In 1991, we were still fighting for freedom

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša has publicly challenged former President Milan Kučan over claims regarding who held ultimate authority during the country’s independence struggle in 1991. The dispute erupted on the eve of the Day of Sovereignty, a national holiday marking the withdrawal of the last Yugoslav People's Army soldier from Slovenian territory. Kuacan asserted that the Presidency of the Republic of Slovenia controlled all aspects of the separation process. In response, Janša questioned why Kučan did not inform his Yugoslav military counterparts of this central role, noting that they had directed their ultimatum to the government leader instead. The controversy centers on conflicting narratives about the chain of command during the ten-day war. Kučan stated at a commemorative event in Sromlje that the presidency held all threads in its hands during the time of sovereignty. He described the period as a magnificent event that happens once in a lifetime, particularly for someone in his position as president of the presidency and commander-in-chief of armed forces. Kučan, whose father died as a partisan with a red star, attended a ceremony honoring the Brezje Partisan Unit. He noted that the symbol means something different to him than it does to the current government, which he criticized primarily due to recent intervention laws. Janša countered these assertions by pointing to specific historical inconsistencies. He highlighted that on the morning of June 27, 1991, when Yugoslav army units moved toward Slovenian border crossings, Lieutenant General Konrad Kolsek, commander of the fifth military district, sent a declaration of war to Lojze Peterle, the president of the Executive Council. This document threatened that any resistance would be broken. Janša argued that if the presidency truly led the entire affair, Kučan should have informed his fellow Yugoslav generals of this status. Instead, the military leadership addressed Peterle directly. Furthermore, Janša raised questions regarding the disarmament of the Territorial Defense force in May 1990. He asked how the presidency failed to stop this process in a timely manner despite having the jurisdiction to do so. According to Janša, the presidency was aware of the disarmament plans from the beginning but later claimed ignorance. He characterized Kučan’s actions during that period as playing a double game. These comments were posted on social media, where Janša expressed skepticism about the claim that the presidency managed everything, calling the situation strange given the direct communication lines used by the military. Both leaders will absent themselves from the official state celebration in Koper scheduled for the Day of Sovereignty. Current President Nataša Pirc Musar and former President Kučan will not attend. Kučan explained his absence as a protest against the current administration. He expressed anger that the presidency is no longer mentioned in such contexts, stating that it appears as if the institution did not exist or play a role, even though it actually led the whole matter from that point forward. Pirc Musar’s absence follows her criticism of the invitation issued by the National Assembly and the government. She labeled the addition of the "35th anniversary of the liberation of Slovenia" to the holiday title as an abuse and a revision of history. The debate touches upon broader historical interpretations of Slovenian freedom. While formally the name of the holiday has not been changed by law, the added reference to the 1991 liberation has sparked political sensitivity. The core question is whether Slovenian freedom was achieved solely in 1945 after World War II or if it required renewed struggle in 1991. Historical analysis suggests distinguishing between liberation from Nazi and Fascist occupation in 1945 and the achievement of democratic sovereignty in 1991. In 1945, Slovenia remained a republic within the Yugoslav federation under communist monopoly power, with limited democratic freedoms. The path to full sovereignty began with a referendum in December 1990, where a large majority voted for an independent state based on international law and the constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Independence was declared on June 25, 1991. However, this declaration did not immediately mean effective sovereignty. The following day, the Yugoslav army initiated armed intervention to prevent the realization of this decision. Tanks and armored vehicles appeared on Slovenian roads, representing military force against the will expressed in the referendum. Slovenian territorial defense and police resisted the aggression. The conflict ended with a ceasefire and the Brijuni Declaration, but Yugoslav troops remained in Slovenian territory for several months. It was not until October 25, 1991, that the last soldier left. This date is viewed not just as a memory of troop withdrawal but as a symbolic confirmation that Slovenia could finally breathe freely in its own state. International legal principles support this view, emphasizing the right of self-determination and the prohibition of using force against territorial integrity. Although the departure of the last soldier was not the legal moment of state creation, as independence was declared in June and wider international recognition came in January 1992, the October date marks the end of physical occupation. The current political clash reflects ongoing tensions over how this complex historical transition is officially commemorated and understood today.