KHD round table: a civil society dialogue with SPÖ and FPÖ - but without Slovene organizations
In the press release of 10. February 2023 the Carinthian homeland service invites you to a round table to act as a mediator between the individual interest groups:
Carinthian Homeland Service tries to resolve conflicts
Invitation to a round table on the statement "Stop Slovenianization"
Klagenfurt (OTS) – The home service as a patriotic NGO, as a civil society organization, which feels committed to the preservation and care of the historically grown Carinthian identity, noted with great astonishment the statement made by a party youth organization related to the election campaign, according to which one must currently "stop Slovenianization" in the country.
The Carinthian Homeland Service regards the language and culture of the Slovene ethnic group as an inalienable part of this historically grown identity of Carinthia and is therefore unreservedly committed to its care and preservation. He therefore sees historically based fears of some kind of "Sloveneisation" as long since obsolete relics from the long-gone era of minority conflicts in the country.
However, since the authors of this statement are the youth organization of the second largest political force in the Carinthian state parliament and since this statement is in the country, but also in neighboring Slovenia for considerable unrest, even caused diplomatic irritation, the Carinthian homeland service allows itself to be invited to a round table, to the representative of the Liberals, or their youth organization, those of the addressees of these attacks, namely the Carinthian SPÖ and those of the Carinthian Slovene organizations are asked.
Under the moderation of KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer and the long-standing Slovenian representative Marjan Sturm, this round table is to take place on Tuesday 14. take place in February.
In the process, latent conflicts and partisan tactics should be discussed in the form of a thoroughly controversial dialogue, but also the real situation in Carinthia.The Carinthian homeland service is trying, with this initiative a contribution to conflict resolution and reconciliation- and to carry out a policy of understanding in the country.
In the “small newspaper” is reported about the cause
The Slovenian associations reject the KHD's invitation to a round table:
Dear Andreas, dear marian!
First of all, thank you for the invitation! I share with you, that we in the Central Association discussed participating in the round of talks, however, have come to a decision, that we don't want to take part, because the majority of the board members, who have come forward are of the opinion, that the participation of the ZSO is not necessary or possible for various reasons. is expedient.
Of course that's what it's all about, that we as an organization of the ethnic groups are largely kept out of the current election campaign, I therefore very much welcome the participation of representatives of the SPÖ and. FPÖ.
Kind regards and good luck with the conversation!
Manuel Jug
Ladies and gentlemen!
The Council of Carinthian Slovenes shares your letter dated 10.02.2023 with, that he was at the round table in the Dermuth inn on 14. Feber will not attend.
The round table becomes an advisory board for reconciliation – and understanding work, which appears to be welcome in principle, Unfortunately, however, there have been no concrete positive approaches in this regard in the past. One such approach would be to come to terms with the history of the KHD (“There is no Slovene – Carinthia”), the redesign of the site of the Carinthian unit or a re-evaluation of the person Hans Steinacher based on scientifically proven facts. The KHD could also opt for the reintroduction of compulsory bilingual education (with the option to unsubscribe, like religion), insert. As is well known, the KHD was among the leading organizations, the this exemplary, 1945 introduced regulation, 1958 brought them down and caused irretrievable damage to the ethnic group. At that time, the number of students fell from approx. 13.000 to about 1.300. The ethnic group has never recovered from this.
Best regards
Milena Ošina
Secretary of the Council of Carinthian Slovenes
Ladies and gentlemen!
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
I would like to thank you very much for the invitation, that I will not be taking part in today's round table, because on the one hand I've been in Vienna for appointments since yesterday, and on the other hand, because of the complaint that was filed and the final election campaign, does not want to take any further public steps on the subject at the moment. In further consequence, after the elections, we will be happy to engage in dialogue with the state parliament parties, especially in the context of the dialogue forum, for a common Carinthia/Koroška.
Sincerely, Z lepimi pozdravi
Bernard Sadovnik
The round table took place as planned on 14. February 2023 with representatives of the KHD, of the SPÖ and FPÖ – here is the press release:
Round table of the Carinthian home service on "Stop Slovenianization"
Statement to be regretted - reactions exaggerated – Civil society dialogue with SPÖ and FPÖ – without Slovene organizations
Klagenfurt (OTS) – In the course of this civil society initiative of the homeland service, posing as a contribution to reconciliation- and communication work in the country wants to be understood, was agreed: the statement of the Carinthian liberal youth, according to which one must "stop the Slovenianization"., should be rejected. Even the top candidate of the Carinthian FPÖ, Erwin Angerer, who was present, expressly regretted this.
On behalf of Governor Peter Kaiser, SPÖ-Landes Managing Director Andreas Sucher determined, that such statements would damage the spirit of peaceful coexistence in the country, but welcomed the liberal regret about it.
The reactions to this unanimously rejected formulation of the Carinthian liberal youth appeared to all those present, also the represented Carinthian Slovenes around Marjan Sturm, as excessive: Reports to the court, diplomatic disagreement between Vienna and Ljubliana, the citation of the Austrian ambassador in the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and even demands for the ban of the free youth organization would mean, that one shoots at sparrows with cannons.
These talks took place on Tuesday 14. February instead, since the Carinthian home service had invited to a round table in the Hotel Dermuth in Klagenfurt, one – moderated by KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer and the long-time Slovenian representative Marjan Sturm - to address the heavily criticized statement of the free youth of Carinthia "Stop Slovenianization" in the form of a civil society dialogue between those affected. Representatives of the Carinthian SPÖ and the Carinthian Freedom Party were invited as the two party-political antagonists and the Carinthian Slovene associations as the target of this attack.
Regional Managing Director Andreas Sucher took part on behalf of the Governor and the SPÖ, state party chairman Erwin Angerer came for the Freedom Party. The former third President of the Landtag, Rudolf Schober, represented the consensus group.
Unfortunately, the Slovenian associations canceled, where Manuel Jug declared for the Central Association of Carinthian Slovenes, as a representative of the ethnic groups, one does not want to be drawn into the election campaign. The Council of Carinthian Slovenes, led by Valentin Inzko, let it be known, that one of the reasons why one could not accept the invitation from the home service, because this one 1958, so before 65 years, advocated the end of compulsory bilingual education. However, a number of other personalities from the circle of the Slovene ethnic group took part in the discussion alongside the long-standing Slovene representative Marjan Sturm.
Everyone at this round table agreed on this, that civil society initiatives of this kind, based on the model of the Carinthian consensus group, would be useful and necessary for the preservation and expansion of peaceful coexistence. One must strive, expand these beyond national borders in the entire Alps-Adriatic region to deal with old historical antagonisms and current conflicts. This is the only way to further develop the Alps-Adriatic Peace Region as a pan-European model and role model.
report in the “Kronen newspaper” about the reconciliation work of the KHD
Also the “Small newspaper” reports on the round table
