SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALTA

SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALTA

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia H.E. Dr Janez Drnovšek will be paying an official visit to Malta between 24^th and 25^th February, 2000. He will be accompanied by the Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Dr Dimitrij Rupel.

During his visit the Slovenian Prime Minister will be having official talks with the Prime Minister at the Auberge de Castille.

He will also call on The President of Malta and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Dr Drnovšek will also have meetings with the Leader of Opposition, Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and representatives of business organisations and trade unions.

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Dr Janez Drnovšek was born on May 17, 1950 in Celje, Slovenia. He has held the position of Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia since 1992 and has been re-elected for the third time in January 1997.

Dr Drnovšek obtained his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, in 1986, with a thesis titled "The IMF and Yugoslavia". He also studied in Norway, USA and Spain. In 1994, the Boston University awarded him an Honorary Degree in Law. Dr Janez Drnovšek received La prix de la Mediteran'�e, awarded by the Mediterranean Crans Montana Forum as an international recognition of his outstanding economic and political achievements on October 14, 1995.

On April 2, 1989, at the first democratic elections in the region, Dr Drnovšek was elected to the post of the Slovenian representative to the collective Presidency of the former Yugoslavia as the first non-Communist candidate ever. From May 1989 to May 1990, Dr Drnovšek held the position of President of the Presidency of the former Yugoslavia. During his tenure, Dr Drnovšek was also the Head of the Non-Aligned Movement – the world-wide political association of states not aligned with either of the two superpowers – and chaired the Summit Conference in September 1989.

Dr Drnovšek was a key political figure during the important period after a plebiscite in December 1990, when the people of Slovenia voted overwhelmingly for independence, and consequently, Slovenia declared its independence on June 25, 1991. He was the principal negotiator with the Yugoslav People's Army when it militarily intervened on the sovereign territory of the newly found state and was one of the key players during the Brioni negotiations that effectively ended the war in Slovenia. He also successfully negotiated the agreement with the Yugoslav People's Army to withdraw its forces from Slovenia.

In April 1992, he answered the call of various political leaders and citizens, and agreed to be elected as the Prime Minister of Slovenia. As the President of the triumphant Liberal-Democrats he was elected the Prime Minister for the second time in January 1993 and brought together a coalition of Liberal Democrats and Christian Democrats (for a part of the term also Associated List of Social Democrats and Social Democrats of Slovenia). The Liberal Democrats, which Prime Minister presides over, won also the recent parliamentary elections, on November 10, 1996, and today Dr Drnovšek heads a coalition government, consisting of Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, Slovene People's Party and Democratic Party of Pensioners, which was confirmed by the Parliament on February 27, 1997.

Dr Drnovšek published an autobiographical book titled "My Truth" (Moja resnica, 1996) bearing details from his rich political career. He is also the author of several articles in the area of loans and monetary policy and international financial relations, with the emphasis on the world debt crisis. He speaks and writes fluent English, French, Spanish, and has a good working-knowledge of German and Italian. His favourite activities are: jogging, fitness, tennis and cross-country skiing.