Year 2003

31. January 2003

Slovenia completes negotiations with the EU

Slovenia successfully completes negotiations for entry into the EU.

23. March 2003

Referenda on Slovenia's accession to the EU and NATO

Referenda on Slovenia's accession to the EU and NATO take place. 89.64 per cent of voters opt for joining the EU, while 66.08 per cent opt for joining NATO. Electorate turnout is 60.4 per cent.

16. April 2003

Slovenia signs the EU Accession Treaty

The President Janez Drnovšek, the Prime Minister Anton Rop, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dimitrij Rupel, sign the Accession Treaty in Athens.

06. November 2003 - 07. November 2003

Photo: Uroš Hočevar/Salamon 2000, source: Government Communication Office

CEFTA summit in Slovenia

Government representatives of the Central European Free Trade Agreement signatory countries meet at a CEFTA summit in Brdo pri Kranju.

13. November 2003

Photo: Leon Vidic/Salomon 2000, source: Government Communication Office

Programme of ERM II Entry and Adoption of the Euro

The government adopts a Programme of ERM II Entry and Adoption of the Euro.

Overview of the year

Simultaneous referendums on Slovenia’s entry in the EU and NATO were held on 23 March and in both cases the Slovenian citizens by an overwhelming majority voted for membership in the two Euro-Atlantic organisations. On both referendums, 60.4% of voters cast their vote. Accession to the EU was supported by 89.64% of voters and NATO membership by 66.08%. 16.

President of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Drnovšek, prime minister Anton Rop and foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel signed the treaty of accession between Slovenia and the EU on 16 April 2003.

A CEFTA summit was held in Brdo pri Kranju in the beginning of November and in the mid-November the government of Mr. Rop adopted the programme of Slovenia’s entry in the ERM 2 and adoption of the euro.

Surgeons and anaesthesiologists of the University Medical Centre of Ljubljana were the first in the world to replace an aortic valve under epidural anaesthesia which was widely reported in the global medical circles.

A noticeable cultural event was a concert of the band Siddharta on the Plečnik Stadium in Ljubljana which attracted a crowd of 30,000. The sporting event of the year was the top place of Dejan Košir in parallel giant slalom on the snowboarding championship.

Nine-year primary school was introduced in all primary schools in the country.

Text: Government Communication Office