NEWS

Prime Minister Borut Pahor hosts the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, on an official visit

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, today hosted the President of the European Council (EC) Herman Van Rompuy, who was paying his first official visit to the Republic of Slovenia after taking up his new role. The Minister without Portfolio Responsible for Development and European Affairs, Mitja Gaspari, and the State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dragoljuba Benčina, also took part in the talks.

 

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

  

In his introduction, Prime Minister Pahor stressed how honoured he was that after taking up the function of the President of the European Council, Mr Rompuy’s first visit had been to Slovenia. "Today, as the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, is an important historical day for the European Union and for Slovenia as a Member State." At the talks between the two delegations, Prime Minister Pahor presented his view on the function of the President of the EC as a new institution. He said that he respected Mr Van Rompuy as someone capable of making a compromise, emphasising that his distinguished guest could count on his support and assistance.

 

Mr Van Rompuy thanked Mr Pahor for the reception and expressed his satisfaction that Slovenia was the first country he had visited in his new role. He added that this was also a new beginning for him, and that this month’s tour would help him renew contacts with the Member States i.e. with heads of states and governments, and to exchange views on the functioning of the EC in the future.

 

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

  

Mr Pahor and Mr Van Rompuy devoted the main part of their discussion to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. Prime Minister Pahor underlined that Slovenia was committed to the inclusion of all Member States in the discussion on future European institutions and efficient co-operation of all new institutions with the Member State holding the Presidency. His distinguished guest thanked Mr Pahor for his comments and for the constructive one-to-one meeting.

  

Mr Van Rompuy also presented an outline of his EC leadership and underlined that he wished to find a new impetus for the EC, to improve its performance and prove the importance of its role. Mr Van Rompuy said that as the new EC president, he would focus his attention primarily on energy policy, the Western Balkans, Afghanistan and relations with Russia. He stressed the importance of bringing external policy issues back to the EC agenda.

 

The two Presidents agreed that social policy is one of the leading European themes currently, and that the sensitivity of necessary social reforms was paramount to Member States in facing the current crisis. Prime Minister Pahor presented Slovenian anti-crisis reforms to Mr Van Rompuy, who welcomed them particularly since he is also from a small country with a very open economy.

 

The talks concluded by touching on the issue of climate change and the forthcoming summit in Copenhagen, with the two sides sharing the view that a clear message is needed.

 

(Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA)

 

At a joint press conference, Prime Minister Pahor stressed again that "this is an important day in the history of Europe; all who share the European dream welcome this day as a turning point, because Europe has created a new institution representing it within and beyond its borders." Mr Pahor also voiced his belief that Mr Van Rompuy, with his experience in leading a small European country as former Belgian prime minister, would steadily build the institution of the EC president and would enjoy all the support of the Slovenian Government and its prime minister.

 

At the press conference, Mr Van Rompuy stressed that his work would be guided by the principles of "dialogue, unity and action." He further expressed his appreciation for the arbitration agreement signed between Slovenia and Croatia, described it as an "example of how to resolve issues in a European way" and defined it as evidence of political courage on the part of the respective prime ministers.