Milan Kučan

Slovenia is one of the few ex-communist or ex-socialist countries that has not opted for tearing down monuments associated with the former regime after it adopted democracy in the 1990s. However, now Slovenia's first president and last head of the country's Communist party has suggested just that.

Ljubljana, 23 October – Anže Logar, the conservative former foreign minister, won 34% of the vote in Sunday’s presidential election in Slovenia and will face lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar in the 13 November run-off after she picked 27%. Being limited to two terms, incumbent Borut Pahor could not run again.

After a campaign that saw many twists and turns, Slovenians will head to the polls on Sunday to cast their vote in the presidential election although the country’s fifth president is not expected to be elected until the run-off on 13 November.

Ljubljana – Former Ambassador Peter Toš has died aged 83, the STA learned from the diplomat’s family. Toš started his career as Yugoslavian ambassador to Tanzania and was the head of the club of former Slovenian ambassadors in recent years. President Borut Pahor expressed condolences to Toš’s relatives.

Ljubljana – Marta Kos, vice-president of the Freedom Movement, has officially announced her bid for the presidency of the republic. She will run as her party’s candidate, while the other two coalition parties said following her announcement on Tuesday that they would likely run with candidates of their own.

Ljubljana – On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of independence, Slovenia’s first President Milan Kučan and first Prime Minister Lojze Peterle said they would like to see more unity of the nation. They agree that this was the key to gaining independence, and that the idea of the common good should prevail in order to achieve common goals.

Ljubljana – Lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar, best known in her former role as information commissioner, has announced she will enter the presidential race in the autumn election as an independent, becoming the first candidate to formally announce her bid.

Sevnica – Milan Kučan, Slovenia’s former president, has accused the current government of being undemocratic as he told a ceremony Saturday that the next election will “decide about the return of democracy”.

He said Slovenians had to send the clear message that “we are not willing to submit to the way the current government is governing, which is alien to Slovenia.”

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša has discussed the values of independence as well as what he called high treason in an interview with the commercial broadcaster Nova24TV, saying that while independence never divided the nation it did divide politics, which was divided by those for whom independent Slovenia was not an “intimate option”.

Ljubljana – Slovenia took key steps leading to its independence in June 1991. The then assembly passed the final major independence laws and three crucial documents to create the legal basis that would allow the country to declare its independence and sovereignty at a ceremony in Ljubljana’s Republic Square on 26 June 1991.