Although war was still raging in our immediate neighbourhood, in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, a vision of a different future was also forming in Europe at that time. A year earlier, the Treaty on the European Union had been signed in Maastricht, and a year later NATO launched its Partnership for Peace programme. Also in 1990, the Vienna Document on Security and Confidence Building, which introduced notification of military activities and a system of inspections, was adopted, as was the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe, which limited the five types of heavy weapons and the size of military forces. In 1992, the Treaty on Open Skies entered into force, introducing unarmed observation flights over the territory of its members. The cornerstones of the European security architecture were thus laid. They were also intended to ensure long-term peace, based on the common values defined in the Paris Charter for a new Europe.

That was then. Now the situation is different. Last year, the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation finally undermined all confidence- and security-building measures and arms control mechanisms in Europe. Our continent is facing the worst conflict since World War II, which has also led to the biggest refugee crisis since 1945. The basic principles of the Helsinki Final Act, as well as the UN Charter, are being put to the test. In this context, we cannot fail to note that the reaction of the world public to what happened has not been unanimous. This also explains, to a large extent, why a series of measures and sanctions against the Russian Federation by the Member States of the European Union has still not convinced Moscow officialdom to stop its irrational policy. It is therefore not only the post-war ordering of Europe that is in the balance, but also the future of our values. After a long period of deceptive peace, the issue of security returned to the agenda of the entire Euro-Atlantic community, including Slovenia, through the big gates.

This is precisely why the role of the Slovene Intelligence and Security Agency is all the more crucial today. It has already made a significant contribution to the security of our country over the past three decades. For this reason alone, all the previous members of the Agency deserve our sincere thanks. Your commitment and expertise have made the Agency one of the key pillars of our national security system, actively protecting our citizens, our sovereignty and our way of life. During this period, SOVA has already done a remarkable job in gathering and analysing information, preventing terrorism and organised crime and other forms of threat to our society. It has also always kept pace with the times, notwithstanding the fact that new challenges have emerged at an incredible pace in recent years. It has also been able to do this due to cooperation with foreign partners. In fact, the excellent relations with allied services that the Agency has established are key to dealing with international threats that know no borders.

Our world is constantly changing and so are the concerns we face. SOVA is therefore active in monitoring the movement of sensitive goods. It is also involved in monitoring migration flows, which suddenly became part of our reality a few years ago. SOVA has also become an important player in ensuring the information security of our country. In the digital age in which we live, cyber-attacks have unfortunately become the new normal. Even more than before, however, it is focusing on counterintelligence. Although it is essential and immanent, few could have imagined that we would be confronted on our own soil with phenomena which, until recently, we thought were only the stuff of fiction or the screen. SOVA is therefore responding to all the threats we face in our new, hybrid age. The Government will therefore continue its efforts to ensure adequate financial support, improve legislation and provide the necessary infrastructure for the Agency to operate successfully.

So today we look back on 30 years of success, courage and commitment since we have known SOVA by this name. Let us therefore also take this opportunity to look to the future, which is full of new challenges. I am confident that the Agency will remain a solid pillar of Slovenian national security in the decades to come. I therefore congratulate all the members of the Agency on this important anniversary and thank them for their work. I am confident that you will continue to carry out your duties diligently, with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity. And, of course, special congratulations to all those of you who are receiving awards on this anniversary. I want you to know that your contribution to the security of our homeland is recognised and appreciated. Just as the Agency counts on you, Slovenia counts on the Agency. Only together can we build a safer future for our country. So let us be like your symbol, like our barn owl: confidently restrained, yet vigilant and always ready.