A Reception honoring the 102nd Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye was held in Ljubljana on October 29th, 2025, and H.E. Hayriye Kumaşcıoğlu, ambassador of Türkiye to Slovenia, welcomed more than 200 guests to the first National Day celebration in Slovenia since she presented her credentials to the President of Slovenia, Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, in January 2025.
Starting her speech, H.E. Hayriye Kumaşcıoğlu highlighted that as her home country enters its second century, people in Türkiye look ahead with confidence. “Today, Türkiye stands proud to be a secular democracy, an active member of the plural community, pursuing full membership in the European Union, and a resilient economy supported by a dynamic private sector, which grants Türkiye a place in the Club of G20 countries. Today, Türkiye is an important contributor to the regional and global peace and security in close cooperation and collaboration with all allies, with its allies and partners, guided by the motto, “Peace at home, peace in the world”. This motto, first coined by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is still at the centre of our foreign policy. As Türkiye is located in a region of intractable conflicts and feels the burden of many threats and challenges, including terrorism, striving for peace remains critical. That is why we have been endeavouring constantly for peace, both in Europe and in the Middle East. That is why we respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea, while we advocate on war for an independent Palestine state. That is why we think, if we are to be credible, the rules-based and just international order must apply everywhere in the world without double standards. That is why we must do our best to end these wars on the basis of international law. And in this vision, dear friends, we are lucky to have a like-minded partner and ally in Slovenia.
“Türkiye and Slovenia may differ in geography and size, but we share a common outlook on the world, one that values peace, justice, and humanity.”
“Both our countries stand for dialogue and multilateralism. Both believe that might doesn’t make it right, that real strength lies not in power but in principle. We maintain close coordination and a shared understanding on key international issues, including on Palestine and Ukraine. We are proud to stand together in NATO, contributing to collective security and peacekeeping efforts. We also work side by side in the United Nations, supporting a rules-based international order. Taking this opportunity, let me congratulate Slovenia for being elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council. We have no doubt that Slovenia will continue to operate our trust in multilateralism, as she has been doing so in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.
“Since Slovenia’s independence, our friendship has evolved into a mutual partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared values. Our relations have been crowned and carried into a further level, with the announcement of strategic partnership in 2011. Now, we are working to further strengthen and deepen our partnership with concrete plans and projects.
The 2024-26 action plan, which was adopted during Minister Fidan’s visit last year to Slovenia, is guiding us to keep our strategic dialogue in all fields and to translate our excellent political relations into sectoral collaboration. We have witnessed significant growth in trade, with bilateral trade value exceeding 3 billion dollars on our statistics, and great potential, especially in renewable energy, digital technologies, and the defence industry. Türkiye’s participation at SIDEC last week with a dedicated national pavilion reflects our commitment to expanding collaboration in this field.
The human and cultural ties between our peoples are also vibrant and growing.
Every year, thousands of Slovenes visit Türkiye and Turks visit Slovenia.
Thanks to Turkish Airlines, our national flag carrier, these exchanges are smooth and comfortable.
Our cooperation in education and science is also expanding. More and more students and researchers are participating in exchange programs, partnerships, and cultural projects.
Such connections ensure that our friendship will endure not only in policy papers but also in the hearts of future generations,” concluded Ambassador Kumaşcıoğlu.
