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October 10 celebration of Carinthia for the first time together with BP Van der Bellen and President Pahor – LH Kaiser: the basis for a successful future of Carinthia created 100 years ago!
Klagenfurt (OTS) – Klagenfurt (LPD). With a large contingent of politicians from Austria and Slovenia, the ceremonial act of the state of Carinthia on the occasion of the centenary of the referendum took place under strict crowning conditions at the Landhaus and Landhaushof in Klagenfurt. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Slovenian President Borut Pahor paid their respects to Carinthia for the first time and participated in the historic commemoration of the defensive struggle and the 1920 decision, which was steeped in democracy and history.
Governor Peter Kaiser highlighted the memorable day in his greeting and did so in two languages: “For the first time, two heads of state and great friends of Carinthia are participating in the celebration to commemorate the referendum! Dear Federal President Van der Bellen, dear Alexander, Spoṧtovani gospod predsednik Republike Slovenje, Pahor, / dragi Borut: I have a deep need to thank you for your participation in this year’s celebrations. Hvala za vašo udeležbo! Thanks for your participation! “
In his speech, Kaiser found clear words about how the historic decision came about on October 10, 1919, how long in the long years the division was before unification, what deep gaps were broken, and how Carinthia with a political paradigm shift, a clear vision of the future and a Europe united in diversity has surpassed all these years and looks to the future with a new bond.
“When we commemorate the referendum of October 10, 1920, almost the hour of the birth of Carinthia today, we are not doing it with a glorified look at the past. Today we commemorate this day with the necessary humility, the utmost respect for the achievements, commitment and willingness to make sacrifices of our parents and grandparents and great-grandparents who, with their decision to stay with Austria at that time, laid the foundations of our Carinthia / Koroṧka common today. “Kaiser said. The governor recalled that the defensive fighting had resulted in hundreds of deaths and many more wounded on both sides. “We remember all of you with an awareness of how precious and fragile peace can be,” Kaiser said.
In his speech, the governor also referred to the historic result of the referendum: “More than 59 percent of the surveyed population voted for Carinthia to remain with the young Republic of Austria. That this result would not have come about without the overwhelming approval of Slovenian-speaking compatriots was hidden for many years in the 10 October celebrations. That has changed in recent years. The suffering that many compatriots, especially the members of the Slovenian ethnic group, had to endure through persecution and expulsions, but also the high number of victims in the fight against Nazi rule are part of the history of Carinthia! “
But only in recent years has a new form of memory culture developed in Carinthia, which, according to Kaiser, it is necessary to work. “Specifically, that means reaching out to each other rather than making demands solely for one’s own national, regional or partisan advantages. That means putting the common before dividing and that means opening our eyes to a common future in a common, multilingual Europe, united in diversity! ”Kaiser repeated his clear message in the Slovenian language.
In his speech, the provincial governor referred to the solution of the signage of the historic city, which “opened wide the door to a common European future for all Carinthian, German and Slovenian speakers.” The local signal solution provided the appropriate tailwind for the change in the state constitution, in which the Slovenian ethnic group is now explicitly and permanently mentioned. In this context, Kaiser found quite critical words: “I consciously say in the direction of all those who are dissatisfied with what has been achieved so far: the views of justice and excessive demands do not help anyone. It is important to reach out to cooperate, to get closer to the other! “
The governor linked his speech with a petition: “Today I am also thinking of our compatriots in Slovenia. I would like to ask you, dear presidents, to listen properly and support your concerns. “
Kaiser drew an arc over the many years in which Carinthia was affected and shaped by, for example, the dark period of National Socialism, the conflict of the signs of the city or the Hiccup / Heta crisis. “But the will to find a solution, the constructive and future-oriented forces in the country, our compatriots who were not discouraged, have made Carinthia really flourish in recent years,” Kaiser said. This is how the crisis of the crown can also be overcome: “Together, shoulder to shoulder with the federal government, with our neighbors and with Europe, we will also dominate this crisis. I am absolutely convinced of that. Carinthia will recover again and become what we were on the best path to: A region in the heart of Europe that is united in diversity, lives multilingualism, in which one feels comfortable and everyone is supported in their dreams. to realize – a country to live and fall in love with! “
Slovenian President Borut Pahor stressed that he will deliver his speech to the Austrian and Slovenian people alike. “I want this festival to connect us today. That is why we, Federal President Van der Bellen and I are present together, ”said Pahor, who for this reason also called the city of Klagenfurt today the“ capital of a united Europe ”.
The celebration together is based on European values such as respect, peace, integration and cooperation and the ceremony on October 10 in Carinthia will do justice to these values. In his speech, Pahor made no secret that the Slovenian ethnic group had been promised many things before and after the referendum. “Much of Article 7 of the State Treaty has been fulfilled, much not yet,” Pahor said.
However, the president put the present and the future at the center of his speech, in which he referred to the significant improvement of the relationship between Carinthians and ethnic Slovenians. “Accession to the EU made the borders between our countries disappear even more. Therefore, we can build a peaceful and secure future. We can only do that together, ”says Pahor. Federal President Van der Bellen has also significantly improved neighborhood relations. “Multilingualism gives us all space. We live in the best of all times, we live in peace, with which progress is made possible. We cannot change the past, but we can shape the future, ”concluded Pahor in his appeal to the community.
Finally, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen made people sit down and take note in his speech when he officially apologized in the Slovenian language for the “injustice suffered, for the late implementation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights” of the Slovenian ethnic group. The Slovenian ethnic group is a natural part of Austria, but “unfortunately, the manners and confessions set out in Article 8 have not always been respected”.
Van der Bellen reiterated that celebrating together, commemorating together, also requires courage, but this ceremony is also a test of good neighborly relations, mutual understanding and therefore a sign that Europe is working. “A lot has been achieved in Carinthia, some open wounds have healed. But ethnic group politics must develop more every day, everywhere, not just in Carinthia, “said Van der Bellen.
Due to the corona pandemic, the state was unable to celebrate this anniversary, so important to the unity of Carinthia, on a large scale. Through various small commemorations and wreath ceremonies in the communities and in Klagenfurt, as well as broadcasts by the state press service via the Internet and the ORF, the state of Carinthia created the framework conditions that made it possible for all Carinthians to participate in celebrations, honors and commemoration.
(ENOUGH)
Queries and contact:
Carinthia State Government Office, State Press Service
050 536-10201
www.ktn.gv.at
