NEWS

During its 2005 – 2008 term of office, on 24 May 2005, the Slovenian Government submitted to the National Assembly for adoption the Act amending the Holidays and Days off in the Republic of Slovenia Act whereby 23rd November was proclaimed Rudolf Maister Day, a National holiday. The new national holiday was in the same year for the first time celebrated in Maribor, where the speaker of honour was the Prime Minister Janez Janša. 

On that occasion the Prime Minister said: ”When in 1991 in Slovenia we were making a list of national holidays, some important historical landmarks were overlooked. It was forgotten that we had to safeguard and protect our territory in the past, so that the present generations were able to create an independent state, recognized by the international community. Without a centuries-long tradition of conservation of national identity and without a long practice of attempts to achieve partial or a genuine autonomy, we would not be here today. One of the successful attempts was the consolidation of our north and north-east border, in the absence of which we would have lost the regions Štajerska and Koroška, and without these two Prekmurje would probably not have been reunited with the mother nation, as there would not be a compact territory to unite it with. This is why Maister’s achievement shall be considered a key action for the preservation of Slovenia and a solid foundation on which the present Slovenian state could be built.”

Prime Minister Janez Janša congratulates all Slovenian citizens on the occasion of the Rudolf Maister Day.