The Office of the High Representative would like to confirm that Valentin Inzko has been approached by members of the Austrian Slovenian community in Carinthia/Koroska, Klagenfurt/Celovec to serve as Head of the Council for Carinthian Slovenians, one of several minority organisations.
The Council is one of a number of NGOs in Austria that work to promote the interests and aspirations of ethnic minorities. Its members are voluntary and unpaid and presence in Austria is not required.
Valentin Inzko already serves as honorary chairman of Slovenski atletski klub, a soccer team which plays in the Austrian Central Regional League, and which Mr Inzko founded in 1970 while still a student. In addition, he is active in the alumni of the Slovenian Federal High School in Klagenfurt (Absolventska Zveza Zvezne gimnazije za Slovence v Celovcu). Mr Inzko established the association in 1987. Mr Inzko also serves as honorary vice-chairman of Mohorjeva/Hermagoras, which was founded by his great-great uncle in 1851 in Klagenfurt/Celovec and is the oldest Slovenian publishing house
Mr Inzko has stressed that if he were to assume commitments in regard to this association it would in no way impinge upon his work as High Representative and European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.