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Prime Minister Pahor attends Pučnik Days 2010

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, today attended the opening of Pučnik Days 2010, where he also delivered an address: “On this occasion, I would speak up for the causes that the giant of Slovenian politics and the doyen of the Slovenian independence, Dr Jože Pučnik, would also stand up for. I would ask myself a similar question as the document “Vision 20+ 20”, namely, what our time requires from an individual, from the elite and from the political class? In order to understand the changes, we have to find out first what is happening to us in the world. I am proud to say that today Slovenia ranks among the developed countries that show the best indicators for overcoming the crisis.”

    

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

     

Prime Minister Pahor then touched upon the Slovenian history two decades ago: “Today, we are celebrating the anniversary of a great historical shift and we have to point out that Slovenes have not missed the historic opportunity. This turning point did not come by itself and did not result in an immediate and unanimous agreement. And had it not been for those daring individuals, to whom Dr Pučnik undoubtedly belongs and who deserves to be spoken about in all the superlatives, the transition into democracy through peaceful means would not have been possible.” Strong intellectual groups, such as a group around Nova Revija, as well as political groups and, later, first political parties that opposed the old system and the establishment to Demos - all led to the first democratic elections in 1990 and the first Slovenian democratic Government. The Prime Minister pointed to the concentration of the history we witnessed during that period and to two decades after, when we had to make up for everything that we had lost after the Second World War, because it was the system that hampered a faster social and economic development. “What we have achieved in this short period is not to be neglected – from a sovereign state, which was established against the will of great powers, to the state, which has won its place in the international community as a member to the EU and NATO. These are not small shifts in such a short time, but Slovenes succeeded."
       
At the close of his address, Prime Minister Pahor stressed that discussions about a new dynamic balance is held throughout the developed world, groups of the wise within the EU seek the best routes and answers to fundamental dilemmas of current and future Europe. “And we do the same. There are differences between us and there are different opinions. Different views and visions are all equally important as each contributes its share, Vision 20+20, a group of intellectuals "Which Path to take after the Crisis?” or the “Gaspari group”. I am confident that today we will, like 20 years ago, reach a social consensus based on different opinions, each in its own demonstrating what is best for us. And on the very basis of our significant historical experience twenty years ago, I dare say that we will succeed again.”