Estonia and Slovenia

Bilateral relations

The Republic of Slovenia first expressed its support for the re-establishment of Estonia's independence when Slovenia still belonged to the Yugoslavian Socialist Federal Republic. The Slovenian Parliament recognised the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on 16 May 1990 and as a legislative initiative, a motion was made to the parliament of the Yugoslavian Socialist Federal Republic to recognise the independence of the Baltic States. Yugoslavia recognised Estonia on 22 October 1991. After Slovenia attained independence on 25 June 1991, Estonia recognised the independent Republic of Slovenia on 25 September 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 11 December 1991.

As of 2012 Slovenia is represented in Estonia by its embassy in Copenhagen.

Slovenian ambassadors to Estonia:
Tone Kajzer (August 2009-October 2012, resided in Helsinki)
Vojislav Šuc (2006–2009, resided in Stockholm)
Darja Bavdaž Kuret (2002–2006, resided in Stockholm)
Dragoljuba Benčina (1998–2001, resided in Stockholm)
Ivo Vajgl (1995–1996, resided in Stockholm)

Estonia began its diplomatic coverage of Slovenia from Vienna in May 1994, when embassy charge d’affaires Sven Jürgenson was accredited by Slovenia. Current ambassador Priit Pallum, residing in Budapest; presented his credentials to Slovenian President Danilo Türk on 20 January 2011.

Relations between Estonia and Slovenia have been good over the years, as their positions and views are similar. Contact between the two countries is not very intensive but the existing communication is productive and pragmatic. Reciprocal visits have taken place on the level of presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers, in addition to many other important visits.

Regular consultations are held between the foreign ministries. In 2011 both security policy and European Union-related consultations were held. In June of 2012 consultations between the foreign ministries on development co-operation were held in Ljubljana.

Circumstances are good to intensify practical co-operation between the parliaments of the two countries. A Slovenia-Estonia parliamentary group exists in the Slovenian parliament. On 12 September an Estonia-Slovenia parliamentary group was created in the Riigikogu.

Visits

Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations between Estonia and Slovenia became active during the first few years following the restoration of Estonia’s independence. Reciprocal visits have occurred on the level of president, prime minister, and foreign minister.

Regular consultations are held between the foreign ministries of the countries. In 2011 security policy consultations and consultations on European Union topics were held. In June 2012 development co-operation consultations between the foreign ministries were held in Ljubljana, and in January 2013 consultations on European Union topics were held in Tallinn.

As both Estonia and Slovenia received invitations to begin OECD accession negotiations in 2007, Slovenia proposed to meet on the level of OECD experts. Among other meetings, a meeting between Slovenia’s leading OECD negotiator Žiga Turk and Estonia’s leading OECD negotiator Marina Kaljurand took place on 14 October 2008.

Accession negotiations with the OECD drew to a close in 2010. Slovenia became a full member in July 2010 and Estonia followed in December 2010.

The most important event in bilateral relations in 2008 was the working visit of President Toomas Hendrik Ilves to Slovenia, primarily to discuss bilateral relations, Slovenia’s experiences in the EU presidency, European Union-Russia relations after the Russia-Georgia conflict, and the situation in the Western Balkans.

In February 2010 Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Žbogar visited Estonia. During that visit, positions on important European Union issues were exchanged. In December 2010 the visit of Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor to Estonia took place, the main goal of which was to exchange experiences in getting out of the economic crisis.

In May of 2011 Slovenian President Danilo Türk came to Estonia for a visit accompanied by ministers and a large business delegation.

Agreements

Agreements

• Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Education, Culture and Science (came into force 14.07.1994);
• Agreement on the Organisation of International Road Transport (came into force 01.05.1995);
• Agreement on the Re-admission of Persons (came into force 07.11.1997);
• Agreement Concerning the Cooperation in the Fight Against Organized Crime, Illicit Drug Trafficking and Terrorism (came into force 23.01.2004);
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Tax Evasion (came into force 26.06.2006).
• Agreement on the Exchange and Protection of Classified Information (came into force 08.05.2010)

Consular co-operation

Estonia has concluded a visa representation agreement with Slovenia. Slovenia represents Estonia for the issuing of visas in Montenegro. In connection with the closing of the Estonian Embassy in Sofia, as of 15 June 2012 Estonia stopped issuing visas for Slovenia in Bulgaria.

Economic Relations

TRADE

There is room for growth in trade relations between the two countries. It is necessary to find opportunities to advance the goods trade.

In 2012 Slovenia was Estonia's 37th trade partner with a total turnover of 40.8 million euros, which made up 0.2% of total trade turnover.   Export made up 8 million euros of the total and import 32.8 million. In 2011 Slovenia was Estonia’s 36^th trade partner with a turnover of 33.3 million euros. Export totalled 5.4 million and import 27.9 million euros, creating a balance that was a deficit of 22.5 million EUR.

