Prime Minister Golob: The past obliges us to resist the normalisation of hatred

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the central commemorative ceremony marking the anniversary of the final battle of the Pohorje Battalion | Author Bor Slana/STA

At the outset, he underlined the importance of the ceremony, which preserves the memory of the days in which the image of the Slovene nation was forged. "Beneath the white mantle of Pohorje, where the wind still whispers the names of heroes, we remember one of the brightest, most legendary and at the same time most tragic chapters of our history - the Pohorje Battalion," he said.

He went on to emphasise the profound historical significance of the partisan movement for Slovenia. "Thanks to the partisans, and to no one else, Slovenes liberated their homeland themselves and brought the Second World War to an end as part of the anti-Nazi alliance of free nations - nations that sought to build a new world without hatred and without wars. The Pohorje Battalion is therefore inscribed in history as an enduring symbol of Slovene identity," he underlined.

The Prime Minister also drew attention to the current situation, in which the world is facing numerous conflicts and threats. He pointed out that genocide is still taking place in Gaza, that new flashpoints of conflict are emerging in Latin America and the Arctic, and that international law is losing its significance. "The same ideologies we fought against in these forests are once again knocking at our doors. That is why, in this sacred place, we must once again say, proudly and resolutely: never again," the Prime Minister made clear. He added that the values of hard work, solidarity with one's fellow human beings and resistance to injustices caused by greed remain the indestructible core of the Slovene people.

He went on to emphasise that, during this term, the Government has demonstrated that it is the task of the state to put people first. All government measures - including strengthening the public healthcare system, ensuring appropriate working conditions and decent pay, providing accessible long-term care for older people, safeguarding an effective education system and access to public housing - are directed towards this goal, the Prime Minister said. "These are not random measures. They are our conscious choice. A choice to build a community, not a fragmented society," he underlined.

"We do not gather at Osankarica because of the past alone. We gather because that past obliges us. It obliges us to remain upright. To defend the truth. To resist the normalisation of hatred. And to preserve a state worthy of the sacrifice of those who fell here for our freedom," Prime Minister Robert Golob concluded.