PREDSEDOVANJE EU 2008 EU Presidency 2008 PREDSTAVITEV ...

venues and services – including
for the level of guests we are
expecting. But I don't mean to
ignore the STB, and we intend to
ask for their opinion and eventual
help once the programmes have
been prepared. Our Government
Communication Office, which is to
play the main promotional role
during the EU Presidency,
co-operates more intensively
with the STB.
Who is in charge of choosing and
reserving venues? Are you doing
this yourself or handing over this
part of the obligations to the
tourist sector?
In general, we’ve created two
forms of centralisation. The first
was the choice of the central
location at Brdo – the most
rational decision – which offers
short distance to the airport
and staff who have the required
experience – and where
communication routes are
identical for both Ljubljana and
Bled where the participants are
to stay. At the same time, it’s also
sensible for rational, economic
and cost reasons, as its proximity
and permanent set up mean
savings. The other centralisation
scenario that was set up was
the Logistics Centre taking over
responsibility for all events,
both at ministerial level and
below. This means that we’re
also responsible for the
reservation of all accommodation,
which we’d already executed
previously for nearly all events
and by all means for everything
on the calendar. At a recent
meeting at Bellevue, we got some
criticism that we’ve taken too
much accommodation space from
tourist operators, but I
actually saw this as a compliment,
in that that we’d booked
accommodation early enough.
Of course, this is one of the things
which really concern me during
the Presidency.
Also in the sense that a whole
range of other events will go
on alongside the official events ...
and accommodation is one of
the bigger problems, for
Ljubljana, Bled and for all
of central Slovenia.
What about conference venues?
The new facility being built ay Brdo will cover most of the big events.
However, Slovenia doesn't have adequate halls, large enough to take
400-500 participants with the systems required for translation
or interpretation. We are facing a shortage of adequate sized areas
suitable for gala dinners and larger events, which personally quite
surprised me.
Cankarjev dom?
Cankarjev dom is the only facility currently big enough but it’s, in fact,
a vestibule and not a hall. I don't want to come across as critical, but
practically no dedicated halls exist. We will however also utilise
Cankarjev dom for its professional services.
Portorož?
In terms of accommodation, Portorož is one of the better, if not the
best destination. It’s a bit weak on the convention side though it’s got
several interesting halls, which are nevertheless too small. I believe it
would be very advisable, if Portorož could somehow get some bigger
halls. If the traditional type of Presidency continues, with evermore
interpretation, we face serious problems in the future, as will other
nations awaiting the Presidency. I hope that others learn something
from us, especially about the benefits of centralisation. If a large hall
and several multi-purpose smaller halls exist in one location, together
with all the right infrastructure and accommodation, the matter is
much easier and better in terms of price. Previous presiding nations
frequently used their fair premises as well, which ours can’t compare
with.
How was communication carried out with the hotel providers?
Totally correctly and with no problems. I’ve really got no complaints
here. I can praise all the main hotels, Ljubljana's Union, the Domina
Grand Media and the Lev, and the Sava Hotels Bled group, and I’d like
to take a moment to thank them for their immense co-operation and
good attitude. Nevertheless, we do realise that hotels also have
permanent guests and that, on our part, we’ll probably need additional
accommodation. However, I am counting on their flexibility and cooperation
as long, of course, as rooms are available. We’ve secured
some extra rooms with the reservations and I hope they will suffice.
Does a cost estimate already exist for the Presidency?
To speak of this now is quite a thankless task. The initial cost estimate
for the Slovenian Presidency was about SIT 13.6 billion, however I must
caution that this estimation was made for fewer events and with less
variety, as we hadn’t paid enough attention to event content. Today we
know that events do not merely encompass ‘mathematics’, they carry
a message – “I'm coming to see something” – which is a frequently
expressed wish and tradition alongside the regular plenary work.
Events happening during the Presidency have an extremely strong
informal and promotional part, in addition to a formal portion.
Will this additional part, the promotion of Slovenian tourism,
be organised?
Our Logistics Centre is responsible for all logistics, both for the formal
and informal parts of events – for the plenary parts, transportation
and other social parts. We’ll prepare for all this.
Do you have enough qualified staff for these activities?
Regarding the question of whether we now have enough people, I can say
with certainty that no, we don't. However, I am sure that we will have by
the time an actual and practical need arises. At the moment we are short
of staff. I must say, however, that all current activities are being
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