doing Business in Slovenia. The book "Doing Business in Slovenia" , published in June this year, contains a wealth of information on the legal aspects of doing business in Slovenia, from establishing a company and forms of foreign investment to the foreign trade regime and taxation. Other important chapters discuss current economic trends, customs and excise, foreign investment banking insurance industrial property and the labour market. New Slovenian translation of the Bible. The new Slovenian translation of the Bible has been worked on for the last 20 years, involving 20 translators, 10 language advisers, the project totalling over 50 consultants. At a ceremony where the Bible was presented to the Biblical Society of Slovenia, Joe Kraovec, the leader of the project, claimed that the translation is one of the most accurate in the ASR Summer ptp:« ,v „ ...•—■"rv t. > .... .tv ' ' ' . ■ ■ f^atlire gWH§&~' — —y ■P^H_____ fe.'. .__ __ _ %. ' ti • ■* ■ ^fesErl." An ABC Radio broadcast transcript Sydney airwaves Think of the Balkans and you think of a political, social, military and religious nightmare. Small Balkans, small fractured nations - waring tribes of Croats and Serbs and heaven knows who else, all dedicated to making life as miserable as possible for each other - and succeeding. But in one small corner of the Balkans there is, it turns out, an oasis of peace and apparent sanity. It's Slovenia and our European correspondent, Majella Anning apparently is a Slovenia groupie. She's on the line. Mike: Slovenia. Am I correct in saying is a part of former Yugoslavia jammed up against Italy. Is that right? Majella: That's right. Yes it's squashed in between Italy, Austria just to the north of Croatia. It borders Croatia and Hungary on the east. So it's a little, tiny well as you say, an island of peace ui a region of war. It's un extraordinary little country. Most people actually don't know where it is for a start and then they get it mixed up with eastern Slavonia or Slovakia which have also been in the news over the last couple of years. But Slovenia really is quite different to the rest of the Balkans and it has really been untouched by the war since 1991 except the loss of the tourist industry, I might add. But it's now forging ahead. It has lodged application to join the EEIJ on Monday. It looks as though it could well be in the next range of countries that are going to be accepted, possibly just after the end of the Century. So it's an extraordinary story for a country which is so close to this war zone and was in fact part of Yugoslavia five years ago. Mike: Well how did Slovenia manage to escape the blood letting in terms of the civil war and so on, that involved the rest of them. Majella: Well first of all, they were lucky. Slovenia actually pre-figured the entire break-up of Yugoslavia because they were the first republic to secede from the rest of the Yugoslav federation because they saw what was coming and they also saw the encroaching Serb domination of the Yugoslav Federal Government in 1991. So they left and immediately the Serb dominated army tried to invade Slovenia. There was a 10 day stand-off. There was some loss of life and strangely enough things were resolved peacefully and the Serbs eventually withdrew because they realised that there were no Serb or Croat minorities in Slovenia so they really had nothing to fight over and the Slovenians got offlightly. Of course they immediately decided to apply for independence and recognition from the European Union and the rest of the world. From then on they have just flourished. They have introduced democracy; all the democratic institutions and they have made their economy into a market economy very quickly. In fact you would expect a country like this to be still struggling hut in fact the economy is probably in a better situation than some EU countries. It really is an extraordinary story but no-one would believe it because it's just bordering Croatia - people will say "Oh, dear". Mike: Oh them. Well, what actually are Slovenes. I said all part of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, but ethnically what are they1? Majella: They are Slavs basically. This part of the world is very, very mixed and as you say part of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. When you go to Slovenia you really feel that. You feel the influences of it Ifyougoto Ljubljana, the Capital of Slovenia, it is a really typical Austro-Hungarian town. There are influences though, from the Italians, from the Italian border, the Austrian influences just over the border from Austria are very strong and there are Hungarian influences in the east. So it is a real melting pot. The really interesting thing about Slovenia is that if you go there you can almost eat any sort of cuisine you like because you do get authentic Italian cuisine, authentic Austrian cuisine and you can also get Hungarian influence and also the Balkan influence. So it is a melting pot of everything, but it's an incredibly peaceful and quiet country. When I went to Slovenia for a holiday I expected to see lots of people roaming around the streets... Mike: Waving AK47s at each other you mean. Majella: Well, not that but rather boisterous types, but in fact the Slovenes are known as the Swiss of the Balkans. They are very quiet people and very industrious. They really have proved that only in a short period of time a country like this can break away from an old communist federation, if you like, and surge ahead. They are determined to be part of Western Europe and this week proves it because they have had a long battle to get the so called Association Agreement with the EU. This prefigures the eventual membership of the EU if you have this sort of Agreement. And as soon as they got the agreement which has been delayed for seme time, they immediately put in an application to join the EEU. So they are not wasting any time, These people are very serious and they do not want to be seen as part of the rest of the Balkans. Mike: I am sort of reminded of Neville Chamberlain's famous remark about Czechoslovakia "a far away country of which we know nothing". I know nothing about Slovenia - what is the capital? Has it a coast line, mountains, what is it? Majella: It is a remarkable country. Ljubljana is the capital. It is generally air alpine country. If you think of it as a miniature version of Austria or Switzerland. It is tembly beautiful. It has a tiny, tiny coast line of 40 kms long on the Istrian coast and apart from that it is realty quite a stunning country. It has wonderful wine and wonderful food. As I said, the people are extremely friendly and a very gentle folk. Mike: What do they speak - what language do they speak? Majella: Well they speak Slovenian. Mike: Right, silly me. OK Majella: It is a Slav language and like so many of these languages have lots of influences but it really is a stunning country. And the most interesting part of course, is the part I know well, Lake Bled. It is a fairy tale lake, just north of Ljubljana a very touristy area. But its almost like Hollywood made it, because it's a perfect lake, with a perfect little island in the middle with a little church and a sort of perfectly formed castle up on the hill overlooking the lake. It is just one of these perfect settings which you think is man made but of course it's natural and because it's been un-touched for so many years because of the fact that it was a communist country, was not as open to tourism