1. Slovenia: Quiet and Prosperous

2.  Ethnic groups  92% Slovene  3% Croat  1% Serb  4% Other (Italian, Austrian and Hungarian)  7,819 square miles (size of New Jersey)  Pop. 2 million  Capital: Ljubljana

3.  Julian Alps

4. Short (46 km) Adriatic Coastline

5. Plains and Rivers  Main rivers  Drava  Sava

6. Western Identity  Roman Catholic Religion  Habsburg (Austrian) rule from early 14 th century until the end of World War I.  Illyrian Provinces of Napoleonic France from 1809 to 1813.  Brought Slovenia the liberal ideas of the French Revolution and a national awakening.  Habsburgs returned, began industrialization early in Slovenia

7. Napoleon’s French Empire, 1812

8. Union With Other South Slavs  After WWI, Slovenia became part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.  In WWII, the Slovene territory of Yugoslavia was invaded by the axis powers and split up between Germany, Italy and Hungary.  Some Slovenes sided with Germany to counter the communist partisan rebels.  After WWII, Slovenia reunited with Communist multiethnic Yugoslavia.  Communist partisan leader Josip Broz Tito ruled until his death in 1980.

9. Slovenia Under Tito  Economic and social life hindered by fear and policies.  Arrests, show trials and purges.  Centrally planned economy, industry nationalized and private ownership of land limited.

10. 1960s Reforms  Economic (Slovenia more developed than the rest of Yugoslavia)  Police controls loosened up  Border controls loosened up  More freedom of movement for foreigners and Yugoslavs brought greater prosperity.

11. Constitution of 1974  New constitution gave Yugoslav republics more independence.  Little change in quality of life for most Yugoslavs  Serbia proposed overturning portions of 1974 constitution in order to make republics of Yugoslavia economically and culturally more equal.  Slovenia, being the wealthiest, felt threatened.

12. Reaction and Beginning of Push for Independence  1987 magazine article outlined a new Slovene national program: political pluralism, democracy, a market economy and independence.  Liberal Slovenian Communist leader did not oppose.

13. Yugoslav Leaders React  1988, 3 Slovenian journalists for Mladina weekly and 1 junior army officer sentenced to prison by military court.  Fall 1988, Serbia (Milosevic) took away Kosovo’s autonomy.  Surprises and worries Slovenians, who condemn the move

14. Slovenia Keeps Pushing  1989, opposition parties demanded a sovereign state for Slovenians based on democracy and human rights.  Slovenian parliament legalized management of its own resources and command of armed forces.  “Meeting of truth” in Ljubljana not allowed.

15. Boycotts  All republics except Croatia participated in economic boycott of Slovenia.  Cut off 25% of exports.  1990, Slovenian delegates walked out of Congress of League of Communists.

16. Toward Independence  April 1990, 1st Yugoslav republic to hold free elections and shed 45 years of Communist rule.  Kucan elected president (Party of Democratic Renewal)

17. Ties Broken  Serbia rejected Slovenian (and Croatian) proposal for loose Confederation and threatened to declare a state of emergency.  Slovenian parliament declared its own constitution sovereign.

18. Referendum  December 23, 1990, question of independence.  88% voted for independent republic.  Effective in 6 months.

19. Belgrade Reacts  Called move secessionist and anti-constitutional.  1991, Yugoslav federal government raided and misappropriated funds of Yugoslav monetary system.

20. Slovenia Prepares and Proceeds  Stockpiled weapons.  June 25, 1991 (6 months after referendum), Pulled out of Yugoslavia.

21. Conflict Begins  June 27, Yugoslav forces marched on Slovenia.  Resistance from Territorial Defense Forces, police, mothers of Yugoslav troops and general population.  Within days, federal army began to disintegrate.  Belgrade threatened aerial bombardment and all-out war.  Federal army bombed T.V. station

22. Conflict Ends  July 7 (10 days later) Yugoslav government agreed to truce.  66 died.  Belgrade withdrew federal army.

23. Today  UN member  Due in NATO and EU, 2004  President Janez Drnovsek  Prime Minister Anton Rop

24. Reasons for Slovenia’s Wealth and Peace.  Western orientation and developed economy.  No conflicting territorial claims.  Minimal minority issues  92% Slovene  Protested through environmentalism, rather than just ethnic hatred.  Independence was a latent result.