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| Updated: 16-Jun-2006 | NATO Speeches |
NATO HQ, 16 June 2006 |
Speech by
Matjaž Šinkovec,
These days Slovenia is fifteen years young. But dates, anniversaries are never simple.
On June 25 we will celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the official declaration of independence by the democratically elected Parliament and the 15th formal Anniversary of our Armed Forces. However, the Parliament did nothing more than just implement the popular will of the citizens of Slovenia who in December 1990 overwhelmingly, with almost 90% of the electorate, supported dissociation of our Democratic state established in April of that year with the rest of the even by then defunct Totalitarian controlled Federation, with a very long and by now hard to understand name. By some quaint chance I happened to be among those MP’s who made it happen not only formally, but who also engaged in the Democratic movement in the late Eighties. My Deputy prepared a fine speech for me listing in detail all the reasons why Slovenians wanted to be free. But as we all live with this Alliance, based on common values, I believe there is no question why any nation, any people would not have the right to be free. And we did it according to the rule of law, in a peaceful matter, expecting to negotiate all the bits and pieces that would make our dissociation with our 70 year old marriage partners as pleasant as possible. Well, we soon knew de facto that the other party did not share our values, the values enshrined in the Washington Treaty. In the early morning hours after the Independence party Slovenia was invaded by a 20.000 plus well-equipped armed force, strangely called the Something-or-Other People’s Army. Our response was firm and resolute. Within 10 days the YPA was in a shambles and was happy to negotiate, with the help of European mediators, a full exodus from Slovenia. By Mid October there was not one foreign soldier left on the Slovenian soil. And the rest is history. And I will leave history to historians. Today’s exhibition shows the most critical days of the 10 Day War, as well as the overall context, for easier understanding. We did not have professional soldiers, but ordinary citizens who followed the call of their civic duty to stand for freedom and democracy, something that one half of Europe at that point in history had already enjoyed for almost half a century. I would especially like to welcome here General Slapar, the CHOD of our armed forces who masterminded our military efforts in those crucial days. Besides that I would like to commend my colleagues from our Mission and military representatives from our EU Representation who in those days put their lives on the line. We were victorious, which shows that the desire of people to be free is an unstoppable and unbreakable force. The dividends of developing and strengthening democracy without any hindrance and pressure have brought some very tangible results. We have joined NATO and the EU and next year we are to join the Eurozone and the Schengen. Sounds pretty boring. But boring is good. The years of development in democracy have also helped us become a security producer able and willing to contribute to the efforts of Euro-Atlantic community to safeguard its security and stability. We are tiny, but serious. Our burden sharing in operations, if we look at the number of troops per capita, puts us into 6th or 7th place among the Allies. My personal ambition is that we climb to the 1st place within the next few months. Let me conclude by repeating that in 1991 we were defending the values that represent the very foundation of the Atlantic Alliance. We are as ready to do the same, but much more capable with our professional Armed Forces, if need be today, and we know that today we would not be alone any longer. Learning of the importance of our common values through an armed conflict, and as a country firmly believing in the need of transatlantic security cooperation, we would not hesitate one single moment to provide our assistance to any ally that might face threats to its democracy, security and stability. And I expect it is useful for the Alliance to have in its midst a country and an Armed Forces that in the past few decades not only fought a war but actually won it. No wonder everyone from NATO wants to visit Slovenia these days. We’ve had the Military Committee visit, this week the DRC is there and in September we will host the Defense Ministerial. Welcome! I hope you will enjoy the music provided by the Slovenian Armed Forces Band and as well as our wine. Cheers. |
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