Dec 23,2022:Nataša Pirc Musar, a 54-year-old lawyer, was sworn in as Slovenia’s first woman president at a ceremony at the National Assembly on 22 December, a day before she takes over as the country’s fifth president from her predecessor Borut Pahor.
Taking her oath to respect the constitutional order, to act according to her conscience and work to the best of her abilities for Slovenia’s prosperity, Pirc Musar pledged to continue to fight for human rights and the rule of law.
She promised to be the voice of citizens every time when sovereignty, equality, justice and welfare state are at stake. She also pledged to advocate the autonomy of society’s sub-systems.
“Police, armed forces, diplomacy, healthcare and education are our property. We should therefore care deeply about how these subsystems are treated. We all need to know where politics must stop, and we need to remember again and again every day that these subsystems are there to serve us, the citizens, not the rulers,” she said.
Listing the many challenges at home and abroad, Pirc Musar promised to work hard for a multilateral world order and a strong Europe made up of democratic and inclusive societies.
“You will recognise me in the international community as a champion of human rights, of the coexistence of nature and human, of understanding the opportunities and dangers of new technologies, of bringing together the strong, the like-minded for the rights of the weak, of a free and professional media, and of the fight against disinformation and hate speech,” she announced.
She promised to work with parliament and the government as Slovenia takes its share of responsibility for the stability of the international community.
She mentioned Slovenia’s candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, describing the country as an excellent candidate. She strongly supports the bid and plans to actively campaign for it.
She said faint heart or silence never brought about change. “And no change will ever please everyone. Not even criticism. We must strive to make change acceptable to the majority – with clear condemnation of unacceptable practices and the hope of looking forward together.”
Pirc Musar also thanked her predecessor Pahor for his work and mission, praising in particular his efforts in the Western Balkans.
