New PZS General Secretary with the New Year

With the new year, the current General Secretary of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Matej Plank will be succeeded by Damjan Omerzu, who will strive to maintain stable operations and the reputable status of one of the largest Slovenian non-governmental organizations.







The 35-year-old Damjan Omerzu knows the functioning of the mountaineering organization very well, as he has been the deputy to the current general secretary since 2018. But he has been connected to mountaineering as a way of life since childhood. He is a member of the Bohor Senovo Mountaineering Club, where he has held numerous positions, from PZS guide, instructor of mountaineering education, marker to organizer of trips, camps and other events. He began collaborating with the Alpine Association of Slovenia during his student years, first in the Youth Commission, later also in the Legal Affairs Committee. In 2012, he was employed by the association as a professional associate. He was involved in various areas of the association's activities, primarily in project work, membership and legal matters.







Damjan Omerzu takes over the position of PZS General Secretary with a rich legacy from the long-serving General Secretary Matej Plank. «The Alpine Association of Slovenia operates at a high level. The pandemic has pushed us into very uncertain times that directly affect our activities, as they hinder the regular work of clubs and limit the individual mountaineering activities of our members. Thus, my primary goal remains maintaining the stable operation of the Alpine Association of Slovenia and continuing constant rationalization and informatization of operations, whose aim is also to facilitate the work of our clubs. I will strive for cooperation with the state to produce actual final results. In PZS, we are striving to finally regulate the status of hiking trails and their systemic financing, which will enable clubs as trail maintainers to continue maintaining the hiking trails. We must also take a step forward in supporting mountain huts to better cope with modern tourism challenges. In the field of sport climbing, the mountaineering organization must follow the development and popularity of the sport by upgrading both artificial walls and natural climbing sites. In 2021, I look forward with pleasure to the Olympic Games, where sport climbing will be represented for the first time, and I hope that the World Cup season, including the September event in Slovenia, will proceed as smoothly as possible. The Alpine Association of Slovenia carries out the majority of its activities in the field of recreational mountaineering, so I will follow the further strengthening of the qualifications of sports professionals and the promotion of sports activities carried out within our clubs. The commitment of the Alpine Association of Slovenia is to expand preventive activities to raise awareness among all mountain visitors about safety and responsible behavior. I believe that with a team of collaborators, dedicated volunteers and partners of our organization, we will successfully pursue the set goals and directions for the benefit of our members.»







The members of the PZS Management Board unanimously confirmed Damjan Omerzu as General Secretary at a correspondence meeting on May 15, 2020.