Janez Drnovšek ( Slovene pronunciation: [ˈjàːnɛz dəɾˈnɔ́ːwʃək] ; 17 May 1950 – 23 February 2008) was a Slovenian liberal politician , President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1989–1990), Prime Minister of Slovenia (1992–2002, with a short break in 2000) and President of Slovenia (2002–2007).
110-628: Drnovšek was born in Celje and was raised in the small town of Kisovec in the Municipality of Zagorje ob Savi , where his father Viktor (1923–2006) was the local mine chief and his mother Silva (1921–1978) was a homemaker. Drnovšek graduated from the University of Ljubljana with a degree in economics in 1973. Meanwhile, he worked as an intern at a Le Havre bank. In 1975, at the age of 25, he became chief financial officer at SGP Beton Zagorje,
220-484: A vegan and claimed that this greatly improved his health. Because of his new lifestyle and the content of his books and blogs, he was often regarded as an adherent of the New Age movement, although he rejected such a qualification as being too narrow. Drnovšek was fluent in six languages, namely his native Slovene , Serbo-Croatian , English , Spanish , French and German . He was divorced with one son, Jaša, who
330-418: A 2013 KPK report which found that Janša had violated corruption prevention measures. The SDS-led government collapsed in early 2013 after losing support of coalition partners. At the time of the 2014 parliamentary elections, SDS leader Janša was serving a prison sentence for a bribery conviction (which was later overturned by the supreme court and subsequently expired upon re-trial); SDS placed second. SDS won
440-517: A SDS-led coalition government, forming the second Janša Cabinet . The government took office in the midst of the European debt crisis , instituting widely disliked austerity reforms which helped spark a series of massive anti-government protests . Opposition to the government was further fueled by corruption allegations against Janša, including his alleged involvement in the Patria affair as well as
550-585: A bad bank that would take on non-performing loans from the bad debt-ridden state-owned banks. It intended to cut profit and income taxes to boost the economy, and enact constitutional changes demanding balance budgets . It also passed sweeping and highly contentious austerity measures (the Law of Public Finance Balance (Slovene: Zakon o uravnovešenju javnih financ ( ZUJF ))), and reportedly planned further cuts to state spending. The ZUJF fiscal consolidation law included provisions lowering pensions (widely opposed by
660-539: A centre-right governing coalition with Janša as PM . The government oversaw the country's entry into the European Union and NATO , and a period of rapid economic growth. The government faced allegations of curtailing media freedom. In the 2008 parliamentary elections , SDS was surpassed by the Social Democrats . SDS placed second in the 2011 parliamentary elections but managed to secure support for
770-476: A coalition with SDS. Some two weeks after the 2018 election, Janša again met with Hungarian PM Orbán during a private visit in Budapest. Janša and Orbán also held a conference call with US president Donald Trump during the meeting. Janša stated he would be willing to relinquish his post as PM designate to some other SDS MP such a move would ease tensions and enable SDS to form a coalition government. Despite
880-483: A combined total of 50 out of 90 parliamentary seats) some two months after the election after PS failed to form a coalition with a parliamentary majority. The coalition took power amid an alarming economic downturn ( European debt crisis ). The country's economic woes were further exacerbated by credit agencies' lowering of Slovenia's credit rating amid the political tumult. The coalition, headed by SDS, undertook drastic economic and financial reforms in an attempt to halt
990-653: A construction company. Two years later he became, for one year, an economic adviser at the Yugoslav embassy in Cairo . He defended his master's thesis in 1981 and in 1986 he defended his dissertation at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Maribor . In 1983, he became head of the local branch of Ljubljana Bank in his home region of the Central Sava Valley in central Slovenia. In 1986 he
1100-656: A failed attempt to ally himself with the Slovenian National Party . In 1997, the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia formed a coalition government with the populist Slovenian People's Party which finally enabled Drnovšek to serve a third term in office. He headed the government until May 2000, when he stepped down due to disagreements with the Slovenian People's Party . After less than six months in opposition, Drnovšek returned to power in
1210-505: A fall in domestic spending, and large budget deficits. The fall in domestic demand, coupled with falling exports, resulted in a double dip recession . A 2016 article alleges that the sharp downturn in Slovenian economic outlook was a result of Janša's overdramatic public statements regarding the economic fitness of the nation. Janša reportedly made such ominous claims for political purposes as means of solidifying political power and as
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#17327980517131320-441: A formation of a Janša-led government in the past, all had since experienced changes of leadership that was more amenable to such an arrangement. The news that SMC would be entering into a coalition with Janša resulted in the departure of the party's founder and first head, Miro Cerar, after whom the party was initially named ("Miro Cerar Party"). Janša was confirmed as PM on 13 March 2020. The coalition agreement signed between
1430-720: A negotiating strategy to strengthen his hand during negotiations with public sector unions. The PM's eerie pronouncements were taken at face value by foreign observers, however, creating a self-fulfilling feedback loop where gloomy statements made by top Slovene officials created more panic and dismay in the foreign press and various organisations, and vice versa, resulting in falling credit ratings and asset prices, and excessive capital injections/bailouts with funds borrowed at excessively high interest rates. In late 2012, protests began to take place in Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, against its mayor and SDS ally, Franc Kangler , who
