NATO NATO's 1995 Study on Enlargement laid out the general guidelines to be used by NATO member governments during the consideration of additional members. Since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Slovenia has met all of these obligations and has surpassed the standard set for NATO membership established with the invitation of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary to the NATO Alliance. This has given them the highest international credit rating in the region. In a further indication of Slovenia's economic development, the European Union, EU, began membership talks with Slovenia in March of 1998. Clearly, Slovenia has met this candidacy requirement.
Elections are free, fair, and open.
There is an independent judiciary. Slovenia has met the NATO candidacy requirement. With regards to Slovenia's role in the international community thus far, it is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, the Council of Europe, NATO's Partnership for Peace and Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund as well as the World Bank. Property rights concerns that had existed with Italy were resolved in 1996 with the Association Agreement between Slovenia and the European Union. Slovenia has again met the NATO candidacy requirement.