AGGRESSION BY THE YUGOSLAV ARMY ON THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
Statement by the President of the Republic of Slovenia Milan Kucan to the citizens of Slovenia
(video in slovenian language)

Ljubljana, 27 June 1991



Citizens of the Republic of Slovenia,

Last night's celebrations have today been dramatically spoiled. From the early hours of this morning the Yugoslav Army (YA) has been carrying out intensive activities on Slovenian soil. This has distressed our citizens and covered our barely awakened hopes once again with fear for the future.

The Presidency of the Republic of Slovenia today assessed the situation as it stands in our republic following the night-time manoeuvres by units of the YA. During its session the President of the Executive Council received a telegram from the commander of the 5th military district, Col-Gen Konrad Kol¹ek, which threatened that the army would use all possible means to carry out the task entrusted to it by the Federal Executive Council through its resolutions adopted last night. The telegram states that the command of the 5th military district counts on the cooperation of all bodies and inhabitants of the Republic of Slovenia. It also informs us that it will carry out its assignment unconditionally, meaning that they will operate according to the rules of combat engagement for their units. The telegram states that all resistance will be crushed, and that those giving and carrying out orders will be held accountable for the consequences.

The Presidency takes the view that the manoeuvres by YA units, the message from the 5th military district and the force and ruthlessness of the Yugoslav Army’s intervention represent an aggression on the independent and sovereign Republic of Slovenia and an attempt to secure permanent occupation of us. Slovenia will respond to this aggression by using all available means to protect its sovereignty. The Presidency has ordered the Slovene Territorial Defence (TD), if necessary, to protect this sovereignty by the use of arms, and to protect facilities and means of communication, which are of fundamental importance for life in this republic and for the protection of our freedom.

The Slovene Presidency has called on all Slovenes and citizens of the Republic of Slovenia who are doing military service as officers and soldiers in the YA to refuse participation in aggressive acts against their own country and their own people. We have also appealed to the members of other nations and nationalities who are citizens of the other republics of Yugoslavia – for whom sadly in the present circumstances the Republic of Slovenia can no longer guarantee their safety – not to cooperate in aggressive acts which are illegal even according to the laws of the SFRY (Yugoslavia), and which may lead to human casualties.

The Slovene authorities have demanded from the Yugoslav government that it halt all activities of the army in Slovenia. The Republic of Slovenia has also resolved to recall all its representatives from federal bodies. Until the aggression is stopped, there can be no agreement reached on resolving the open questions which remained unresolved following the disarmament of the Republic of Slovenia and which we wished to resolve by democratic and mutually agreeable means.

The Republic of Slovenia has also called on the presidencies of the other Yugoslav republics to condemn this military aggression against Slovenia and to appeal to their citizens who are members of the YA not to participate. Until the aggression is stopped, Slovenia is forced to suspend its offer of further talks on the formation of a community of sovereign states in the territory of what has been hitherto the SFRY. The Slovene authorities have started to inform neighbouring and other European countries and the world at large of the aggression against its independence and sovereignty.

Citizens, during these testing days, remain courageous, strong and upright, and free from malice, as you have always been. This will be the guarantee that we can return quickly to the peaceful path of establishing our statehood and in this way to the resolving of economic and social problems, which have to a great extent been provoked precisely by this constant confrontation with the forcible imposition of someone else’s will on the Slovenes and the citizens of the Republic of Slovenia.