Slovenia


Constitutional Background

The public desire to Slovenia's independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) was first expressed in the plebiscite on 23 Dec 1990. On 25 June 1991, the Slovenian Parliament declared independence and adopted 'The Basic Constitutional Charter on the Sovereignty and Independence of the Republic of Slovenia'. Article I Sentence 2 of the Charter reads: "The Constitution of the SFRY hereby ceases to be in force for the Republic of Slovenia." With the Constitutional Law for the Implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia', adopted on 23 Dec 1991 by the Assembly (the Socio-Political Chamber, the Chamber of Communes and the Chamber of Associated Labor) Slovenia installed the new constitution.

Slovenia joined the UN, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Council of Europe, NATO and the European Union.

For a comparative view encompassing Slovenia see: Mavcic, Arne, Constitutional review systems around the world. Lake Mary: Vandeplas, 2018 (ISBN 978-1-60042-297-3, Cobiss.si-id 2053248694).

History and News

  • 30 Nov 2016: Constitutional Amendment of Chapter III: new Article 70a.
  • 24 May 2013: Constitutional Amendment of Articles 90, 97, 99 and 148.
  • 20 June 2006: Constitutional Amendment of Articles 121, 140, 143.
  • 15 June 2004: Constitutional Amendment of Articles 14, 43 and 50.
  • 1 May 2004: Slovenia joined the European Union with 9 other countries.
  • 2 Apr 2004: Slovenia joined the NATO.
  • 23 Mar 2003: Majority of the Slovenian electorate votes in favour of the accession to the EU and NATO.
  • 16 Apr 2003: Slovenia signed The Treaty of Accession with EU.
  • 7 Mar 2003: the First Chapter (Article 3.a added) and Articles 47 and 68 of the Constitution amended.
  • 25 July 2000: Constitutional Amendment of Article 80.
  • 14 July 1997: Constitutional Amendment of Article 68 (2).
  • 11 Sep 1995: Slovenia joins CEFTA.
  • 12 July 1995: Slovenia concludes a Europe-Agreement with the EU.
  • Sep 1993: Slovenia concludes a Simple Cooperation Agreement with the EC.
  • 14 May 1993: Slovenia signs the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 4 Nov 1950 including the 11 Protocols and ratifies it on 8 June 1994 (Official Gazette of the RS, International Contracts, No. 33/94).
  • 12 May 1993: Slovenia becomes a member of the Council of Europe.
  • 22 May 1992: Slovenia becomes a member of the United Nations.
  • 24 March 1992: Slovenia is accepted as a member of the CSCE.
  • 15 Jan 1992: International recognition: On 16 Dec 1991 in Brussels the EC-Foreign Ministers declare Slovenia's international recognition by 15 Jan 1992.
  • 23 Dec 1991: The Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia is adopted by the Slovene Parliament.
  • 20 Nov 1991: The Slovene Parliament adopts the Denationalization Act.
  • 8 July 1991: Through the Brioni Declaration, Slovenes agree on the moratorium to "freeze" further activities directed towards the execution of its sovereignty for three months.
  • {§\tab}25 June 1991: Declaration of Independence.
  • 22 Feb 1991: "The independence Amendment" is passed by the Slovene Parliament which provides the normative basis for the sovereign conduct of internal and international affairs.
  • Jan 1991: The Ultimatum of the Belgrade Government to Slovenia demanding the disarmament of the territorial defence units is rejected by the Slovene Government.
  • 23 Dec 1990: Slovenes hold a plebiscite to determine the citizens' view on the question of sovereignty and independence for the Republic. 88,2% of those voting (93,2% of the electorate) favor independence.
  • Oct 1990: In implementing the Declaration on Sovereignty, the Slovene Assembly passes the Constitutional Amendments XCVI through XCVIII, invalidating all constitutional laws of the SFRY which do not coincide with the Slovene Constitution.
  • Sep 1990: The Slovene Parliament establishes the National Guard (Territorial Defence) under the Republic's control.
  • 2 July 1990: Declaration on the Sovereignty of the Republic of Slovenia.
  • April 1990: The first democratic elections are held since the end of the 2nd World War.
