DZ - Govor podpredsednice Državnega zbora Tine Heferle na slavnostni seji Državnega zbora ob dnevu samostojnosti in enotnosti (v angleškem jeziku)

Govor podpredsednice Državnega zbora Tine Heferle na slavnostni seji Državnega zbora ob dnevu samostojnosti in enotnosti (v angleškem jeziku)

Objavljeno: 23. 12. 2020

 

ADDRESS BY THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TINA HEFERLE AT THE SOLEMN SESSION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON THE OCCASION OF INDEPENDENCE AND UNITY DAY

National Assembly, 23 December 2020
 

 

Dear Citizens,
Dear Distinguished Guests,


Our Slovenia is celebrating. We are commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the moment when we, as a nation, decided by an overwhelming majority that our Slovenia should become an independent and sovereign state.

As a representative of the younger generation, I did not have the honour, privilege, and responsibility to cast a vote, but this does not diminish the pride I feel when reflecting on those times. The beginnings of our independence.

The memories of all of you who participated in that pan-Slovenian historical moment, retelling of your experiences, and evoking your memories has also allowed us, the younger generations, to acquire and adopt the historical memory of the birth of our independent and sovereign state.

Today, all of us, both the young and the old, know that the autumn of 1990 was an extremely important and extremely tense period. When the first initiatives to hold a referendum were launched, in which Slovenian voters autonomously decided that they wanted to live in an independent and sovereign state, in the Republic of Slovenia, it was crucial that the Slovenian politicians at the time possessed a sufficient amount of patience.

In order to ensure the success of such a big project, as some of the key figures of Slovenia's independence referred to it, the united and harmonious action of everyone was absolutely necessary. Coalition and opposition alike. I can only imagine how challenging such cooperation must have been, but we can jointly conclude that it was only possible with mutual respect.

That then, in 1990, you or we managed to overcome all of our mutual differences, unify our stances, and close ranks, was due, inter alia, to our Slovenian awareness that when it comes down to all of us we have the wisdom and strength to come together.

Who out of everyone was the most deserving, who out of everyone made the best suggestion, who said certain words that evening or what was not said … this should not burden younger generations. What should really matter to all of us is that we succeeded, that we decided, and that we were united. That is what really counts.

Looking back instead of looking forward, focussing on old grievances instead of new suggestions, all these things hold our young country back. The intolerant dialogue that is repeatedly and slowly seeping into our society and flooding our political landscape is silently killing the spirit with which our nation was filled back in 1990. And not only us young people, but also the older generation slowly no longer see the real purpose of dividing a nation. After thirty years, now that we have long outgrown the childhood and adolescence of our country, this is unnecessary.

Unity, respect, tolerance, democracy, … these are just some of the core values that have guided us on our path to independence. We should pursue those values even today. As a democratic country, we must not allow ourselves to become tolerant of intolerance or to lower legal standards, which are the foundations of our country. We owe this to ourselves and to all those who bravely circled the word YES in the referendum.

The year 1990 will always hold a special place in our memory.

And so will this year. Not only because we are celebrating a round anniversary of the Slovenian independence referendum, but this year was unfortunately also marked by the new coronavirus pandemic. Due to this disease, all of the world, including our country, almost came to a halt, but nevertheless many things have happened during these times.

It is a joy to reminisce about good times. But to reminisce about not-so-good times is a responsibility. Independence and Unity Day offers an opportunity to also recall the unity of our citizens in confronting the epidemic. We can remember all those who are working day and night to take care of our health. We can remember all those who are sacrificing their own health so that the rest of the population can go about their daily lives as normally as possible. And we must remember all those who have been forced, in one way or another, to put their lives on hold.

There are certainly many challenges ahead of us. In the near future we will be forced to face the challenging economic situation that we will inherit from the epidemic. Now is not only the right time to demonstrate our pro-European stance, but we should also use this opportunity to improve and consolidate our international and political reputation. It is not the best time for mistakes and slip-ups as a country. Actually, it is never the right time for that. But it should always be the right time for us, as a young country, to pursue the principles and values on the basis of which independent and sovereign Slovenia was actually created.

As was the case thirty years ago, it should also be the case today that the most important thing for all of us is that the people in our socio-political landscape have a feeling of confidence. Each and every time we should prioritise our country's interests and concern for our citizens. To live together with a sense of confidence in tomorrow, to dare to look freely toward the future, and to have the courage to express our views and opinions, even if they are diverse and different: that is what all of us who participate in any way in governing our country must strive for. Each and every one of us bears a share of the responsibility and each of us is obliged to speak when addressed in any manner. May national interests speak instead of personal interests, even if some consider the latter ever so justified. That is what we owe our citizens, who entrusted us to represent them.

Usually anniversaries offer us an opportunity to look back on the past, but I would like to use this occasion to look to the future. I would like to voice with full responsibility what I hope many of our citizens, of all ages, feel in their hearts:

We should no longer allow history – which at a certain moment brought us closer together than ever before – to continue to separate and divide us. Let us be proud, let us be patriotic, let us be responsible, and let us be an example for our youngest generation. They are the ones on whose shoulders the future of our little Slovenia rests and they are the ones who can make our little Slovenia great in the world's eyes.

Let us provide them with opportunities and give them a chance to look, unburdened by history, to the future together.

 

Happy birthday, dear independent and sovereign Slovenia!