Dear citizens, dear people of Primorska.

On this day 75 years ago, most of Primorska was returned to its motherland. We remember this with pride and humility towards our ancestors, whom the history of the 20th century has not treated kindly. The struggle to preserve the Slovenian identity was anything but easy; it was accompanied by fascist policies, oppressive tendencies and efforts to destroy, the Slovenian language and culture.

Primorska entered a new life in the first decade after the Second World War, creating successful policies of integration within and beyond domestic borders, while building new urban centres and looking to a brighter future. It exudes determination and unwavering love for the Slovenian nation.

History teaches us that in the most challenging times, we have always selflessly joined forces and built for the common good. This is to be highly commended.

Freedom and respect, our fundamental values, are the responsibility of all of us if we are to create a better tomorrow. The culture of respect, embedded in the identity of the people of Primorska, is today also being extended to politics.

This is why this holiday is not only a reminder of the rights won in the past, but also a moment to reflect with pride on the values and heritage we are passing to future generations.

I would like to pay homage to Primorska, a key building block of modern Slovenian identity and our ambitions for an inclusive and tolerant society.

I would like to sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of today’s national holiday.