Trade 2006 - 2012 (in millions of EUR)

The main articles of export to Slovenia in  2012:

• machinery and equipment (28.4%);
• wood and wood products (18.5%);
• metals and metal products (16%);
• chemical products (15.2%)

The main articles of import from Slovenia in  2012:

• chemical products (39.3%);
• machinery and equipment (27.1%);
• transportation vehicles (7.1%);
• other manufactured goods (7.1%)

All the economical information is obtained from Statistics Estonia.

INVESTMENTS

In the data of the Bank of Estonia, as of 31 December 2012 the value of Estonia’s direct investments in Slovenia is indicated with an “x” (if there are fewer than three investments made in a country, the size of the investments are not revealed for privacy protection purposes). Investments were made in the wholesale and retail trade sector.

The volume of Slovenia’s direct investments into Estonia as of the same date amounted to 75 thousand euros, with the main sectors being agriculture and forest management; wholesale and retail trade; professional, research, and technology-related activities; and administrative and assistance activities.  According to information available from the Business Register, as of March 2013 there are six companies with Slovenian participation registered in Estonia.

In order to develop economic and trade relations between Estonia and Slovenia, the latter has expressed interest in intensifying relations between the two countries’ chambers of commerce. Within the framework of the visit of the president of Slovenia in May 2011 a business delegation visited Estonia as well. A business seminar at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and meetings between Slovenian and Estonian entrepreneurs took place. Today 60 members of business associations have listed Slovenia as one of their co-operation partners.

TOURISM

Slovenian interest towards Estonia as a travel destination has increased. According to accommodation statistics, more than 1 000 Slovenian citizens visit Estonia per year. In 2010 Estonian accommodation establishments welcomed 1 330 Slovenian tourists, in 2011 the number was 1 335 tourists, and in 2012 1 724 tourists. In addition to Tallinn, Slovenian tourists were also interested in Saaremaa and Tartu County.

Cultural Relations

Olga and Priit Pärn were the artists in residence at the animation festival Animateka that took place in December 2010 in Ljubljana. An exhibit of the artists’ drawings was displayed in the gallery of the cinema house, a retrospective of Priit Pärn’s films was shown, and a master class was held for Slovenian film students.

At the end of 2011 Tallinn handed the title of European Capital of Culture over to the Slovenian city of Maribor. The event took place in Maribor within the framework of a concert by the Nordic Symphony Orchestra.

As the Capital of Culture, Maribor offered all the other EU member states the opportunity to display their culture for one month at the Capital of Culture headquarters located in Vetrinjski Manor in Maribor. Estonia and Finland displayed their culture there together in January 2012, at which time it was possible to see displays of Estonian and Finnish comics as well as a jewellery and textile exhibit. The opening day of the Estonia-Finland cultural month was supplemented by a fire show by circus students from the Turku Arts Academy and the burning of a fire sculpture created by Estonian artists in the heart of Maribor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTIwyizBE8   http://www.maribor2012.eu/en/news/article/ognjene-skulpture-ogrele-sredisce-maribora/.

During the cultural month the public of Maribor was also able to see Karl Saks’ modern dance production “The Drone of Monk Nestor” and René Vilbre’s dance film “The Other”. The cultural month was concluded with an Estonian-Finnish-Hungarian jazz concert that included Estonian Meelis Vint on the clarinet.

At the Nordic children’s film week entitled “Meatballs” that took place in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana from 27 April – 6 May 2012, Estonia was represented by Janno Põldma and Heiki Ernits’ animated film “Lotte and the Moonstone Secret”.

The Estonian Puppet Theatre has a long-standing relationship with Slovenia’s Mini Theatre, at whose invitation the Puppet Theatre participated in the Puppet Academy festival in August 2012. The Puppet Academy is part of a greater international co-operation project in 2012-2013 that includes theatres in Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia. The name of the project is “The Nomads of Beauty”. Upon the invitation of the Slovenian National Puppet Theatre a visit was also paid to Ljubljana in September of this year to the festival LUDKE, whose programme featured the Estonian production “Brainwash”.

Many Estonian artists have participated in the International Triennial of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana: Jüri Arrak, Raul Meel, Concordia Klar, Ado Lill, Liina Siib, Urmas Viik jpt., erinevaid preemiaid on pälvinud Evald Okas, Vive Tolli, Vello Vinn, Mare Vint, Leonhard Lapin, Vladimir Makarenko, Kaisa Puustak, Marko Laimre. The Slovenian exhibit entitled “Mapping” (curated by Lilijana Stepancic)  was shown in KUMU during the XV Tallinn Graphics Triennial in 2011.

Estonians in Slovenia

Currently there are only a few permanent Estonian residents in Slovenia. In addition to them, you may also find Estonian exchange students studying at Ljubljana University for up to half a year through the Erasmus programme.

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