WEBVTT

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Dear Madam President
Nataša Pirc Musar,

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dear European Commissioner
Janez Lenarčič,

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distinguished guests,
ministers, MPs, diplomatic corps,

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dear Professor Prodi,
dear former President Borut Pahor,

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dear former
Prime Minister Anton Rop.

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Dear guests and, above all,

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dear people of Nova Gorica,
I am happy to be home.

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I am very honoured to speak
to you today on the anniversary

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of our accession
to the European Union.

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On this solemn occasion, which
will be quite emotional for me,

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and I believe for many of you.
You can hear it in my voice.

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I believe we, the people
who live near the border,

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were the ones who at that time
were most proudly aware

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of what it meant to be an equal
member of the European community.

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We felt
an immense sense of pride.

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I believe
we still feel it today.

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I also remember
an immense sense of relief,

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because we no longer
needed passes

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to cross the border
into Gorizia, into Italy.

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When I was young
and had much longer hair,

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I spent my summers
on the Soča river.

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Next year will mark
40 years of the Soča Regatta,

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held on the stretch
from Solkan to Pevma.

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Kayaking downstream was always
easy, you didn't need papers.

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But to come back to Yugoslavia,
you needed a pass.

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I still remember when Radko
forgot his pass at home,

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we used to smuggle him
in the van among the luggage.

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We used to call it
the free movement of people.

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But Slovenians have another ...

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Slovenians have
a very rich historical experience

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with another European value,
the free movement of goods.

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I think
this noble tradition of ours

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was best described by Fran Levstik
in his legendary work <i>Martin Krpan</i>.

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I believe quite a few
members of the audience

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could share similar stories

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about smuggling
or the free movement of goods.

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But all joking aside,

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I am pleased this ceremony
is being held here

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in front
of the Municipal Palace,

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where the first cornerstone
was laid for a public building

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in what was then
a new town of Nova Gorica.

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In a town created
after a world war

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with the purpose of mitigating

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the pain of the border that had cut
so deeply into our space.

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It was this pain

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that inspired Europeans
on both sides of the border

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to seek a better future,

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to create a new vision.

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Europe was the answer.

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The idea of Europe is the only one
that can bind this space together,

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and not only that, it can bind
all the European nations

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to ensure the bloodshed
of the WW2 will never be repeated.

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If ever, it was at the time
of the creation of Nova Gorica,

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which was created in difficult
times, but full of optimism.

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Literally on the wings
of the youth work brigades,

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a town was created
that was a symbol of progress,

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a symbol of hope.

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It was this symbol that
growing up, inspired all of us

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to build a better,
European way.

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And yet Nova Gorica
wasn't perfect.

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Across the border,
there was Gorizia.

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The two towns were so close,

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but so divided.

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Again,
the only answer was Europe.

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That is why, in this very area,
we are so aware of European ideas.

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The history of Europe is full
of conflicts between nations,

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as proven by both world wars.

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When the wise people
were looking for a solution,

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they realised there was
only one way to overcome this.

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Through the consistent enforcement
of the rule of law, human rights,

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and the welfare state.

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This was not only a phenomenon
of the then European Community.

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The same ideas
were present here, in Slovenia.

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The best proof of this is the fact
that one of the leading slogans

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at the time
of our national independence

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was precisely "Europe now".

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Even then Slovenia
was already on the European path.

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It was also the best response

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to the threats
of the Belgrade regime.

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They threatened not only
to abolish our self-government,

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they also threatened
our identity.

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The call of the new Europe
was the best answer,

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and it drowned out
all the armed threats.

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With incredible national unity,

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we voted for sovereignty
and later defended it.

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But I dare say
it was the idea of Europe

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that inspired
the idea of independence.

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Even then, we knew that Slovenia
belonged to the European family,

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even though it was
much smaller than it is today.

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Similarly, the inspiration
of the Europe Square

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can be an inspiration to unite
the space of Nova Gorica and Gorizia

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into a single urban space.

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I believe the Europe Square,

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where the accession ceremony
took place,

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and is now
a construction site, rightly so,

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is much more than
just a square of two towns.

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An idea that is seemingly small,
but at the same time revolutionary.

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Revolutionary also because
it was on this very spot,

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even before
the accession to the EU,

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that the two mayors
of the neighbouring towns,

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Mayors Brancati and Brulc,

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showed a touch
of boldness or courage,

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when they removed the fence
even before the accession to the EU.

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And thus, in fact,
made the space

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where the ceremony could take
place twenty years ago.

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We will need
the same courage in the future,

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because the challenges ahead
of us are, unfortunately, great.

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And yet,
returning to the Europe Square.

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The Europe Square is not only
a symbol for Slovenia,

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for Nova Gorica and Gorizia,
it is also a symbol for Europe.

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It is in this square
that it is most evident

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how European values

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can help heal
the wounds of the past,

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the scars of history,

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and forge new friendships.

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This square is a symbol of hope
for Europe as a whole,

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because it points
the way forward.

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I believe this is also why

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we had our accession ceremony
in this square.

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Today we have with us
three important and respected men

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who had a significant influence on
our accession to the European Union.

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The then President
of the European Commission,

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Mr Romano Prodi.

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Professor, please stand up.

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The then Prime Minister
of Slovenia, Dr Anton Rop.

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And the then President
of the National Assembly,

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the former President of the Republic
of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor.

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Before the ceremony, I asked
if they had any more advice for me.

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They said we should laugh,

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because then there
was a lot of laughter.

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It was a moment of laughter, of joy,
and also of great expectations.

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I am convinced that we can
express the same commitment

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to the same values,

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and that we will continue on
this same path of optimism, hope

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and belief in European values.

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Slovenian journey
in the European Union is a long one.

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We started as a candidate,
this lasted almost a decade.

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It was a period
of painful adjustments,

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it was not always easy,
but we had learnt a lot.

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Over the last two decades,
we have also learnt

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that there are,
unfortunately, not only bright,

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but also dark sides to the EU.
But this is our common Europe.

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We have also learnt that Europe
is only strong if it is united.

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It is only as strong
as it is solidary.

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The stronger Europe is,
the safer Slovenia is.

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Because Slovenia's main interest
is the safety of its citizens,

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the Government will always strive
for these principles in Brussels.

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The principles
of unity and solidarity,

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because this is how we strengthen
the safety of our country,

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even when we speak in Brussels.

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Today, we can see that Europe
is much more than just

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a community of states
or political institutions.

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Europe is also
a community of values.

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Values such as inclusiveness,
cohesion between nations,

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and also
the promotion of diversity.

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Of values that appreciate
the dignity of everyone,

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and build a society where
everyone has the chance to succeed.

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But, unfortunately, today
these values are being tested.

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Some ideas that we were convinced
had disappeared into history

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are now making a comeback
in the European political space

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through various
forms of populism.

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When, in a month's time,
we exercise our right to vote,

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and cast our vote
in the European elections,

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and say what kind of Europe
we want to live in,

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we must not forget that it is
precisely European values

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that are
the bulwark of democracy.

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I hope all of you will make
full use of your right to vote,

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and above all
that we will do so in a way

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that will make Europe stronger
and Slovenia safer.

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Dear guests,

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today is 9 May, Victory Day.

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Today is the day when Europe
celebrates its liberation.

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I wish with all my heart

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that the decision of the Government
of the Republic of Slovenia,

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which today
recognised Palestine,

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will also bring a ray of hope
for the Palestinian people

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on their path to freedom.
Thank you.