  • April 1990: A fully elaborated Draft New Slovene Constitution is published.
  • March 1990: The Slovene Parliament passes the Constitutional Amendments XCI-XCV which drop the term "socialist" from the Republic's name and establish the freedom to establish political organizations and equal rights of all political organizations.
  • Dec 1989: The Political Organizations Act and the Parliamentary Elections Act are adopted.
  • Sep 1989: Amendments to the Slovene Constitution 1974 - Pluralization of the political system. Amendment X establishes the permanent, unlimited, and unalienable right of the Slovene People to self-determination including the right to secession and union.
  • May 1989: Slovene writers organize an informal referendum on Slovenia's constitutional status (the May Declaration).
  • June 1988: The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights as a democratic forum is formed.
  • April 1988: The Materials on the New Democratic Slovene Constitution are published.
  • March 1987: Nova revija publishes the Contributions to the Slovene National Program.
  • 1974: Federal Constitution of 1974 as well as the new Slovene Constitution of 1974 strengthen the concept of a "self-managed socialist society".
  • 1971: Federal Constitutional Amendments give wider powers to the Federal Chamber of Nationalities and the Republics at the expense of the federation.
  • 1963: Federal Constitution further decentralization and the concept of a "self-managed society". This is also reflected in the new Slovene Constitution.
  • 1947: The Peoples' rights are repeated in the Constitution of the Peoples' Republic of Slovenia (Articles 2 and 10).
  • 1946: Establishment of the Federal Constitution. A federation consisting of six republics including Slovenia. The right of the People to self-determination, including secession, is stated in Art. 1.
  • 1945-1980: Tito's Yugoslavia - The Federal Peoples' Republic of Yugoslavia.
  • May 1945: The National Committee establishes the Slovene Parliament and declares the united Slovenia to be part of the federal Yugoslavia.
  • 1941: Slovene Communist Liberation Front is founded.
  • 1941-1945: Communist and anti-Communist Resistance.
  • 1941: Invasion of the Axis powers. Slovenia is acquired by Italy, Hungary, and Germany.
  • 1934-1941: The Regency Council is established after King Alexander's assassination.
  • 1931: A new strictly centralistic constitution is promulgated to provide a fig leaf for the royal dictatorship.
  • 1929: The King abolishes the Vidovdan Constitution and declares a temporary royal dictatorship.
  • 28 June 1921: The Vidovdan Constitution is promulgated as a Serbian dominated centralist constitution.
  • 1919/1920: The settling of the frontiers with Italy and Austria.
  • 1 Dec 1918: The proclamation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (S-H-S).
  • 1917: The Corfu Conference and Declaration leads to the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
  • 1917: The May Declaration demands the unification of all Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs living under the Habsburg rule, into one constitutional entity.
  • 1861-1914: National programs are formulated which unite Slovenes and bring the idea of the comunity of the Southern Slavs.
  • 1848: The first political program is formulated by the Slovene intellectuals.
  • 1816: The Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces are arranged as a kind of Slovene administrative unit.
  • 1809-1813: The Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces. Ljubljana becomes the capital of the Illyrian Provinces.
  • 1788: The first Slovene history is written.
  • Sixteenth century: The Reformation and the peasants' revolts strengthen the national consciousness.
  • 1551: The first Slovene books are written.
  • 1282: Slovenes under the Habsburg rule.
  • 976: Foundation of the new Dukedom of Carantania.
  • Eighth century: The independent Slovene Dukedom Carantania is installed.
  • Sixth century: Slovenes settle in the area from Istria far north.
For methodology see: Comparing Constitutions and International Constitutional Law.
© 1994 - 27.6.2020 / For corrections please contact A. Tschentscher.