Božo Repe

Ljubljana – The first countries recognised newly-independent Slovenia soon after it left Yugoslavia in June 1991, but most of them were brand new independent states themselves. A major wave followed in December and in January 1992, when Slovenia was also recognised by Germany, the Vatican and the EU’s predecessor – the European Community.

Ljubljana – A special book about Milan Kučan, Slovenia’s first president, has been released ahead of his 80th birthday that will be celebrated on Thursday. The publication features 85 impressions of Kučan, including eight by foreign figures.

The seventh stanza of Zdravljica, or A Toast in English, set to music by Stanko Premrl in 1905, was chosen to be Slovenia's national anthem in March 1990.

An ode to wine, it is one of few national anthems that is not militant, but in fact celebrates the idea of tolerance and co-existence among nations.