Annual Review of Slovenian Arts and Culture

Ljubljana, 4 December - After years of efforts to forge closer ties with EU countries, Slovenia started asserting itself in the family of European nations in 2003. Not only did it vie for funds from European cultural programmes on equal footing, it also took part in meetings of European ministers. Although the EU does not have a common cultural policy, its members are pursuing certain common goals. European Commissioner for Education and Audiovisual Policy, Viviane Reding, herself a member of a small and multilingual nation, has been ardent in advocating the need for the preservation and nurturing of cultural diversity on the Old Continent. Slovenia can contribute its piece to this mosaic; provided, of course, that it is able to recognise this diversity in a period so heavily marked by the fascination with globalism. On the home front, some stories remain unfinished. While the Maribor National Drama Theatre has been finally renovated, the urgent refurbishment of the National Drama Theatre in Ljubljana has been postponed - again. The legislation on cinematography, the audiovisual act, has been drafted, but its fate is uncertain due to potential conflicts of interest. With or without it, however, Slovenian film will survive. Filmmakers, and other performers, reacted with considerable brouhaha when highlights of the 2005 tax reform were outlined. It seems that sparks will be flying when taxing author income is debated. Meanwhile, the much talked about Forum of Slavic Cultures failed to get started; it seems that pragmatists do not see Slavism as something that would be productive in the new Europe.