1540-450: A period of rapid economic growth. GDP grew by nearly 5% between 2004 and 2006, reaching nearly 7% growth in 2007, making Slovenia the fastest-growing eurozone member for that year. The economic boom, however, was highly dependent on private debt, particularly corporate debt. Additionally, the Janša government failed to implement meaningful structural reforms or accumulate budget surpluses during
1650-427: A plurality of votes in the 2018 election, however, most of the other parliamentary parties made pre-election pledges not to join a coalition government with SDS. After the centre-left coalition collapsed in early 2020, two of the parties that had seen a change of leadership since the election reneged on their pre-election pledge, clearing the path for the third Janša Cabinet . The new SDS-led government took office during
1760-493: A rally under the title "Without Fear — Against the Politics of Hatred", with some 2,000-3,000 heart-shaped balloon-carrying marchers in attendance. During the 2018 electoral campaign, SDS also begun to send postable questionnaires ("voter consults") to Slovene households. The questionnaires contained loaded questions and proposals (e.g. "... Do you support SDS's proposal that the healthcare system be set in order?"). The effort
1870-511: A reduction of the tax burden on individual incomes, the flattening of income tax margin progression, an increase in tax deductions, and a simplification of the tax code), overseeing the implementation of the Euro and the privatisation of state-owned NKBM bank, and reducing public expenditure as the greatest accomplishments of the ministry during his term (2004–2008). According to Janša, the most prominent economic challenge confronted by his government
1980-402: A result. The dismissal prompted protests by Janša's supporters and there were founded fears inside the government that Janša, backed by the nascent military, may refuse to relinquish power. A 2003 Mladina article alleged that Slovenia's military's special unit (MORiS) was in 1994 performing military exercises intended to prepare the force to carry out a military coup d'état . The police force
2090-572: A total of 49 parliamentary seats (out of 90). SDS has been accused of catering to the interests of the Slovenian Roman Catholic Church in exchange for political support. The government introduced measures to supervise, and to curtail the powers of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency . The measures were strongly rebuked by the opposition and segments of the press as an attempt to discredit
2200-432: A universal child benefit instead of an income-based one. In April 2022, liberal opposition, The Freedom Movement , won the parliamentary election . The Freedom Movement won 34.5% of the vote, compared with 23.6% for Slovenian Democratic Party. On 25 May 2022, Slovenia's parliament voted to appoint the leader of Freedom Movement, Robert Golob , as the new Prime Minister of Slovenia to succeed Janez Janša. Following
2310-449: A whistle-blower ( his imprisonment, trial, and public reaction were a milestone in the Slovenian path to independence). Despite his imprisonment, Janša stood as candidate for MP. In the May 2014 European Parliament election , SDS came in first place nationally, garnering 24.78% of the vote, and winning three MEP seats (out of eight allocated for Slovenia). The party received 20.69% of
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#17327980517132420-592: Is twinned with Celje also cooperates with Cherepovets in Russia and has informal friendly relations with Graz and Spittal an der Drau in Austria. Social Democratic Party of Slovenia The Slovenian Democratic Party ( Slovene : Slovenska demokratska stranka , SDS ), formerly the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia ( Slovene : Socialdemokratska stranka Slovenije , SDSS ),
2530-596: Is a conservative parliamentary party; it is also one of the largest parties in Slovenia, with approximately 30,000 reported members in 2013. It has been described as nationalist and right-wing populist , encompassing both national and social conservatism . Led by former Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša , the SDS is a member of the European People's Party , Centrist Democrat International and International Democracy Union . SDS has its origins in
2640-462: Is a translator and journalist. In 2005, he found out about the existence of a daughter, Nana Forte , otherwise a renowned composer. His sister is Helena Drnovšek Zorko, who has been the Slovenian ambassador in Japan since September 2010. In 1999, Drnovšek had kidney cancer resulting in the removal of a kidney. In 2001, he had cancerous formations on his lungs and liver. He repeatedly claimed nature
2750-597: Is the fourth-largest city in Slovenia . It is a regional center of the traditional Slovenian region of Styria and the administrative seat of the City Municipality of Celje ( Slovene : Mestna občina Celje ). The town of Celje is located below Upper Celje Castle (407 m or 1,335 ft) at the confluence of the Savinja , Hudinja , Ložnica , and Voglajna rivers in the lower Savinja Valley , and at
2860-568: The Communist Party of Slovenia -derived parties in the first democratic Slovenian election in 1990. The Social Democratic Union of Slovenia had emerged from an independent, anti-Communist trade union movement in the late 1980s. Its first president was the trade union leader France Tomšič , who in December 1987 organized a milestone workers' strike which lead to the establishment of an independent trade union, Neodvisnost, thus following
2970-666: The Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS) coalition . The party's early ideological orientation was liberal , social democratic , and civic nationalist , reflecting a broad and somewhat fragmented coalition. In the 1992 parliamentary elections, SDS barely passed the parliamentary threshold, joining a Liberal Democracy of Slovenia -led coalition government. In 1993, Janez Janša , another prominent pro-democracy dissident turned politician, became party leader (a post he has held continuously since); Janša also served as Minister of Defense between 1990 and 1994. In 1994, Janša
