- Dr Janez Drnovšek, born 1950, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia
- Dr Gorazd Drevenšek, born 1962, researcher at the Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana
- Barbara Brezigar, born 1953, Supreme State Prosecutor
- Dr Lev Kreft, born 1951, full professor for aesthetics at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
- Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti, born 1948, pharmacist, Member of Parliament
- Jure Jurček Cekuta, born 1952, painter
- Prof Anton Bebler, born 1937, full professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
- Dr Franc Arhar, born 1948, President of the Board of Vzajemna d.d.
- Dr France Bučar, born 1923, retired
Information about candidates
The candidates running for the President of the Republic of Slovenia are (in order of appearance on the ballot papers):
Dr Janez Drnovšek
Born on 17 May 1950 in Celje, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia.
After finishing his business studies at the University of
Ljubljana, he obtained a PhD in economics at the University of Maribor
in 1986. In April 1989, he was elected Slovenia's representative to
the Presidency of the former Yugoslavia, which he also chaired until
May 1990. In March 1992, he became head of the Liberal Democratic
Party (LDS), while later that year he became the Prime Minister of
Slovenia. He started his second term in office following LDS' victory
at parliamentary elections in 1992. His third term at the Prime
Minister's office began in 1997 and was prematurely ended following a
vote of no- confidence in 2000. Parliamentary elections in November
2000 put Drnovšek back into the PM seat. He is fluent in English,
French, Spanish, German, Serbian and Croatian.
He is backed by 34 deputies of the LDS.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Mr Gregor Golobič
PR: Ms Nataša Pelko
Address: Trg republike 3, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 200 03 10
Dr Gorazd Drevenšek
Born on 26 October 1962 in Maribor, Researcher at the Institute of Pharmacology (the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana).
He obtained his first degree at the Ljubljana's Biotechnical
Faculty, while he got his PhD at the Faculty of Medicine, University
of Ljubljana. From 1988 to 1990, he was head of the Students'
Organisation of the University of Ljubljana. Drevenšek shares his
post as leader of the non-parliamentary party New Party (Nova), set up
in 1996 together with his colleagues from the students'
organisation. He is also a member of Neutro, an informal group
opposing Slovenia's membership in NATO. Moreover, he is sceptical
about Slovenia's joining the EU. Drevenšek is fluent in English,
Croatian and Serbian, while he understands French and German.
He is a candidate of 'his' New Party (Nova) backed by signatures
of 3.000 voters.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Mr Roman Kukovič
PR: Ms Teja Gregorčič
Address: Linhartova 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 306 39 95
Barbara Brezigar
Born on 1 December 1953 in Ljubljana, Supreme State Prosecutor.
In 1977, she finished her law studies at the Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana. Three years later she became district state prosecutor at the Ljubljana Public Prosecutor's Office, where she was appointed Head of the office in 1995. The following year she became the first head of a special task force of public prosecutors, a team within the State Prosecutor's Office in charge of fighting organised crime. She remained at this post until 1999, when she resigned. After becoming Supreme State Prosecutor in 1998, she was appointed minister of justice in the caretaker government of Andrej Bajuk in 2000. Following general elections in November 2000, she returned to the office of the state prosecutor and continued her work there. She speaks English and French. She is running for the President as an independent candidate with the support of signatures of almost 20.000 voters.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Mr Vasko Simoniti
PR: Ms Patricija Šašek
Address: Komenskega 11, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Tel.: +386 1 434 54 60
Dr Lev Kreft
Born on 15 September 1951, Professor for Aesthetics at the Faculty of Arts (University of Ljubljana).
He graduated in 1976 and obtained his PhD in philosophy in 1988,
both at the Faculty of Arts. He was a member of parliament two terms
in a row, 1990-1992 and 1992-1996. During the latter term, he also
held the position of a deputy speaker. He was a lecturer of philosophy
and aesthetics at several faculties of the University of
Ljubljana. Kreft, who is fluent in English, Serbian and Croatian and
can understand French, is also chairing the Slovenian Society of
Aesthetics and a member of the executive committee of the
International Association for Aesthetics. He has published several
works on aesthetics and has lectured abroad.
Kreft is a candidate of the party of the government coalition
United List of Social Democrats, therefore his candidacy was backed
by all 11 deputies of this party.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Ms Nataša Kovač
PR: Ms Irena Mraz
Address: Levstikova 15, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 41 693 684
Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti
Born on 7 January 1948 in Maribor, Deputy of the National Assembly.
