The officials handed him a memorandum listing all open minority issues, the Trieste-based daily Primorski dnevnik has reported on its web site.

The president's guests included MP Tamara Blažina, the presidents of the two umbrella organisations of the Slovenian minority in Italy, SKGZ and SSO, the head of the Slovenian-minority theatre SSG Breda Pahor and representatives of Primorski dnevnik.

The officials said in the memorandum that the general atmosphere among Slovenians in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region had significantly improved, also due to the neighbourly relations between Slovenia and Italy.

The very good relations were reaffirmed during Mattarella's recent visit to Ljubljana, according to Primorski dnevnik.

The memorandum however also lists issues such as the usage of Slovenian in public administration and the problems of the minority concerning education, music education, election legislation, media, theatre and publishing.

Also problematic is the financing of the minority and reforms, according to minority representatives.