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Country Profile : SLOVENIA
About the Republic of Slovenia One of the most prosperous of the 2004 accessionist countries, Slovenia with the Alps to the north and a small piece of the Adriatic coastline to the south is described as a small, beautiful and peaceful country. History of Slovenia Settled in the 6th century, Slovenia was under German rule from the 8th century, culminating in the Austrian Hapsburg Empire until 1918, apart a brief period of Napoleonic rule between 1809-1814, during which time Ljubljana was established as the capital. Annexed by Germany in WW2, Slovenia joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1945. Serbian ambitions, heightened by the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union, grew during the 1980s as they sought to become the dominant force within the Federation; Kosovo was denied autonomy by the Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, whilst Slovenes and Croats feared the same fate. Slovenia held free elections early in 1990 and a referendum received 90% support for independence. Slovenia duly declared independence in June 1991, Serbia refused and mobilised the Yugoslav army. The Slovenian army and the wider population took up arms and a 10 day war ensued, whilst the international community watched with bated breath aware of the repercussions of this activity. With Western support and recognition of their right to independence, Slovenia gained independence with relative ease compared to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Joining NATO in March 2004 and the EU in May 2004 Slovenian Economy One of the most prosperous of all the 2004 accessionist countries, Slovenia has a GDP higher than some earlier EU member states. Slovenia maintained high growth during 2001-03 at a time when many other European countries suffered economic slow down. |
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