“ Slovenia’s entry into the EU will be the fulfilment of a dream lasting a thousand years and confirm her own sovereignty, her own independence and her own desire to embrace Western culture“. This event, so long awaited, thus has a significance for Slovenia that far transcends the economic and political aspect. “Slovenia says Janez Gril, spokesman of the Slovene Episcopal Conference will be one of the member states of the EU with equal rights and duties. We’re ready to make our contribution to the Union and we expect to be treated on the same terms as the other members”. Gril’s hope is that “entry into the EU may help us to become a yet more mature, democratic and competitive country at the economic, political and cultural levels, conscious of our own identity, proud of our own culture and at the same time more sympathetic to the cultures of other member states”. Mindful of her own “anti-democratic and anti-European Communist past”, Slovenia is also preparing for the enlargement of her market. “The competition explains the spokesman will be fiercer but at the same time a challenge for Slovene businessmen. I hope that after entry relations between Slovenia and her neighbouring countries will be increasingly friendly and free of tensions. The time has come for new forms of collaboration and cooperation”. The Slovene bishops have given their blessing to EU membership: in the spring of this year they issued “a pastoral letter in which they explained the importance for Slovenia of entry into the EU and Nato”. Formerly part of the Yugoslav Federal Republic, Slovenia has been independent since 25 June 1991. She has a population of just under two million, of whom 82% are Catholics. There are 3 dioceses, 805 parishes and 12 other pastoral sees. The clergy comprises 12 bishops, 895 priests and 295 religious. The Church is actively involved in education and social welfare; it runs 12 schools of various levels and grades and 22 welfare organizations.
