Becoming an Independent State

July 2004

1971 to 1974: Numerous Slovenian politicians and managers were pensioned prematurely due to their "liberalism "and "entrepreneurial thinking ". This period marks the first real push towards a market economy and freedom of speech inside the otherwise strict one-party system of the Yugoslav federation. As a consequence of the movement, followed by similar processes in Serbia and Croatia, the new Federal Constitution was adopted in 1974, granting much more power to the republics of the federal state.

1980 to 1987: The push towards freedom of speech, democratisation of society an d market oriented reforms was primarily driven by student and youth media (e. g. Radio študent in the early eighties, and later by the youth weekly newsmagazine Mladina), by youth organisation (ZSMS) and by the circle of Slovenian writers, founders of the monthly magazine Nova revija.

1988 to 1990: The military trial of three journalists and an army officer leads to calls for an independent Slovenia. The events which followed are known as the Slovenian Spring, the formation of strong civil society movements, and ending with first parliamentary multiparty democratic elections in former Yugoslavia.

January 1990: The Slovenian delegation attends the congress of the Yugoslav League of Communists for the last time.This marks the first serious break in the Yugoslav federation.

April 1990: The first democratic elections were held in Slovenia, won by the DEMOS coalition (an alliance formed from the newly emerged political parties).

December 1990: In a referendum Slovenes voted for a sovereign and independent state (88.5% of registered voters voted YES, 4% voted NO, with 6.5% who did not vote and with 1% of returned or invalid ballots).

June 1991: The Slovenian National Assembly adopted the Declaration of Independence, and on 25 June 1991 an independent Slovenia was proclaimed. This Declaration expressed the independence and sovereignty of Slovenia, and thereby the end of validity of the Yugoslav constitution in Slovenia. The Yugoslav army began its aggression in Slovenia - which became known as the 10-day war, and was at the same time the first massive armed conflict in the heart of Europe after WWII-ending in overwhelming victory by the Slovenian Territorial Defence Forces.

July 1991: Following the Brioni Declaration Slovenia undertook to refrain from implementing the Basic Declaration of Independence for a period of three months. Slovenia was allowed to proceed with the process of independence, following the expiration of the moratorium on 8 October 1991: it then took over control of the borders, introduced its own currency (the Slovenian Tolar - SIT), and adopted a new Constitution. On 25 October the last Yugoslav Army soldier left Slovenian territory.

January 1992: The EU officially recognised independent Slovenia, and on 22 May 1992, Slovenia officially became a member of the UN.