By: Andrej Sekulović
On the 35th anniversary of Demos’ founding, a roundtable discussion was held. Five key figures of Slovenia’s independence presented the importance of Demos’ victory and the lessons from the independence period that Slovenia can draw upon today, as it faces an uncertain future.
The Association for the Values of Slovenian Independence (VSO) hosted a well-attended roundtable discussion on January 9th this year at its headquarters in the centre of Ljubljana, marking the 35th anniversary of the founding of Demos, the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia. This grand coalition won Slovenia’s first elections in 1990 and later successfully achieved the country’s independence. Before a packed hall, five key independence leaders spoke about those times, Demos’ legacy in today’s Republic of Slovenia, and how the independence period can serve as a source of lessons for both the present and the future. Among the speakers were VSO president Alojz Peterle, the first Prime Minister of Slovenia and then-president of the Slovenian Peasant Union, former Minister of Defence Janez Janša, former Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, former Interior Minister Igor Bavčar, and a member of the first session of the National Assembly, Janez Podobnik.
Demos succeeded because it had courage and the people’s support
The first speaker, Alojz Peterle, shared his impressions from those days and compared them to the present time. “We are not gathered here out of nostalgia but out of responsibility for what happened, as well as for what still needs to happen in the spirit of the Slovenian Spring,” he emphasised at the beginning. He went on to say that nearly 35 years into democracy and independence, as a nation, society, and state, Slovenia is experiencing tense, uncertain, and even dangerous times. For this reason, he argued, it is even more important to approach current challenges with maturity, particularly regarding two political projects that shaped the previous century of Slovenia’s history: the revolutionary project of the Communist Party and Demos’ independence project. “Historical distance dictates the need to evaluate the phenomenon of Demos in a national-political, state-building, and pragmatic sense,” Peterle said. He highlighted that Demos is often disparagingly interpreted as the political right; a term systematically discredited by the Party over five decades – a narrative continued today by its heirs on the left. He added that Demos succeeded because it had, above all, courage and the support of the people. When faced with a choice between continuing life within Yugoslavia and pursuing independence, the nation realised itself by choosing the path to independence, not once but twice – first in the elections and then in the plebiscite.
Independence was a guarantee of democracy
The next speaker was Dimitrij Rupel, who highlighted the role of Slovenians in shaping the global order during and after the Cold War in the final decade of the 20th century. According to Rupel, Slovenia’s role was far from insignificant; rather, it was highly visible. He spoke about “friendly fire”, noting its increasing prevalence, and emphasised that we live in a time when “history is holding its breath.” Rupel explained that Slovenia, during the late 20th century, was part of a larger scenario that began in 1975 in Helsinki with the signing of the Helsinki Final Act on security and cooperation in Europe. This process continued in Czechoslovakia with Havel’s movement, later gaining momentum in the Vatican when John Paul II became pope in 1978, inspiring movements fighting communist totalitarianism. Among these was the Solidarity movement in Poland during the 1980s. Rupel also mentioned U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s role. Slovenia’s independence movement, part of this broader scenario, began in 1980, following the death of Tito, and was a guarantee of democracy. “If Slovenia had not become a recognised independent state in a timely manner, following the example of Western countries, we would have ended up today with a stripped-down dictatorship,” Rupel stated.
Victory despite slim odds
The next speaker, Janez Janša, remarked, “Demos is not just a part of our history; it also offers lessons for the present and future.” He emphasised that during the Slovenian Spring, the transition from words to action began when the thought of one of the European Union’s founding fathers, Jean Monnet, was heeded: nothing happens without people, and nothing lasts without institutions. Janša stressed the importance of organisation. “The Slovenian Spring began organising around the protection of human rights and fundamental political freedoms. This led to the formation of new political unions and later parties,” he explained. However, he noted that this alone would not have been enough without the founding of Demos. As Jože Pučnik stated, the formation of Demos was a crucial moment, marking the beginning of a coalition capable of winning the elections. Janša highlighted the disparity in power at the time. “Back then, I was the editor-in-chief of Demokracija, where we prepared a thematic issue analysing the regime’s strength. We saw that they controlled everything: the media, the judiciary, the prosecution, the police, and more.” In contrast, Demos had none of these tools, making their eventual victory seem improbable, yet they succeeded. Janša also praised the courage and determination of Slovenians. He recalled a vivid scene of barricades made from trucks, with tanks on one side and civilians strengthening the barricades with steel cables on the other. He concluded by saying that “complaining in corners, pubs, or at home” achieves nothing; instead, people must organise. “This was important then, and it is important today,” Janša concluded.
The first political force capable of securing independence
Igor Bavčar stated that the fact Slovenia achieved statehood is, in a way, a miracle – but it is no miracle that the state is as it is today. In his view, Slovenians have historically lacked the will and necessary strength to create an independent state. This led them to seek their place within empires, such as Austria-Hungary, and later Yugoslavia. This trend persisted until the very end, as the idea of a confederal arrangement within Yugoslavia was still on the table just before independence. “Demos was the first political force in Slovenian history to have a programme for independence and a sovereign Slovenian state, as well as the strength to realise it,” Bavčar emphasised. He acknowledged that even after Demos’ victory, government institutions were still “penetrated by communists,” but ultimately, success was achieved. However, he noted that “today, there is a prevailing ideology of running the state and its institutions through non-governmental organisations, bypassing democratic institutions, which are truly the foundation of any nation’s prosperity.” For this reason, Bavčar urged a deep awareness of history and a serious approach to addressing this issue.
The final speaker, Janez Podobnik, expressed his belief that the spirit of Demos still exists in Slovenian municipalities. One of Demos’ great contributions, according to Podobnik, was its role in building and fostering Slovenian national identity, bringing it back into history, and safeguarding it through the Slovenian Constitution. Podobnik also asserted that Slovenia’s media landscape needs “some inspiration from the models and methods of Demos,” appealing particularly to the current opposition.
After the official portion of the roundtable concluded, the audience posed several questions and shared comments, enriching the discussion further.
