In order to start the process of gaining independence in Slovenia,
we had first to force the abolition of the one-party system, and then
introduce parliamentary democracy and call a plebiscite.
We succeeded in accomplishing the first organised step in this
direction on 15 December 1987, at a major strike of the Litostroj
company in Ljubljana, when the Initiative Committee (IO) of the
Social-Democratic Alliance of Slovenia (SDZS), the first opposition
party in the former communist world, was founded during a rally
attended by 5,000 striking workers. Belgrade reacted to this by
arresting the Foursome which lead to the establishment of the
Committee and of several parties.
Following the establishment of the Polish Solidarity (attaining of
trade union freedoms), a severe blow was dealt to the one-party system
of the Eastern Block by the founding of the IO-SDZS. At the end of the
80s, Slovenia thus played a leading role in Europe in the process of
democratisation of the Eastern Block. It can be claimed without
exaggeration that the Berlin Wall started to crack right here in
Ljubljana.
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