Slovenia and Scotland, compare and contrast

At my desk at coming on for 1am (I told you the blog would be sleep deprived, the middle of the night is the only time I get to think) I'm just in from a great night with the Slovenians celebrating, jointly, Burns and their national poet France Preseren. A grand evening with Scots Europe Minister Linda "Fabulous" Fabiani MSP holding court and numerous MEPs, officials and other folk enjoying the poetry and the craic.

Slovenia (population 2million) currently holds the Presidency of the EU and in the Agriculture Committee today we had the Slovenian Agriculture Minister briefing us on his thoughts on how things are going to proceed for the next 6 months. I made the point in my intervention that I'm delighted to see Slovenia playing such a constructive part and look forward to Scotland, with 5.5million, playing our part too.

One thing that did strike me this evening as the Slovenian MEPs recited their national poet's work amongst the tartan Burnsiana was the ease with which they refer to achieving independence back in 1991. The MEPs present themselves were all active in the independence struggle and they all used the "I" word quite happily, proudly, and utterly comfortably with our common European heritage and future.

And if you want to see a comparison between their man and ours, here is the translation of the Slovenian national anthem which they adopted on independence in 1991, written by Preseren in 1844, a century and a bit previously.

"God's blessing on all nations
Who long and work for
That bright day
When o'er earth's habitations
No war,
No strife shall hold its sway

Who long to see
That all men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours be!"

2 million people, GDP just below the EU average, members of the Eurozone since the first of January, and the current Presidency of the EU. And they 'get' the independence argument, umpteen of their senior officials offered tonight to give us tips. Nobody wants to hand power back to Belgrade.

I have their cards. I like their style.

"A man's a man" for the post independence Scots national anthem anyone?