He drew parallels with the present, expressing hope that the nation had learnt from the past. Old wounds should be closed and Slovenians should focus on the future, he said.

"The Slovenian nation has come a long way over the past century; it has been a long but enviably successful path of national development," he said at the event organised by the Slovenian WWII Veterans' Association.

"I hope that we are reaching the stage of national maturity that will allow us to overcome our disrespectful attitude toward our own history." The nation is richer by 70 years of experience, work and learning from mistakes, the PM added.

"We are gradually coming to understand that many wounds from the past must be closed and we must look ahead, at the future."

The first Slovenian government, headed by Boris Kidrič, was established on 5 May 1945 as Slovenia became a federative state within Yugoslavia. The formation took place in the town of Ajdovščina (W), which was a part of Italian territory at the time.

The choice of place was symbolic, a statement expressing the determination to make that area a part of Yugoslavia.

The government established in Ajdovščina faced a period when war - also a war of brother against brother - "continued to rage in the hearts of many Slovenians" although peace had formally been reached, said Cerar.

That period saw "mass murders, kangaroo courts, torture, unjustified freedom violation and other severe human rights violations," he added.

However, many Slovenians were doing everything in their power to help others, to end the war and worked for the good of the nation, he underlined.

Instead of using the post-war period as means to reopen old wounds, Slovenians should take it as a lesson that human dignity, human rights, democratic values and the rule of law have to be respected at all times.

Apart from Cerar, the ceremony was also attended by President Borut Pahor, Interior Minister Vesna Györkös Žnidar and Culture Minister Julijana Mlakar.