NEWS

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša: "We proudly celebrate the day when Slovenia was finally able to breathe free"

On the eve of today's 21st anniversary of the final retreat of the Yugoslav Army from the territory of Slovenia, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, hosted a reception and addressed those present with whom he had jointly pioneered the country's independence and laid the foundations for Slovenia's development as a sovereign nation. In his address, the Prime Minister emphasised that the Slovenian people had then shown their capacity to work as one and that they would be able to do likewise again today when Slovenia's sovereignty is at stake, both economically and financially. He concluded by saying that the events commemorated by this anniversary celebration deserved remembrance and that the day when Slovenia was finally able to breathe free should be proudly celebrated.

 

At the beginning of his speech, Prime Minster Janša recalled the escorting of the lines of Yugoslav People's Army's vehicles that moved towards the Port of Koper, bound to leave Slovenia forever. "This marked the end of a years-long process that peaked during the war for Slovenia's independence," he said. He went on by saying that it had practically been a time of decision over whether the Slovenians would become masters on their own land forever or not. "You are the ones who played the key role in this process," were the words with which the Prime Minister welcomed his guests and added that the crucial days were those following the Brioni Declaration, when Slovenians pulled themselves together and, with skilful negotiation, achieved what they were about to lose in the very last step toward independence. The Prime Minister recalled that, at the time when Slovenia was striving for independence, its people were teeming with energy and joy as armed conflicts stepped up in its neighbourhood.

 

"It was a time when we became aware that, through this experience, we had gained, i.e. set up a country of our own, a country that was able to defend itself against a more powerful enemy," the Prime Minister described the situation at that time and underlined that the country had embarked on a new path toward international recognition. "Those were the most glorious days in the history of the Slovenian people and I consider that we should preserve the memory and duly celebrate the anniversary of the events that marked them," appealed the Prime Minister.

 

“Belgrade’s plans to attack Slovenia were accompanied by mocking comments that military action in Slovenia would clog the roads with refugees fleeing to Austria and Italy," he recalled and added that, instead of that, people faced army tanks barehanded and that the Slovenian defence forces and the police played their historical role.

 

Finally, Prime Minister Janša compared those historical events to the present and stressed that Slovenia had then fought for its sovereignty which is now, 21 years later, in jeopardy again. "Slovenia is threatened by economic and financial crisis and excessive borrowing over the past few years. A nation unable to repay its foreign debt cannot enjoy full sovereignty," the Prime Minister added and stressed that Slovenia's sovereignty was at stake in this regard. "Sovereignty is what the Slovenian people set out to defend 21 years ago and it is time to join our forces again. I believe that we are capable of doing it and that it will become a reality," the Prime Minister concluded and added that Slovenians could prove once again that their struggle for independence was no coincidence but resulted in a permanent condition which they have the ability to maintain and that the Slovenian state can provide optimum prosperity and security for all its citizens.