The evidence so far is that Slovenes talk like Estonians, but act like Austrians.

ECONOMIST: Slovenia eyes a rare moment of glory

In 1929, Yugoslavia became the official name of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

CNN: Friday,

The Czechs and the Slovenes were deemed to be joint bottom of the class.

ECONOMIST: Czech Republic

The sort of things Slovenes get disturbed about these days makes them seem almost Nordic.

ECONOMIST: Slovenia

However, why should the American people care if the Slovenes have a better-trained military?

FORBES: Why Are American Troops Still Stationed In Europe?

Many Macedonians and Slovenes still speak or understand what used to be called Serbo-Croat as a second language.

ECONOMIST: Former Yugoslavia patches itself together

Even under Yugoslav socialism, the Slovenes had close ties with western businesses.

ECONOMIST: Grab and smash

There, countries that do well decide they are no longer Balkan: witness, most obviously, the Slovenes, and, still only hopefully, the post-Tudjman Croats.

ECONOMIST: Where is Central Europe? | The

Moreover, while Serbs have been making mayhem in the Balkans, other southern Slavs (Macedonians, Bulgars and Slovenes, among them) have been striving valiantly to nurture their new democracies.

ECONOMIST: There is no reason why Slavs cannot be democrats

When distinguished Slovenes were presented during Mr Clinton's visit, the one who earned the biggest cheer was Leon Stukelj, a sprightly former Olympic gymnast, now 100 years old.

ECONOMIST: Slovenia

Some reform-minded Slovenes doubt Mr Jansa's commitment to change.

ECONOMIST: Estonia and Slovenia

Among themselves, Slovenes seem strikingly unadversarial.

ECONOMIST: Slovenia