AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF I TRUST IN YOUR ABILITIES AND YOUR PREPAREDNESS
Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia and Commander in Chief of the Slovenian Army on occasion of Slovenian Army Day


Cerklje na Dolenjskem, 15 May 2002

"Accelerated professionalisation of the Slovenian Army is an utterly demanding and responsible task, also because of its very tight schedule. It must be conducted in a manner that will not threaten our forces' combat readiness and thus the defence capability of the nation. Professionalisation can in no way be just the employment of new people in the Slovenian Army. What is perhaps of even greater importance for the new shape of the Slovenian Army are excellence in knowledge and professionalism ranging from its most senior officers to its ordinary soldiers. This does not apply only to the operation of the most advanced technological weapons and combat systems, but also to the behaviour, action and cooperation with experts from other armies,” stated President Kucan.

“Expectations for Slovenia to receive an invitation to join NATO this autumn are justified. We should not, however, live with the conviction that this is in any way guaranteed. It is also the Slovenian Army's capacity to partake in joint allied operations that contributes significantly to the political credibility of our country in the eyes of the Allies," underlined President Kucan, adding that this Alliance is “the only realistic and effective system of collective defence in Europe, which not so long ago was the only one capable of stopping all the military and genocidal violence and crimes in our neighbourhood.”