Independence recognised in just a few months

International recognition was the focal point of Slovenia's foreign policy in the weeks and months following the declaration of independence in June 1991. From the very start it enjoyed the support of Germany, Austria and the Vatican. Other countries were more reserved.

Historian Božo Repe told the STA that practically the entire international community had opposed Yugoslavia's break-up at the time. Many diplomats still perceived the world in bipolar terms, but there was also widespread fear that a bloody break-up of Yugoslavia would be followed by an even bloodier disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Probably the key development playing in Slovenia's favour in this sense was the reunification of Germany in 1990. Germany had also been the main engine of European integration along with France, which meant other countries were willing to give it the benefit of the doubt when it came to Slovenia's independence.

Additionally, the Badinter Arbitration Committee ruled in December 1991 that Yugoslavia had disintegrated as opposed to Slovenia and Croatia breaking away, which was crucial in terms of Slovenia's international recognition, Repe pointed out.

The first recognition of Slovenia's independence came from Croatia on 26 June 1991, a day after both countries declared independence from Yugoslavia. Some successors to the Soviet Union followed suit in the second half of the same year, including all three Baltic countries as well as Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus.

After the Badinter Committee found that Yugoslavia had disintegrated, Iceland, Germany and Sweden recognised Slovenia on 19 December 1991 as the first Western countries. Germany's and Sweden's recognition did not take effect until 15 January 1992, when the recognition came from all European Community countries.

The Vatican and San Marino followed in January 1992. Russia recognised Slovenia as a formally independent country on 14 February, while the United States, initially reserved about independence, endorsed it on 7 April 1992.

The 15 January 1991 recognition by the European Community is seen as a turning point, triggering a wave that culminated on 22 May 1992, when Slovenia became the 176th member of the United Nations.

Over the subsequent years Slovenia would join a number of other major international organisations, including in 1993 of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Council of Europe.

Its biggest foreign policy goal being membership of the European Community, the same year Slovenia signed a cooperation agreement with the EC, triggering a process that lasted over a decade and culminated in full-fledged membership of the European Union in May 2004.

The accession to NATO lasted almost a decade as well, with associate membership extended in November 1994 and full membership taking effect on 29 March 2004.

Interestingly, the last international recognition took well over two decades. It took Vanuatu, a tiny Pacific island nation, until June 2015 to recognise Slovenia as an independent country.