Speech by Prime Minister at the ceremony marking Slovenia's accession to the European Space Agency
Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Director General of the European Space Agency, my dear friend Dr Josef Aschbacher, Honourable representatives of national delegations to the European Space Agency, welcome to Slovenia!
This year marks a significant milestone as Slovenia becomes a full member of the European Space Agency (ESA), coinciding with ESA’s 50th anniversary. The challenges facing the Agency today are greater than ever before. An increasing number of players are entering the space sector, including numerous commercial entities alongside longstanding and emerging national powers. It is clear that we stand on the threshold of a new space race.
Slovenia firmly believes that space must remain and become a place of peaceful cooperation, dedicated to the benefit of all humanity. Together with ESA, we are committed to ensuring the peaceful and responsible exploration and utilisation of space.
This year, Slovenia will achieve a dual milestone: by becoming a full member of ESA, we will also become a full member of CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research.
These two achievements are united by a shared pursuit of the unknown – exploring both the infinite expanse of the universe and the infinitesimal realm of particles. Both endeavours are driven by the same mission: to uncover the origins of the universe, from galaxies and stars to planets.
The Earth. Humanity. Where we come from and where we are headed.
We take pride in knowing that our full membership will unlock unique scientific and economic opportunities for Slovenian companies, researchers, and students.
In space and here at home in Slovenia, new technologies and new discoveries await.
Nearly a century ago, Herman Potočnik Noordung laid out a visionary concept for human space travel and habitation in his landmark book. He was never constrained by the fact that he belonged to a small nation. Today, the challenges before us – whether unlocking the mysteries of particle collisions or embarking on human missions to Mars – demand both immense courage and extraordinary intellect.
Although Slovenia's space sector is modest in size, it has proven to possess both the necessary intellect and courage, as demonstrated by its contributions to various European Space Agency programmes:
- Launching three Slovenian satellites – two in low Earth orbit and one in high Earth orbit – with a fourth ready for deployment;
- Establishing a global leadership role in the collection, processing, and application of Earth observation data;
- Slovenian companies achieving breakthroughs in the development of innovative technologies, communications, and materials;
- And two remarkable scientific discoveries in recent weeks – the discovery of one of the earliest galaxies in the universe, and the discovery of the evolution of the properties of cosmic dust in the galaxies of the early universe.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the leaders of both teams, Dr Maruša Bedrač and Dr Vladan Markov, along with their colleagues, for these impressive achievements.
Slovenia is resolute in its ambition to thrive in space exploration, recognising the vast potential of our space sector.
For the first time in our nation's history, the Slovenian Government has adopted a Slovenian Space Strategy, paving the way for the sector's rapid growth.
In collaboration with ESA, the sector is advancing sophisticated high-tech solutions for space, and adapting them for everyday applications on Earth.
Beyond the economic benefits, this cooperation has numerous other positive impacts:
- Contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change, natural disaster prevention, and natural resource management;
- Advancing space medicine research for health applications on Earth;
- Enhancing daily life through satellite technologies, as seen in fields such as navigation, Earth observation, and communications, which bolster security, healthcare, transportation, energy, education and innovation.
Investing in space is an investment in our future – fostering research, development, and the creation of new business opportunities.
Compared to the previous government, we have doubled funding for innovation and development, securing it within the national budget.
Slovenia’s geographic diversity – spanning plains, rivers, and mountains at the intersection of the Mediterranean and Central Europe – makes us particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including flash floods, droughts, and other water-related disasters.
This is why we are collaborating with ESA to develop Slovenia’s Digital Twin – a comprehensive water management system that will enable better prediction and mitigation of the impacts of natural disasters. This initiative integrates supercomputing capabilities and artificial intelligence to enhance its effectiveness.
Our work in space also creates valuable opportunities here on Earth. That is our mission: to expand the boundaries of the known and improve living and working conditions on our planet by developing space technologies. By embracing this venture, we aim to rejuvenate Slovenia’s economy, positioning it among the most innovative in the world.
I firmly believe in this vision.
That is why we dare to dream big:
Slovenia, small on Earth but boundless in space.