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Prime Minister Janez Janša: Dr Jože Pučnik stood for a promise of normality

Prime Minister Janez Janša today took part in a scientific symposium to mark the 80th anniversary of Dr Jože Pučnik's birth, where in his opening speech he spoke about Dr Pučnik's life and work, and his rich intellectual and political legacy. He recalled that Dr Jože Pučnik's return from exile represented an immense reinforcement of political normality in Slovenia. The Prime Minister also observed that Dr Pučnik spoke in a language that was easy to understand and clear to the people, which was unusual at the time, and so the public began to perceive the language he used as symbolic and a promise of normality. 

 

Speaking about Dr Jože Pučnik's political role, Prime Minister Janša explained that "Dr Pučnik was a Slovenian politician and intellectual who entered politics with the awareness that talk on its own was not enough, and that action and the need to get organised were called for". The Prime Minister noted that because Dr Pučnik embraced this work with all his heart, his candidacy for the presidency of Demos, which is "the key political group to emerge in recent Slovenian history", was rather self-evident in a way. The Prime Minister added that Dr Pučnik was a Slovenian politician who vehemently opposed double standards, despite the fact that they were constantly applied to him; an example of this was when he was referred to as a man with a score to settle despite never having harmed anybody and that his main objective in returning home had been to help his country.

 

In his address, Prime Minister Janez Janša also highlighted that Dr Pučnik's greatness was evident from the results achieved and the paths he had opened up. "The seeds he had sown by his actions, both before and after his exile, were planted deep and prospered. We, the Slovenian people, have benefited greatly from the fruits they have bore, and every important anniversary of his birth will be an opportunity for future generations to recall his efforts with deep gratitude," the Prime Minister concluded.