3080-698: The German army . Around 600 "stolen children" were taken to Nazi Germany for Germanization . A monument in Celje called Vojna in mir (War and Peace) by the sculptor Jakob Savinšek , commemorates the World War II era. After the end of the war, the remaining German-speaking portion of the populace was expelled . Anti-tank trenches and other sites were used to create 25 mass graves in Celje and its immediate surroundings and were filled with Croatian , Serbian, and Slovenian militia members that had collaborated with
3190-777: The Party of Democratic Reform and the Socialist Party of Slovenia ). Shortly afterwards, Drnovšek was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party ( Liberalno demokratska stranka – LDS), the legal successor of the Association of Socialist Youth of Slovenia ( Zveza socialistične mladine Slovenije – ZSMS), the youth fraction of the Communist Party of Slovenia . In 1992, the Liberal Democratic Party under Drnovšek's leadership won
3300-945: The Protestant Reformation , but the region was converted back to Roman Catholicism during the Counter-Reformation . Celje became part of the Habsburgs' Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars . In 1867, after the defeat of Austria in the Austro-Prussian War , the town became part of Austria-Hungary . The first service on the Vienna - Trieste railway line came through Celje on 27 April 1846. In 1895, Celje secondary school , established in 1808, began to teach in Slovene . At
3410-471: The Yugoslav Wars in violation of a United Nations arms embargo, and blackmailing prominent individuals, including politicians, businesspeople, journalists, and cultural and literary figures, by threatening to make public information (to which he was privy to in his ministerial role) regarding their previously undisclosed involvement with the former communist secret police. In 1994, Janez Janša
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3520-532: The cabinet of Alenka Bratušek , a four-party centre-left coalition led by the new leader of Positive Slovenia , Alenka Bratušek . In June 2013, Janša was convicted in the Patria case , but appealed the verdict. In April 2014, the Higher Court upheld the two-year jail sentence passed on Janez Janša as result of the bribery conviction. In June of that year, Janša began serving out his sentence, 26 years after his imprisonment for leaking military secrets as
3630-715: The social-liberal wing established the Democratic Party (DSS), while the conservative faction founded the National Democratic Party (NDS). Although the Social Democratic Party suffered a clear defeat in the 1992 election, barely entering Parliament , it formed a coalition with the winning Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS) and entered the cabinet of Janez Drnovšek . Janša became party leader in 1993 after Jože Pučnik resigned due to health issues (Pučnik later became
3740-473: The 14th century, with its Gothic chapel, is a specimen of medieval architecture. The so-called German church, in Romanesque style, belonged to the monastery, which was closed in 1808. The throne of the counts of Cilli is preserved here, and also the tombs of several members of the family. Celje has a continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ). The coat of arms of Celje are based on
3850-505: The 4 parties stipulated, among other things: the re-introduction of the draft and 6 months of mandatory military service, utilisation of private healthcare providers to reduce waiting times, an increase in public and private healthcare funds, promote apprenticeships in vocational school, a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, decentralisation, decreasing public spending, an increase in funds for municipalities, tax reductions for performance pay, an increase in pensions, and an introduction of
3960-621: The Germans, as well as ethnic German civilians from Celje and surrounding areas. Celje became part of independent Slovenia following the Ten-Day War in 1991. On 7 April 2006, Celje became the seat of a new Diocese of Celje , created by Pope Benedict XVI within the Archdiocese of Maribor . The town's tourist sights include a Grayfriars' monastery founded in 1241 and a palace from the 16th century. The parish church, dating from
4070-535: The Laško Brewery that owned the flagship national newspaper Delo as subsidiary, PM Janša secured editorial influence over the newspaper while Laško would be allowed to acquire a stake in a state-owned grocery store corporation. A new, government-friendly editor-in-chief was installed despite overwhelming opposition from the newspaper's staff, and nearly a dozen of the newspaper's journalists resigned in protest. The remaining journalists found reporting critically on
4180-538: The Liberal Democracy. Drnovšek's new approach to politics prompted one political commentator to nickname him "Slovenia's Gandhi ". The relationship between Drnovšek and the government quickly became tense. Disagreements began with Drnovšek's initiatives in foreign politics, aimed at solving major foreign conflicts, including those in Darfur and Kosovo . Initially, these initiatives were not openly opposed by
4290-643: The Prime Minister Janez Janša , but were criticized by the foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel , Drnovšek's former collaborator and close political ally until 2004. A major clash between the two happened in Summer 2006, when disagreement arose over Drnovšek's attempt to intervene in the Darfur conflict. The disagreements moved from issues of domestic politics in October 2006, when Drnovšek publicly criticised
4400-506: The Slovenian Democratic Party officially declared it would stay in opposition and form a shadow cabinet . The shadow government was formed in late December 2008, and it includes several independent members as well as members from other conservative parties. In the 2009 European election , the SDS was the most popular party in Slovenia with 26.9% of votes, more than eight points ahead of the second-most popular party,
4510-402: The Slovenian anti-Communist pro-democracy dissident labour union movement of the late 1980s. The Social Democratic Union of Slovenia (later renamed Social Democratic Party and, in 2003, Slovenian Democratic Party) was first headed by trade unionist France Tomšič, then by the prominent Slovenian pro-independence and pro-democracy dissident Jože Pučnik , who resigned in 1993. The party was part of
