The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and President of the European Council, Mr Janez Janša, today received the former President of the French Republic and former President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Mr Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. In their talks, special attention was devoted to the difference between the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe and the Lisbon Treaty.

 

(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)

 

Prime Minister Janez Janša thanked Mr Giscard d’Estaing for his dedicated work as President of the Convention.  The Constitutional Treaty, ratified by Slovenia in February 2005, constituted a good basis for today’s Lisbon Treaty, since more than ninety percent of the content of the former has been preserved in the latter.

 

Mr Giscard d'Estaing also emphasised the importance of ratifying and enforcing the Treaty in due course, namely before the beginning of new terms of office of the European Parliament and the European Commission. Cooperation between the Slovenian and French presidencies of the Council of the European Union in this matter is therefore of particular importance.

 

(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)

 

Prime Minister Janez Janša and former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing also exchanged views on the general situation in the European Union after its great enlargement and the signing of the Lisbon Treaty.