Agreement on cooperation between PZS and GRZS to be signed

On Saturday, December 4, 2010, at its extraordinary assembly in Celje, the Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) will sign a cooperation agreement with the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia (GRZS). At the extraordinary PZS Assembly, delegates will also adopt guidelines for the new statute, hold supplementary elections, provide information on the overhaul of the membership fee system for 2012; beforehand, it will award the highest mountaineering recognitions to the most deserving members.



The presidents of both organizations, Bojan Rotovnik (PZS) and Igor Potočnik (GRZS), already publicly committed at the signing of the letter of intent at the Mountain Rescuers' Day in Jezersko on June 12 this year, to actively cooperate in the future, address all open issues, and promote procedures for concluding a written cooperation agreement between the two organizations.



PZS President Bojan Rotovnik before the signing of the agreement, which will take place this Saturday, says: "The main purpose of signing the agreement between the organizations is to establish cooperation between mountaineers and mountain rescuers at least at the level it was when we were still united in one organization. This will also be the most important content of the work of the joint committee, which we named Mountains and Safety; the committee will start working this year. With this agreement, a new chapter opens in cooperation between PZS and GRZS."



Regarding the agreement and the new wind after this year's elections in both organizations, GRZS President Igor Potočnik said: "In 2006, upon the establishment of the independent GRZS association, relations unfortunately tightened between the then leadership of GRS and PZS. There were several conversations, but they did not bear fruit, although several GRS societies also joined PZS. This year, after the election of new leadership in GRZS and PZS, a new wind blew in the relations between the associations. At the initiative of the PZS president, after a short phone call, we decided to sign a letter of intent at the Mountain Rescuers' Day in Jezersko. This was followed by several meetings between the leaderships, where we coordinated the cooperation agreement between the associations." Both management boards confirmed the content of the agreement, and it was unanimously approved in both organizations, giving additional momentum to future cooperation.

"Both associations have appointed three of their members each, who will work in the Mountains and Safety committee. Their work will primarily focus on the preventive area, and on the education of mountaineers and other mountaineers who go to our beautiful mountains. For GRZS, such an agreement means a lot, primarily better and higher-quality cooperation between organizations, exchange of experiences and their transfer to members of both associations. We are especially pleased that this cooperation will improve the awareness and competence of members of both organizations and other mountaineers," explained the president of the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia about the joint committee and the importance of the agreement for GRZS.



The first joint projects will be informing the public about the danger of avalanche release in individual mountain groups and a joint Avalanche Awareness Day for members of mountaineering societies and other nature lovers. "With GRZS President Igor Potočnik, we have personally committed to preparing appropriate foundations within the organizations for long-term and content-rich cooperation based on mutual respect," adds the PZS president.



Regarding the changes awaiting the alpine association in the future, President Rotovnik said: "Mountaineering societies have recently clearly expressed their wish and demand to introduce certain changes in the central mountaineering organization, and I myself announced the need for adjustments within the organization before my election to this responsible position. After the preparations, we will implement the first major changes in the central mountaineering organization in 2011, primarily by adopting a new statute and overhauling the membership fee system effective from 2012. With these two key projects, we want to bring the organization's operations closer to the needs and demands of the present and give greater emphasis to content and affiliation with the organization. All this will only be possible if the mountaineering societies actively participate in preparing the changes. The first opportunity will be this Saturday in Celje, where delegates from all over Slovenia will chart the future path of the mountaineering organization."