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4620-526: The appointment of other state official nominees, including Constitutional Court judges. Although the President's political support suffered after his personal transformation, the polls nevertheless showed public backing of the President against an increasingly unpopular Government. The tension reached its apex in May 2007, when the newly appointed director of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency Matjaž Šinkovec unclassified several documents from
4730-461: The autumn of 2000, after his party gained a clear victory in the parliamentary elections. Drnovšek's governments guided Slovenia's political and economic reconstruction . He successfully tackled the twin tasks of reorienting Slovenia's trade away from the wreckage of the old Yugoslavia towards the West and replacing the ineffective Communist-era business model with more market-based mechanisms. Unlike
4840-475: The city received electric power in 1913. Slovene and German ethnic nationalism increased during the 19th and early 20th centuries. With the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918 as a result of World War I, Celje became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known as Yugoslavia ). During this period, the town experienced a rapid industrialization and a substantial growth in population. Celje
4950-536: The coat of arms of the Counts of Celje . The coat-of-arms of Celje was selected for the national arms immediately after World War I in 1918, when Slovenia together with Croatia and Serbia formed the original Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia ). A similar coat of arms was integrated into the Slovenian national arms in 1991. The city of Celje is divided into 10 districts ( mestne četrti ) and
5060-465: The concession, the PM post was eventually occupied by the leader of the second largest parliamentary party, Marjan Šarec , who succeeded in forming a centre-left minority government (without the participation of SDS). After the 2018 parliamentary election, SDS failed to regain its traditionally strong showing of support in opinion polls which had been typical for the party while in opposition. Speaking to
5170-648: The country seceded from Yugoslavia. Following the Ten Day War , Drnovšek used his position in the collective presidency to help mediate the Brioni Agreement and to negotiate a peaceful withdrawal of the Yugoslav army from Slovenia. In 1992, after a Government crisis in the DEMOS coalition , which had won the first democratic elections in Slovenia in 1990 and led the country to independence, Drnovšek became
5280-614: The crossing of the roads connecting Ljubljana , Maribor , Velenje , and the Central Sava Valley . It lies 238 m (781 ft) above mean sea level (MSL). Celje was known as Celeia during the Roman period . Early attestations of the name during or following Slavic settlement include Cylia in 452, ecclesiae Celejanae in 579, Zellia in 824, in Cilia in 1310, Cilli in 1311, and Celee in 1575. The proto-Slovene name *Ceľe or *Celьje , from which modern Slovene Celje developed,
5390-617: The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic . In recent years, Janša has been described as an illiberal leader. The Slovenian Democratic Party developed from the merger of two distinct political parties, being the legal successor of both of the Social Democratic Union of Slovenia and the Slovenian Democratic Union , member parties of the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS) which defeated
5500-421: The economic and social transformation in Slovenia pursued by Drnovšek's governments followed a gradualist approach. Drnovšek was a staunch supporter of Slovenia's entry in the European Union and NATO and was largely responsible for Slovenia's successful bid for membership in both of those organizations. As Prime minister, he was frequently active on foreign policy issues. On 16 June 2001, he helped to arrange
5610-426: The economic downturn. Finance Minister Janez Šuštaršič pledged to speed up privatisation of state enterprises, cut public spending, and reduce budget shortfalls. Janša additionally pledged to cut taxes, remove regulations, lower the deficit, and raise the retirement age. The coalition passed laws transferring all state-owned enterprises into a single state holding company to accelerate privatisation efforts, and created
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#17327980517135720-401: The elections illegitimate and "stolen", and demanded fresh elections. In 2018, SDS sued the state for alleged financial damages the party incurred due to the alleged election "theft", and lost the case. With a campaign largely based on anti-immigration populist rhetoric, SDS topped public opinion polls heading into the 2018 parliamentary election. The incendiary electoral campaign sparked
5830-490: The end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, Celje was a center of German nationalism which had repercussions for Slovenes . The 1910 census showed that 66.8% of the population was German. A symbol of this was the German Cultural Center ( German : Deutsches Haus ), built in 1906 and opened on 15 May 1907, today it is Celje Hall ( Slovene : Celjski dom ). The centuries-old German name of
5940-589: The example of the Solidarity movement in Poland , and, in 1989, the party (which was the first opposition party in the former communist world). Tomšič was replaced as leader by Jože Pučnik later that year while the SDU was renamed as Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS). Pučnik was a former dissident who had been forced to emigrate to Germany as a political exile in the 1960s. The Slovenian Democratic Union
6050-672: The first half of the 14th century and town privileges from Count Frederick II on 11 April 1451. After the Counts of Celje died out in 1456, the region was inherited by the Habsburgs of Austria and administered by the Duchy of Styria . The city walls and defensive moat were built in 1473. The town defended itself against Turks and in 1515 during great Slovene peasant revolt against peasants, who had taken Old Castle . Many local nobles converted to Protestantism during
