Erjavec and Spindelegger are meeting only a day ahead of the 92nd anniversary of the Carinthian plebiscite, which left a part of the Slovenian nation on the Austrian side of the border.

Held in accordance with decisions of the Paris peace conference, the popular vote on 10 October 1920 determined the border between Austria and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

This year's anniversary comes after Harald Dobernig, a member of the Carinthian Freedom Party (FPK) who serves as the finance minister in the local government, stated on Saturday that the Slovenian community in the province were not "true Carinthians".

The statement met with condemnation from Slovenia, while Austria's Foreign Minister Spindelegger said that a "provincial politician" should not be allowed to spoil good relations between the neighbouring countries.

While in Maribor, Erjavec and Spindelegger will also visit an exhibition by the Austrian Cultural Embassy as part of the European Capital of Culture hosted by Slovenia's second largest city.

Austria recognised Slovenia's independence along with other members of the then European Community on 15 January 1992. The country played an important role in the international recognition of Slovenia.