PREDSEDOVANJE EU 2008 EU Presidency 2008 PREDSTAVITEV ...

The 2008 EU Presidency
Will we be Ready?
Slovenia is to preside
over the EU in 2008.
At that time, it will lead
all the working groups
and other working bodies
of the Council of the
European Union.
The Presidency has great
promotional significance
for Slovenia and it also
holds great promise
for Slovenian tourism.
Around two hundred
events are expected at
various levels in Slovenia
alone. We've discussed
the EU Presidency and its
importance for Slovenian
tourism with Dimitrij
Piciga, MSc, Director
of the Slovenian Tourist
Board, Miha Kovačič,
Director of the Slovenian
Convention Bureau and
Franci Kodela, MSc,
Deputy General Secretary
of the Government of
the Republic of Slovenia.
The added value of the Presidency
is those participants who return
later with their Families
Franci Kodela, MSc, Head of the Slovenian EU
Presidency Logistics Centre
“Simply said, the EU Presidency means that we will lead the European
Union for these six months in the same way as our ministries manage
the affairs of the Republic of Slovenia. We will manage the dossiers and
working groups, which is a great sigh of recognition for us at this
moment.” This was the very simple definition of the Presidency given to
us by Franci Kodela, MSc, Deputy General Secretary of the Government
of the Republic of Slovenia and Head of the Slovenian EU Presidency
Logistics Centre.
What does the EU Presidency mean for Slovenia and Slovenian
tourism?
The EU Presidency is undoubtedly very significant for both Slovenia
and the locations where events go on. The main location for the
organisation of conferences is to be Brdo near Kranj, though the
accommodation and accompanying programmes will be held all over
Slovenia. Most participants will stay in Ljubljana and at Bled, which are
closest to Brdo and the airport, while the events will also take place in
Maribor, on the coast and at Terme Čatež Health Resort. I estimate that
the coverage of Slovenia will be relatively wide and varied in terms of
accompanying events. I agree that places where participants stay
should have the greatest concentration of events, but this does not
mean that we will not promote other cities and towns. We ascribe
lesser significance to what participants see, or how they spend time
during their first visit to Slovenia if they do not return, but the added
value of the Presidency is the participants who return later with their
families. Austria put around €90 million into the Presidency and earned
an estimated €200 million from it. This is a tidy sum that shows exemplary
success; nevertheless I believe that this is not all, for cumulative
effects must follow later.
Slovenia has a wide variety of natural and cultural features and
excellent and highly esteemed cuisine. What’s most important is
how to present these qualities to foreigners, and I hope that we know
how to present them in the right way.
We are especially awaiting the demanding guests of the ‘highest
level’. Are you going to do anything special for them and are you
working with the Slovenian Tourist Board?
Naturally our Government Communication Office works with the
Slovenian Tourist Board on an ongoing basis – however at this time
we are not affiliated with them. I think that we have enough quality
information available with which Slovenian areas can offer appropriate
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