President underlines importance of strong community in turbulent times

Črenšovci – President Borut Pahor underlined the importance of a strong community for a nation, especially in times of global turbulence, as he addressed a ceremony on the eve of Prekmurje reunification day.

“There are many things in the current developments that we cannot influence. But there is one thing for which we alone are responsible: civic and national community,” Pahor said, underlining that these are always important, but now even more so.

“Slovenians are a small nation and Slovenia is a relatively small country. But we are a nation and we have a sovereign state, this most important tool of our security and prosperity.”

“In a potentially fatal situation, a community that is fragmented, divided or even split would mean a serious threat to our national and civic existence and progress. We have experienced this ourselves during and immediately after World War II.”

“But a close-knit, tolerant and solidarity-bound community, with room enough to accommodate differences and versatility, provides an opportunity for the preservation and development of our nation and this is all the more true in complex situations.

“This too, we have experienced ourselves, when we founded our own country and had to defend it,” said the president, calling on everybody to act in a way that will strengthen the feeling of trust and power in the community.

“We must nurture and strengthen this community so that it will be a source of hope, confidence, shelter, courage, solidarity and a sense of belonging, even more so during critical challenges,” Pahor said at the ceremony celebrating the Unification of Prekmurje Slovenians with the Homeland.

While not a bank holiday, the Prekmurje reunification day commemorates the day in 1919 when the country’s eastern-most region reunited with the rest of the nation after more than a millennium.

While the majority of the Slovenian nation was a part of the Hapsburg Monarchy and later the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary, Prekmurje was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Prekmurje became part of the newly established Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in line with a decision of the post-WWI peace conference.

The reunification was celebrated with a massive rally of over 20,000 people in the town of Beltinci on 17 August.

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