Budai, the head of the paper's regional office in Völkermarkt, has been promoting the equality of the Slovenian ethnic community and nurturing mutual respect and understanding, said the National Council of Carinthian Slovenians and the Christian Cultural Association.

The award is "a great recognition," Budai said, noting that it is also confirmation that the paper's regional office, which he took over in 2000, is doing a good job.

He noted that it was important to write about the minority, which is part of the culture and the country as well as "an important carrier of culture that enriches our shared lives."

Valentin Inzko, the head of the National Council of Carinthian Slovenians, said Budai's efforts had contributed significantly to improved relations between the minority and the majority population in Völkermarkt.

The Einspieler Award, named after Slovenian priest and politician Andrej Einspieler, was conceived in 1988 to honour Austrian individuals for promoting minority rights or cooperation between Carinthia and Slovenia.

It will be conferred at a ceremony in Klagenfurt this evening.