NEWS

Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, at a reception for relatives of the members of the Slovenian Territorial Defence, of the Ministry of the Interior and of civilian war victims killed or injured in the war for an independent Slovenia:

 

“Slovenia is still indebted towards you. Towards those of you who lost your dearest ones, towards those of you who lost your health, towards those of you who were injured.” This were the words of address of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, at the traditional reception for relatives of the members of the Slovenian Territorial Defence, of the Ministry of the Interior and of civilian war victims killed or injured in the war for an independent Slovenia. In his opening address, the Prime Minister stressed that at the time of celebrating the twenty-second anniversary of the plebiscite for the independent Slovenia and the national Independence and Unity Day holiday, the level of optimism is lower than that felt at many times in those twenty-two years.  But despite the rather non-festive days ahead, the Prime Minister guaranteed the assembled guests that the Slovenian government would do its best to improve the situation, including that in the field of veterans’ rights.

   

Prime Minister Janez Janša continued his opening address by adding that the act which reduced the borrowing in Slovenia slightly interfered with their rights, which prevented the fulfilment of some of the promises made in the past years. “But all the solutions oriented towards the freezing of these rights contain a preliminary provision which states that this applies only for two years, or for the duration of crisis. And the measures adopted or enforced in the last few weeks have initiated Slovenia’s recovery from crisis,” stressed the Prime Minister. He added that the tempo would be accelerated in the next year and that the times of crisis would pass. The Prime Minister went on to assure the assembled guests that the debt towards them "will not be forgotten when the growth in Slovenia is normal again, when these temporarily reduced rights can be returned to the appropriate level and what could not have been ensured so far can be ensured again."

   

The Prime Minister concluded his address by wishing everybody a proud celebration of the Independence and Unity Day. “If there is anybody who may celebrate this day with pride, it is you who stand here in front of me.” He also wished them merry Christmas holidays, an authentic Christmas celebration and all the best in 2013. The traditional reception for relatives of the members of the Slovenian Territorial Defence, of the Ministry of the Interior and of civilian war victims killed or injured in the war for an independent Slovenia was also attended by the President of the Constitutional Court, Mr Ernest Petrič, the President of the National Council, Mr Mitja Bervar, the President of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Mr Jože Trontelj, and the Minister of the Interior, Mr Vinko Gorenak.