NEWS
Prime Minister Borut Pahor meets Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, Mr Efthimios E. Mitropoulos
Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, today met the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, Mr Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, who visited Slovenia on the European Maritime Day at the invitation of the Minister of Transport, Patrick Vlačič.
(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)
On 7 March 1991, the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Resolution on the Maritime Orientation of the Republic of Slovenia, in which it has made full commitment to guide the economic and development policy that will have also maritime orientation and will provide for good use of coastal area and conservation of natural and cultural heritage, as well as for maritime legal regulation in compliance with international rules. The Republic of Slovenia established 7 March, the day of adoption of the resolution, as the European Maritime Day.
International Maritime Organisation is a specialised maritime organisation of the United Nations, established with the purpose of improving maritime safety and preventing marine pollution. The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation presented to the Slovenian Prime Minister the operation of the International Maritime Organisation that has in more than sixty years of its existence greatly improved the safety of maritime navigation through its conventions and other standards. Mitropolous also highlighted the most important conventions such as the conventions for the safety of life at sea, training of seafarers, conventions for prevention of collision at sea, load lines, tonnage measurement regulations and prevention of marine pollution, ratified by the majority of maritime countries, among others also the Republic of Slovenia.
In discussions, Secretary-General Mitropoulos focused on informing the Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, about the efforts made by the International Maritime Organization in the area of formulating a new global climate agreement. Maritime countries are among those most affected by the consequences of global climate changes. In an open discussion Mr Mitropoulos also expressed commendations to the Port of Koper and Luka Koper, which he visited today, and in particular highlighted his satisfaction about the measures aimed at the safety of people and numerous activities directed towards the concern for the environment.
Prime Minister Borut Pahor thanked the Secretary-General Mitropolous for his visit to Slovenia and emphasized that encouraging the development of maritime transport in Slovenia is very important because we want to continue with the development of Slovenia into a modern and maritime oriented country.