Slovenia: United in the European Union
By: Michele Bendall
Tags: Slovenia, Eu Ambassador Spotlight, European Union, Ambassador Spotlight Series, Diplomacy

What does Slovenia’s EU membership mean for you personally?

As a servant of the state, it was very important for me personally that Slovenia became a member of the EU because you can’t become a member of the EU without fulfilling certain criteria for membership. It proved that what we had accomplished was very good. In Slovenia we had a public referendum on EU and NATO membership and the people voted in favor of both — it was not decided by politicians. We are very proud that Slovenia is a part of the Eurozone. We are also a part of Schengen, which means that between the Schengen countries we don’t have any borders. In 1989 you had the iron curtain and now, 25 years later, you have countries which do not have borders between them. These are very important elements because allow the possibility for people to do business, travel, and enjoy much easier than it was in the past.

What would you like to see happen in the EU in the next 5–10 years?

For us as Slovenians, the enlargement of the EU is not finished business.

We would like to have a more united Europe and would like to see all the former Yugoslav countries join the EU in the next 10 years to conclude this story about a Europe free and whole.

What are some of your hobbies?

Last week I became the proud owner of a Maryland fishing license and I hope I will have enough time to go fishing at least once a month. I also like to grow vegetables. I have arugula and paprika here at the embassy and hope to plant a real garden this spring.

A bookshelf refinished by Ambassador Vidovič.

In your biography it says you are into DIY projects — what are you working on now?

I just bought a jewelry box at the Georgetown antiques market that I’m refinishing. I’ve already stripped off the old paint and am trying to find the right paint color so my wife will be happy with it. I’m also thinking of renovating some pieces of furniture I have found around the embassy.

Anything quirky that most people don’t know about you?

I would never sign a document without a fountain pen. It has to be real ink.

Ambassador Vidovič’s fountain pen.

What is one thing you’d like to share with Americans about Slovenia?

There are many things that Americans are surprised by when they come to Slovenia. First of all, they don’t need to know any foreign languages because everyone speaks English, including the older generation. They can drink the tap water all over the country without filtering it. The variety of food for such a small country is so huge that they would need to live a year and eat something different every day to try half of the food. We have Mediterranean, Hungarian, Austrian, German, Dalmatian influences. If you want to eat the best pizza in the world you will not eat it in Italy, you’ll eat it in Slovenia. For the last few years our pizzaiolos (pizza makers) have won all the awards. The best female cook in the world, Ana Roš, is from Šempeter pri Gorici in Slovenia.

What are your favorite Slovenian dishes?

Kranjska klobasa — a Slovenian traditional sausage. It’s a little bit smoked and there’s a special national recipe which prescribes how much meat should be in the sausage. It can only be 20% fat, and only the good fat from the pig. I love them! Then of course, potica, Slovenian walnut cake, which was mentioned when President Trump visited the pope in Rome.

What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my son. He is now at his third school after living in Bratislava for four years and Ljubljana for four years. He’s making friends and showing great ability in taking in all the different cultures he’s experiencing. He’s becoming a very serious young man and absorbing everything very fast. I’m very proud of him because he’s eager to learn and help others with a very open heart.

We are also very proud of the first lady. She is a Slovenian and we know she loves Slovenia. After she became the first lady, even though she never said anything in favor of Slovenian tourism, the number of American tourists went up by 40%. She is doing a great job for Slovenia and we praise her for that.