The Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the meeting of Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group (V4) today, where he was a special guest presenting the priorities of Slovenia's EU Presidency in the first half of 2008. Against the backdrop of the meeting, the PM met his host, the Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek, and the new Czech President, Donald Tusk.

 

(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

After the meeting, the Slovenian PM said he had presented to his counterparts the priorities of Slovenia's Presidency, which are: the future development of the EU based on the successful ratification of the Reform Treaty, the Energy Efficiency Action Plan, the neighbourhood and enlargement policy applying to the Western Balkans and Turkey, and intercultural dialogue.
 
As one of the key issues Slovenia will have to negotiate during its Presidency, PM Janez Janša singled out the question of Kosovo's future status. He expressed agreement with a letter written by the foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany about resolving the Kosovo issue in the future, in which they state that the time has come for Europe to take the initiative and take the next step.

 

Slovenian Prime Minister and his host, the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič)

 

According to the PM, Slovenia will preside over the Council of the EU during a demanding yet optimistic time. He has ascertained that the positive results of the last enlargement, which included all the countries of the Visegrád Group, are already showing. Since 2004, millions of new jobs have been created across the EU, and economic growth has strengthened. "We, the new member states, have proven that we are not a burden for wealthy Western Europe," said PM Janez Janša, stressing further, that, “When it comes to fresh ideas and reform measures, we sometimes have the edge." In his view, Slovenia sees the Presidency of the EU as a challenge for which it is ready and looking forward to.

 

Against the backdrop of the Visegrád meeting, PM Janez Janša met separately with his host, the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek. The meeting focused on the Presidency of the EU of both countries. Both Slovenia and the Czech Republic will preside over the EU as the first new member states, both in the first half of the year – Slovenia in 2008 and the Czech Republic in 2009 – therefore the exchange of experience is all the more significant. Mr Topolánek expressed full support for Slovenia in its Presidency agenda, while PM Janša promised sincere dialogue with regard to Slovenia’s experience with the preparation and implementation of the Presidency agenda. Both PMs agreed that the Western Balkans was of the utmost significance to all Europe, therefore special attention will be paid to this issue during both Presidencies. The PMs also discussed bilateral relations, which are excellent and without outstanding issues, while economic cooperation is increasing constantly.

 

Prime Minister Janez Janša met separately with Polish colleague, Donald Tusk (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

PM Janez Janša also met separately with the new Polish PM, Donald Tusk. They focused on the ratification process of the new Reform Treaty and stressed that the success of the ratification is very important for the European Union, Poland and Slovenia, particularly for the latter because of the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the coming year.  On this occasion the Mr Tusk expressed Poland's full support for Slovenia. He said that a successful Presidency for Slovenia would to a large extent represent the success of all the member states which joined the EU in the last big enlargement wave.