Today, Slovenia hands in its ratification documents to the US Government and becomes a full-fledged member of the North Atlantic Alliance. With this, it takes over obligations deriving from the Alliance's basic document -- the Washington Treaty. This is a big day for Slovenia. For the first time since gaining independence, for the first time in 13 years, the Slovene state has formal security insurance in case of military threats.
Slovenia will this time be an equal member of an alliance of 26 states, which make decisions based on consensus. The NATO Alliance consists only of members that support and promote parliamentary democracy, personal freedom, and law-abiding states. There is no similar alliance with such values elsewhere in the world. Slovenia has, despite being a small country, gained much within the international community.
For the first time since 1991, our air space is protected. From now on, Slovenia will be receiving confidential information on what is happening around the world. Our security will improve when we are better informed.
Apart from media reports, today the citizens will not notice the accession to NATO. Although some opponents were warning even before the referendum that many things would happen and that the citizens would "surely be sorry," nothing special will happen. There will be no catastrophe, NATO will not lead us to war for American oil interests, and Islamic terrorists will not enter Slovenia. The state will also not become bankrupt because of its payments to NATO. .
From today, Slovenia is a safer and more stable country. Nevertheless, it will have to do much to become a more credible and more trustworthy ally.
