Fourteen years to date, Slovenians overwhelmingly voted for independence in a referendum. The official results - 88.5% of the ballots were in favour - were released three days later and 26 December has been marked as Independence Day ever since.
Exactly thirteen years ago, the Slovenian National Assembly adopted the first Constitution of an independent Slovenia. The date was declared Constitution Day in 1997.
Following the decision adopted in the referendum on 23 December 1990, the National Assembly on 25 June 1991 unanimously passed the Basic Constitutional Charter on the Sovereignty and Independence of the Republic of Slovenia.
Lawmakers needed exactly one year from the referendum on independence to the adoption of the Constitution; first the process was delayed by preparations for independence, later by the independence war.
Ultimately, ideological disputes between parties shelved the adoption, as each party struggled to push through with its views due to the permanent nature of the constitutional order. Politicians only started seeing eye to eye when they were pressed for time.
Since then, the Constitution has been amended four times. In the previous years articles dealing with the electoral system and foreigners' right to purchase property were amended.
In 2003, provisions that allowed the country to assume membership obligations and cede some sovereignty to international organisations and defence alliances - intended for the EU and NATO - were introduced.
A package of changes introduced this year guarantee equal representation of the sexes in politics, equal rights for disabled people and the right of people to pensions.
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