Year 2002

08. February 2002 - 24. February 2002

The olympic bronze team medal for Slovenia

The Slovenian ski jumpers Primož Peterka, Robert Kranjec, Damijan Fras and Peter Žonta win the bronze team medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

01. April 2002

Photo: Primož Lavre/Salomon 2000, source: Government Communication Office

The first census of population in independent Slovenia

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia conducts the first census of population, households and housing in independent Slovenia. The data shows that Slovenia has 1,948,250 inhabitants, 688,733 households, and 775,131 dwellings.

31. May 2002 - 01. June 2002

Photo: BOBO, source: Government Communication Office

16 presidents of Central European countries meet in Slovenia

9th meeting of presidents of Central European countries takes place in Bled and at Brdo pri Kranju.

25. October 2002

Photo: archive site of the former Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek

A candidate country to join the EU

At an EU summit, the EU leaders nominate ten candidate countries, including Slovenia, to join the EU on 1 May 2004.

21. November 2002

Slovenia invited to NATO

At the NATO Summit Meeting in Prague, Slovenia is invited to join the Alliance.

01. December 2002

Photo: Domen Grögl/Salamon 2000, source: Government Communication Office

Presidential elections are held

Janez Drnovšek is elected President of Slovenia with 56,52 % of the vote in the second round of presidential elections.

19. December 2002

Anton Rop forms his government

Anton Rop forms his government (Janez Drnovšek is re-elected the President); the government coalition is composed of Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, United list of Social Democrats, Slovenian People's Party and Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (the Government term ends on 3 December 2004).

Overview of the year

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia after a year of delay began a census of persons, households and housing, the first after independence. Data revealed that Slovenia had 1,948,250 people, 688,733 households and 775,131 housing units in 2002. Slovenia was officially invited to become a NATO member at a NATO summit in Prague at the end of November and only few days later EU leaders named at their summit the ten candidates, including Slovenia, due to become full EU members on 1 May 2004. Slovenia concluded accession negotiations with the EU in the mid-December.
Janez Drnovšek was elected president of the republic in the beginning of December succeeding Milan Kučan who stepped down after two terms in office. Mr. Drnovšek resigned as prime minister after being elected president and the parliament elected Anton Rop the new prime minister right before the year-end. The newly appointed government retained virtually all ministers from the previous team.
Slovenian ski jumping team won the bronze medal at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the Slovenian hockey team played its first match in the A Group.

Text: Government Communication Office