On Saturday at noon local hunters fired cannons near the Najevska linden tree on Ludranski Vrh, a hill above Črna na Koroškem to mark the start of the 15th anniversary meeting of statesmen beneath the tree. There is a tradition of political debates being held beneath linden trees in this part of the world, and this is Slovenia's oldest linden.
The guest of honour, Janez Podobnik, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, gave a speech and said that Slovenia's new path had to follow Finland and Ireland by increasing investment in education, science and technology, developing a healthy enterprise culture, and increasing economic growth.
The minister recalled the aim of the May Declaration in 1989 that a Slovenian state should be founded on a social state that ensures spiritual and material prosperity in accordance with the natural abilities of Slovenia's citizens. Mr Podobnik said, "Perhaps this should be the current government's main challenge: to generate a spiritually and materially prosperous Slovenia that will care for its citizens."
As in past years there was a picnic beneath the linden tree, games, a treasure hunt in the form of a tombola, folk dancing, and a demonstration of štehvanje, which is an old folk custom, in which a barrel with hoops made from a hazelnut tree is hung from a pole placed near the linden; local boys then ride past on horses and hit the barrel with pointed sticks until it breaks. Still in horseback they must pick up the hoops and ride three times round to gain the victory laurels.
The Najevska linden tree, which grows on the Najevnik farm at an altitude of 1056m above sea level is the oldest and the largest linden tree in Slovenia (experts say it is 783 years old). The linden which is actually a number of trees that have grown together is hollow in the middle and is 28 metres tall. Its girth is also impressive, measuring 10.58m at chest height. A legend says the tree was planted by Turks who wanted to remember where they buried some treasure, treasure that has not been found to this day. The traditional meeting of Slovenian statesmen here has happened every year since 1991. The host of the event, the mayor of Črna, Janez Švab, said that the main purpose of the meeting was for politicians and business people to meet as many people as possible in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
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