6160-606: The first meeting of the U.S. President George W. Bush with the Russian President Vladimir Putin , which was held in the Upper Carniolan estate of Brdo pri Kranju . ( Bush-Putin 2001 ) In 2002, he ran for President of Slovenia , and was elected in the second round, defeating the center-right candidate Barbara Brezigar . Drnovšek's presidency was highly controversial. In the first three years in office, he rarely appeared in public, save for
6270-544: The food price increases are an opportunity to address the overindulgence of Slovenian consumers. In the 2008 parliamentary election (held on 21 September 2008) narrowly lost against the Social Democrats , until then the main opposition party. It also lost one seat in Slovenian Parliament, falling to 28. With the election of the Social Democrat leader Borut Pahor as Prime Minister of Slovenia,
6380-476: The government and lead to self-censorship while journalists are also being prevented from covering issues that may go against the interests of the owners. SDS foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel had previously advised media owners to consider thoroughly whether a battle with the government is in their interest. SDS rejected accusations of impropriety, claiming the media was in fact controlled by leftist opposition groups. The first Cabinet of Janez Janša oversaw
6490-401: The government enabled increased political control of the state media organisation's editorial board and its board of directors by increasing the number of board members appointed by the government. The law faced a referendum challenge, but was approved by a tight margin as it also promised to lower compulsory contributions for the broadcaster's funding. In a secret 2007 deal with the head of
6600-466: The government increasingly difficult due to pressure from the new leadership. In 2008, after a souring of relations, the head of Laško accused Janša of threatening him with arrest if he refused to sell the Delo newspaper company. In 2007, over five hundred journalists launched a petition against political pressures on the media. The petition accused premier Janša of limiting press freedom in particular, but
6710-479: The honorary president of the party, a function he held until his death in January 2003). In 1995, the National Democratic Party joined SDS, which thus became one of the legal successors of the Slovenian Democratic Union . Janša served as Minister of Defense from 1990 to 1994. Janša has been accused of having abused his position to consolidate political power, engaging in arms trafficking to arm combatants in
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#17327980517136820-429: The issue made during a gathering of regional politicians and businessmen; Janša dismissed concerns regarding rising food prices, saying that "as long as there are loaves of bread in every city dumpster the situation isn't alarming". Economic Development Minister Andrej Vizjak similarly addressed cost of living concerns by saying that citizens "should not be loath to occasionally eat yesterday's bread", going on to say that
6930-484: The issue. Drnovšek accused Janša of "fostering proto-totalitarian tendencies". He became a blogger ( Janez D ), signing his posts as "Janez D" and expressing opinions on various issues from foreign policy, environmentalism, human relationships, religion, animal rights and personal growth. In his last months in office, he withdrew to a reclusive life again, devoting his time to the Movement for Justice and Development and
7040-487: The local Slovenian Catholic Church supported it more than any other Slovenian political party. Even though not a nominally Christian party, the local church has stood fully and unconditionally behind it. On 3 October 2004, SDS won the 2004 parliamentary election with 29.1% of the popular vote and 29 out of 88 seats. SDS then formed a coalition with New Slovenia (NSi), the Slovenian People's Party (SLS), and Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS), holding
7150-402: The lowest public opinion ratings of any government in the nation's history, coalition partners began to depart from the coalition. The government finally collapsed after a vote of no confidence, and a PS consensus candidate, Alenka Bratušek , was appointed as PM (despite some protests that continued to demand a snap election). On 20 March 2013, the second Janša cabinet was replaced by
7260-451: The media regarding the faltering performance, SDS officials blamed the government's alleged populist economic policies and a disproportionately hostile news media, while independent political analysts pointed to the big tent populist appeal of the ruling LMŠ party and its leader that attracted some traditionally conservative voters, and the momentous changes in the political environment and nature of SDS since 2011-2012 . In early 2020,
7370-495: The most important official duties. In 2006, however, a change of style became visible. He launched several campaigns in foreign policy, such as a failed humanitarian mission to Darfur and a proposal for the solution of the political crisis in Kosovo . On January 30, 2006, he left the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia . Shortly afterwards, he founded the Movement for Justice and Development and became its first president. He claimed this
7480-739: The municipality has 9 local communities ( krajevne skupnosti ): Districts Local communities In 1991 the population consisted of: Celje does not have its own university, although some college-level education has been established in the city. The current mayor of Celje is Matija Kovač. The current vice mayors of Celje are Saša Kundih, Samo Seničar and Uroš Lesjak. In Celje there are three courts of general jurisdiction: In addition to that there are also Celje Labour Court for resolving labour law disputes and an external department of Administrative Court for resolving disputes arising from administrative procedures. Postal number: SI-3000 (from 1991). (Old one: 63000 (between 1945–1991)). Celje
7590-495: The new government. In Slovenia, this was the first time after 1992 that the President and the Prime Minister had represented opposing political factions for more than a few months. Between 2002-04, the relationship between President Drnovšek and Janez Janša, then leader of the opposition, were considered more than good and in the first year of cohabitation, no major problems arose. In the beginning of his term, Drnovšek, who
