Sheer Incompetence
Proposed division into regions (source)
The government of Janez Janša - its Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, to be more precise, has finally unveiled a plan to establish regions in Slovenia - the long awaited second level of local self-government. Yaay!
Fourteen regions: Osrednjeslovenska (Central Slovenia), Gorenjska, Goriška, Primorska, Notranjska, Posavska, Zasavska, Savinjska, Savinjsko-šaleška, Koroška, Podravska, Spodnje-podravska and Pomurska. Not a bad proposal.
There’s only one slight problem: Ljubljana - despite the fact that it is the capital - is apparently not meant to be a special administrative unit. Unlike Vienna, Brussels, London, Zagreb, Washington D.C., or any other self-respecting capital in the developed world. Thus the government seems to have returned to its original (pre-election) position on the issue - last month both PM Janez Janša and Minister for Civil Service Gregor Virant claimed that Ljubljana will become a region unto itslef.
Either someone in the government doesn’t know how to piss downwind or Ljubljanians are again being punished for not being “in the party line”. This time around, though, I’d go with the first option.
March 14th, 2007 at 10:34 am
No comment on the proposed regions, but the word “Ljubljanians” looks really funny.
Would hate to listen to English speakers try to pronounce that one.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I know… I’m not even sure it’s a word. Any suggestions on how to call inhabitants of Ljubljana?
March 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I’d say Ljubljanians is OK? Inevitably, it is going to be pronounced “lub-la-nians”, but Germans can’t say “Ljubljana” either.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
You mean “Loob-la-nians” :))) Anyways I don’t really care, as long as we’re not “Laibacher” or “Lubianezi” again
March 14th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Isn’t Osrednjeslovenska essentially greater Ljubljana?
Still, you’re right. It’s odd that Ljubljana doesn’t get its own region.
March 14th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Osrednjeslovenska region is the central one in the map. Spaning from the Austrian border in the North all the way down to Kočevje in the South, whereas I’m not sure what would consitute greater Ljubljana, since all of the municipalities neighbouring Ljubljana are desperately trying to show that they are independent of the nation’s capital.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
How about ‘Ljubljanese’?
March 14th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Too Italian, right, P?
March 14th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Certo!
March 14th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Nope, no suggestions, but I’ve heard several colorful descriptors from my cousins in primorska.
“Loob-la-nians” isn’t bad (because there really is no other option, is there?), but it kind of sounds like a religious sect in Oklahoma or Texas.
March 14th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
March 14th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Swamps, also…
March 15th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
on the name of Ljubljana residents, I’d suggest “Ljubljanchans” (lu-BLANCH-ans) — it’s close to the Slovene word, as the usual English -an suffix, and is only three syllables. Plus, there’s something cool about have a word for the resident that is a little different (like Liverpudlian for people from Liverpool).
Other alternatives would be Ljubljaners (cf. Londoners) or Ljubljanites (cf. Muscovites).
March 15th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
I like Ljubljanchans - it looks complicated, but it’s easy to pronounce. And when pronouced it sounds not only Slovene, but as if spoken with Ljubljana dialect. Very cool, Rolig. Thanks a million!