The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, attended the state ceremony celebrating the restoration of the Primorska Region to the motherland and delivered a speech on this occasion. According to Janša, the way our ancestors settled in Primorska had secured the unchanged western ethnic border until the appearance of the totalitarian fascism. They did not build a high wall nor set up a frontier or borderland. They had shaped national awareness so firm that no foreign force was able to break it for centuries. Slovene national awareness in Primorska was unshakable and resilient.
 

PHOTO: Uroš Hočevar

The Prime Minister then outlined the historical background of development and existence of Primorska, which is, according to the Prime Minister, the gift of God given to Slovenia in economic as well as in spiritual sense. "Many believe that Slovenians as a nation have endured because of our restraint. But that is not true! The territory of Slovenia has always been among the most passable areas, and we nevertheless endured. Not because of our restraint but due to our openness and the extraordinary capability of our ancestors to adapt to more demanding circumstances, participate actively and encroach on the situation", said the Prime Minister; he also underlined special credit to be claimed by Primorska in keeping Slovenia's economic and spiritual link with the more developed and demanding European environment and also in our successful integration into it.
 
The Prime Minister also spoke about culture and the possibility to link, as was the case in the past, with economy. The entrepreneurs and companies could earmark more funds for culture, as "we have to be aware that no taxes will ever provide for all the money needed in culture. And in particular not the amount the top works of art would in fact deserve. But I am convinced that it will become easier for the Slovenian entrepreneurs operating in ever more regulated and favourable economic circumstances to decide to donate to Slovenian culture," said Janša.
 
The Prime Minister added that the independent Slovenian state started to resolve economic situation in Primorska on sustainable basis by building modern road and railway connections in the spirit of century-old Primorska traditions and continued: "Connections with the wider area of Pannonian plains and territory stretching all the way to Ukraine within the 5th European corridor seem to be of particular importance." He also stressed that the establishment of two new University centres in Koper and Nova Gorica was not only meant to balance scientific and cultural development of the region with that on the other side of the state border, but was also intended to create circumstances that would enable young people to see the future in their native place and enable them – by contributing their knowledge and fresh impetus – to participate in remedying the legging behind and mistakes made in economic and social development.
 
"The aim is to achieve a sustainable and harmonious development, preservation and enrichment of regional capital, establishment of business climate and economic development that will bring about a high added value. It is necessary to improve road infrastructure and thus make use of business and natural potential of Primorska region. Primorska wine growing must follow the same objective. In time past it satisfied Vienna and Prague and there is no reason not to restore this position. Luka Koper (the Port of Koper) proved that it is possible to succeed despite strong and ruthless competition. Tourism with a prosperous but as yet underexploited bordering region of North Italy shows great potential," concluded Prime Minister Janša. 

 

Address of Prime Minister