Year 2009

12. May 2009 - 18. November 2009

Photo: Sandro Weltin, source: Council of Europe

Slovenia's chairmanship of the CoE Committee of Ministers

Slovenia takes over the six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

07. June 2009

Elections to the European Parliament are held

Elections to the European Parliament are held in Slovenia. Seven candidates become MEPs: Tanja Fajon, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Jelko Kacin, Lojze Peterle, Zoran Thaler and Ivo Vajgl.

13. September 2009

Kayaker Peter Kauzer wins Slovenia a gold medal

Kayaker Peter Kauzer wins Slovenia a gold medal in the kayak single class at the White Water World Championships in Seu d'Urgell (Spain).

04. November 2009

Border Arbitration Agreement

Slovenia and Croatia sign a border arbitration agreement in Stockholm.

Overview of the year

Slovenia chaired the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe from May to November. At home, the new government of Borut Pahor dealt intensively with the financial and economic crisis, which after a lag reached Slovenia, and applied a number of measures to at least partly stem the devastating consequences for the economy and a large proportion of the population.
The second elections to the European Parliament were held in the beginning of June in which three of the seven MEPs were re-elected and the remaining four lost their seats to other candidates.

Slovenian prime minister Borut Pahor and his Croatian colleague Jadranka Kosor signed an agreement in the presence of the then EU chair, Swedish prime minister Mr. Reinfeldt, in Stockholm in November by which the final border between the two countries would be determined by an international arbitration.

Sporting events included a 1st place of Peter Kauzer in slalom in kayak and canoe wild water racing and a 1st place of Petra Majdič in sprint in the cross-country skiing world cup. Slovenian boxer Dejan Zavec became the world welterweight champion in December.

Text: Government Communication Office