Historically part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire until its collapse at the end of World War I, Slovenia was one of the six republics that formed Yugoslavia.
In December 1990, the Slovenian independence referendum had resulted in a 94.8% vote in favour of establishing an independent Slovenia.
The formal declaration of independence was on June 26th 1991, but since much of the legislation relating to independence was passed on June 25th, it is this date that is remembered and celebrated on Statehood Day.
The Declaration of Independence set down a future course for the newly independent state. Independence was declared at a public event in Republic Square on June 26th 1991, when the flag of the Republic of Slovenia replaced the flag of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia in front of the parliament.
However, the festivities were short-lived as the proclamation started the Ten-Day war with Yugoslavia. Yugoslav army tanks headed from barracks in Slovenia and Croatia to Slovenia’s borders with Italy, Austria and Hungary, triggering a ten-day war of independence.
Following a ceasefire based on the July 7th 1991 Brijuni Declaration, brokered by the EU’s predecessor, and a subsequent three-month independence process moratorium, the last Yugoslav troops left Slovenia in October 1991.