7700-461: The other five former Yugoslav republics which were run for much of the 1990s by frequently authoritarian presidents, Slovenia under Drnovšek's premiership quickly emerged from the break-up of the federation as a functioning parliamentary democracy . Drnovšek's political strategy was concentrated on broad coalitions, transcending ideological and programmatic divisions between parties. Contrary to some other former Communist countries in Eastern Europe ,
7810-425: The parliamentary elections, but due to a high fragmentation of the popular vote had to ally itself with other parties in order to form a stable government. Despite a politically turbulent mandate (in 1994, the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia left the coalition), the Party gained votes in 1996, remaining the largest party in the government. Nevertheless, Drnovšek barely secured himself a third term in office after
7920-504: The period before 2004, revealing, among other, that Drnovšek had used secret service funds for personal purposes between 2002-04. The President reacted with a harsh criticism of the government's policies, accusing the ruling coalition of abusing its power for personal delegitimations and labeled the then current Prime Minister Janez Janša as "the leader of the negative guys" In the last months in office, Drnovšek continued his attacks on Prime Minister Janez Janša, who mostly remained silent on
8030-414: The period of sustained growth, instead opting for pork barrel politics , reducing tax burdens while engaging in economic populist overspending, making the country particularly susceptible to the coming economic crisis . Andrej Bajuk , Minister of Finance in Janša's first cabinet, listed the passage of comprehensive tax reform (which included the lowering of corporate taxes and taxes on juridical persons,
8140-632: The popularization of his lifestyle and views. During his time in office as the President of Slovenia, he wrote and published several books in spiritual philosophy , including Misli o življenju in zavedanju ("Thoughts on Life and Consciousness"), Zlate misli o življenju in zavedanju ("Golden Thoughts on Life and Consciousness"), Bistvo sveta ("The Essence of the World"), and his last one called Pogovori or Dialogues. According to his own accounts, it took him only two or three weeks to write each of his books, due to – in his words – "the higher consciousness" he
8250-430: The premiership in 2012. He was one of the defendants being tried for corruption as result of a 2006 bribery scandal involving charges of accepting kickbacks to fund his party's electoral campaign. Media reports alleging Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency was "infiltrated" by members of SDS also surfaced. Amid mounting pressure from continuing anti-government protests, a strike of public sector workers, and
8360-476: The public ), cutting wages for public sector employees, reducing education funding, social transfers and benefits. The draft of the law sparked a public sector general strike, and the law faced the possibility of a referendum. The SDS-led government proved impotent in stemming the economic troubles facing the nation. Despite the momentous reforms efforts, the economic troubles intensified, resulting in increasing levels of unemployment, plunging living standards,
8470-622: The public, defeated Marko Bulc , the Party's preferred candidate. The Communist leaderships of other Yugoslav republics did not agree with this new way of selecting the representative to the Collective Presidency, so the Slovenian Republic Parliament had to confirm the result of the elections. Drnovšek served as chairman of the Collective Presidency from 1989–90. While he was chairman of the presidency, he
8580-607: The region. Once the area was incorporated in the Roman Empire in 15 BC, it was known as Civitas Celeia . It received municipal rights in AD 45 under the name municipium Claudia Celeia during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius (41–54). Records suggest that the town was rich and densely populated, secured with the walls and towers, containing multi-storied marble palaces, wide squares, and streets. It
8690-486: The resignation of the finance minister due to intra-government disagreements regarding the crafting of a health insurance reform bill precipitated the resignation of PM Šarec, who called for an early election. SDS was however able to secure support for the formation of a new SDS-led government by forming a coalition with New Slovenia , Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) , and Modern Centre Party (SMC) . While all three parties had expressed clear opposition to
8800-478: The ruling Social Democrats. In 2009, the MP Franc Pukšič left the Slovenian Democratic Party and joined the Slovenian People's Party ; the SDS parliamentary group was thus reduced from 28 to 27 MPs. In the 2011 snap parliamentary election (held on 4 December after the centre-left governing coalition collapsed due to internal conflict and inefficacy in passing meaningful economic reforms), SDS won 26.19% of
8910-563: The ruling regarding his appeal of the Patria verdict. The Constitutional Court decided to annul the Higher Court's decision in April 2015, returning it to the lower courts for retrial. In September of the same year, the statute of limitations of the Patria case expired. SDS representatives expressed the belief that the trial was politically motivated and that the imprisonment of the party frontman unfairly hindered their election efforts, declaring
9020-505: The second Prime Minister of independent Slovenia. He was chosen as a compromise candidate and an expert in economic policy. His bi-partisan government was supported both by the left and centrist wing of the dissolved DEMOS coalition (the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia , the Democratic Party and the Greens of Slovenia ) and by three parties that derived from organizations of the former Communist regime (the Liberal Democratic Party ,
9130-574: The secret intelligence service and cast a negative shadow on the policies of previous governments. The first SDS government was the target of widespread criticism due to allegations of meddling in the independence of the press. The first SDS government has been accused of politicising the independent press by appointing political allies to leadership and journalist positioned in the state Slovenian Press Agency , daily newspaper Delo , regional newspaper Primorske novice , and public media and broadcasting organisation, RTV Slovenia . The government
