Igor Bavčar
Encyclopedia
Igor Bavčar is a Slovenia
n politician
and manager. He rose to prominence during the Slovenian spring, when he served as chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
, the largest independent civil society
movement in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
. He was the Slovenian Minister of Interior during the Slovenian war of independence in June 1991, and coordinated Slovenian defence forces together with the Minister of Defence Janez Janša
. He remained one of the most influential political figures in Slovenia until 1992, and remained an important member of the political establishment until 2002, when he left politics to engage in the private sector.
in western Slovenia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, to a family originating from the Vipava Valley
. After finishing the Novo mesto Grammar School, he went to a police academy
. After a few years, he decided to leave the police career, and enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
, where he studied political science
. During his student years, he became the editor of the radical student journal Tribuna that advocated orthodox Marxist and even Maoist tendencies.
In the early 1980s, he joined the Union of Socialist Youth of Slovenia, covering several crucial functions in the official political youth structure of the Communist Party. In the mid 1980s, he met with the young activist Janez Janša
. In 1984, when Janša was persecuted because of his criticism of the Yugoslav People's Army
in the mid 1980s, Bavčar took a decided stance in defence of his friend. The same year, Bavčar left the Socialist Youth, and dedicated himself to study. In the late 1980s, he formed a small private enterprise dealing with information technology
. At the same time, he remained active in public life in the Socialist Alliance of the Working People, an auxiliary organization of the Communist party, founded to cover the civil society sphere. In 1987, Bavčar organized a confenerce on ecological policies in Yugoslavia that had a wide echo in the public debate. The same year, he left the Communist Party. Together with Janez Janša, he established contacts with Stane Kavčič, a former reformist Slovenian Communist politician who had been deposed during the authoritative turn in Yugoslav internal policy in 1972, and published his memoirs.
, including his friend Janez Janša, Bavčar became one of the founding members of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
. The organization soon became the biggest civil society organization in Slovenia, with more than 100,000 members (almost 5% of the overall population of the country). Bavčar thus rose to the role of the informal leader of the Slovenian opposition to the Communist regime. Between 1989 and 1990, he was among those who negotiated the changes in the electoral law that enabled a smooth transition to democracy.
In 1989, he was among the founding members of the Slovenian Democratic Union
. When the DEMOS coalition won the first free elections in Slovenia in April 1990, Bavčar became Minister of the Interior in the cabinet of Lojze Peterle
. In this function, he became one of the main architects of the Slovenian path to independence from Yugoslavia
. Together with the Minister of Defence Janez Janša, Bavčar organized the Slovenian defence during the Ten Day War in June and July 1991. After the split in the Slovenian Democratic Union in 1992, Bavčar became member of the left liberal Democratic Party. After the crisis in the DEMOS coalition in early 1992, after the fall of Lojze Peterle's government, Bavčar unsuccessfully tried to get elected as Prime Minister. He finally joined the coalition government of Janez Drnovšek
.
He was elected member of the National Assembly of Slovenia in 1992. In 1994, he joined the ruling Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
. Between 1997 and 2002, he served as Minister for European integration in the left wing government of Janez Drnovšek. During this period, he parted with his old friend Janez Janša, who had joined the Slovenian Democratic Party
and rose to become the leader of the conservative opposition.
In 2002, Bavčar announced his withdrawal from politics. On the same year, he became the chairman of the Istrabenz
holding company from Koper. Since then, he has been considered as one of the most powerful managers in Slovenia.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and manager. He rose to prominence during the Slovenian spring, when he served as chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights was a civil society organization in Slovenia, which functioned during the so-called Slovenian Spring between 1988 and 1990....
, the largest independent civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
movement in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
The Socialist Republic of Slovenia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1943 until 1990...
. He was the Slovenian Minister of Interior during the Slovenian war of independence in June 1991, and coordinated Slovenian defence forces together with the Minister of Defence Janez Janša
Janez Janša
Janez Janša is a Slovenian politician who was Prime Minister of Slovenia from November 2004 to November 2008. He has also been President of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1993...
. He remained one of the most influential political figures in Slovenia until 1992, and remained an important member of the political establishment until 2002, when he left politics to engage in the private sector.
Early career
Igor Bavčar was born in the town of PostojnaPostojna
Postojna is a town and a municipality in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. Population 14,581 .-History:...
in western Slovenia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, to a family originating from the Vipava Valley
Vipava Valley
The Vipava Valley is a valley located in the Slovenian Littoral, between the towns of Nova Gorica and Vipava.-Geography:It is a narrow valley, serving as the main passage between Friulian lowland and central Slovenia, and thus also an important corridor connecting Northern Italy to Central Europe...
