Serbs in Slovenia

History

Although there existed an indigenous community from the 16th century of Serbs of White Carniola (which have been completely assimilated having lost any distinct Serb ethnic identity by the second half of 20th century), the modern Serbs in Slovenia are first- and second-generation immigrants.

Serbs came to Slovenia from countries of former Yugoslavia during its existence, mostly after the World War II and primarily from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Many Serbs employed in the Yugoslav People's Army were stationed in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia with their families. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a spike in Serb immigration many ethnic Serbs as they migrated to pursue better careers and economic opportunities in Slovenia, the most developed of then-Yugoslav republics.

In 2013, the combined community association of Serbs in Slovenia requested that Serbs be given the status of a recognized ethnic minority. They have not been granted minority status however, since, according to the Slovenian constitutional framework, only "historical minorities who have been living on clearly defined territories for centuries can have the status of a minority".

Demographics

According to data from the 2002 census, which was the last census ethnicity was recorded, 38,964 people stated that they were of Serb ethnicity. Serbs are concentrated in the largest cities: Ljubljana, Maribor, Celje, Koper, and Jesenice.

Serbs belong to the Eastern Orthodoxy with the Serbian Orthodox Church (through its Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana) as the traditional church.

Culture

Yugo-nostalgia is strong among the older generation of Serbs in Slovenia. The Serb immigrant community in Slovenia had developed a "Balkan culture" in the 1990s. The Leskovac-styled grilled meat, including ćevapčići, have nowadays become part of the daily diet in Slovenia.

According to data from the 2022 census, most Serbs use Slovene as their language of communication, since only 4,300 people declared that they use only the Serbian language at home, while about 15,000 declared they use both languages at home. However more than 31,000 people declared their mother tongue as Serbian. A mixed Slovenian–Serbian slang, srboslovenščina, became an "unofficial" language in football and construction, among other traditional domains of immigrants from former Yugoslavia.

Notable people

• Milenko Ačimovič – football player
• Ilija Arnautović – architect
• Katarina Branković – Countess of Celje
• Luka Dončić – basketball player, paternal Serb descent
• Saša Dončić – basketball player and coach
• Goran Dragić – basketball player
• Zoran Dragić – basketball player
• Jovan Hadži – zoologist
• Spomenka Hribar – sociologist and politician, paternal Serb descent
• Sara Isaković – swimmer, paternal Serb descent
• Zoran Janković – politician
• Bojan Jokić – football player
• Dušan Jovanović – theatre director and playwright
• Irena Kazazić – painter and writer
• Magnifico – musician, paternal Serb descent
• Marko Milič – basketball player, paternal Serb descent
• Rasho Nesterovič – basketball player
• Milivoje Novakovič – football player
• Jan Oblak – football player, maternal Serb descent
• Radko Polič – film director
• Božidar Rašica – architect, scenographer and painter
• Simona Škrabec – author, paternal Serb descent
• Slaviša Stojanovič – football manager
• Dejan Vinčić – volleyball player

References

Sources

References

1. Barica Razpotnik. (2021-12-13). "International Migrants Day". [[Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia]].
2. (2002). "7. Population by ethnic affiliation, Slovenia, Census 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2002". Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.
3. Barica Razpotnik. (2021-12-13). "International Migrants Day". [[Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia]].
4. (2002). "7. Population by ethnic affiliation, Slovenia, Census 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2002". Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.
5. https://vidovdan.org/istorija/no-more-bela-krajina-guards-the-disappeared-people-tragedy-of-bela-krajina-serbs/
6. "Slovenija: Srbi traže status nacionalne manjine".
7. Dragana Radojičić. "SERBIAN DISHES ON THE SLOVENIAN TABLE". Traditiones.
8. https://www.pecat.co.rs/2011/01/ruzna-proslost-lepog-kraja-zvanog-zumberak/