as others, 'fhis lake has been preserved and they have very strict environmental laws. So it realty is a wonderful place to go and actually no one has been there and hopefully no-one will go either and leave me in peace to enjoy the peace of the lake. Mike: It sounds as if you're on a commission for the Slovenian tourist authority. Majella: Well I wish I was but it really is an interesting country. It's something, as you said, that very few people know about. Very few people know even where it is let alone what it's like. And yet it is a real gem, it's a real untouched gem in the centre of Europe. Mike: Well you are definitely a Slovenia fan. Majella: Absolutely, I am hoping to open the Slovenian tourist agency at the ABC any moment. Mike: Welt why not, I imagine people even now are packing their bags in this hour. Skiing is all right I assume, is it? Majella: Yes, the skiing is wonderful in the winter and in the summer, as 1 said its got these wonderful spas and lakes alt over the country and of course its got a tiny bit of coast line as well, Mike: It sounds all right to me. OK, well thanks for telling us that. That's a nice little look at the place. Talk to you soon. Majella Aiming on the line, our European correspondent, normally based in Brussels but today on a roaming commission and she has roamed to Slovenia and she liked what she saw. It does sound lovely, wonderful.❖ ABC Radio Broadcast with Mike Carlton 2BL Drive time 12 June 1996 4:35 pm Feature Drugs in Slovenia b„ Hrf/ by Maryanne HeefJ Statistics on Drug Abuse in Slovenia -including Alcohol, Tobacco, Prescription Drugs and Illegal Substances The consumption of alcohol between 1991-1993 showed an average of 9 to 12 litres for every individual over the age of 15 years. Slovenia has one of the highest death tolls at 34% per every 100,000, due to the abuse of alcohol compared to other European countries. Unfortunately, over the last few years there has been an increase of young people committing suicide, with Slovenia being second in Europe at 32.9%, just after Hungary at 36.9%. Alcohol Like many other parts of Europe there has been an increase in the abuse of alcohol in the last 30 years in Slovenia. A survey of 1050 adults in Slovenia showed that 42.2% drink wine every day, 34.1% drink beer every day, and 5.8% drink spirits daily. 80 Average Intake of Alcohol (Per Person in Slovenia) 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 13 Beer El Wine □ Spirits Tobacco The good news is that the amount of adults smoking cigarettes has actually decreased in the past 10 years by 10%. The main reason is that the overall population of Slovenians have realised that smoking is bad for their health. A survey showed that only one quarter of the High School aged students smoke regularly. It is believed that smoking caused 20% of all deaths, and 90% of the deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking in Slovenia. It also showed that 3600 deaths every year are caused by smoking tobacco. Like most places the drugs are more readily available in large cities like Ljubljana, Koper, around the Coast, and Maribor. With the problem of dmg abuse increasing, there has become a need to set up Slovenia's first Regional Public Health Institute of Koper, which deals with addiction treatment and dnig research. Since its opening in 1994 some 400 patients have been treated. Statistics done by the centre, have shown that due to the increase of drug abuse there are around 300 to 400 people in Slovenia that are infected with the HIV virus, and they are expecting these figures to increase dramatically, especially with addicts that self inject drugs. A few of the main drugs available in Slovenia are marijuana which is produced locally, hashish which comes from the A survey in 1992 of 1,029 students from 7 High Schools in Ljubljana showed the following results: Illegal Drugs Like other developing countries there has also been an increase of legal and illegal drugs in Slovenia with heroin being the most popular among the younger generation of Slovenians. A total of 17.2% are regular users of legal and illicit drugs. A recent survey by the medical profession with the assistance o f the police revealed that there are between 1,000 and 2,000 regular users of heroin in Slovenia. Another survey of dnig abuse in High School students in Ljubljana in 1992 (drugs they had used within the last 30 days) revealed the following results: Netherlands, and heroin from Turkey. tobacco cannabis prescription dnigs alcohol LSD cocaine heroin LSD (everyday) 22% (at least 3 times) 9.3% (at least once) 8.7% (al least 10 times) 7.5% (at least once) 4% (at least once) 0.9% (at least once) 0.6% (at least 3 times) 0.5% 30.2% had tried marijuana 29.2% had tried prescription drugs 6.3% used hallucinates 30 25 20 15 10 Drug Abuse in Slovenia Heroin and Cocaine ™ a .. . lt. J1 im J Ol CO Ol O 1- O) Ol O) öl CM CI Ol Ol Ol CJ1 ■ Cocaine M Heroin ASR Summer 19'Jfi - 7 Feature Slovenia is constructing motorways by Boris KobaI e woke early. The day was bright and sunny as we loaded our Renault Meganc with our luggage from the hotel. We had been in Munich for two days and it was time to head for Slovenia. Before the sun went down on that day in late May, we would be in Koper on the Slovenian coast. We did not know it then but on the way, we were to see the future of Slovenian motorways. After traversing the European countryside, we approached the Austrian / Slovenian border in the afternoon. With the passport formalities on the Austrian side complete and a quick check of our car insurance on the Slovenian side, we paid our toll and dived into the Karavanski Predor (tunnel). Til is was our first "new" experience. The tunnel did not exist the first time I went to Slovenia many years before. Waiting for the big "Welcome to Slovenia" sign, the only thing we saw was in the middle of the tunnel; it was the Slovenian coat of arms -enough to indicate that we had finally arrived. After almost 10km of driving through the dark tunnel, we popped out on the other side and headed south along a motorway which also appeared to be a relatively recent addition. We even turned on the radio and started listening to Slovenian programs. This was a culture shock. "2EA the voice of ethnic Australia" on every channel and all the time! We looked at each other and laughed as we took in the countryside, driving along this relatively new motorway. We approached Kranj and hopped onto another motorway. This time there was a toll, however, compared to the rest of Europe it was inexpensive (that very morning we had paid $28.00 for a freeway in Austria). This one in Slovenia was only 120SIT (31.20) which was reasonably Motonvays of Slovenia painless. We even paid in Deutschmarks and received Tolars in change as we didn't have any local currency yet. We arrived in Ljubljana and followed the signs to Postojna, driving along a few city streets before we were again on a motorway heading Southeast from Ljubljana. Finally I was back to something more familiar. I remembered this motorway from fifteen years previously. This time the toll was 380SIT (33.80) which was, again, reasonably priced. 