It is not often that you ask a European head of state whether he has gone
loopy, but in the case of Janez Drnovsek, Slovenia’s reclusive President,
the question seems almost unavoidable.
Bald, monkish and skeletally thin, Drnovsek has abandoned his capital for a
mountain retreat. He no longer speaks to his Government. He boycotts state
occasions, and disappears for weeks at a time. He has turned vegan, talks
like a New Age mystic of his quest for “higher consciousness” and “inner
balance”, and communicates with the Slovenian people through books on
spirituality. He set out to tackle the problems of the world from a country
smaller than Wales, and has become a champion of progressive causes.
It is an astonishing transformation for a man who, as Slovenia’s Prime
Minister from 1992 until he was elected President in 2002, was regarded as a
dull, grey technocrat. It was triggered by the prospect of imminent death.
In 1999 he found that he had kidney cancer and, in 2001, that the cancer had
spread to his liver and lungs. His doctors said his condition was incurable.
Any serious illness comes as a shock, but “the shock can be beneficial because
one is caught in patterns of behaviour and somehow you do them mechanically
and without really thinking about them. You do like others do,” Drnovsek
explained in the course of a two-hour interview with The Times– the first
he has given in months. “When you are confronted with the perception of the
end of your life, it’s an opportunity to look at things from a different
point of view, to change priorities and establish a distance to this daily
existence and all these material developments that you are taught are so
important,” he said as he sipped black tea in his office.
He accepted that some people thought that he had gone crazy, but was not
perturbed. They do not understand, he said in soft, heavily accented
English. “Why should I worry what people of this level of consciousness
should say or think about me? This is so irrelevant.” He used a Chinese
philosopher’s tale to illustrate his point: “The frog in its well was
convinced that this well was the whole world. And then came a turtle from
the sea. The turtle told this frog that there was a big ocean and the well
was nothing. The frog said: ‘OK. This turtle is crazy’.”
In fact, most Slovenians have grown very fond of their singular President.
Despite – or perhaps because of – his eccentricities he will complete his
term of office next month as one of the most popular figures in his country.
Drnovsek is an erstwhile banker who won his nation’s respect – if not its
affection – by helping to negotiate its peaceful secession from the former
Yugoslavia in 1991, and then steering it from communism to democracy and
membership of the European Union and Nato. As late as 2000 – one year after
he had a cancerous kidney removed – The Economistdescribed him as a
“singularly uncharismatic . . . poker-faced trimmer” whose preoccupations
were growth and stability. It quoted him saying, glumly: “People demanded
vision. I hate vision. The cemetery of history is full of visionaries.”
Drnovsek says that his conversion from conventional politician into
“Slovenia’s Gandhi” – as one commentator has dubbed him – was gradual, and
he adopted a low profile as he fought his illness. He abandoned conventional
medicine because his doctors told him that they could not cure him. He
dabbled with Indian and Chinese healers. He gave up meat, dairy products and
alcohol in favour of organic vegetables and home-baked bread. He fasted for
days at a time. He also sought to nourish his soul, leaving Ljubljana for a
remote home set in beautiful beech forests south of the Slovenian capital.
He lives there alone, reading and writing, without so much as a television
for company since his dog died. He says modern man has lost contact with
nature, but it is “very beneficial for health, for body but also for soul .
. . Somehow we can purify ourselves of all negativities that are
concentrated in towns and urban centres where there is all this activity and
stress.”
The new Drnovsek began to reappear on the public stage in late 2005, but more
in the guise of national guru than president. He cut his staff. He quit his
centre-left political party and launched the Movement for Justice and
Development that was open to “all people who wish to change the world for
the better”. He became a champion of the environment, animal rights and the
oppressed, and afierce critic of a political class that is, he says,
concerned only about power and image. “If only we had a candidate like
Drnovsek, or even a shadow of him, the world would quickly become less
intolerable,” gushed Brigitte Bardot in the midst of the French presidential
election.
