Weekly Review of Events Involving Slovenia from 22 to 28 December

Ljubljana, 29 December - The last week of 2001 was marked by Slovenia's Independence Day, as it was on 26 December in 1990 that results of a referendum in which a vast majority opted for an independent state were declared. Moreover, the Slovene Constitution on 23 December celebrated a decade since it was passed.

Slovene Foreign Ministry and its head Dimitrij Rupel labelled the past year as successful for foreign policy and announced a stronger campaign for Slovenia's integration into NATO and the continuation of active preparations for EU accession.

President Milan Kucan announced that he would make efforts for Slovenia's integration into the EU and NATO as well, while Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek in his New Year's address stressed Slovenia's integration into the Union.

Slovenia is beginning the new year at the head among EU candidate countries, as only the finance-related chapters out of a total of 29 remain on the negotiating table. Head of the European Commission delegation in Slovenia Eric van der Linden, who is leaving his post in February, and Slovenia's chief negotiator with the EU Janez Potocnik have pointed out that these remaining issues will be tough.

Slovenia was last week handed over the first diplomatic premises of the former Yugoslavia in a move that was in line with the succession agreement.