Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, met the President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, who is on official visit to Slovenia.

(Photo: Nebojša Tejić/Salomon 2000)

Mr Janša and Mr Papadopoulos agreed that political relations between the two countries are amicable. Bilateral cooperation will strengthen in the future, as Cyprus is meeting the convergenece criteria and is thus on track to join the Eurozone next year. According to the PM, Slovenia is ready to offer full support, including the transfer of relevant technical experience. Mr Janša and Mr Papadopoulos also agreed on the significance of enlarging the Eurozone, which contributes to strengthening the European Union.

 

The Slovenian PM and the Cypriot President exchanged views on resolving the Cyprus problem and on enlarging the EU, particularly with regard to Turkey. The pace and success of the integration of acceding countries depend on their meeting the accession criteria and respecting agreements. Mr Janša and Mr Papadopoulos also shared their views on solidarity between the current members. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East, as the region is strategically important for the whole of the EU.