Drnovsek travelled around the country. He was photographed wearing a crown of
leaves. He published books entitled Thoughts on Life and Awareness and The
Essence of the World that are found in the spirituality – not politics –
sections of Slovenia’s bookshops. He wrote a monthly advice column in a
popular women’s magazine, and a blog in the name of “Janez D”, whose
subjects ranged from diatribes against pesticides to apocalyptic warnings
about climate change – he says that humanity has perhaps 20 years left to
save itself.
Drnovsek also began to intervene in international affairs in a way that
infuriated Slovenia’s new conservative Government. He upset nearby Serbia by
supporting independence for Kosovo. He visited Jerusalem, where he urged the
Israelis to talk to the newly elected militants of Hamas, and Sri Lanka,
where he tried to meet Tamil Tiger leaders. In China he defied the
authorities by visiting Tibet. He went to India for a conference on
spirituality, and to Bolivia for Evo Morales’s inauguration as that
country’s first indigenous president “after 500 years of colonialism and
neo-colonialism”.
His most ambitious undertaking, however, was a one-man drive to resolve the
Darfur conflict that ended with the detention of his envoy and the
nonappearance of Sudanese and rebel leaders at a Ljubljana peace conference.
It was an embarrassing episode, and he admits that he was probably naive,
but says that he felt morally obliged to try to stop the suffering. While
international diplomats were living in luxury hotels, earning fat salaries
and indulging in endless talks, people were dying, he says. “I thought
somebody had to do something to wake up everybody.”
By the summer of 2006 Drnovsek had exhausted his official budget, and the
Government seized the chance to ground him by refusing further funds for his
“exotic activities”. He was forced to cancel a state visit to Spain and an
appearance at the UN in New York, and grew ever more scathing in his
denunciations of the Government.
Drnovsek has described Janez Jansa, the Prime Minister, as the “Prince of
Darkness”. He disagrees with nearly all of what the Government does, and
accuses it of moving towards a “kind of totalitarian system” by curbing the
independence of the media. He stops only marginally short of saying that it
was unfit to assume the EU’s rotating six-month presidency on January 1. “I
will say nothing. I’m still President of this country,” he replied when
pressed.
Drnovsek has now abandoned his conflict-resolution efforts. He tried his best,
but was dismissed as “this crazy Slovenian President”, he says. “I came to
the conclusion that the only way to change the world is to change the
consciousness of as many individual people as possible, and then the
pressure on politicians will increase to act differently.”
He has once again become an absentee President. He spurns official receptions.
He boycotted Slovenia’s National Day celebrations in June. “ At a certain
level of spirituality . . . it becomes more difficult to do these things of
this material life,” he says. “You feel the ephemerality of everything, and
if you know your activity will have no real effect, you become more
selective about what you do and what not. I still have activities, but
practically I stopped all unnecessary political activities – those involved
with other politicians.”
He vanished entirely from June until mid-September, and failed to greet Romano
Prodi, the Prime Minister of Italy, when he visited Slovenia in August.
Drnovsek said that he spent some of that time visiting monasteries in
France, tapping into the “positive energy” that monks had built up through
centuries of prayer.
Drnovsek has infuriated the Government, but his people have warmed to
his evident humanity. His books are bestsellers, and while a few of the
Slovenes I approached in Ljubljana’s central market said that they found his
conduct embarrassing, many more expressed support and affection for their
unusual President.
“He’s a good and wise man,” said Katja Berlinc, a 21-year-old theology
student. “He’s great. He’s not afraid to speak his mind. He’s not afraid of
anything,” said Asim Begtasevic, who runs a flower stall. “He stands for
basic moral values,” said Sasho Adamich, a young TV assistant. When a former
lover revealed that Drnovsek had a 19-year-old daughter, it only boosted his
popularity.
All this infuriates his critics inside and outside the Government. “Nobody
dares to question Drnovsek’s conduct or his travels because of his illness,
and because he was some sort of hero of the transition to democracy,” says
Janez Markes, the editor of the newspaper Delo.
