Today, Slovenia's Prime Minister, Mr. Janez Janša took part in the opening forum entitled »The Long-living Society – Wisdom and Experience of the Elderly« organised within the 6th Third Age Festival in Ljubljana. In his speech he pointed out that prolonging the life age is one of the most important second half of the 20th century achievements attained through the improvement of health and social conditions. In addition, he called attention to the issue of disintegration of the inter-generation links and to the process of disappearance of a once traditional care by the family and the neighbourhood for the elderly people in need.
PHOTO: Nebojša Tejić/Salomon 2000
According to the Prime Minister's words, Slovenia has tackled the challenges brought about by the demographic changes in an adequate way. Among other strategic documents adopted lately by the Government, he reminded of the recently adopted Care Strategy for Elderly People by 2001. This document constitutes the first comprehensive programme linking together the efforts by different Government sectors and by the civil society, further on it provides the basis for the permanent and sustainable system of care for the third generation, said the Prime Minister.
"Numerous positive examples have shown that the active and the committed older generation can contribute with success to the society's sustainable development and can for some part effectively disburden the younger and the mid-generations", said Mr. Janša and continued that appropriate action and solutions can contribute to overcoming a frequently stereotyped way of looking at the elderly as being a mere object of various forms of help and worries.
According to Mr. Janša's words, a solid economic, political and security situation of Slovenia within European and the international community constitutes a sound basis for the active cooperation of the senior citizens in our society and contributes to its welfare and development. And such a contribution is also this traditional event, opened today.
