30 years since the adoption of the Declaration of the Sovereignty of Slovenia

2. 7. 2020

Government Communication Office

It has been exactly 30 years since the then Slovenian Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Sovereignty of the Republic of Slovenia in 1990, whereby a one-year time limit was set for the adoption of a new constitution. The Assembly also tasked the Government with determining by September which Yugoslav laws would no longer be applicable in Slovenia.

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At the same time, the Assembly also dissolved and recalled the Slovenian delegation to the Federal Assembly of the SFRY.

The Declaration of the Sovereignty was signed by the President of the Assembly at the time, France Bučar, and consisted of six articles. It states, among other things, that it was adopted and proclaimed on the basis of the unanimous proposal of all political parties and parliamentary groups represented in the Assembly. It was adopted and proclaimed at a joint session of all its chambers (the social and political chamber, the chamber of associated labour and the chamber of municipalities) on 2 July 1991.

It also states that the Assembly proclaims the sovereignty of Slovenia on the basis of the right of the Slovenian nation to self-determination and in accordance with the amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It declares that the political, economic and legal system of Slovenia is based on the Slovenian Constitution and laws. The Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), federal laws and other federal regulations are in force in the territory of Slovenia only if they are not in conflict with the Constitution and Slovenian laws or if approval is also given by the Slovenian Assembly.

The declaration stipulates that in conformity with the principle of state sovereignty and the principle of the supremacy of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Slovenia, the republic authorities and organisations had to ensure that all federal bodies and organisations on the territory of Slovenia operated in accordance with the Slovenian applicable legislation. Furthermore, the Assembly determines by a constitutional law which federal regulations do not apply on the territory of Slovenia because they are in conflict with its constitution and laws.

The declaration stipulates that the Assembly is to carry out the prescribed procedure for the adoption of the new Slovenian constitution within one year. The Slovenian Constitution was then adopted on 23 December 1991, less than six months after Slovenia's declaration of independence.