Drnovsek’s colourful and controversial presidency is drawing to an end. He is
not seeking reelection, and the charming old streets beneath Ljubljana’s
castle are awash with posters of the more conventional politicians fighting
to replace him. He is not planning any great farewell when he steps down. He
is not concerned about his legacy or image. He accepts that a certain amount
of ridicule is the price to be paid for stepping outside the political
system, and he certainly will not mind the anonymity. “I don’t have worries.
I don’t have fears. I don’t have wishes. I’m very calm.”
Drnovsek also has one incontrovertible riposte to those who say he went loopy.
Against all odds, and in defiance of every medical prediction, he has not
died in office. Indeed, he now claims to be cancer-free: “I am completely
healed. I am cured of everything. I can’t prove it beyond being alive. I
don’t need confirmation from a doctor. I just know.”
It's a big lost for the world. The world needs more leaders like Dr. Janez Drnovšek. How often you find a head of state with such high noble, compassion, and spiritual quality. He had set practical example for others to follow. A great person, statesman, and author. Wish more people can read his books. "Thoughts on Life and Consciousness" and "Golden Thoughts and The Essence of the World".
Jim Su, HsinChu, Taiwan, Formosa
I am really sorry that he died. His death is a huge loss to this world. He reached a level of ethical maturity in this society that is really difficult to get.
We will miss you.
Maria Luisa, Spain
Maria Luisa, Spain,
It's very sad that Mr. Drnovsek died yesterday, February 23, 2008. R.I.P.
Janja, Kranj, Slovenia
I love Mr Drnovsek; the best guy we ever had xxx
Ana, Emona,
Mystic president, new age ideology .. This obviouly great president is doing his part to improve today's decaying society decay. If every country had a president like this one there would be a great pease on this disturbing planet. It is sad to see when a person attempts to do good that they are scrutinized ...
The values he speaks of, morals, etc.. are the foundation to an individual, society, a country a neighor. His book is should be a guideline for every political leader of the world to remind them of their duties as a representitive of a nation and the correct way to use one's power for the benifit of all man kind.
thank you......Slovenia , you have an amazing President !
andrew, new jersey, USA
whether Drnovsek's transformation is true or a fake one - that's not the issue. what's really important is do people believe IN what he's saying. Do we understand that there's more to life than money and power over others (the two fuels of capitalism and globalisation); do we see that the Earth is slowly but surely decaying before our eyes; that means of massive destruction are becoming increasingly ingenious in their horribleness and that it is high time we did something about it? we tried revolution and it doesn't work - we know that for sure. what's left is evolution - a personal, intimate one. No matter what Drnovsek says. But it needs to be said - and heard.
iva, ljubljana, slovenia
Doro: our current PM is the Prince of darkness. I found it a quite good description of him. He was actually quite gentle in this respect. PLus, I live abroad right now and everybody who read this article found him a quite remarkable man. Going on reactions I got, he is actually quite good for the reputation of Slovenia in the world.
Alja, Den Haag, The Netherlands
Whoever says Jansa or his Government is in control of the Slovenian media, or even carries out censorship, is either a fool or a liar. If this was true, the media would be full of praise Well, there is only criticism there, no matter what he or his Government does. For the past few years, they have made him guilty for everything. So, what would you say? Do you think he or his Government feeds the media or censors the media? The truth is that such a thing has never been done and this is the result. He has always been open to criticism and tried to do better, but some people here, who were used to govern this country for the past 50 years just can not take that somebody else can do it too. Well he does it very well and to be honest, this Government is the best of all this country has ever had. Whoever met Jansa or worked with him (you just ask Angela Merkel or Hans Goert Poettering or Schussel) knows that he is a man of honour. Which we could not say for Mr. Drnovsek.
Manca, Ljubljana, Slovenia
No matter what people say he live in hypocritical ,selfishness and spoiled country. He must to move away from those people. He is a very intelligent and nice person and we will never have president like him
Simon, Maribor, Slovenia
This man is about truism of life. Governments tend to end up being corrupted going to people with control for personal gain of financial status. Yes America perfect example of this. This control leaves to lots of people low income suffering for the riches of a few.