1 took a bit more notice of the tollgate. It was run by a company called "DARS d.d. (Druzba za Avtoceste v Republiki Sloveniji) Tliis reminded me of some of the motorways we had back in Sydney such as "Statewide Roads" who run "SLOVENIA IS CONSTRUCTING MOTORWAYS. PLEASE DRIVE WITH CAUTION" the M4 motorway in Western Sydney. However, as we approached the end of the freeway as I remembered it, the motorway continued on. I was intrigued. We were travelling on a brand new freeway as we passed the mountain Nanos - it was fantastic! At Razdrto the road forked towards Nova Gorica. However not much had been done on that section. Further on, we readied a fork in the road. The motorway to the right went towards Sezana and the motorway to the left went towards Koper. We drove along this new section of motorway towards Koper, which went all the way to Divaca. It was a beautiful modern construction with large retaining walls and viaducts. Two rccent constructions were viaduct "Goli Vrh" and viaduct "Bandera". (Continued on page 20) BACKGROUND WHY MOTORWAYS? Having been introduced to the road system of Slovenia, I was keen to find out more about the plans for new motorways. This is what I found out. It is a characteristic of Slovenia that 90% of all passenger and 50% of all freight is by road. This means that individual private transport is the most dominant form of transport. Whilst it is widely accepted that more extensive public transport systems are more environmentally friendly, one cannot avoid the reality. An extensive existing road network and the low price of fuel and widespread car ownership (2.8 persons per car) reinforces this reality. Because of Slovenia's position in Europe, it also supports much foreign and transit traffic. For example, 12% of the total 6900 million kilometres travelled each year is driven by vehicles registered in countries other than Slovenia! Also, in the past fifteen years, the development of transport systems has been outpaced by economic and social change. This has meant that many of the existing road systems are over-burdened. The result has been traffic jams and travel speeds even outside built-up areas not exceeding 60km/h! The consequence of such an inappropriate road system together with an inadequate driving culture has, to quote DARS, "placed Slovenia shamefully among those European countries with poor traffic safety." This summarises the most significant reasons why Slovenia has decided to accelerate the construction of motorways on the most important routes of longdistance transport. It has also focused the building program on the correct priorities in order to eliminate black spots and to put into place other related preventative measures to reduce the risks to traffic, even on less critical Regional Profile A day out in Slovenia by Renata Susanj When you have a free day in Slovenia and you can tear yourself away from the relatives and the constant stream of food, then here is a way of seeing two of Slovenia's attractions. Within close proximity to one another are the Škocjanska Caves and the Lipizzaner horses, at Lipica. Škocjanske Caves whilst less advertised or frequented than Postojna, are described by many as the most magnificent caves in the Karst region. The caves attract speleologists and nature lovers from all over the world. The Skocjan Caves were entered in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites on November 25 1986. The caves are situated at Matavun just off the main road from Ljubljana to Koper, near the town of Divaca. The turnoff to the caves is clearly signposted. From Matavun a guide leads the tourists along a gently descending path to the entrance of the caves. The walk through the caves takes around one and a half hours. Although a relatively easy walk, at times the path is wet and slippery. Therefore hold on to the guard rails and ropes, and beware of the approach to the exit as it is a climb up a steep set of stairs. Only part of the vast subterranean cave system is open to tourists. The entrance, through a 140 metre artificial tunnel, leads you to the Silent Cave (Tiha jama). This is a waterless subsidiary of the subterranean canyon, full of amazing stalagmites and stalactites. The cave then broadens and heightens and gently descends along what is known as Calvary to reach a level section. Deposits of clay along this section show that it was once the river bed for the river Reka. The tunnel becomes narrow and low but then opens into an impressive section called the Big Hall (Velika dvorana). The Big Hall has an enormous collapse of imposing stalagmites and sections of Crystal-white flagstone. The "Organ" is situated here. Our guide, after asking us all to be quiet, tapped the sculpture and musical like sounds were heard echoing throughout the cave. Walking further into the cave you begin to hear the sound of rushing water. The water sound gets louder and the tunnel gradually opens toward the subterranean Reka canyon. The thunder of the river crashing through cascades and rapids within the spacious Svetlina Hall (100m high and 60m wide) is a very distinct difference to the quiet and peaceful Silent Cave. The Hanke Bridge spans the abyss between the two facing perpendicular walls. The bridge was built in 1933 to replace the previous "catwalk", a construction with a hair raising crossing some 20 metres higher, where its remnants can still be seen. (If you are scared of heights just hold on tight and don't look down!). From Hanke's Bridge onwards, the tourist path leads into the side wall of the underground gallery, high above the stream. The next surprise is the Hall of Pans (Dvorana Ponvic) with remarkable big rimestone pools, a rare speleological phenomenon. You then see the rays of daylight streaming into the enormous Schmidl Hall. Coming out of this hall you can see the Big Valley (Velika Dolina) with a 163 metre waterfall of the Reka falling into a lake and disappearing underground, After 40km of subterranean travel the Reka comes out by Duino as the river Timavo and into the Bay of Trieste, Italy. Next, the Tomic Hall is known for archaeological excavations during the Late Stone Age, The exit to the caves is just as spectacular as the caves themselves. The opening is huge and the light streams into the dark cave. As your eyes adjust to the light, the backdrop shows beautiful, almost tropical plants around a waterfall and pool. There is now an inclinator that carries around 20 people almost back to Matavun, the starting point. The guided tour costs 1000SIT (around AUDS10). The tours run regularly every hour. They have guides that speak various languages so if your Slovenian is a bit scratchy, ask for an English speaking guide when purchasing your ticket. There is also a Gostilna where the food is reasonably priced for lunch and beverages. After a break for lunch, and maybe a midday nap, head to Lipica! Lipica is situated near the town of Sezana. Turn left from the road out of the Škocjanske caves and once again look for signs to Lipica, Lipica is described as an oasis in the barren Karst, shaded by linden and oak trees. A stud farm, Lipica gives its name to the Lipizzaner horses that are associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. The stud farm was founded in 1580 by the Austrian archduke Charles, the son of Emperor Ferninand. He added Spanish and Arab blood to the Lippizaner strain and they have been breeding the graceful white horses there ever since. The stud farm has had a number of problems, especially during the World Wars. During these wars the herd had to seek refuge in distant countries, such as Hungary and Austria. In 1943 the herd was sent into exile, this time to Czechoslovakia. Their return journey resulted in only 11 out of the 230 white bred Lipizzaners reluming. Overcoming all of these difficulties the 400 year old