9240-469: The town, Cilli , sounded no longer German enough to some German residents, the form Celle being preferred by many. Population growth was steady during this period. In 1900, Celje had 6,743 inhabitants and by 1924 this had grown to 7,750. The National Hall ( Narodni dom ), which hosts the Mayors Office and Town Council today, was built in 1896. The first telephone line was installed in 1902 and
9350-585: The treatment of the Strojans, a Romani family whose neighborhood had forced them to relocate, which in turn had subjected them to police supervision and limitation of movement. The disagreements however escalated when the parliamentary majority repeatedly rejected President's candidates for the Governor of the Bank of Slovenia , beginning with the rejection of incumbent Mitja Gaspari . The friction continued over
9460-469: The vote in the snap Slovenian parliamentary election held on 13 July 2014, and won 21 seats in parliament. The party remained in opposition, this time to the cabinet of Miro Cerar . Janez Janša was reelected as MP despite being imprisoned. The Constitutional Court decided not to deprive Janša of his MP mandate, and Janša was allowed leave while carrying out his political functions. The Constitutional Court suspended Janša's jail sentence in December, pending
9570-605: The vote, gaining 26 seats in the National Assembly , thus making SDS the second-largest parliamentary party after the newly formed centre-left party, Positive Slovenia (PS) (headed by Ljubljana mayor Zoran Janković ), which won 28 MPs (28.5% of the total). However, SDS succeeded in forming a ruling four-party coalition government (which included the Civic List , New Slovenia , Slovenian People's Party , and Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia ) (holding
9680-715: The worst violence in the nation's history as an independent state, with small groups of young, violent extremists - likely members of far-right and hooligan groups - clashing with police. In early 2013, the instability and public resentment was compounded after the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption revealed both PM Janez Janša and the leader of the largest opposition party (PS), Zoran Janković , violated anti-corruption laws by failing to report or account for assets in their possession and received income/payments. Janša also faced graft charges even before ascending to
9790-444: The year 2000, the party applied for membership in the European People's Party (EPP). The rightward shift culminated in the 2003 name change from Social Democratic Party to Slovenian Democratic party. The party was described as liberal-conservative or conservative-liberal in ideological orientation. The party's radical populism , nationalistic , and xenophobic attacks was also observed by political analysts. Moreover,
9900-439: Was a bout of inflation (which occurred during the 2007-08 period and was steepest for foodstuff prices). At the close of 2007, the inflation rate in Slovenia was the highest of any Eurozone member. Janša, Finance Minister Bajuk and other government officials pointed to high oil prices and a non-competitive internal food market as the main underlying causes for the inflation. Janša faced criticism for his statement regarding
10010-514: Was a lot of suggestions that we not accept this removal. I could have done that. But I didn't." In 1995, Janša was charged for alleged illegal arms trafficking, but the case was never brought to trial. SDS remained in opposition for the next 10 years, except for a brief period in 2000, when it entered a short-lived centre-right government led by Andrej Bajuk , while gaining popularity among – as described by one of its former supporters , Peter Jambrek – "lower, frustrated social strata". After
10120-599: Was able to access. His lifestyle was a mixture of elements from various traditions, including Hindu religious thought and the non-attachment of Buddhist philosophy. He also valued the indigenous traditions of the world. For example, he was present at the inauguration of Evo Morales , the first native American president of Bolivia , and later hosted Bolivian ethnic musicians in the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana. After his cancer diagnosis, Drnovšek became
10230-416: Was accused of using state-owned funds and companies with controlling stakes in newspaper companies to purge critical editors and journalists. State-owned companies also ceased purchasing adverts in the daily newspaper Dnevnik and weekly political magazine Mladina , two publications critical of the administration. By changing the laws governing the administration of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenia,
10340-805: Was also chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement and the commander of the Yugoslav People's Army . In the capacity of the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement Drnovšek notably opened the 9th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade with the speech in Slovenian language . Until the end of communist rule he was an active member of the Communist Party. After the democratic changes in Slovenia,
10450-546: Was also more broadly aimed against all infringements of press freedom by either government, political actors in general, or media company owners. The International Press Institute voiced support for the petition and called on the government to create an independent body to investigate the claims of media influence. The Association of European Journalists warned in 2007 of Slovene media companies' boards interfering in journalistic autonomy, reprimanding journalists and fostering other conditions that prevent critical reporting about
10560-643: Was apparently part of the party's electoral campaign, and likely fashioned on Hungarian "national consultations", which the country's ruling party has practiced for years. SDS once again emerged as winner in the 3 June 2018 parliamentary election , garnering 24.92% of the vote and winning 25 MP seats. However, the party was unlikely to be able to shore up needed support for a governing coalition, as most parliamentary parties ( List of Marjan Šarec , Social Democrats , Modern Centre Party , The Left , Party of Alenka Bratušek , and Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia ) had declared that they would not participate in