But for change to happen, lots of times it takes a revolutionary to instigate it and enough people suffering for this to change. I feel he sees this and is trapped. Running around to get the tools and contacts for this change. He is ahead of his time and that is why he looks on the surface as a mad man. He is right though. They start with the media. America's media is compromised, but thank the Internet. I do not watch that anymore. Trying to get the big picture! Wanting to be a citizen of the world, not to be separated and controlled by the power of money. He has not used his illness for pity. He has used his life for humanity, which then if looking at the big picture, will gain it for all! Dogs do not die of not having meat.. or not enough meat..Sometimes animals die!
And so do visionaries too!
mickey, Oak Park, USA
Just metioning Gandhi and Drnovsek in same sentenceis insult to Gandhi! On one hand he is saying: “Why should I worry what people of this level of consciousness should say or think about me? This is so irrelevant.†, on the other he spits against Slovenian current PM. What level of consciousness is this? I don't have nothig against his transformation, however if he run and was elected to be president of ALL, he should act like that. He is paid to be a president, not new-age guru. If he doesn't want to do what he is paid for, he should resign.
Tadej, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Has anyone read 'The Last Western' by Thomas S. Klise? Most politicians at election time come to the door and ask for your support, but this man becomes spiritual and is deemed eccentric!!! Sounds like the best leader out there!
Paul Collins, Toronto,
I rather see a politicians faults then see how perfect that they are. He becomes spiritual and everyone in the media label him an eccentric. Come on! Sounds like the best leader a courntry should be proud to have.
Paul Collins, Toronto, Canada
yes, he has done remarkable change in all the aspects of his life... he's showing totally other image of himself to the public, but what was one respectable politician in eyes of Slovenian people he's just some wanna be guru...
he has become a joke, especially with his dog being vegetarian (he died) and other stuff...
besides when he was still the president he started to ban his function, he only spoke in as the president of his club which is not fair towards the people that elected him as the president of the state..
and of course they dare to question his trips, there was even a heavily dispute about his trip do India...
...but his actions towards janez janša aren't surprising nor could be blamable, the situation really is blizzard in some ways, especially towards the media...
...it is easy to find his fans or people that admire him, but far easier people who are disappointed...
Nina, ljubljana, slovenia
He is a nice person, indeed. And especially because he is opposing the crazy government :) He said last time: the government is trying to control all spheres of public life, they wont control the president. :) And it was obvious in the last months that he was fed up of Prime Minister and all the government so he rather didnt show up.
Ana, UK/Slovenia,
Well, excuse me, but I find it really sickening how the manipulative mind of this character has once again turned over a bunch of naives. Mr. Dnovsek has never been anything but a very egoistic, self-centered man, who carefully orcastrates his believes as he sees fit. He has not changed one single bit. He uses his illness to make people feel sorry for himself and to make them forget his sorrowful past. People forget and forgive too easily that he just served his puposes and the purposes of his communsit godfathers all too well in order to thrive and prosper. If he really wanted to do something good in this world, he would have an obligation to do so first in his own country, by having a heart for everybody regardless of their political conviction. He has not been able to once rise himself above daily conflicts and unite people as Slovenians, and God knows, we this nations needs a heary president. Calling our current PM a "prince of darkness" is a statement that speaks for itself.
Doro, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Right. A former chief of a totalitarian state now accuses Mr. Janša of pushing Slovenia towards a totalitarian regime? Come on? The jurnalist who made this inteview should at least check a bit his present activities as the president and his past. He would soon find out what a figher for human rights he was in Kosovo back in the 80' and he would also soon find out that his presidency was a mockery as he could not decided what he wanted to be, a president or a guru. You can't be both.
