Ten years after death, Drnovšek' legacy still unparalleled

Born in Celje in 1950, Drnovšek, holder of a PhD in economics with a career in banking, was catapulted to the political scene in 1989, when he was elected the Slovenian representative to the Yugoslav collective presidency at a time of mounting tensions in the former republic.

The cerebral and cosmopolitan Drnovšek was elected over Marko Bulc, a stodgy member of the Communist establishment, in what was at the time seen as a major upset.

Though hardly in line with modern democratic standards, this was the first of many elections he would contest in his career - and he won every single one.

He chaired the Yugoslav presidency between May 1989 and May 1990, a crucial time for Slovenia's independence drive.

After Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Drnovšek left the Yugoslav presidency and became the chief negotiator brokering the...