Ljubljana - In his message on the holiday remembering the return of the western Primorska region to the homeland, PM Janez Janša congratulated the people of Primorska and wished them a proud celebration, adding that the holiday had been enacted out of responsibility towards our history.

"When our government introduced this public holiday in 2005, we did so out of responsibility towards our history and Slovenian identity, towards the generations of Slovenians from Primorska who were not broken, but only strengthened by their suffering and trials," the prime minister wrote.

In his address, Janša also referred to the words of Boris Pahor, the great Slovenian writer from the region who has always highlighted the necessity of national consciousness and a self-confident, upright posture based on a sound knowledge of history and one's own identity.

"Much blood was shed when Slovenians in Primorska defended their lands, the blood of freedom fighters and partisans, and later, unfortunately, also the blood of Slovenians who wanted to escape the communist dictatorship and cross the green border to freedom," Janša added.

He also wrote that Slovenia had truly achieved its own statehood only 30 years ago, thus establishing "an accomplished setting for the Slovenians of the Primorska region, who achieved a new life after their long struggle for freedom, together with the whole Slovenian nation".

This Wednesday marks 74 years since the implementation of the Treaty of Peace with Italy, one of the Paris Peace Treaties under which Primorska was reunited with Slovenia (as part of Yugoslavia) after being under Italian rule since the end of World War I.

The Day of Return of Primorska to the Motherland is thus celebrated on 15 September, while the main ceremony was held in Idrija, west of Ljubljana, on Saturday.

President Pahor was also present at Saturday's ceremony, while today's celebrations will be marked with an open day at the presidential palace and the presence of the Slovenian Armed Forces' guard of honour.