Drnovsek had a few good days in 1991, because he was smart enought to see that there was no other option and he was mostly saving his arse, excuse my expression. You should know that many ex-communists at that time operated in such a way that they could take merits either way. For or against indepenence. And by the way, he made a complete fool of himself as the president of the state. He is an example of what a president of a country should not be.
Oliver, Ljubljana,
There's much much more to life than cheap new-age junk. Dr. Drnovsek's current philosophy is stuck on the level of cheap self-help books, which doesn't make him any wiser in my eyes - on the contrary.
Of course it is understandable that suffering a terrible disease as his changes a person profoundly. But he should keep the changes for himself and not expose them in the function of president.
Gregor Kandare, Madrid, Spain
And : What kind of president would go out of his way to bad-mouth the government in his country and have it internationally broadcast - just a month away from Slovenia's presidency of the EU? Do you really beileve this man is working for the good of his people and his country? No, this man is doing just the opposite by imposing his own communist-tainted, false opinion on the whole world ! Master of media manipulation. Really nice man. New diet? Definitely. Transformation? Oh, come on, you can dress a goat like a dog, but you can't make it bark.......
D. Hughes, Celje , SLOVENIA
Why do people always find it hard to except others who decide it's time in their lives to change, who decide that the life they've been living is not beneficial to either them or others? Why is it that when that happens we seem to turn our back on them and just assume they've gone insane? How about asking ourselves if there is something that can be learned from this person?
I applaud the changes our president has made and I am deeply convinced that he is real and honest about it. Nobody is born a spiritual person, but you can come to a point in life when you look around you and realize that there's much more to life than what you've been doing. It's when you ask yourself what you can do for others and not only what others can do for you. It's when you become aware of all the tragedies that take place every day all around the world but not at all far from where you are. It's reaching higher consciousness. Our president did that and I'm a proud Slovenian because of that.
Maja Å trumelj, Ljubljana, Slovenia
He is indeed a fresh wind in the boring stenchy world of politics.
I wonder if hie books are translated into English. Would love to have one.
If world would have more leaders like that it would undoubtedly be a better place.
Too bad Slovenian government is unable to receive some of this energy, especially in view of the newest Jansa debacle as the PM.
A. Fairweather , Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I have never much believed into any "five before noon" transformations, so as a result of this I don't much believe into this latest Drnovsek's hoch-spiritual transformation as well. Fopr me a person who has lived through his whole life deserves to be mentioned in dispatches. Not someone who most of his life lived as obedient servant to the totalitarian communist regime, was responsible for my misguidings in the economy, financial sector and private sector in 1990s and now after being diagnosed with cancer and after his father died from cancer a year or two ago, he suddenly decided to be the supreme moral authority and forget his turmoiled past. And actually dares to call the present Slovene PM the Prince of Darkness! In my opinion this is no spiritual transformation nor any new age policy, but simple hypocracy. Of course women and some men like it. Not only he looks like a helpless, wounded kid, but he also acts like one. However, those of us from 1980s/90s remember Drny differently.
Karel, Celje, Slovenia
This world is yearning for people like MY president! One just has to learn to be open minded and open hearted to admit It. Kindness can change the world, compassion and empathy is what the world and my country in particular lacks. My president is a good man and a great president! All who comment how weird and unfit for the job He is should look into their hearts leaving prejudices, hate, anger and bitterness outside and lock the doors so They can do It in peace.
More kindness is what this world needs and If I'm weird for saying that -- I'm weird and proud of It!
Thank You Times:)
Sasa Gerdej, Ljubljana, Slovenija
I am also Slovenian although I now live in the Netherlands. I am extremely proud of my president and only wish there would be many, many more such presidents and politicians to come. He is my hero and I wish him all the best. Some commentaries here just show that there will always be people who can’t accept that not all are the same and think alike. Some of them could also catch up on their history lessons btw. Too bad president Drnovsek did not choose to run again although I am also content with the new president-elect, mr. Turk. I would also like to thank my president for all he has tried to do in the last years regarding Dafur, Kosovo, animal rights and alike. In no way was Dafur an embarrassing episode - if nobody ever tries to change something, nothing will ever change. Thank you, Times, for this wonderful article.
