In the thesis, the author presents the development of the Slovenian Armed Forces from its formal transition to an all-volunteer force to the present day. The analysis of official documents is supplemented by a comparison of domestic and foreign articles and selected interviews according to the inquiry on how the Slovenian Armed Forces develop professionalism among its ranks and what challenges it faces in doing so. Simultaneously, the hypotheses are verified that the integration of the Republic of Slovenia in multinational defense initiatives dictates the adaptation of the organization of its armed forces to which, however, domestic factors contribute even greatly. Based on the theoretical premises of functional professionalization, a set of criteria for military professionalism is defined, which serves as a methodological tool in the analysis of the Slovenian military organization. A historical overview of the development of the Slovenian Armed Forces and an overview of external and internal factors of the transformation of the defense and security system show increased emphasis on the development of high-tech and specialized capabilities and a growing problem of insufficient personnel. The final analysis of the defined criteria of professionalism shows the absence of a systemic framing of professionalization and its challenges, which stems primarily from an inadequate legal framework.
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