Slovenia

Born in 1987 in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Student (Marketing; University of Economy)

"Refugees in Slovenia" (2006)

"The attitude towards refugees is still pretty negative, but not quite as hostile as I had expected." That's how Brina Grobelnik from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana sums up the results of her investigation into the situation for refugees in Slovenia.

How well do refugees fit into Slovenian society and what attitudes do they encounter in the state and society? To answer these questions, the student investigated both the immigration policy and asylum rights and, using a survey, public attitudes toward refugees. The 20-year-old author concluded: "I thought our country did very little for a large number of refugees and made no effort at all to improve their situation. In fact, I found that there are several governmental and non-governmental organizations dedicated to improving our problematic asylum policy." According to questionnaires, negative views about refugees are widespread and a further increase in the number of refugees would be looked upon with scepticism. But Brina Grobelnik also found that a considerable percentage of Slovenians support refugees, expect the government to assist them, and are open to personal contacts with them.

Brina Grobelnik received third prize in 2006 for her work: "Refugees in Slovenia" in the Slovenian National History Competition.