NEWS
Prime Minister wishes Croatia every success in the new enlarged European family: "It will be also easier for us to overcome the financial crisis, if we join forces."
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Alenka Bratušek, today hosted the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, and at the beginning of the discussion on the ratification of Croatia's accession treaty in the National Assembly highlighted the significance of the European future of the two friendly nations and states: "We must learn from our people who have for generations cultivated genuine co-existence and neighbourly solidarity in the border areas in Istria and along the Kolpa and Mura rivers. We will continue to develop this valuable experience of neighbourly coexistence and cultural proximity. Without these, we would not have managed the important steps in recent years." Ms Bratušek went on to remind us of the contribution of the deceased Prime Ministers, Ivica Račan and Janez Drnovšek, towards bringing closer the paths of the two neighbourly countries, and the contribution of the former Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, who signed the Arbitration Agreement with his Croatian counterpart. "With a common European future in their thoughts, Prime Ministers Milanović and Janša signed an agreement on the Ljubljanska banka issue a few days ago. Each of these paths was important for citizens and this is also the reason why we have gathered here today." Relations between citizens and countries are in the European Union built on respect, dialogue and mutual trust.
On this solemn occasion, Ms Bratušek reiterated the important message conveyed by Croatia's membership of the EU: "The European path unites and creates important alliances." In the second half of this year, Slovenia and Croatia will together shape decisions as full fledged members of the EU: "We will each speak our own language, yet Europe will understand us. But we should ask ourselves, do we understand Europe, do we really give priority to European values in our daily work, do we know how to help Greek citizens, can we identify the real problems of Cypriots, has the voice from the streets in Madrid, Rome, Lisbon and our streets reached us. Only if we know how to translate political rhetoric into the ordinary language of coexistence of efficient policies for good neighbourly relations and successful management of public issues and the common good, we are truly European politicians in the proper sense of the word."
Ms Bratušek thanked all the experts and team members, who were on their respective sides engaged in this important and demanding project, for their unwavering confidence in the vitality of the European project and the ability to reach a compromise. "Slovenia sincerely believes that the enlargement of the European Union stabilises democracy and brings economic success, the two things that are definitely in our interest. It will be easier for us to overcome the financial crisis, if we join forces," Ms Bratušek said. The voting result seen today in the ratification procedure proves that Slovenia considers the European policy of coexistence and solidarity to be its own policy. By way of conclusion, Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek wished Croatia every success in the new enlarged European family.