As 2008 has been proclaimed the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, the Presidency will endeavour to strengthen the intercultural dialogue within the EU.

It is important to popularise the value of intercultural dialogue among the European public at large. The Presidency will particularly strive to promote the intercultural dialogue with the Western Balkans.

A special Slovenian contribution in this context is the initiative for establishing a Euro-Mediterranean University in the city of Piran.

to proclaim – vyhlásit to endeavour – snažit se intercultural – mezikulturní within – v rámci, uvnitř important – důležitý value – hodnota, cena among – mezi public – veřejnost particularly – zvláště to strive – snažit se, usilovat (neprav. slov: strive, strove, striven) contribution – přispění to establish – zavést, ustanovit Mediterranean - středomořský, středozemní.

Slovenia has a population of 2,011,070 (July 2005), the capital Ljubljana has 330,000 inhabitants. Slovenia is approximately 50 % urban and 50 % rural.

Head of state is the President of the Republic, elected for a maximum of two, five-year terms by direct elections. The National Assembly has 90 deputies.

There are 210 municipalities, 11 of them have urban municipality status.

The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929.

population - obyvatelstvo capital – hlavní město approximately – v průměru urban – městský rural – venkovský head of the state – hlava státu term – termín direct – přímý deputies – zastupitelé, poslanci municipalities – obce the Holy Roman Empire – Svatá říše římská to join – připojit se multinational – mnohonárodní rename – přejmenovat.

After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war.

Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Country´s GDP per capita reaches about 85 % of the EU average, economic growth in 2006 was 5,6 %.

Slovenia as the first among the new Member States have fulfilled the Euro-zone convergence criteria, on the basis of which the country adopted the single currency on 1 January 2007.

In the first half of 2008 Slovenia presides over the EU, as the first among the new Member States.

renewed – obnovený dissatisfied - nespokojení majority – většina tosucceed – uspět toestablish – zřídit, ustanovit independence – nezávislost ties – vztahy, pouta, spojení stable – stabilní to assist – napomáhat to acced – přistoupit toreach – dosahovat average – průměr growth – růst among – mezi to fulfil – splnit to adopt – přijmout currency – měna.

Text: Markéta Frýbová