With today's meeting with the President of Slovakia, Ivan Gašparovič, and the Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia, Pavol Paška, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, concluded his two-day visit to Bratislava, where he also attended an international conference entitled "Slovakia Before Accession to the Eurozone" and presented Slovenia's experience after the changeover.

 

The Slovenian Prime Minister and his Slovak counterpart attended the international conference "Slovakia Before Accession to the Eurozone" (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

Mr Janša stressed that Slovenia supports Slovakia's efforts to join the Eurozone in 2009 and said that Slovakia would be able to fulfil the Maastricht criteria, also because of the favourable economic situation in the EU. He promised Mr Fico that Slovenia would offer advice and share experience.

 

"The euro is a success story," said the Slovenian PM, adding that the European currency is the most competitive in the global world. Since its introduction the economic situation in Europe has greatly improved and more than 12 million jobs have been created, the majority in the Eurozone. Mr Janša listed many advantages that the introduction brought to Slovenia, including increasing the recognition and respect in the international community, improving the competitiveness of the economy, and alleviating the business operations of domestic and foreign companies. He said that no-one had foreseen that Slovenia would see deflation after the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2007, in January and February this year, adding that social transfers and not changed.

 

The Prime Minister Janez Janša met the Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia, Pavol Paška (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

According to the PM, the euro strengthens European identity. He stressed that the adoption of the euro would not be as successful if the project had not enjoyed a broad consensus. "The adoption of the euro, like the independence and joining the EU, united Slovenes," said the PM.

 

In his meetings, the Slovenian PM exchanged views on the current European and international issues. With regard to the EU constitution, Slovenia supports the endeavours of the German presidency to find a compromise. In this respect, it also seeks to maintain the institutional balance, which, according to Mr Janša, should not be re-negotiated.

 

Prime Minister Janez Janša and the President of Slovakia, Vladimir Gašparovič (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)

 

Slovenia fully supports the proposals of the Special Envoy Ahtisaari on the future status of Kosovo. The PM stressed that with regard to a new resolution on Kosovo, which would consider Ahtisaari's proposals, consensus in the UN Security Council and a united stance of the EU member states are extremely significant. It is in Slovenia's interest that the decision be reached as soon as possible.

 

The Slovenian PM met his host, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, yesterday. They agreed that there were no outstanding issues between the two countries and that bilateral cooperation was strengthening.

Speech by the Prime Minister