NEWS
Prime Minister Borut Pahor at the State Ceremony on Independence and Unity Day “I think Slovenia is born under a lucky star.”
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, delivered an address as the speaker of honour at the today’s state ceremony on Independence and Unity Day and on the 20th anniversary of the plebiscite in Slovenia. In his opening address, Prime Minister Pahor stressed that “twenty years ago, we unanimously decided to establish an independent state. Today, we are celebrating probably the most glorious part of our history. Through the plebiscite, which grandly concluded the path trodden towards the Slovenian nation and state, we became masters of our own destiny.”
Prime Minister Pahor went on to emphasize that he was not surprised that these breaking events twenty years ago have gained almost mythical dimensions in today's remembrance of the past. “This is particularly due to the tragic experiences caused by national rifts in the past, resulting in the plebiscitary decision made by the people to establish an independent state; this has been and always will remain rooted in the collective memory as a single deed and a magical inspiration. For the present and future generations, it will set an example of the political maturity of the nation.” Prime Minister Pahor characterized the time of the plebiscite as the crucial moment in which the disputes morphed into the bold decision to establish our country – an audacious, unified and unprecedented decision in our nation's history. The Slovenian Prime Minister addressed the audience saying that for this reason, the plebiscite held in 1990 should stay in our collective memory as an example of the maturity of our nationhood.
At the end of his address, Mr Pahor also called attention to the present moment. “When assessing the expectations and disappointments of people twenty years later, there is nothing fairytale-like or mythical about what happened. It means that together, with the rest of the modern world, we are facing the worst economic and social crisis since the Second World War. It also means that, for this very reason, these are times of difficulty, dilemmas, doubts, visions and a general feeling of discouragement, all giving the impression that there is no longer any vision for the future. It also means that, in this context, the story of Slovenia's success in times of transition has a less than shiny appearance. In spite of everything, I am absolutely convinced that, in just two decades, the Slovenian people have achieved outstanding results, both domestically and on the international stage.” However, to remind that the things are not so pessimistic as they sometimes seem to be, the Prime Minister highlighted the present time as the time when the peoples' sense of what is right and true has been strengthening and this is encouraging.
On behalf of the whole Slovenian Government, Mr Pahor as the Prime Minister said that all their actions are embedded in the vision of Slovenia as a democratic and social state, governed by the rule of law, a country capable of competing globally and being successful by tapping into our resources of knowledge and diligence. “Slovenia was born under a lucky star. Times will come when this star is hidden by stormy clouds. We are experiencing such times now. Together, we will chase them away to see that lucky star again. Hardly a day goes by when I do not dream these dreams.”