The first dice of the spring, indeed a milestone for Slovenia and its people, have been rolled - Slovenia has officially become a member of NATO alongside six Central European countries. Ten years after it first expressed the desire to join the North Atlantic Alliance, Slovenia has fulfilled one of its top foreign policy priorities. From now on, officials will attend meetings of the Alliance and take part in the decision-making mechanisms. Yet NATO membership is not only important from the point of view of Slovenia; it is also crucial for security and stability in Southeast Europe, which has been shaken by conflicts in the recent past. Slovenian police and armed forces, who know the local language and culture well, will thus continue to participate actively in NATO-led operations in support of peace in the region.

A new landmark awaits Slovenia on May 1 - accession to the EU. Lively preparations are under way to mark this extraordinary event the best way possible. Nova Gorica, on the border with Italy, will be the venue of a very special celebration, featuring the likes of European Commission President Romano Prodi and Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop. Yet beyond the celebration, people are more interested in what will actually change after this date. Will anything change at all? Will it be better or worse, or simply different? All these questions remain unanswered.

The run-up to these events, and many more that have been crucial to Slovenia, have been in the spotlight of Slovenia News. The issue that you are now reading can also be regarded as a landmark, for it is the last in this format. We are already preparing an expanded monthly magazine, which will provide even more information. The first issue will probably be out at the end of May. Until then, you can get all the information you need at our web page. We would like to thank all our readers for being with us over the past two years.

Polona Prešeren
Editor-in-Chief