ABSTRACT
In comparison to other post-Communist countries, Slovenia is a rather special case. Former Yugoslavia was the most liberal among all socialist countries. The developments in spring 1988 established the link between human rights and the necessity for Slovene independence. In critical social and political situations, rising social inequalities, an underdeveloped democratic culture, and a lack of tolerance might lead to the temptation to limit some of the most advanced democratic and human rights provisions as formulated in the constitution. In the spring of 1988, the amendments to the constitution of Slovenia were adopted. Slovenia has been confronted with a major scandal, possibly involving the unconstitutional procurement of information from various citizens using important "reasons of state" as a pretext. The elections in December 1992 may have reaffirmed Sabrina Ramet's optimistic conclusion that Slovenia's successful transition to democracy seems completely assured and even more promising than in Hungary or Poland.