Alja Poler, Den Haag, Netherlands
Drnovsek is a politician... no politician can show a clean slate. This is the nature of the job. Janez Jansa is a control-freak who would be much better suited for the army with it's strict hiearchy and definition of power. Janez Drnovsek is a man for the 21.st century, a politician who looks at the core of the matter and from there he brings his words and his power. He is not perfect, but who is! The world needs wisdom, compassion and solidarity that is his very real and very ploitical message. I am proud he was the president of my country.
Katja, Ljubljana, Slovenia
I would also like to say that I believe that J. Drnovšek is a great man. People just do not see that the path we are on is not a path that will make the world more pleasant for us all. A well balanced and healthy society brings a person much more happiness than a vast fortune. Market economy has been so far the most efficient idea for progress but as J. Drnovsek emphasizes we should give also a lot of attention to compassion and spriritual growth. Sadly people uttering those words are often mocked and not taken very seriously in the world of politics. Yet happiness can only come from realizing that things are not everything and from other people being kind to us. And currently the world is slighty veering off course. So I think we should give as much support as possible to people like president Drnovsek who actually mean what they are saying and who are honest and mean well.
Martin, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Al Jennings, Hitchin, I somewhat doubt he'll live long enough to enjoy anything after the end of term. You should've seen him on election day. All romantic notions aside, he had not declined the option of running for re-election until it was quite obvious his health wouldn't allow it.
Unfortunately, through the cloud of his new-found "sense of justice" (a kind of sick joke since he pardoned a convicted criminal, former head of a casino chain, who had been a large contributor to his party) people seem to be unable to see that his government was equally useless, intolerant and probably dominated the media even more as PM Jansa's.
As an aside, a couple of years ago he said in a letter to a disgruntled citizen, complaining about a gay couple living next door, he stated that everyone has rights, however gay couples should practice discretion! He's an embarassment and I'll be glad to see Mr. Türk taking over the office from him in December.
Andrej, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Far from being a modern Gandhi, Mr. Drnovsek should come to terms with his own past "achievements": as the president of Yugoslavia, he restrained the relative autonomy of the Albanian Kosovo province and thus helped boost Milosevic's rise to power. A bit rich that he should describe Slovenia's present PM Jansa as a prince of darkness - while Mr. Drnovsek was safe in Belgrade, Jansa was imprisoned by the Yugoslav military for his political and journalistic engagement. And it was Jansa, not Drnovsek, who helped steer Slovenia into democracy in the 1990 election (the guru was not even in Slovenia at the time). A more recent scandal: the flight of Drnovsek's Indian healer was paid out of taxpayers' money, and the present "conservative" government revealed the fact to the public. I would have expected a more balanced commentary from the Times.
Ivo Sicherl, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ivo Sicherl, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Horrid policies - nonsense. Slovenia hasn't been as free and successful in its history as it is today. Demonising of the Jansa government by people who belonged to undemocratic communist regime is hypocracy non plus ultra.
Gregor Kandare, Madrid, Spain
Really good man. Done a lot for Slovenia and for the Slovenes between '94 and '04. But he was always surrounded by the communists, and because of that, much more could be done. I disagree - finally we have a decent government in Slovenia for the past three years. We grow now for around 6% per year, and there is practically no unemployment. There is a will to do more also for the small people. Janez Jansa is a really capable and efficient Prime Minister. Janez Drnovsek needs to improve himself in order not to speek so badly about his opponents. I wish him all the best:)
Peter, Skofja Loka, Slovenia
I live in Slovenia and i am very proud to have this great man for our president. I am not into politics because I believe that you can't be honest and true to yourself and people once you step into the system, which is made up for controling. No one can do anything. Mr. Drnovsek was once also a part of this system and i din't like him them, the way he acted. But he changed, his illness made him look at his life again, and around him and he made a choice. he followed his heart and start making big changes in his life, which normaly affected all around him. being a president gave him power to address the people and made them listen. And he has to go through his presidency time. And then...it's just his life again. I hope he made peace with himself and fullfilled his life mission, as time is running out, just like for all of us. He is a great man!
