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Slovenia: Western Europe
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With 95 inhabitants per km², Slovenia ranks low among the European countries in population density (compare with 320/km² for the Netherlands or 195/km² for Italy). Approximately 50% of the total population lives in urban areas, the rest in rural.
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The 9th Porvoo Group Seminar, which will look at issues relating to interoperable electronic ID will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 11-12 May 2006. On day 2 of the Seminar, the EBF's CEO, Max Snijder will present on the Minutiae Template Interoperability Testing Project, known as the MIT Project, which was launched last week. The Porvoo Group's primary goal is to promote a trans-national, interoperable electronic identity, based on PKI technology (Public Key Infrastructure) and electronic ID cards, to help ensure secure public and private sector e-transactions in Europe. The Porvoo group meets regulary every 6 months, each time in a different country. This time the Seminar is hosted by the Sloveninian Ministry of Public Administration and takes place in hotel LEV in Ljubljana.
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Slovenia enjoys prosperity and stability that are too often the exception in central and eastern Europe. Slovenia's economic success clearly illustrates the benefits of embracing liberal trade, following the rule of law, and rewarding enterprise.
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Given all this, one would think that Western leaders would hail Slovenia for having the good sense to develop a relatively successful mixed economy, and for not leaving itself open to the tender mercies of unbridled capitalist restoration. Here was a country taking a somewhat different route from the buccaneer profit-and-plunder road traveled by most other ex-communist nations, and with good effect on the living standard of its people. But it was this very thing that bothered the free marketeers, whose concerns have little to do with the well being of any particular population, and whose focus is on investment opportunities, cheap-labor markets, readily accessible natural resources, and high rates of profit. It was Slovenia’s very success, its unwillingness to go the neoliberal shock therapy route that incurred displeasure among big investors. If Slovenia wants to join the European Union, warned the Economist in 1998, it will have to drop “a lot of protectionist and nationalist rules of its own. . . . [T]here is not enough shock in Slovenia’s economic therapy.”
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The Republic of Slovenia lies at the heart of Europe, where the Alps face the Pannonian plains and the Mediterranean meets the mysterious Karst. To the north borders to Austria; Hungary is to the east; Croatia to the south and Italy to the west.
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On 1 January 2007 Slovenia adopted the euro as the national currency. The country entered the euro area with an exchange rate of 239.64 tolars to the euro, becoming the 13th member of the euro area, and the first of the ten 2004 EU newcomers, to adopt the common European currency.
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