Slovenes vote to join the EU and NATO, March 2003

Almost 90% of the Slovenian population voted to join the European Union in a referendum held on 23 March 2003. At the same time, two-thirds of the population signalled their support for the country's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - NATO - despite strong fears, heightened by the US-led attack on Iraq, that membership of NATO will mean domination by the US.

According to the state electoral commission 89.61% voted in favour of joining the EU, paving the way for Slovenia to become the first former Yugoslav Republic to join the European Union in 2004. The country is one of the most prosperous of the candidate countries from the former Communist bloc. Anton Rop, the Slovenia Prime Minister, said he was delighted with the public show of support, describing the vote as 'the end of an era and the beginning of a new one'. Erwan Fouere, head of the European Commission Delegation in Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital, also welcomed the result saying:

'I think it shows the strong conviction and determination of the people to be part of this European Union family of nations and peoples'.

The 'Yes' vote to membership of the European Union had never really been in doubt but the public support for joining NATO was less certain. A Politbarometer poll conducted by Ljubljana University's Institute for Social Research in mid-February showed only 37 per cent of voters favouring NATO membership with 36 per cent against and the rest undecided. The US-led war against Iraq was reported to have reinforced fears amongst Slovenes about joining the military alliance but analysts have suggested that a last-minute stepping-up of the government's 'Yes' campaign increased support. The assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic earlier in the month, which reminded Slovenes of the instability of the Balkans, may also have helped to sway the vote according to some commentators. Slovenia is the only country of those invited to join NATO at the alliance's summit in Prague in November 2002 to hold a referendum on membership.

Slovenia is the second EU candidate country to hold a referendum on EU membership after Malta held one on 8 March 2003. Although 53 per cent of the turnout in Malta voted in favour of joining the EU, the Maltese Opposition Labour Party have questioned the result, claiming that the invalid votes and those that abstained from voting should also be counted as being against EU membership. The small island in the Mediterranean is due to hold a General Election on 12 April 2003 that could ultimately decide Malta's membership of the EU - if the Opposition Labour Party led by Alfred Sant defeats the incumbent pro-EU Nationalist government then Mr Sant has said he will seek to replace EU membership with a partnership instead. Cyprus is the only candidate country that will not hold a referendum on EU membership, all the others are due to take place before the end of September 2003 with entry into both the EU and NATO scheduled for 2004.

Links:
Slovenian Government:
	Homepage
	The EU and NATO Referenda - 23 March 2003
	Accession to the EU
	Slovenia and NATO
European Commission Delegation in Slovenia:
	Homepage [in Slovenian language only]
European Commission: DG Enlargement:
	The EU's Relations with Slovenia
	Accession in the candidate countries - the referendum process
European Sources Online: Financial Times:
	24.03.03:	Slovenia welcomes vote for NATO and EU
BBC News Online:
	24.03.03:	Slovenia votes for EU and NATO
European Sources Online: Topic Guides
	Information on European countries: Slovenia
European Sources Online: In Focus
	Malta says 'Yes' to EU

Helen Bower

Compiled: Tuesday, 25 March 2003

In a referendum held on 23 March 2003 almost 90% of the Slovenian population voted to join the European Union whilst two-thirds of the population also signalled their support for the country's membership of NATO.