He studied pharmacy at the Faculty for Pharmacy (University of Ljubljana). During his student years, he was a ballet dancer at the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. Before he entered politics, he was an entrepreneur. In March 1991, he founded the Slovenian National Party (SNS), which he has also headed ever since. At all three parliamentary elections (1992, 1996 and 2000), he managed to take his party to parliament. In his free time, he enjoys numismatics, scuba diving, flying and collecting arms. Jelinčič is also a chairman of the Aeronautical Association of Slovenia. He is fluent in English, German, Russian, French and Italian. He is backed by 3 deputies of the SNS.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Ms Miša Glazar
PR: Mr Boštjan Zagorac
Address: Komenskega 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 31 348 942
Jure Jurček Cekuta
Born on 6 June 1952, Painter.
He studied at the Technical School at Maribor, while he pursued art
studies at the University of Hawaii. Cekuta also led the international
fine arts association. Since 1975, he has had over 200 solo
exhibitions all over the world. He is fluent in English, Serbian and
Croatian, while he understands German and Italian as well.
He is granted support of signatures of 5.000 voters.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Mr Andrej Kokot
PR: Ms Monika Karan
Address: Mariborska 86, SI-3000 Celje
Tel.: +386 3 428 88 80
Dr Anton Bebler
Born on 10 March 1937 in Moscow (Russia), Professor at the Department for Defence Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences (University of Ljubljana).
After graduating in Belgrade, he studied political science and
international relations at the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S.,
where he obtained a Ph.D.. Since 1972, he has been employed at the
Ljubljana's Faculty of Social Sciences, where he was the first chair
of defence studies and where he has held the position of professor
since 1986. In 1992, he was appointed Slovene ambassador and
representative to the European office of the UN in Geneva and other
international organisations with headquarters in Switzerland. His
other positions include chairing the Atlantic Council of Slovenia,
Slovenska izseljenska matica - an association promoting Slovenian
culture among Slovenian immigrants, and the renowned Slovenian men's
octet Slovenski oktet. He is fluent in English, German, French,
Russian, Serbian, Croatian, and understands Japanese.
Running as an independent candidate, he collected the signatures of 3.000
voters. He enjoys the support of 3 deputies of the Democratic Pensioner's Party
(DeSUS) as well.
Contacts:
PR: Ms Anuša Gaši
Address: Trubarjeva 9, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 230 11 11
Dr France Arhar
Born on 24 April 1948 in Ljubljana, Chairman of the Executive Office of Vzajemna health insurance company.
He studied law at the Ljubljana's Faculty of Law, where he also obtained his PhD. His career in banking kicked off in 1971 at the Slovenian National Bank, a central bank. In April 1988, he took a post at the LHB Internationale Handelsbank at Frankfurt, where he became a business finance manager. Three years later in 1991, he was appointed first Governor of the Bank of Slovenia, Slovenia's central bank. He also lectures international finance law at the Faculty of Economics of Ljubljana, and is author of several articles on financial and monetary policy, as well as books on foreign trade, international finance and international business law. He is fluent in English and German. Arhar is another independent candidate, running for the post with the support of more than 5.000 voters. His candidacy was backed by 10 deputies of the national Assembly as well.
Contacts:
Head of campaign: Mr France Dobravec
PR: Ms Petra Mišič
Address: Slovenska cesta 54/IV, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 230 63 00
Dr France Bučar
Born on 2 February 1923 at Bohinjska Bistrica, President of the Slovenian Pan- European Movement, officially retired.
He finished his studies of law at the University of Ljubljana and earned a Ph.D. in legal and social sciences. He was a lecturer of public administration at the Faculty of Law from 1964 to 1974, from which he was forced to resign by the request of the Central Committee of the Slovenian Communist Party due to "lack of moral and political qualities". Bučar was the speaker of Slovenia's first democratically elected parliament from 1990 to 1992 and participated in drafting Slovenia's constitution. He is an author of several books on public administration and organisational sciences. He is fluent in English, German, French and Italian, while he can understand Russian. France Bučar is backed by the signatures of almost 6.000 voters.
Contacts:
Head of campaign & PR: Mr Marjan Hodnik
Address: Prešernov trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 41 661 939