Slovenia's consul general seeks closer ties with Cleveland group

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The only foreign diplomat assigned full-time to Ohio wants to strengthen ties between Slovenia and Cleveland's Slovenian immigrant community, the largest in North America.
Marcel Koprol, Slovenia's new consul general in Cleveland, thinks the Slovenian-American community should be more active, with events such as the city's big St. Patrick's Day Parade and Little Italy's Feast of the Assumption in Cleveland.
"I would like to revive this feeling that we are Slovenes, like Italians," said Koprol.
Northeast Ohio is home to 60,000 to 80,000 Slovenian-Americans, the highest concentration of Slovenes outside Slovenia.
Koprol, the only full-time diplomat in Ohio, is busy registering absentee voters for Slovenia's parliamentary elections Oct. 3. He issues visas, meets business leaders, translates European Union regulations and travels.
Slovenia is offering dual citizenship, Koprol said, and there's been interest among people planning for retirement.
Slovenia, with a population of 2 million, became independent of Yugoslavia 13 years ago.