tradition of breeding pure blooded Lipizzaners continued for the needs of the classical school of riding, dressage and for the carriages. Tours are given around the stud farm and twice a day the horses give an elegant display for which they are famous. There is a more elaborate display given during the summer months. If you are into horse riding it is also possible to go horse riding around the region. •> Better Better Ft Irena & Boris Topolovec welcome you lo: THE ATHLETE'S FOOT. NORTH RYDE Franchisee: Halanza Pty. LlEf ACN 071 523 227 Shop 77, HacquarlB Centre, Waterloo Road, North Ryde NSW 2113 Telephone 02 9087 3976 Facsimile 02 987 B A170 77i/i business u Hymnal«) under franchise Arm The Atfiteta's Foot Austrelw Pty Litt 22nd Annual Youth Concert By Marlin Bleesing ABOVE - Sloverie Association Sydney Dance Group "Zakladi Slovenije " Led by Lolita Zizek The 22nd annual youth concert was held at Club Planica, Springvale, Victoria on October 5th long weekend. It saw an array of acts ranging from folkloric dance and ballet to instrumental and choir. Sydney was represented very well by St Rafaels Church Choir, Vesna Hatezic, Mathew Kosorok SDS Folkloric Dance Group. The big event of the night that attracted all the youngsters was "The Big Bang Theory" featuring Rudi Crncec, Robert Fisher and Martin Danev. ABOVE - Mathew Kosorok performing his guitar solo RIGHT - Sydney Band "Big Bang Theory" Robert Fisher, Rudi Crncec, & Martin Denev LEFT- Rudi displaying another one of his talents Slovene Association Sydney The S.A.S Tennis courts are open on Saturdays from 2pm & Sunday from 12 pm Bring a friend & racket, & enjoy ■ • : ¡v,.—.»■tfe.-!, . -:-rr * POKER MACHINES ♦ POOL TABLES* BISTRO ♦ LIBRARY with Slovenian Books A-C.N 000 904 754 2 -10 Elizabeth Street Wetherill Park NSW 2164 S.A.S. "Supporting the Advancement of Slovenians Phone: (02) 9756 1658 Fax: (02) 9756 1447 Social Club available for Weddings, Parties, Functions & Hall hire ESSAY COMPETITION I EXTRA!EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! news - a story relevant to the Australian lovenian community and one that will mak lem jump - then ASR will contribute to you personal finances the sum of $100. "he article's length should be approximate!; 500-2000 words and should be based on fac having evidence of extensive research. he ASR team will be the final judges and n discussion will be entered into. If the judges deem that none of the submissions are worthy of the prize, then applicants will have their work returned i them or they may choose to have ASR prij their work without financial reward. To enter, simply submit your article to: ASR Essay Competition PO Box KL 806 Kings Langley NSW 2147 No later than 31st January 1997 fyou would like further details please do not hesitate t ring Irene Stariha (02) 9871 8641 (a.h.J &ut &C About jmH SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP Just another * i reminder about our Christmas Shopping Spree Come and join us on Saturday, 7 December 1996. Cost is $20 per person (includes bus transport, morning & afternoon teas and a light lunch). Great bargins to be found. Buy your Christmas gifts on the day. Contact Jude Bavcar-Skubla on 9674 7993 for further details and bookings. DATE PLACE EVENT DETAILS I vSaturday, December 7 SDS Miklavzevanje 8pm The Masters :•': , I Saturday, December 7 ASR ASR Christmas Shopping Spree Depart From St Rafaels at 8am 'See ad this page' Sunday, December 8 i : : St Rafaels MlWavz ; After Mass Slomškova School So perform program ! Sunday, December 22 SDS Picnic Veseli Gorenjci ... Tuesday, December 24 StRafaels Chrstmas Eve Midnight Mass U.30pm Mixed Chior Performing Jacob Ryba Solemn Christmas Mass Thursday, December 26 St Rafaels Boxing Day Dance & Celebration of Day of Indépendance 7pm Veseli Gorenjce from 7.30pm Tuesday, December 31 SDS New Years Eve . : 8pm Veseli Gorenjci Tuesday, December 31 Tnglav New Years Eve 8pm Sunday, Januaryîfi SDS I.'¿'V.'- ' i ' 11 &Ü ' ; Picnic From 12 noon TBA Saturday, February S SDS Prèscran Celebration &. Dance 8pm TBA Sunday, February 9 St Rafaels PusU Picntc after mass After mass Saturday, February 15 SDS Pust, Masquerade 8pm TBA ggl Sunday, February 16 SDS K ' •.,."-. ''T' .;, Fust Picnic from! 2 noon TBA : ■■ Saturday, March 15 SDS . , Jozefovanje 8pm TBA For more details on the events listed above contact the organisers direct:- SDS (Slovenian Association Sydney) 2-10 Elizabeth St Wethetill Park (02)9756 165S St Rafael*. Slovenian Catholic Church 313 Menylands Rtl Merry lands (02)96377147 Triglav Club Ltd. 80-84 Brisbane Rd St Johns Park (02) 9610 1627 K S h mi J LENTI LENKO B.A. AAGM Teacher of Organ, Piano and Keyboard Professional Backing Tracks / Tapes and Studio Productions ^ ^ Phone: (03) 9795 9510 ji 9 J History The UnCivil War Part Two M- Pptstorp i of ^ ièlobema j In the first part of this series the first few days of the Yugoslav invasion of Slovenia were described, as were some of the reaction to these events. This part examines the reasons behind the victory in July/August 1991 and looks closely at the remaining days of the siege. It also discusses the commitment to the independence movement, and how this played a large part in Slovenia's success. by Robert Pecovnik Mi Janez Jansa was notable for his defiance and commitment to Slovenian independence. The one time professor of defence sciences had to leave the theoretical world behind in assuming the role of Slovenian Defence Minister. His first major challenge was the invasion of June 1991. Since his arrest in 1988 with two other collaborators and a non-commissioned officer on charges of betraying military secrets, Janez Jansa was committed to the cause of Slovenia. The trumped-up charges were a result of his article criticising the Federal Army in "Mladina", a mouthpiece for dissent in Slovenia. The remainder of the group were all harassed and arrested by the secret police in the early days of June 1988. On 18 July, Janez Jansa, Ivan Borstner, David Tasic and Franci Zavrl were subjected to a farcical trial and the threat of imprisonment. Although convicted, the accused had to be released because of public pressure. "The Four" as they became known had made the point that the Stalinist days of rigid control were fading into the democratic sunset. With the formation of Demos, The Democratic Opposition of Slovenia, and The Socialist Party, democracy and opposition were legitimised. Their wish for democracy was crystalised, Janez Jansa at the end of this process which began in 1988 finally declared on June 29; "Slovenia is at war". Dressed in battle fatigues and recounting 20 areas of action within Slovenia, he meant it. Slovenia was at war with those who repressed her freedom and right to self-determination. Previous to the declaration of war on 13 April 1991, it was announced that Croatia and Slovenia would secede. It seems Slovenian sentiment was united on the subject of sovereignty for a significant time. The July invasion by the Yugoslav Army was intent on returning Slovenia to Yugoslavia, and was largely a plot of the Serbian regime in Belgrade. Slovenian resistance to the invasion was solid, as was a belief in the cause. Long held communist ideals were now making way of right-wing democratic notions of freedom. Slovenia as indicated by a 1981 census (a census in 1991 was taken but is largely ignored across Yugoslavia because of the civil war) contains the following ethnic break down; Slovenia has 90% of its population claiming to be Slovenian. The