SSK party and Fedriga stress importance of Slovenian minority in Italy

Damijan Terpin, who was recently elected head of the party, said that the SSK's mandate was to pursue dialogue with all political stakeholders willing to help the minority, the minority newspaper Primorski Dnevnik reported.

The party's newly elected secretary Fulvia Premolin highlighted the main aspects of the SSK's platform, including efforts to improve the situation of Slovenian schools in Italy.

Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, highlighted the importance of the minority as one of the region's essential components, including in the international context.

He mentioned efforts to draft a new regional electoral law which would allow the minority to elect a representative to the Regional Council without any ties with Italian parties.

Vesna Humar, state secretary at the government Office for Slovenians Abroad, underlined the importance of the SSK and political participation.

The party's event, known as New Years' Reception, was for the first time in history attended by a representative of the Italian ruling party Brothers of Italy, senator Francesca Tubetti, who comes from Friuli Venezia Giulia, the newspaper said.

In her address, she stressed the importance of attachment to the land, roots and ancestral traditions, and of cooperation.

Also in attendance, the Italian minority MP in Slovenian parliament, Felice Žiža, noted the importance of an independent ethnic community making agreements with the government, as is the case in Slovenia, where the Italian minority is guaranteed representation in parliament.

The event was also addressed by Franca Padovan, mayor of San Floriano del Collio and the SSK's new vice president, Gorizia Mayor Rodolfo Ziberna, and heads of the two umbrella organisations of the minority, Ksenija Dobrila and Walter Bandelj.