This was the first domino to fall in the breakup of Yugoslavia, and triggered one of the more protracted conflicts in recent European history as the fallout continues today.
You can read the Slovenian government's version of the history here.
Slovenia has actually emerged from the conflicts relatively unscathed. As the US State Department notes:
As a young independent republic, Slovenia pursued economic stabilization and further political openness, while emphasizing its Western outlook and central European heritage. Reflecting its success in these goals, Slovenia became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. Today Slovenia is a stable democracy that is increasing its international engagement. Though small in size, Slovenia enjoys a growing regional profile and plays a role on the world stage that is out of proportion to its size.
US sports fans, of course, remember the phantom whistle from suspended/disgraced referee Koman Coulibaly that cost the US a winning goal, when he somehow determined there was a foul on the Americans in the following action:
By: Brant
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1 comment:
Slovenia should breathe a sigh of relief every time the anniversary of the breakaway comes around.
We would be on a different timeline alltogether if the breakaway had been crushed.
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