[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1274]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




VISIT TO THE SENATE BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, 
                       THE HONORABLE BORUT PAHOR

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, today we are honored to have as our guest 
the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, the Honorable Borut 
Pahor. He is the sixth Prime Minister since Slovenia won independence 
in 1991.
  As many of my colleagues know, the Republic of Slovenia holds a very 
special place in my heart. My mother came to America from the village 
of Siha in what is now Slovenia nearly 90 years ago, and I have been 
tremendously impressed with the great strides Slovenia has made since 
breaking away from the former Yugoslavia. For the last 2 years, Prime 
Minister Pahor with great skill has continued to lead his nation on a 
successful course of democratic and free market economics. So make no 
mistake, the success of independent Slovenia, like the success of the 
young American Republic two centuries ago, was no accident. It was 
secured by visionary leaders and by a determined people. Nine decades 
ago, my mother left Slovenia--a Slovenia that was impoverished, ruled 
by autocrats, and dominated by foreign powers; a nation that sent forth 
immigrants desperate to find a better life. Today, a free, prosperous, 
and democratic Slovenia sends forth statesmen, diplomats, and 
humanitarians helping to build a better world.
  Again, on behalf of the Senate, I welcome our honored guest, Prime 
Minister Pahor.

                          ____________________