Why I’m emphasizing that?  Because that means that this system did not develop the instruments of flexibility, the system was not able to adopt to differences, to the changes that we are always witnessing in an environment in Yugoslavia which was really an example of differences.  Six republics and two provinces, five nations, three languages, three cultures, two alphabets, so you can imagine now what is scope of diversity yet in this environment, in this Yugoslavia there was no diversity management but only control of diversity which is a huge difference and when time for change came in 1990, this call for democracy was not heard in Yugoslavia on the contrary this window of opportunity for democracy was misused to politically reshape and institutionally rearrange Yugoslavia in dealing with this apparent differences nationalism is that democracy has prevailed.  So in fact, Yugoslavia has disintegrated because it’s constituent nations, especially smaller one, were deprived of equal participation in power sharing in a federal state and effort of the biggest nation in that community to dominate brought that Yugoslavia to an end.  So you can imagine in such a community was, such a scope of diversity when equality is not a virtue and value then of course the process of integration may be very, very close.  So with that experience lately, but of course, it will take me too long to go into each stage of the community that we live in but basically that’s for small nations it’s always a challenge how you can live in such a community.  And may be that’s the reason why these empires, this multinational communities has disappeared from the scene of the history.  But if we lose that point then comes a larger clear question, then why immediately you have opted to join the European Union, again another super national institution.  It’s a good question and I would try to offer an answer.

First, because European Union is a community of democratic states and in fact, European Union by what it stands for is guarantor for preserving high democratic standard in our own state.  But at the same time, these European Union that would be for the foreseeable future is also a union of national states.  That’s why for us, Slovenia, in European Union the main question is how to ensure equality and a proper balance between the cities and shape of national state and super national institutions.  This is basically what EU is facing with and also its history and so the Lisbon Treaty I guess at this point of time these issues are addressed in the best possible way.  So we feel quite comfortable as a small nation in this last community that the proper balance is established and our identity is preserved.  So when it comes to Slovenia in EU for us basically two issues are important.  Relationship between small or big countries, this relationship within the EU has considerably changed in 58 at the very beginning of the EU this relationship was three to three.  Three small states, three big states.  I will not name who are the big states, you know that.  But by the latest EU enlargement since 2007, this ration is six big states and 21 small states.  So you see, this is something that is for EU, in particular, quite a challenge, you know, how them to meet expectations of small states within such a community.  And second issue that we have much while being in EU is how EU can preserve our culture diversity and muticulturalism as an EU value that especially means Slovenian language, Slovenian culture heritage for our country again of two million so our this turbulent centuries of history to preserve our language and culture I could say it’s quite an achievement not only of Slovenia but of the civilization, you know, the nations come and disappear with their languages so we have, we have opted really for EU because we firmly believe that EU is the framework within which we can pursue this basic interest of ours.  And then how European is dealing with this diversity management.  EU has developed instruments for diversity management two ways.  One way that its member states brought it in take for example, Belgium is a multinational state they have difficulties, the government resigned a few days ago but they instruments how to peacefully to manage these differences and with this EU enlargement also Slovenia other countries brought their own experience from the past so that they enriched this EU toolbox how to deal with diversity.  But at the same time EU itself has designed its own instrument especially through the principle subsidiary and solidarity.