By: Jani Drnovšek, Gov.si
Slovenia was preparing to tighten relations in the military field, so the Minister of Defence Janez Janša issued an order on the preparation and implementation of experimental training of soldiers in training centres, and the Chief of the Territorial Defence (RŠ TO) Janez Slapar issued an order on the protection of training centres on Ig and in Pekre. The delegations of the federal and Slovenian governments devoted the meeting in Ljubljana more to substantive talks on co-operation, informing each other and agreeing on coexistence in the transitional period until the actual realisation of Slovenian independence. Peterle persuaded Marković that ZIS should take into account Slovenia’s decision now and not wait until the end of June.
Janša and Slapar issued orders
In the last days of April, the Slovenian authorities had made two important decisions regarding recruitment. The Minister of Defence, Janez Janša, issued an order on the preparation and implementation of experimental training of soldiers in the Territorial Defence units, namely 180 soldiers in the training centre on Ig and 120 soldiers in the training center in Pekre. The order defines the content of the training and the provision of appropriate conditions for implementation in eight points.
On the penultimate day of the month, the head of RŠ TO Janez Slapar issued an order on the protection of the mentioned training centres, which proved to be justified in May, as the first boiling point of tension between the YPA and TO occurred in Pekre near Maribor. Namely, the former tried to monitor the events in the centre, and members of the Territorial Defence responded to the activities of the Yugoslav People’s Army.
Visit of Ante Marković with a delegation in Ljubljana
According to the programme of visits of the republican governments, the delegation of the Federal Executive Council led by Ante Marković visited Ljubljana and met with the delegation of the Slovenian government led by Lojze Peterle. The central topic of discussion was the minimal functioning of the federation. Peterle reaffirmed the importance of reducing expenditure for the federation, while encouraging the market for goods and services to operate as openly as possible. He drew attention to attempts to centralise the federation, to which the new federal military law and also the law on internal affairs contributed.
Marković confirmed that a new law on the army was necessary for the federal government, as they had to respond to Slovenia’s decision to stop sending recruits to the Yugoslav People’s Army. According to him, ZIS talked several times or tried to reach an agreement with Slovenia on this issue, but there was no agreement.
Before Marković’s visit, Slovenian ministers Janez Janša, Igor Bavčar and Jelko Kacin met with Croatian ministers Martin Špegelj, Josip Boljkovac and Hrvoje Hitrec. They assessed the current situation in Yugoslavia and the forms of mutual cooperation in the process of independence of the two republics.
There will be no joint referendum
The presidents of the Yugoslav republics gathered for the fifth such meeting in Cetinje, but failed to agree on a referendum on a new arrangement for Yugoslavia. Slovenia and Croatia were one step ahead of the others for some time, as the first had already carried out the plebiscite, and the Croatian Parliament set May 19th as the date for the referendum. The presidents agreed on the next meeting and discussion on the common interests and functions of the future community as well as the rights and obligations from the common life so far.
Ljubljana’s Demos for the removal of some Bolshevik monuments
In the days before the Liberation Front, according to the instructions of individuals from the leadership of the Ljubljana Center municipality, monuments and seven masts were removed, which marked the course of the Path of Memories and Comradeship along the Ljubljana’s entrances. The leadership of the Ljubljana’s Demos denied the claims that they had encouraged the act, but at the same time confirmed that they had initiated the removal of some Bolshevik monuments in the municipality, taking into account the necessary regulations.
Source: vfokusu.si