other significant groups are the Serbs and the Croats who make up 2.2% and 2.9% of the population respectively. The last separate group is simply addressed as "other" and could be a collection of many and varied groups from all around the globe. The one standout statistic is the first one, which illustrates a solid core of Slovenians. In comparison to Bosnia with 32% of its population Serb, 18% Croat and 40% Muslim (1) the tension along ethnic lines is much more acute. Slovenians were fighting from a consolidated position, and they were fighting ail enemy which was external. The same could not be said for Bosnia whose racially divided country could no longer stand the strain. This ethnic phenomenon helped gel the resolve of the Slovenians atid allowed the state to organise a swift and effective defence. Hegemony both cultural and racial helped Slovenian defence initiatives immeasurably. It has been noted, Slobodan Milosevic let Slovenia "off the hook". The assumption is that it was only (Continued on page 15) (Continued from page 14) the pressing nature of other conflicts in the other parts of Yugoslavia which pre-occitpied the Federal Army. This is true but political pressure from abroad would have had some effect. John Pilger in his article "Betrayal of Bosnia" noted the following events: In February 1991 the Council of Europe promoted Germany's separatists plans by linking economic advantage to the Yugoslav Federal Government's "restraint" in dealing with the secessionist movements in Croatia and Slovenia; (2) Germany encouraged Croatia and Slovenia to join the great "European Market" and to disassociate themselves from Yugoslavia; European Community ;intervention helped push Yugoslavia into the abyss (3). Political pressure from within, most notably from "The Four"; and pressure from abroad meant the separation of Slovenia from sycophantic Serbia was inevitable. How then was this achieved? Amongst reports of a military coup in the Yugoslav Federal Army and stories of the same army running amok without proper guidance, the Sydney Morning Herald on 4 July ran the frightening headline "Army vows to crush Slovenia". An estimated 20 people had died in fighting the previous day as the Federal Army continued to shell the "rebels" from their Mig-2t fighters. A 40 kilometre convoy was headed from Belgrade to help the Federal Army stationed in Slovenia, who for the most part, were trapped in their bunkers by the Slovenian Territorial Defence. Army Chief of Staff, General Blagoje Adzic told Belgrade television that Slovenian forces "hated Yugoslavia from the bottom of their hearts...and that the army would use all its powers to bring things to an end". (4). The underdog had rattled its opponent, and the tactics of encirclement and guerilla-style fighting were proving effective indeed. So effective that when a new General Stipe Mesic organised a ceasefire without consulting the Army, continued unilateral action by the Army amounted to a coup. The Federal Army had had enough provocations and humiliation from the Slovenians, this renegade streak in the Federal Army was troubling. On 5 July Australia moved to recognise the independent state of Slovenia. Prime Minister Bob Hawke issued a statement that "...the pre-existing state of Yugoslavia could no longer be held together under the arrangements that have existed to this point". This positive recognition was made after Yugoslavia's Federal Presidency offered a peace ultimatum but this ultimatum was rejected because Slovenia refUsed to return controi of its international borders to Federal control within 48 hours. At this stage the Slovenian Red Cross said 49 people had been killed in the fighting and there were fears that this was going to become a protracted siege (5). This fear was exacerbated when Ante Markovic, the Federal Prime Minister confirmed Slovenian suspicions, that the Army was going it alone. He said "The Federal Government never ordered, nor could order, any army action in the way it was done". Seemingly genuine, Slovenia had to be worried by this lack of control. As previously stated, the EEC brokered a peace settlement citing economic advantage for the Federal Government if it did find a peaceful resolution. All this was useless if the Army acted in a renegade manner. Changes to the Federal Army's Officer Corps to ensure effective control meant General Konrad Kolsek, a Slovenian, was sacked and replaced by a Serbian military leader. The new leadership helped the Yugoslav Army to supply basic life support, and the Slovenians only further frustrated these efforts, much to the ire of the Federal Army. Still, the Slovenians were wary of the rogue element in the Army and its troublesome nature. The Yugoslav Prime Minister Markovic organised a return to the barracks for the Federal forces which the Slovenians agreed to as long as they stopped their "illegal" occupation (6). This seemed reasonable until Mr Mesic, the new President, wanted Slovenians to turn over control of customs to the Federation. Slovenia no longer sent its representatives to the Presidential meetings and then Mesic in a conciliatory tone offered proceedings against his Army generals for "illegality". The balance of power had swung back into Slovenian hands, as the Federal Army resisted political control. Slovenia also refused to back down from its position. Slovenia, it seemed, had proven its point. On 20 July 1991, a headline appeared in Australia that all had hoped for "Troops pull out of Slovenia". An estimated 70,000 Federal troops were to leave Slovenia for good. After an initial fluny of fighting the last days of the ten day war saw politicians take over. Sixty four people were dead and fortunately the (Continued on page 16) (Continued from page 15) toll stopped there. Janez Drnovšek, the Slovenian representative in the Presidency, saw the withdrawal as the first phase in the solution of the overall crisis" (7). The rejection of Serb military and political leadership was complete. In post-war Slovenia, a number of significant events took place. The change of the flag meant the symbol of Communism, the red star, was replaced by the coat of arms. This was a poignant moment in the fight for democracy. three factors. Firstly, the tenacity and an unquestionable unity, at a time of much pressure was paramount. Secondly, internal and external support for secession was quickly forthcoming; and lastly the tragic distraction of other ethnically inspired civil wars meant that Slovenia could finally slip from the hang-man's noose that was Yugoslavia. Slovenia had fought a good fight and now it could stand on its own two feet. When the moratorium expired on 7 October, Slovenia issued a Slovenian passport, again a significant mark of independence. The Yugoslav currency, the Dinar, was replaced in Slovenia with the nearly 500 year old Tolar. Slovenia, Croatia and Yugoslavia today are all separate Olympic entities and their identities separate. Immigration to Slovenia increased, as the disgrace of ethnic cleansing drove people from their homes. The shame that the world felt as the human cataclysm unfolded in Bosnia soon subsided as the television audience became weary of the repetitive images of the slaughter, destruction and decay. Slovenia accepted the burden of these refugees, and continues giving support today. Slovenia was independently strong and these changes heralded a new age. The miracle of a ten-day victory was a result of the Slovenia was independently strong and these