. After finishing the Novo mesto Grammar School, he went to a police academy
Police academy
A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
. After a few years, he decided to leave the police career, and enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, where he studied political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. During his student years, he became the editor of the radical student journal Tribuna that advocated orthodox Marxist and even Maoist tendencies.
In the early 1980s, he joined the Union of Socialist Youth of Slovenia, covering several crucial functions in the official political youth structure of the Communist Party. In the mid 1980s, he met with the young activist Janez Janša
Janez Janša
Janez Janša is a Slovenian politician who was Prime Minister of Slovenia from November 2004 to November 2008. He has also been President of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1993...
. In 1984, when Janša was persecuted because of his criticism of the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
in the mid 1980s, Bavčar took a decided stance in defence of his friend. The same year, Bavčar left the Socialist Youth, and dedicated himself to study. In the late 1980s, he formed a small private enterprise dealing with information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
. At the same time, he remained active in public life in the Socialist Alliance of the Working People, an auxiliary organization of the Communist party, founded to cover the civil society sphere. In 1987, Bavčar organized a confenerce on ecological policies in Yugoslavia that had a wide echo in the public debate. The same year, he left the Communist Party. Together with Janez Janša, he established contacts with Stane Kavčič, a former reformist Slovenian Communist politician who had been deposed during the authoritative turn in Yugoslav internal policy in 1972, and published his memoirs.
Politician
In May 1988, when the Yugoslav People's Army arrested four journalists of the alternative magazine MladinaMladina
Mladina is a Slovenian weekly left-wing current affairs magazine. It was first published in the 1920s as the youth magazine of the Slovenian Communist Party...
, including his friend Janez Janša, Bavčar became one of the founding members of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights was a civil society organization in Slovenia, which functioned during the so-called Slovenian Spring between 1988 and 1990....
. The organization soon became the biggest civil society organization in Slovenia, with more than 100,000 members (almost 5% of the overall population of the country). Bavčar thus rose to the role of the informal leader of the Slovenian opposition to the Communist regime. Between 1989 and 1990, he was among those who negotiated the changes in the electoral law that enabled a smooth transition to democracy.
In 1989, he was among the founding members of the Slovenian Democratic Union
Slovenian Democratic Union
The Slovenian Democratic Union was a Slovenian liberal political party, active between 1989 and 1991, during the democratization and the secession of the Republic of Slovenia from Yugoslavia....
. When the DEMOS coalition won the first free elections in Slovenia in April 1990, Bavčar became Minister of the Interior in the cabinet of Lojze Peterle
Lojze Peterle
Alojz "Lojze" Peterle is a Slovenian politician. He was the leader of the Slovene Christian Democrats from the founding of the party in 1990 until it merged with the Slovenian People's Party in 2000. Between 1990 and 1992, he was the president of the first freely elected Slovenian government, and...
. In this function, he became one of the main architects of the Slovenian path to independence from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. Together with the Minister of Defence Janez Janša, Bavčar organized the Slovenian defence during the Ten Day War in June and July 1991. After the split in the Slovenian Democratic Union in 1992, Bavčar became member of the left liberal Democratic Party. After the crisis in the DEMOS coalition in early 1992, after the fall of Lojze Peterle's government, Bavčar unsuccessfully tried to get elected as Prime Minister. He finally joined the coalition government of Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia . He was born in Celje, Slovenia, then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia...
.
He was elected member of the National Assembly of Slovenia in 1992. In 1994, he joined the ruling Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
. Between 1997 and 2002, he served as Minister for European integration in the left wing government of Janez Drnovšek. During this period, he parted with his old friend Janez Janša, who had joined the Slovenian Democratic Party
Slovenian Democratic Party
The Slovenian Democratic Party , known until 2003 as the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-right liberal conservative and Christian democratic party...
and rose to become the leader of the conservative opposition.
In 2002, Bavčar announced his withdrawal from politics. On the same year, he became the chairman of the Istrabenz
Istrabenz
Istrabenz is a Slovenian holding company one of the largest in Slovenia having a total of 73 companies under its management.StructureFood Droga Kolinska d.d.*Grand Kafa AD Beograd*Štark AD Beograd...
holding company from Koper. Since then, he has been considered as one of the most powerful managers in Slovenia.