10670-472: Was at the same time covertly preparing to secure the state and prevent a military takeover. In a press conference shortly prior to the article's publication, Janša pointed to documents detailing these police plans to secure state institutions to argue that a coup was in fact afoot against his Ministry. In a 1999 interview with Delo , Janša commented on the events of 1994, saying: "I held immense power in my hands. [...] And in 1994, when they were deposing me, there
10780-411: Was being investigated due to allegations of corruption. The protests soon picked up momentum and spread across the country , becoming the largest in the independent republic's history. Protestors' main grievances were the harsh austerity measures imposed by the ruling government, looming sale-offs of state enterprises, and allegations of widespread corruption among the ruling elite. The protests also saw
10890-705: Was borrowed from Vulgar Latin Celeae . The name is of pre-Roman origin and its further etymology is unclear. In the local Slovene dialect, Celje is called Cjele or Cele . In German it is called Cilli , and it is known in Italian as Cilli or Celie . The first settlement in the area of Celje appeared during the Hallstatt era. The settlement was known in the Celtic times and to Ancient Greek historians as Kelea ; findings suggest that Celts coined Noric money in
11000-532: Was called Troia secunda , the second; or small Troy . A Roman road through Celeia led from Aquileia (Sln. Oglej ) to Pannonia . Celeia soon became a flourishing Roman colony , and many great buildings were constructed, such as the temple of Mars , which was known across the Empire. Celeia was incorporated into Aquileia c. 320 under the Roman Emperor Constantine I (272–337). The city
11110-585: Was chosen to be a delegate at the Slovenian Republic Assembly (parliament) and also the Chamber of Republics and Provinces of the Yugoslav parliament. In 1989, Stane Dolanc , the Slovenian representative to the collective presidency of Yugoslavia , retired. The League of Communists of Slovenia , aware of upcoming democratisation, decided to organize elections between two candidates for the position. Drnovšek, until then rather unknown to
11220-570: Was dismissed by Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek from his role as Defence Minister because of his involvement in the Depala Vas affair (which centered around an incident in which military personnel arrested and mistreated a civilian off-duty undercover police associate that was attempting to obtain classified documents about the Ministry of Defence). SDS subsequently left the Drnovšek government as
11330-500: Was founded in January 1989 as opposition to the Communist Party of Slovenia , emphasizing establishment of the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental political freedoms, respect for minority rights , and Euro-Atlantic integration (the European Union and NATO ). In 1991, after a conflict between the leadership and membership of SDU, the Slovenian Democratic Union split into two parties –
11440-512: Was heavy. The city (including nearby towns) had a pre-war population of 20,000 and lost 575 people during the war, mostly between the ages of 20 and 30. More than 1,500 people were deported to Serbia or into the German interior of the Third Reich . Around 300 people were interned and around 1,000 people imprisoned in Celje's prisons. An unknown number of citizens were forcibly conscripted into
11550-467: Was ill with kidney cancer , stayed out of public view. When he reemerged in late 2005 he had already changed his lifestyle: he had become a vegan (though one of his colleagues in a televised interview mentioned their regular Sunday visits to a pizzeria in Maxi market, Ljubljana), moved out of the capital into the countryside, and withdrew from party politics completely, ending his already frozen membership in
11660-410: Was not meant to be a political movement, but rather a wide initiative, aiming to "raise human consciousness and make the world a better place". On June 26, 2006, he announced that he would not be running for a second term in an interview on TV Slovenia . The 2004 legislative election brought further changes and a political swing to the right. Janez Janša , the leader of a right-wing coalition, formed
11770-402: Was occupied by Nazi Germany in April 1941. The Gestapo arrived in Celje on 16 April 1941 and were followed three days later by SS leader Heinrich Himmler , who inspected Stari pisker prison. During the war, the city suffered from allied bombing , aimed at important communication lines and military installations. The National Hall was severely damaged. The toll of the war on the city
11880-466: Was ousted from his ministerial post due to his involvement in the Depala Vas affair ; SDS consequently left the coalition government. SDS largely remained in opposition for the following 10 years, gaining in popularity and shifting its ideological outlook rightwards in the meanwhile. In 1995, SDS absorbed the conservative National Democratic Party , a former DEMOS coalition partner. In 2004, SDS placed first in that year's parliamentary elections , forming
11990-659: Was razed by Slavic tribes during the Migration period of the 5th and 6th centuries, but was rebuilt in the Early Middle Ages . The first mention of Celje in the Middle Ages was under the name of Cylie in Wolfhold von Admont 's Chronicle, which was written between 1122 and 1137. The town was the seat of the Counts of Celje from 1341 to 1456, with princely status from 1436. It acquired market-town status in
12100-541: Was the best cure, and spent most of his days at his home in Zaplana. He died there on February 23, 2008, aged 57, just two months after his presidential term ended. His body was cremated shortly afterwards. His remains were buried with honors in a private memorial service in his native Zagorje ob Savi , alongside his parents. Celje Celje ( pronounced [ˈtsɛ̀ːljɛ] , German : Cilli , German pronunciation: [ˈt͡sɪli] )
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