1. What came before
Slovenia was part of the Hapsburg empire from the 14th century until December 1918, when the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians was formed, and after 11 years renamed as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Following communist partisan resistance to German, Hungarian, and Italian occupation during the Second World War, the Yugoslavian kingdom became the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and its new leader, Josip Broz Tito. After his death in 1980 Slovenia, the most prosperous republic, resisted Belgrade's attempts to further centralize political and economic power.

2. A trial
Slovenia nevertheless started the process of political, economic and cultural democratization which opened up the possibility of dissent. With the military trial of journalists working on the independent magazine Mladina in 1988, the first public calls for Slovenian independence appeared.

3. Bidding farewell
On 20th of January 1990 a Slovenian delegation walked out of the Congress of the Yugoslav League of Communists. Dialogue with the Serb dominated Yugoslav regime, they said, had become impossible.

4. Elections 1990
Five months later, Slovenia held its first free, multi-party elections. They were won by a coalition of opposition parties, the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS). The first government was formed by a Christian democrat, Lojze Peterle. A former communist official, Milan Kučan, was elected president.

5. Referendum
On 23rd of December, 1990, Slovenians held a referendum on an independent Slovenia. Eighty-eight point five per cent voted for independence. The decision had to be implemented within 6 months

6. Declaration of independence
Independence was declared on the evening of 26th June, 1991, at massive public gathering in the centre of Ljubljana.

7. The ten-day war
Within the next couple of hours Yugoslav army tanks occupied the first international border crossings. These were followed by artillery units moving from bases in Croatia towards Slovenia. This was the beginning of a ten-day war. Belgrade anticipated a routine and speedy operation, but did not expect the military response of Slovene territorial forces or the determination and unity of the Slovene people.

8. The Brioni declaration
On 7th of July, after an unsuccessful meeting in Zagreb, the leaders of Slovenia, Yugoslavia and representatives of a European mission met for the second time on the Croatian island of Brioni. The Brioni declaration terminated Yugoslav army activities in Slovenia and stated that the Slovene themselves should control their own borders. On 25th of October the last units of Yugoslav army left Slovenia.

9. International recognition
The Independent Slovene state was officially recognised by the European Union on 15th January, 1992, and on 7th of April by the USA. In May Slovenia became a permanent member of the United Nations.

10. Political transition
At the end of 1991 the Democratic opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS) collapsed. The government of Lojze Peterle was replaced by a coalition government led by the Liberal Democratic party of Dr. Janez Drnovšek. In December 1992 the Liberal Democrats won the first general elections held in independent Slovenia. They formed a government with the Christian Democrats. The Liberal Democrats also formed the government after the 1996 general election, when the parties of the "Slovenian Spring" (parties from former DEMOS) were, in spite of good results, unable to form a coalition. They did however form the coalition earlier this year.

11. The route to international organisations

- September 1994
An accession declaration with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
- March 1995
A mandate for negotiations on an associative agreement with the EU.
- January 1996
Full membership of the Central European Free Trade Agreement.
- June 1996
Associative agreement between Slovenia and the EU, followed by an associate partnership with the Western European Union.
- January 1998
Non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.
- February 1999
Associate membership with the EU came into force

12. International visits
The two visits by the Pope John Paul II in May, 1996, and September, 1999, and the visit of the president of United States Bill Clinton in June 1999, were officially and publicly the most celebrated visits of foreign dignitaries to Slovenia.