Slovenia: Information on the citizenship law of Slovenia and whether non-Slovenian ethnic groups such as Serbs have been denied citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLO17585.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Slovenia: Information on the citizenship law of Slovenia and whether non-Slovenian ethnic groups such as Serbs have been denied citizenship, 1 June 1994, SLO17585.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab4758.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Attached please find a copy of the Citizenship Act of Slovenia available to the DIRB in Ottawa. The attached BBC report provides information on the passage of a law which tightens "the criteria for the acquisition of Slovene citizenship" (BBC Summary 25 Nov. 1993).
The counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Ottawa provided the following information on the above subjects during a telephone interview on 3 June 1994.
Ethnicity is not the determining factor in obtaining Slovenian citizenship. Following an old practice, "territorial rights" determine the citizenship of an individual. Prior to the dissolution of Yugoslavia, people residing in the Yugoslav republics were citizens of both Yugoslavia and their respective republics. Regardless of their ethnicity, persons who were considered to be citizens of Slovenia prior to the dissolution of Yugoslavia are now considered to be Slovenian citizens.
The counsellor holds that no one has been denied Slovenian citizenship because of his or her ethnicity. With the exception of those individuals who were involved in "hostile acts" against Slovenia, all applicants for Slovenian citizenship who were not born in Slovenia but who applied before the deadline of 25 December 1991 were granted automatic citizenship. These applicants were required to meet the following two conditions: they must be registered as residents of Slovenia and must have been living "effectively" in that country on 23 December 1990.
The counsellor adds that applicants for Slovenian citizenship who were not born in Slovenia and have not yet received Slovenian citizenship can still apply for it. However, there is no automatic citizenship for such applicants, as the Slovenian authorities now consider all applications for Slovenian citizenship on a case-by-case basis.
According to the attached BBC report, Slovenian authorities granted citizenship to 160,560 Bosnian, Croat, Serbian, Macedonian and Montenegrin citizens of the former Yugoslavia (BBC Summary 10 June 1992). The report adds that the Slovenian authorities denied citizenship to 595 citizenship applicants "whose participation [had] been approved in the attacks on Slovenia during the confrontation between the Yugoslav People's Army [JNA] and the territorial defence and police in June [of 1991]" (ibid.).
Elaborating on the existence of 185,000 Slovenian residents with dual citizenship, a Reuters report refers to a Slovenian Interior Ministry spokesman who stated that
some dual citizens, especially former officers of the Yugoslav federal army which tried to stop Slovenia's 1991 secession by force, might be denied Slovene citizenship regardless of their choice (27 Sept. 1993).
The report quotes the spokesman as stating that "[u]ntil now only one Yugoslav officer lost his Slovene citizenship but there may be more if it proves that they acted against the interests of the Republic of Slovenia" (ibid.).
Even though it is not specially on the above subjects, the attached BBC report of 10 July 1993, which provides information on two Slovenian parties advocating intolerance towards non-Slovenians, might be useful.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Ottawa. 3 June 1994. Telephone interview with counsellor.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 25 November 1993. "Parliament Tightens Criteria for Naturalization." (NEXIS)
. 10 June 1992. "Slovenia Adopts 160,000 Citizens from Other Republics." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 27 September 1993. BC Cycle. Dijana Vrban. "Slovenia's Parliament May Scrap Dual Citizenship." (NEXIS)
Attachments
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 25 November 1993. "Parliament Tightens Criteria for Naturalization." (NEXIS)
. 10 July 1993. "Tanjug on 'Chauvinist Campaign' Against Non-Slovenes by Right-Wing Parties." (NEXIS)
. 10 June 1992. "Slovenia Adopts 160,000 Citizens from Other Republics." (NEXIS)
The Danish Center for Human Rights et al. 1993. "Law on Foreigners," Citizenship and Language Laws in the Newly Independent States of Europe, pp. 3-30.
Reuters. 27 September 1993. BC Cycle. Dijana Vrban. "Slovenia's Parliament May Scrap Dual Citizenship." (NEXIS)
