Atypical characteristics
The Slovenian people are largely English-speaking. The absence of dubbing and the systematic dissemination of foreign programmes in the original version with subtitles foster this culture, as does early language learning in primary school. On the other hand, the Slovenian people attach great importance to family structure: many households live in Ljubljana or Maribor during the week before moving to the family home for weekends or holidays. The preservation of the environment is one of their main concerns, with in particular the introduction of civic education and waste sorting courses from primary school onwards. Politically, Slovenia is widely divided and there is a fragmentation of ideologies and parties. Finally, Slovenes are considerably sporty. The practice of sport contributes to the development of a Slovenian way of life. In Slovenian society, sport has an important philosophical place and is considered a form of well-being and communion with nature. This spirit is powerfully relayed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, which defines sport as a health, social and educational issue of the highest order. It is also about expressing a more inclusive form of identity.
The weight of history: minorities mostly from the Balkans
The Serb minority - about 39,000 people, or 2% of the total population - settled on Slovenian territory from the 16th century, at the time of the Ottoman invasion. Migration has continued over the centuries and increased during the time of Yugoslavia. This often economic immigration has not led to national minority status until today. Notable personalities from this minority group include the former mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković and Jan Oblak, a football goalkeeper with the Slovenian national team and Atletico Madrid.
The Croatian minority - 36,000 people, or 1.8% of the total population - became established at a time when Slovenia and Croatia were one. This is a long-standing policy of assimilation which obviously does not go hand in hand with an official status as a national minority. The political tensions between the two countries since their respective independence have not spared the Croatian minority. However, some have managed to make a career for themselves, such as the eminent art historian Izidor Cankar or the former Minister of the Interior Dragutin Mate.
The Bosnian minority - 32,000 people, or 1.4% of Slovenia's total population - is predominantly based in Ljubljana. Migration flows have been continuous in the 20th century due to the better economic situation in Slovenia. The goalkeeper of the Bosnian national team and Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovič is one of them.
The Albanian minority - 6,200 people - was notably formed at the time of the fall of the Ottoman Empire, in a context of persecution of Muslim populations. It continued during the episodes of ethnic tension that marked the break-up of Yugoslavia. Long banished from Slovene society, its situation has improved considerably in recent decades, but without obtaining any official status.
Generally speaking, it should be noted that Slovenia has sought to promote a policy of assimilation of these minority populations in order to erase any nostalgia for a supranational identity. The survival of this heritage - particularly through the employment of Serbo-Croatian by about 5% of the population - has tended to diminish in recent years due to a desire on the part of Slovenian youth to look to a more Western future.From tiny minorities to official status
The Hungarian minority - 6,300 people - is recognised by the Slovenian state. An ambitious cultural policy has been put in place since the mid-1990s based on the organisation of joint exhibitions and festivities. Slovenian-Hungarian bilingualism is recognised by the Slovenian Constitution and is permitted in the municipalities of Dobrovnik, Hodos and Lendava, among others. In the latter town, for example, it is not uncommon to find street names in Hungarian. Several schools also teach Magyar as a co-official language.
The Italian minority - 2 300 people - is officially recognised by the Slovenian Constitution. It is overwhelmingly settled on the Slovenian coast. Bilingualism is allowed in the communes of Koper, Piran, Izola and Ankaran. Thus, the Italian language is taught in the same way as the Slovenian language in the schools, colleges and high schools of these municipalities. This influence of the neighbour can also be seen in the local atmosphere, typical gastronomy and the promotion of a more Mediterranean spirit than inland.Linguistic isolation and new perspectives
Slovene is the only official language of the country. It is a Slavic language, spoken in Slovenia, but also in the border regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) and Carinthia (Austria). It borrows a third of its vocabulary from Serbo-Croatian and also has a Latin influence. It is a difficult language to learn and is only marginally exported, with a lot of declensions and a very particular accentuation.
Slovenians have a very good overall level of foreign languages. The learning of English is now compulsory in the school curriculum. The second most studied language is German (34% of students). Slavic languages, such as Serbo-Croatian, are mainly used by older generations, while Italian has seen a real increase since the 2010s (15% of learners). The learning of the language of Molière has been in constant decline since the beginning of the decade 2010.Birth of the "yougonostalgia" feeling in Slovenia
It is a cultural, sociological and anthropological phenomenon that highlights a nostalgia, sometimes positive, sometimes negative, for the Yugoslav past. The sense of solidarity, the commitment to non-alignment and the memory of a socialism "with a human face" are thus opposed to state corruption and the repression of freedoms. In the Slovenian case, the well-documented article by Boštjan Rogelj on the subject, published in 2017, is worth reading with interest. It offers a balanced reading of the Yugoslav memory in Slovenia, which comes mainly from family circles and is still relatively little discussed at high school and university. This fascination with the united past of the South Slavic states is also reflected in its tourist dimension, with the development of an urban trail that allows visitors to discover Ljubljana's Yugoslav heritage.