Bozena, Maribor, Slovenia
None-the-less and leaving my personal political and general views of our president aside, the Slovenians have had wonderful and sincere laughs watching the evening news during Mr Drnovsek's presidency.
Even my 10 year-old daughter has become a 'political enthusiast' and has started yelling: 'Mom, mom, quick, come and see, our president is speaking on TV!'...laughing.
verres, Ljubljana, SLO
Thank you Times for this nice article on our president. I agree with those who say that he is weird, but anyway he is a great man. As a president however there were to many clashes with prime minister, and quite a lot of people start judging him for anything he had done wrong.
Afterall Janez Drnovsek is a good man. He was there for Slovenian people in 1991, he was better prime minister than Janez Janša and he was not a bad president. If we cross the line he had done a lot for Slovenia and he deserves good articles like this one.
And for Marko Petrovic...also Janez Janša was part of communist partybefore independance of Slovenia, so your comment is quite irrelevant.
ursa, ljubljana, slovenia
Yeah, right! He was also prime minister and made a big mess. And suddenly he is a wise guy. Bwana.
Oto Larry N'Golog, Ljubljana, Slovenia
The truth is never obvious ---> Please read the post from Marko Petrovic, Bradford UK
Keith Hester, Munich,
President is a good man with with good thoughts. He has indeed changed in past few years and that can be understood, due to his decease. He has been very active before: in ex-Yugoslavia, Slovenia and even worldwide as shortly described in the article. However, he is not anymore appropriate to be a president of a country. But since that is mainly a protocol figure in Slovenia, lately there hasn't been much harm done with him being that passive. Upss... not passive, but aiming for "higher goals".
I guess he will be further on active in his club: "A society for humankind wellbeing". Well, being that spiritual, he is perfect for the role.
Janez, Ljubljana, Slovenia
He is an extraordinary man and although there are some people who aren't capable of understanding him here in Slovenia, the majority really likes him.
Some people still don't believe his tranformation, but he proved he changed completely on several occasions. I never really liked him before as he always seemed like a dull leader with no passion to me, but I am a fan of his since his transformation. He just seems honest and happy to me now. So different from other European and world leaders.
Greetings from Slovenia
Matjaz, Celje, Slovenia
As Slovenian I have the duty to define my point of view of Dernovsek's politics. All reasonable people and citizens of the EU should know Slovenian history from 1945 till now. In England landlords and nobleman took good care of English people, especially by conquering the new territories in North America and furtheron the whole world. Slovenian history is not as dashing as English one, so people in Slovenia had to fight each other for that is human nature. In this respect I admire English people, especially Oliver Cromwell, who was fighting with Irish, Scottish and other people and on the other hand am sad for Slovenes because they still fight each other. During and after the World War II red revolution took a lot of children In this manner London times should reconsider whether they have enlighted all the asspects of Dernovsek's true caracter because they are interfering to the internal politics of member state in what they have no right and such doing is against the international law
I L, Ljubljana, Slovenija
I am from the country in question and I can say with no doubt that he is not a hero to his people. I personally sypathise with him becase of his health problem but other than that, well .... he's sort of strange.
U5K0, stahovica, SLOVENIA
And you too!
This article and your comments just show how easy is to manipulate people. I admit that he is incredibly cunning and mastermind in manipulating media and people. But the sad truth is that he is faking. He is just too "smart" to live with "people-not-as-smart-as-he-is" and to do his job. One of the most ignorant and overpraised people beside Tito and Al Gore.
