President Dr. Danilo Türk today awarded the Police the golden order for services in the field of security for their exceptional contribution to citizens' safety. The decoration was accepted by the Director General of the Police, Janko Goršek, in the presence of his closest colleagues.
The police received the order for their extraordinary contributions to the safety of Slovenia's inhabitants and property, the prevention, detection and investigation of crime, ensuring law and order, protecting the state border and for their contribution to road traffic safety and community policing.
Freedom is the highest value, which enables a nation and an individual to shape one's life in accordance to one's beliefs and expectations. Everybody wants to live in a society that provides freedom of movement, freedom of choice and also freedom of belief and affiliation. Safety is also high on the list of values, with a special place among human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is one of the fundamental duties of a state to provide personal safety of people and law and order for only in a safe environment can people exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations and duties.
The most important institution in charge of providing internal security is the police, which was awarded the highest national decoration for its invaluable contribution to establishing a national security system and for maintaining a high level of security both in Slovenia and European Union. It provides security to inhabitants of the entire European Union with successful and effective surveillance of the external Schengen border and cooperation in investigating different types of crime.
Despite some considerable organisation changes that took place in the last 20 years the police was very successful in 'major projects' such as Slovenia's gaining independence, entry into the Schengen area, integration into international organisations and peacekeeping missions. With them, the police force has strengthened its position and reputation of a highly professional organisation both internationally and at home. The high level of professionalism is also confirmed by opinion polls.
Internationally, Slovenia is highly regarded as a country with a high level of security. Given its historical heritage and geographical position, the operation of the police during the independence process, transition and other social changes was of paramount importance for the development of democracy and the rule of law. With its work the police proved that not only had it successfully gone from an authoritarian to a democratic system, it also ensured professionalism and ethical conduct of its employees by implementing and observing the legislation, European conventions and recommendations, as well as ensuring the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Especially important was the huge role of the police while gaining independence, and the officers who gave their lives during the independence war must never be forgotten.
Every period in the history of a state brings new influences and circumstances that mark the state of the society. Changes of the political and economic systems have brought a lot of good, but also introduced changes of values, negative and harmful practices and particularly different types of crime and security threats. The economic crisis has pushed many people to poverty. Such circumstances create a fertile ground for negative security phenomena, crime and new security threats Slovenian police officers encounter on a daily basis. With their attitude to citizens they prove that they are well aware of their responsibility and they do their work in accordance with their oath - conscientiously, responsibly, humanely and legitimately. They also exercise a high regard for human rights and freedoms.
