Overview of the week's top stories
since 30 September 2002

On Tuesday, Dnevnik reported that Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek has indeed decided he will run in the upcoming presidential elections under the banner of his LDS party. The LDS Council will meet next week to select the party’s presidential candidate, and insiders told the daily that there will be no surprises – Drnovšek will be selected and will in fact run.

Should Drnovšek win the election, the country will also then get a new prime minister, just before Christmas. The new prime minister will be able to select new ministers, or to retain the ones already in place. According to Dnevnik, the only candidate for the post of prime minister is current finance minister Tone Rop.

Drnovšek's indecisiveness stems from two main issues. First, as prime minister he currently wields much more authority than he would in the mostly ceremonial post of president. And second, there have been serious concerns about his health.

According to all polls, Drnovšek should have no problem winning the presidency, although a second round is expected to be held on 1 December.

This past Monday marked the end of the fourth week those wishing to register to campaign for the presidency could collect signatures in support of their candidacies. So far, just two of the sixteen people who have announced their intention to run have managed to register.

Last week, Barbara Brezigar became the first to do so, with 20,000 signatures. On Friday, Lev Kreft became the second.

The deadline for potential presidential candidates to register is 16 October at midnight. Those running with the support of a party must either collect 3000 voters’ signatures or three of MPs. To register as an independent candidate, 5000 signatures must be collected.

On Monday, Stanislav Holc became the first to officially register his candidacy for the post of mayor of the country’s second-largest city, Maribor. Vilibald Premzl, vice-president of the Maribor-based NGO Gibanje za Ljudi (Movement for the People), submitted nearly 300 signatures on Hotz’s behalf.

Holc is the president of Gibanje za Ljudi, and gained national prominence last year drawing attention to problems his city is facing, particularly relating to decentralization – or the lack thereof.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization released World Report on Violence and Health, which shows that 1.6 million die violent deaths annually; nearly half of them die by suicide, making it the 13^th leading cause of death in the world.

Slovenia leads the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with 33 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Croatia follows with 24.8, then Bosnia with 14.8 and Macedonia with 10. Serbia and Montenegro was not included in the report.

Eastern Europe has the highest suicide rates overall, with Lithuania in first place with 51 per 100,000 inhabitants. Russia is in second with 43, then Belarus with 41, Estonia with 38, Kazakhstan with 37 and Latvia and Hungary each with 36. Rates in South America and Asia are considerably lower. The US checked in with a rate of 14, and the UK with 9.

"’Platina 9^th RMX’ lasts just 4 minutes and 23 seconds, but it looks like the best Slovene film of 2002. It looks extremely expensive, but actually was extremely cheap. Not low-budget, but no-budget." He goes on to write, "It is hidden in Videospotnice, which is the only place, so to speak, where you can go see it, but it could be released in theatres – and could sell tickets."

• Following the tragic death of Nejc, one of the members of Bepop, the remaining members of the band have announced the group will continue to perform in order to keep Nejc’s memory alive. Bepop emerged from the Pop TV reality series Popstars earlier this year. The group is currently preparing to release its first album.