President Türk’s positive response to president Napolitano´s Address

Ljubljana, 12.2.2009  |  press release

In answering questions to journalists during his visit to the municipality of Zagorje ob Savi, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, commented on the address delivered by the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, on 10 February (the Italian day of remembrance of the victims of the Foibe killings and the exodus of the Italians after the Second World War). Dr Türk said that he respected President Napolitano as a true democrat, a political figure of European dimensions and as a man who stated openly and clearly that fascism had caused great pain to the Slovenian nation – both to the Slovenian minority in Italy and, during the military occupation in the Second World War, to the Slovenian nation as a whole. President Türk expressed satisfaction at the fact that, during this year’s remembrance ceremonies in Italy, this was clearly stated in a manner that demonstrated the chronological sequence of events and a causal relationship. Dr Türk added that he believed this was a forward step in the strengthening of trust between the Slovenian and Italian nations.