The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Karel Schwarzenberg, who has arrived on a working visit to Slovenia. They mainly discussed European issues and the situation in the Western Balkans.

(Photo: Nebojša Tejić/Salomon 2000)

Slovenia and the Czech Republic will be the first new member states to take over the presidency of the EU, and Mr Janša said that Slovenia was willing to share its experience. He stressed the importance of breaking the current standstill in the institutional debate for the future atmosphere in the EU.

Both sides expect particularly close collaboration on the issue of the Western Balkans, which ranks high among presidency priorities of both countries. Slovenia and the Czech Republic wish that the countries in the region would take a step forward in realising their European and Euro-Atlantic perspectives. The Slovenian PM and his guest also agreed that unity within the EU and the broader Euro-Atlantic area is the key factor for ensuring a timely and positive solution of the Kosovo issue.