Milan Kučan
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Milan Kučan (January 14, 1941 - ) is a Slovene politician and statesman. He was leader of the League of Communists and the first President of Slovenia.
Kučan was born in Križevci, a village in Prekmurje, northeastern Slovenia (at that time a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia). During the WWII, he was one of the many Slovenian children who took refuge in Serbia.
He became the leader of the League of Communists of Slovenia in 1986. At the time liberal and democratic - as well as nationalist and separatist - sentiment was growing in Slovenia. Kučan instigated a period of far-reaching political reform and democratisation. In 1989 Slovenia passed amendments to its constitution that asserted its sovereignty over the federation and its right to secede. These amendments were bitterly opposed by the leadership of Serbia under Slobodan Milošević. On 23 January 1990, Kučan led the Slovene delegation in leaving the Party Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, leading to the collapse of the all-Yugoslav party. Shortly after, the League of Communists of Slovenia changed its name to the Party of Democratic Reform.
Slovenia under Kučan was the first of the federal units of Yugoslavia to introduce multi-party democracy, the first multi-party elections being held in April 1990. Kučan was elected Slovenia's president. He pursued a policy of transforming Yugoslavia into a loose confederation, but when it was apparent that this aim was impossible, he led Slovenia towards independence. A referendum on 23 December 1990 resulted in an 88,5 % majority for independence.
Independence was declared on 26 June 1991. On this occasion he historicized himself by pronouncing nowdays famous words: "Today are the dreams allowed, tommorow is a new day." A short war against the Yugoslav Army resulted, from 27 June to 4 July, when Slovenia was able to claim victory. After independence, Kučan was popularly elected as the President of Slovenia as an independent candidate with the support of the former League of Communists. He won another five year term in 1997, running as an independent and winning a majority in the first round, in a field of seven candidates.
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His presidency ended in 2002. During his time as president, he was a member of the Social Democrats although his membership was frozen. He was succeeded as President by Janez Drnovšek.
Kučan is married to Štefka Kučan.
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| Preceded by: Andrej Marinc |
Chairman of the League of Communists of Slovenia 1986–1990 |
Succeeded by: Position Abolished |
| Preceded by: Janez Stanovnik as President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia |
President of Slovenia 1990–2002 |
Succeeded by: Janez Drnovšek |
| Presidents of Slovenia |  |
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|---|---|---|
| Kučan | Drnovšek | ||
