Free Trieste

Free Trieste – Austria’s speech in Brno

On 30 September 2016, in Brno, Moravia’s capital city (Czech Republic), took place an international conference about the problems of the “Self-determination of European Regions and Non-State Nations” attended, as observers due to their different status, Süd Tiroler Freiheit and Free Trieste‘s representatives.

Indeed, Trieste and Southern Tyrol enjoy special rights under a multilateral international instrument, in force: the 10 February 1947 Italian Peace Treaty.

This Treaty grants the people of Southern Tyrol a large autonomy, and, since 15 September 1947, makes Trieste a new, independent sovereign State, the Free Territory of Trieste, with an international Free Port.

The Treaty established the Free Territory under a provisional regime of Government, currently entrusted to the Italian Government. Also, since 1992 the Free Territory of Trieste consists only in its main zone (212 km2), by virtue of the international recognition of the international community’s recognition of the new independent Republics of Slovenia and of Croatia, as confirmed by the United Nations with appropriate resolutions.

In view of this, the present-day Free Territory of Trieste is an actual independent State, it has no territorial claims against neighbor or bordering States, and it has no problems related to secession or self-determination.

The Free Territory’s only problem consists in the provisional Italian Government’s local bodies, as they simulate, by illegal means, the Italian State’s sovereignty over Trieste and over its international Free Port.

Gianni Kriščak, president of Bewegung Freies Triest – Österrerich, presented Trieste’s unique point of view and experience in Brno. His speech is available here, together with a transcript in English / Italian.