Marko, AjdovÅ¡Äina, Slovenia
A great man. If there were only more state leaders like him. It is most sad that the current government hates and mocks him because at a such a high position in politics it is very seldom that politicians talk so openly about spiritualy (not religion !! ). If they do, they are mostly not taken seriously which is terrible because I also believe that the only step to making a world more pleasant for us all is to, at least slightly, change this strong need for material pleasures that fuels the current market economies which are becoming more and more polarizing and the competition more and more brutal. Im glad he talks a lot about compassion and mental/spiritual development and encourages (not tells) us to better ourselves and explore if there is something more to life than technological progress or having the most expensive car.
Martin, Ljubljana, Slovenia
He is good person,but realy bad president!
jack, Maribor, Slovenia
A very decent man, the one who stands almost alone against the horrid policies of the current government.
His books are a good insight into what made him overcome the deadly diseases.
Thank you very much for a very good article on this great man!
ambroise, London, UK
@Marko PetroviÄ
I am from Slovenia and what you write sadly makes very little sense to me and has nothing to do with Drnovšek's dislike for the governernment. It is true that some people still have a few skeletons in their closets from the times of Yugoslavia but the politics here have nothing to do with communism. Communism is not really anything that anyone really cares strongly about here anymore. Yes there are some people that still talk about Yugoslavia and communists but those are mostly old confused people that really have nothing better to do than leave in the past/drink. Nor have I ever noticed articles comparing democracy to dictatorship and labeling communism as the best solution. I mean there are some groups that probabily still cherish the idea but there are also nazis in Germany that still talk fondly about the Nazi party but you CANNOT generalize that for the entire country.
Martin, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Drnovsek really is a man who seems to have changed remarkably but the reasons behind his hatred of the current government are a little more sinister. The government of Janez Jansa is the first Slovenian government since the fall of communisim to have set about bringing the crimes perpetrated by communists to light. Drnovsek was an active member of the communist party so it is understandable that he despises the present government for its actions. Most people who critisize Jansa's government are either sympathizers of communism, or people who have been brain-washed by Slovenia's media into believing that Jansa is autocratic and intolerant. The media, of course, is still very much in the hands of the pro-communist left-wing. This may sound unbelievable in the light of Slovenia's up-coming EU presidency but in Slovenia's newspapers you can still find commentaries defending communism and claiming there is no difference between dictatorship and democracy.
Marko Petrovic, Bradford, UK
He's a decent man who speaks sense and New Age nonsense in about equal measure. In some ways it's a shame he's about to leave office -- he's been a continual embarrassment to Prime Minister Jansa, who is proving to be one of the most intolerant, autocratic and incompetent leaders in the EU. But I'm sure he'll find better things to do with his time than fulfil the duties of a largely ceremonial post.
Al Jennings, Hitchin,
A wonderful read. Reminds me of one book called 'the Ignited Mind' by the ex Indian president of India, Honourable Mr APJ Kalam. The book was meant for children but it left me yearning for more meaning in the author and his words. Just this written interview has given me an entirely new perspective into the lives of great people. Mr Janez Drnovsek might have his fan following in his country, he just made another fan.
Ratika, London, UK
What a change in a conventional politician. It takes a crisis like a mortal illness to change the soul of a man. He has inspired the Slovenian nation to look beyond the here and now and to be more balanced spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Truly laudable.
BShah, Harrow, England
An amazing man.
Just think on what we got.....spin doctors is the kindest thing that can be said about them.
Why not send the whole bunch to a forest in Sctland ?
There they can medidate and talk to each other.
We dont want to listen to them anymore.
Uraliin Asti, london,
What a breath of fresh air! Just when I thought old Europe was collapsing into arid bureaucratism and high political hegemony, along come two presidents from new Europe to usher in a new renaissance of thought and action. In addition to listening to the president of Slovenia this week, I have also been paying closer attention to the arguments of the president of the Czech Republic. Both men have reminded us of our humanistic and religious European past and pointed the way forward for a post-treaty Europe. I had begun to despair about the direction the EU was taking but suddenly there are new voices coming from the East which may save us from an emergent EU empire which seeks to deprive its people of their right to participate in political debate by imposing intolerable and undemocratic bureaucratic constraints.
Dr David Green, Athens, Greece