Year 1991

20. February 1991

Photo: Tone Stojko, source: National Museum of Contemporary History

The XIX amendment to the Constitution

The Assembly of the RS adopts the XIX amendment to the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and invalidates all constitutional laws of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

23. May 1991

An incident in the Pekre training centre

An incident occurs between Slovenian Territorial Defence and Yugoslav Public Army representatives in the Pekre training centre. The YPA units surround the 710th TO training centre and demand surrender.

25. June 1991

Basic Constitutional Charter is adopted

The Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopts the Basic Constitutional Charter, the Constitutional Act and the Declaration of Independence.

26. June 1991

Photo: Salomon 2000, source: Government Communication Office

Solemn proclamation of Slovenia's independence and sovereignty

Solemn proclamation of Slovenia's independence and sovereignty. President of the Slovenian Presidency Milan Kučan addresses a letter to the leaders of Western countries and to the UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar requesting international recognition of Slovenia as an independent State.

27. June 1991

Beginning of the Ten-Day War

Beginning of the Ten-Day War for Slovenian independence; the first combat occurs at Poganci, near Novo mesto.

07. July 1991

Brioni Agreement is adopted

The Brioni Agreement is adopted. Talks held on the island of Brioni between the EC Troika and representatives of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and federal Presidency result in an agreement whereby Slovenia and Croatia agreed to suspend implementation of the declarations of independence, but not the declarations themselves. They also agree that the Slovenian Police forces take over the Slovenian borders control, that customs income remains a federal revenue, that the condition as of 25 June 1991 shall be respected, that Slovenian armed forces lift the blockade of YNA units and facilities, thus enabling unconditional return of YNA units to their Barracks, that the Slovenian territorial defence demobilizes and that all prisoners detained in connection with hostilities since June 25th 1991 shall be released in one day.

07. October 1991

The tolar as the national currency

The Assembly approves the tolar as the national currency.

25. October 1991 - 26. October 1991

Photo: Military Museum of the Slovenian Armed Forces

The last soldier of the Yugoslav Army leaves Slovenian territory

In the night of 25 to 26 October, the last soldier of the Yugoslav Army leaves Slovenian territory.

23. December 1991

The first constitution of independent Slovenia

The Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia passes a new constitution, which becomes the first constitution of independent Slovenia.

Overview of the year

The first half of 1991 was marked by intensified preparations for independence, voted for in a plebiscite by the people of Slovenia at the end of December 1990, and rising tensions between the Slovenian government and the Yugoslav federal government, especially the Yugoslav People’s Army, which opposed Slovenian independence.

Before the Independence Day, the Slovenian parliament adopted several laws establishing independence and the new flag and coat of arms.
The Republic of Slovenia declared independence on 25 June 1991 to which the Yugoslav federal army responded by an almost immediate intervention aimed at suppressing the acts of independence. Fighting between the Yugoslav Army and Slovenian units lasted for ten days taking military and civilian casualties and ending in a truce. Negotiations between the federal government and representatives of former Yugoslav republics brokered by a troika of EC ministers resulted in the Brioni Agreement which suspended Slovenian independence for three months. Expanded Yugoslav collective presidency adopted in Belgrade only few days later a resolution on withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army from Slovenia in three months. The moratorium imposed by the Brioni Agreement expired on 7 October and Slovenia began to enforce laws establishing independence while the last Yugoslav troops left Slovenian territory in the last days of October. Several countries recognised Slovenia already in 1991 (Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Iceland and Germany) but the majority of recognitions followed in 1992. The first foreign statesman to visit Slovenia as an independent country in 1991 was President of the Italian Republic, Francesco Cossiga.

Slovenia’s monetary independence followed in October by introduction of a new currency – tolar – initially in the form of warrants.

The first Constitution of independent Slovenia was adopted by the parliament on the second anniversary of the plebiscite in December, adoption of the law on denationalisation marked the beginning of return of property in the same month and the first Slovenian stamps were issued.

The Slovenian Press Agency began to work on 20 June 1991.

Text: Government Communication Office