Prime Minister Janez Janša: Our common future should be built on the values that once united us

26. 6. 2026

Government Communication Office

The central state ceremony marking Statehood Day was held in Ljubljana, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of Slovenia’s independence and sovereignty. The keynote addresses were delivered by President of the Republic Nataša Pirc Musar and Prime Minister Janez Janša, who recalled the historic significance of the plebiscite, the period of Slovenia’s independence, and the values that united Slovenians in the creation of their own state.

In his Statehood Day address, the Prime Minister emphasised that Slovenia’s independence is founded on the will expressed in the plebiscite, as well as on the courage and unity that, 35 years ago, made it possible to establish an independent and sovereign state. He paid tribute to the contribution of veterans, the police, the Territorial Defence, civil defence, Slovenians at home and abroad, and all those who sacrificed their lives for Slovenia.

Marking the anniversary, the Prime Minister highlighted Slovenia’s progress since independence, including the rise in GDP per capita from EUR 5,100 to EUR 33,000. At the same time, he pointed to the development, security, energy and food-related challenges facing the country. He called for greater cooperation, political and economic stability, decentralisation, and the strengthening of democratic institutions.

In the European and international context, he underlined Slovenia’s responsibility, as a member of the European Union and NATO, to contribute to common security, the protection of democratic values and the preservation of the European way of life. The central message of the address was that Slovenia must build its common future on the values of the independence period: courage, responsibility, unity, respect for diversity, and the awareness that an independent state is a shared civic legacy of all its citizens.