changes heralded a new age the observations that this article has made on the ten-day war in Slovenia is based on primary newspaper sources and a few memorable remarks from relatives whom I visited in the subsequent winter of 1992. Like many aspects of the overall history that has been written since the first ASR in 1993, it has its flaws which can be amended by other readers in future editions. Through their contributions a balanced and varied history will not be written by one person, as there are many perceptions that are missing from any one story. This has been but just one account and I look forward to future articles on this and many other historical subjects from other Slovenians. (1) Rady M Dr - The Breakup of Yugoslavia p8 - 1994 (2} & (3) Pilger J - Betrayal of Bosnia cited in ...p215 & 217 (4) McGeough P - Sydney Morning Herald - 4 July 1991 (5) Gustincic A - Daily Telegraph Minor - 5 July 1991 (6) Traynor 1 - Guardian Weekly - 7 My 1991 (7) Daily Telegraph Mirror - 20 July 1991 UMIK YOUNG & CO. Real Estate Agents, Auctioneers Property Consultants JOHN ZAMIK Dip. Real Estate Management Licensed Surveyor PRINCIPAL 55 Colin Street West Perth \VA Office (09)3224599 A/H 3859798 Mobile 0418 929411 Fax (09 ) 481 4Í4Í NORTON MANAGEMENT SERVICES PTY LTD Accountants & Registered Tax Agents BILL FERFOLYA Ph: 9560 4766 Fax: 9564 1808 182 Norton Street, Leichhardt NSW 2040 FS&GS PLUMBING Drainage Gasfitting Maintenance & Repairs For all your plumbing needs phone Frank Skubla (02) 9674 7993 Mobile (018) 256 516 Gold Lie No. 11621 C.A. No. A.3587 Christmas laying by John Kern u One guy in his late fifties asked for a young blonde with blue eyes. I interjected with "So would I!"." A male teenager had the audacity to sit on my knee and ask for sex! I changed the subject by asking what else he would like. He also wanted to give me fifteen cents to pay for all the presents I had to buy. How sweet. I said "No thankyou, keep it, I only take the folding kind." The children asked if I was the real Santa Claus and I said that I was, just tug on my beard. They did this on one side as I held the other side. Their eyes lit up, saying, "Wow it is real!" You really are Santa Claus!! j ti the beginning there was ! Santa school, where you sam all about Santa and his reindeer, He has eight reindeer which go by the names of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. No, Rudolph was never one of the reindeers, he was just popularised by an Irving Berlin song "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" in 1933. (Thought you may be interested in that bit of trivia). After graduation, I was assigned to the Sydney Produce Markets in Flemington 011 Fridays and Sundays. Being at u produce market you give out bananas and plums. The parents think this is great, but the kids think this is a funny looking lolly, "I hate fruit do I have to take this" - to the other extreme of "Wow! can 1 have another?" I arrived early to allow time to put on the Santa suit, boots, beard, wig and makeup, to make me look older (there's a first for everything!). I discovered very quickly that this set-up was a portable sauna suit. No wonder another guy had a heart attack. It was time to be Santa to the world for three hours. "Ho, ho, ho -Merry Christmas" went out the cry with a Queen Elizabeth II wave to all within sight, especially the children. Panic! The throne isn't ready! Luckily I had a helper by the name of Sandra. In the meantime the believers began homing in like highway patrol cars to speeding motorists. Immediately 1 realised I had to sit down because the liny tots were scared of me (being so tall lip close) that they began to cry. Once I was settled in I began to enjoy myself. Some children were in so much awe and disbelief that all they wanted was a surprise for Christmas. Others were quite specific as to which dolls they wanted or which Power Ranger they wanted. One little boy wanted "Tommy" which was the leader of the Power Rangers and was certain that he was green. I must tell you this boy is colour blind. As there is no Power Ranger that is green! Most of these children were so cute you could eat them. Only one five year old had me baffled, in that all he wanted for Christmas, was a basket wrapped up in a box! Looking up at his mother in amazement she replied "we can arrange that real easy." Now that I was a seasoned veteran, I started with some wise cracks. Two teenagers came up and in rehearsed harmony wished for a pack of Tim Tams that never runs out. Being on the ball I replied "So what do you want with your other two wishes." The adults also had the usual requests for Ferraris, the numbers to Lotto and so forth. One guy in his late fifties asked for a young blonde with blue eyes and I interjected with "So would I!" - quickly looking around so no young ears heard me. At the end of my Sunday shift it poured and I couldn't wait to get back to the olficc to change and gulp down some water. Hrat day I gave away two and a half boxes of bananas and half a box of plums. When you give them away one at a time, that's a lot of children on your knee! I didn't do this for the money. I did this for the fun of it, and that it was! Life for little children is full of fantasy and wonder and I was glad that I could be a part of it for them. It was great! ♦ Language Brisbane Slovenian School by Vilma Alley Photo (left to right) Andrej Horvat, Amanda Gjerek, Adrian Andlomc, Majda Carman , Simon Klemen Matthew Creevey, Melissa Creevey, Robert Bizjak, Vilma & Lauren Alien In Brisbane, The Slovenian-Australian Association Planika, has now established a language school and offers tuition to anyone eager to learn Slovenian. Our teacher, Andrej Horvat is a qualified teacher from Maribor. He has travelled extensively and has been backpacking around Australia for the last 30 years. He now finds himself in Brisbane for a spell and has happily agreed to teach the class. The course has been developed in the USA and was obtained through Sydney contacts by Joze and Albina Vah who are responsible for the organisation of the school. The class is held on Saturday mornings 9am - 11 am at "Planika" and we have 12 students consisting of adults and children. Anyone interested in further information, please call on (07) 38690671, il MAPLE- An outstanding new design series Extensive range of 3,4 or 5 bedroom plans. Can be modified to suit your needs. Phone for FREE colour leaflets or call - ~Qi>eT ^ C ^e1tce and inspect the style and quality of our Display Homes. Telephone: 02-629 4394 or 02-671 3155 buildinZ ROSEWOOD A ^ HOMES Exceptional Value, Top Quality and Stylish appearance. Variety of areas in West, North West and South Western suburbs. Some ready to occupy now. flulld« NO. 34B06 . ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ¿?J . ACN 002 542 896 Display Homes • Homeworld II. Hampton Crescent, Prospect • Parklea Home Market, Sorrento Drive, Glenwood Park. WESNER 1995-96 New Homes Built on your land House & Land Packages • Perfect for first home buyers. • Ideal for investors CD Review Spirit of Christmas by Vesna Hatezic As Christmas time approaches, we are flooded with various recordings of Christmas carols by established artists, television stars and even sporting identities. So when one by a second generation Slovenian appears on the market, it is time to stop and take a closer look. Adrian Vatovec, from Adelaide, has composed and recorded a short CD called "Spirit of Christmas". It consists of five tracks: two versions of the title track, 'Spirit of Christmas', two versions of 'Christmas Pageant' and a piano piece called 'Family and Friends'. It is a CD which could be enjoyed by young children and their families in the lead up to Christmas. The first track, 'Spirit of Christmas' has a waltz feel to it and is sung by Ben Juanta, with the Australian Youth Choir providing backing vocals. The children sing beautifully and add that special touch of youth to the song. However it is most disappointing to hear them, for the most part, only singing single melody lines, and more often than not, simply doubling the lead vocal line. With one of the better children's choirs of Australia at his disposal, Vatovec could have created a richer texture and greater variety by arranging the song for two (or even three) parts. The choir is undoubtedly capable of achieving this. Available from: Adrian Vatovec PO Box 1340 Adelaide 5001 "Spirit of Christmas" Australian Youth Choir Ben Juanta Words and Music: Adrian Vatovec Price: CD - $7.95 + postage Cassette - $5.95 + postage The second track is simply a re-run of the first, minus Ben Juanta's lead vocals. The children now lead the song, which appears to remain identical in every other respect. This is followed by 'Christmas Pageant', a song written specifically for the Christmas Pageant held annually in Adelaide. It opened the 1995 Pageant Parade, and according to the Press Release, will do so again in 1996. This song opens with a snare drum setting the marchlike and festive mood for the piece. On listening, I can't help thinking of'Avsenik' - the bass line and chordal accompaniment is so reminiscent of the pieces of music we have all grown up with at every 'zabava' (assuming of course, that we have all attended / do attend these functions). The song is sung firstly by Ben Juanta and the Australian Youth Choir, followed by a version with the choir on their own. The CD closes with 'Family and Friends', a short and simple piano piece. While the performance of 'Family and Friends' is technically imperfect, it is a contrast in mood and style to the other numbers on the CD, and ends the entire recording in a contemplative manner. TRIGLAV Club Limited ♦ Full Membership invited ♦ Function Facilities available ♦ Bowls, Snooker, Bingo ♦ Restaurant Ph: 9610 1627 Fax: 9823 2522 Club Events in 1997 Please contact the club for specific dates Jozefovanje March BBQ - 12 Noon Dance - 2 till 6pm Materinski Dan May BBQ - 12 Noon Dance - 2 till 6pm Očetovski Dan Sept BBQ - 12 Noon Dance - 2 till 6pm Wine Tasting Nov BBQ - 12 Noon Dance - 2 till 6pm Miklavzevanje Dec BBQ - 12 Noon Dance - 2 till 6pm New Year's Eve Dec Dance - 8pm till late into the New Year! Triglav Club Limited (ACN 001 297 927) 80-84 Brisbane Road, Si John's Park NSW 2176 Where do they get the money to build the motorways? (Continued from page 9) Such construction makes the passage of traffic smooth and flowing, ideal for safe and fast transport. We later found out that this section of motorway had just been opened. PETROL: TOLL: RENT: LOCALS: We reached the end of the motorway and we merged into one lane. It all made sense with one large sign on the side of the road in four languages, including English: "SLOVENIA IS CONSTRUCTING MOTORWAYS. PLEASE DRIVE WITH CAUTION" THE BIG PICTURE A tax brought in effect in 1993 puts 16% of the retail price of petrol straight into the motorways. Whilst it is planned that the tolls will cover motorway maintenance, about half of the revenue goes straight into construction. If you build a roadside diner, you pay for the privilege. Some investment is required to relieve particular traffic problems in larger towns. The local council helps in this One might ask how they plan to finance this. As I found out, this has already been planned. Firstly, the Slovenian parliament established DARS d.d. It is organised as a stock company 100% government owned. The idea is that DARS doesn't finance construction but instead finances engineering, project preparatory work, organisation, supervision, maintenance and management of the motorway, The National Motorway Construction Programme in the Republic of Slovenia was adopted by the Slovenian Parliament on 15 November 1995. It sees the completion of the Slovenian Motorways System by the end of 2004 in the west-east and north-south directions. The west-east direction with a total length of 386km has been given priority, to be completed by 1999. The north-south direction with a length of 113km will be constructed between 2000 and 2004. The cost of the motorway system is estimated at AUS$2,900 million! Of course, the list above isn't the only source of funds. They have also taken out loans, however it is interesting to note that the regulations are set up so that DARS can only take on tasks for which financial resources have been secured. This makes sure DARS doesn't go bust. With this in mind, DARS have secured loans from the European investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, as well as some private lenders, so it's pretty much full steam ahead. ❖ NEXT ISSUE-Motorways, Where and When? Robar Bros PTY LTD ACN 066 032 111 BSC Licence No. 62799C • Excavation • Concreting Specialist • Bogie Tipper Hire • Drott Hire • Backhoe Hire • Dogtrailer Hire • Stencil & Stamped concrete specialist Commercial & Domestic work Hourly & Contract price available Director: EddyRohar Mobile 018 067 553 AH 02 9623 1612 Fax 02 9623 3625 63 Kent Road Orchard Hills NSW At! Work Guarantied Over 30 yrs experience KOBAL & ASSOCIATES SOLICITORS & ATTORNEYS Dorothy Kobal B.ComL.LB. 81 Sporing Ave, (P.O. Box KL 806) Kings Langley 2147 (Tel) (02) 9838 0334 (Fax) (02) 9674 4583 Conveyancing,Wills & Probate, Small Business, Litigation and General Advice. H.IJ ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR GOLD LICENCE NO: EC38345 For all your Electrical work call Henry Stariha Phone: (02) 9624-B132 Mobile: 018 972 425 Elections In the recent elections for the new National Assembly of Slovenia, 1,537,476 citizens had the right to vote. Unofficial results indicate that 1,135,382 votes were cast by 7pm on election day. Voting turnout was 73.85%, very good compared to the less than 50% turnout for the recent election in the United States. Final results were due to be posted on the 15th of November 1996, however these are not yet available. If you have access to the Internet, look up the Slovenian Governments website for the latest details. ♦> fir Make Up Artist Bridal, Formais and Special Occassions Evelyn Kill dan Mobile: 0412 5 4 6 781 Tel: 02 9546 7816 fee 02 9546 7816 List of Candidates Votes Liberal Democracy of Slovenia 288,575 Slovenian People's Party 207,054 Social Democratic Party of Slovenia 172,299 Christian Democrates of Slovenia 102,7892 United List of Social Democrats 96,558 Democratic Party of Retired Persons of Slovenia 46,093 Slovenian National Party 34,399 Democratic Party of Slovenia 28,613 Green Party of Slovenia 18,841 Slovenian Craftsmen and Entreprenerial Party 12,329 Slovenian Forum 11,376 Liberal Party 7,962 National Labour Party 5,818 The Green Alternative of Slovenia 5,599 Republican Association of Slovenia 5,070 Communist Party of Slovenia 5,026 Christian Social Union 4,765 Slovenian National Right Party 3,322 Patriotic Unionist Party of Retirees 2,025 The New Party 1,104 Forward Slovenia 886 Party for the Equality of Regions 538 Slovenian language, literature and culture at Macquarie University You can study Slovenian full-time, part-time or take single units. SLN102 - Introduction to Slovenian Language (for beginners) SLN110 - Slovenian Reading Unit (for beginners) SLN121 - Slovenian Language I (for advanced students with HSC in Slovenian) SLN106 - Slovenian Literature (in English) SLN107 - Slovenian Culture {in English) SLN204 - Slovenian Language II (for advanced students who have completed SLN121) SLN300 - Slovenian Language III (for advanced students who have completed SLN204) SLN 206 -Slovenian Literature II and SLN301 - Slovenian Lileralure III are not offered in 1997. For more information you can contact: Centre for Open Education, (02) 9850 7470 Department of Slavonic Studies, (02) 9850 7015 Slovenian Section, Metka Cuk, (02) 9850 7032 e-mail mcuk@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au Cooking Plum Dumplings - Cepljevi Cmoki Just about everybody who has had anything to do with Slovenia would have at some stage in their lives tasted the delicious treat of plum dumplings. Although not a truly authentic Slovenian dish, this simple sweet has been prepared by our ancestors for generations. With plum season coming up, this is your opportunity to take up the challenge and impress your relatives by making your very own dumplings. This is not cooking for the faint hearted! The process is quite long and involved and requires maximum patience. A rainy weekend is idea! for this type of culinary adventure. Method Cook the potatos with the skin, then peel and mash while still hot. Place in a large bowl and add the potato, eggs, flour, butter, and a pinch of salt. Add inilk if necessary. Roll up your sleeves and knead into a smooth dough. You may need to add more flour if the mixture is sticking to your hands. The dough is ready when it has a smooth feel to it. Roll it out to a 1cm thickness on a large, lightly floured surface. Then, cut it into squares, which should be large enough to cover the entire plum. Place a de-boned plum onto cach square and fill the hollow with a teaspoon of sugar. Seal the dough firmly around the plum making sure, there are no gaps (otherwise the dumpling will fall apart while cooking). Cook for 15 minutes in boiling water, which has been lightly salted. You will know they are done when they "swim" to the surface. Drain the dumplings then fry them lightly in a mixture of butter and bread crumbs. Serve warm, with a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon. ❖ Ingredients Dough 1kg of cooked, mashed potato 300 grams of plain flour 100 grams of butter 3 eggs milk salt Filling 1 5kg of small plums 150 grams of sugar Topping 100 grams of butter 50 grains of bread crumbs cinnamon Euro Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 050 989 618) Euro Furniture Wide range of colonial furniture from Slovenia. Dining settings, Rocking chairs, Bentwood chairs and Modem bedrooms. Available at all leading furniture retailers Euro Trading Trading with Slovenia in chemical commodities, pharmaceutical & food products, metals, machinery, sporting equipment and a variety of other products. Sydney Branch Showroom Address 2A Bessemer Street 3 Dalmore Drive Blacktown NSW 2148 Scoresby VIC 3152 Ph: 02 9671 5999 Ph: 03 9764 1900 Fax: 02 9621 3213 Fax: 03 9764 1461 Feedback The ASR welcomes your suggestions and comments. Send correspondence to: ASR PO Box KL806 Kings Langiey NSW 2147 Australia Fax: (02) 9674 4583 Dear ASR team, Congratulations on a fantastic publication. I always read it cover to cover. It's a great way of keeping in touch with my heritage for me, my husband and children as well. In fact, my mother likes to read each issue as well! Many thanks Judith Marden Strathfield NSW 2135 We hope that we appeal to all generations and comments such as yours encourage us. Thanks for passing us on to friends and adding them to our data base. Our Queensland counterparts are joining our ranks - it's great to see! Ed Dear ASR team, We are sending you a cheque for the amount of $200 in support of the ASR. This gift is from the St Rafael Centre and the Centre's Saturday School. We congratulate you on a fine publication, wish you well and send our regards to the ASR team. Fr. Valerian Jenko & Sr. Francka Zizek Merrylands NSW 2160 Your support means a great deal to us. More than the financial contribution, the fact that we have your respect is overwhelming. The work that you do for all Slovenians at the St Rafael's Mission far outweighs any other contribution made by any other individual or organisation in our community and without your hard work, there may not be a Slovenian community at all. Your commitment has had an impact not only on the religious members of the community, but on all new migrants to NSW, Queensland and many other parts of Australia. Ed Dear ASR team, I thank you very much for the ASR you sent me. It's very interesting to read, regardless that the majority of the articles pertain to Sydney and that we can't participate from a distance. Our Club Planinka also distributes information for us in Queensland. Mimi Tolovcevich Queensland Our Queensland readership is growing all the time and hopefully you will feel free to add any specific Queensland news. This issue shows us how well the Slovenian school in Brisbane is doing. We do try and ensure that we have many general interest stories that should appeal to all Australian Slovenians. Ed ♦> Ivan's Kitchens Penrith For craftsman quality kitchens, vanities and cabinets Ivan Brcar 047 21 2010 (AH) 047 36 5525 Crossword Answers Bethlehem bib carpenter cards chimney Christmas dead lights midnight post presents pudding rednosed reins stable stash stockings summer TB three tree dove ebenezer ed hen hoho Jesus Joseph rest rudolph silent ski snow star turkey twas weds winter wisemen yeast Crossword ACROSS 3. The cause of a white Christmas 5. The troublesome part of the Christmas tree 8. Usually a surprise 10. Jesus1 father 12. This is usually put on top of the Christmas tree 14. Three important people who visited Jesus 15. A feature of Santa's Rudolph (2 words) 16. Where Jesus was bom 19, Marries 20. Christmas Carol"-Night" 23, Protective clothing for kids 24. The number of wise men 26. An important code for Christmas cards 27. Where Santa enters the house 31. No longer alive 33. A season which has snow 34. Joseph's occupation 35. An organism used in fermenting 36. Fowl 37. The season we have Christmas in DOWN 1. Symbol of peace 2. What this crossword is about 4. The reason we have Christmas is to celebrate his birth 6. Santa likes to say this 7. Scrooge's first name 8. Often eaten with custard at Christmas time 9. Hoard 11, "_the night before Christmas" 13. The most famous reindeer 15. "God_Ye Merry Gentleman" 17. What you put all the decorations on 18. Straps for steering Santa's reindeer 20. These are hung by the chimney on Christmas eve 21. Short for tuberculosis 22. The town of Jesus birth 25. Mass time 28. Short for Editor 29. Another organism used in fermentation 30. Chick's mama 32. These are sent to loved ones and friends Answers on Page 23 Did you want a copy of the Australian Slovenian Review, need to change your address or cancel your free copy? Fill in the details below and send to: Australian Slovenian Review CI- P.O. Box KL 806 Kings Langley NSW 2147 □ I would like a copy □ Please change my details □ Please cancel my copy Name______ Address __ Postcode _ If you know someone else who would be interested in receiving a copy of the ASR, please pass this form to them. Back issues are also available at $5 each. Please send your orders to the above address.