Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, began an official visit to Ukraine. He was received with military honours at Kiev airport. He then held plenary discussions with his host, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, which focused on European and economic issues. The visit is an opportunity to strengthen political dialogue and economic cooperation between the two countries. Both politicians agreed that the countries were cooperating well and that there were no major outstanding issues between them. Both countries mark the anniversaries of major national historic events at the end of June and celebrate the 15th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Janez Janša and Ukrainan Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
The Slovenian PM, who is accompanied by the Minister of the Economy, Andrej Vizjak, and a 70-strong business delegation, stressed that economic cooperation was developing well, although there were many open opportunities. This is particularly important now, when both countries are recording high economic growth. Trade in goods totalled 173 million euros last year, which is six per cent over 2005. The high trade surplus is on the Slovenian side. Other forms of cooperation are less developed: trade in services amounted to only over 21 million euros, and there are many open opportunities with regard to investment. At the end of 2006, Slovenian investment in Ukraine totalled 24.4 million euros. However, some companies have attained visible results and high market shares. The large business delegation, which is attending a business conference with potential Ukrainian partners, proves that interest in Ukraine is strong. Members of the delegation include representatives of 50 Slovenian companies from agriculture and the food industry, textiles, wood-processing, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, metallurgy, engineering, construction, the energy sector, information technology, logistics, distribution, retail, tourism, and the banking and financial sectors. It is expected that the fourth meeting of the Slovenian-Ukrainian commission for trade and economic cooperation being held against the backdrop of the visit will give new impetus to economic relations. The PM stressed that business cooperation with different Ukrainian regions is very important to the Slovenian economy. Mr Janša commended Ukraine's economic achievements, adding that this provides the basis for safeguarding foreign investment and an opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation.
Prime Minister Janez Janša and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
Slovenia supports Ukraine's efforts to establish close ties with Euro-Atlantic organisations, and welcomes the beginning of negotiations between the European Commission and Ukraine on a new Enhanced Agreement. Slovenia will have an excellent opportunity to contribute to taking the dialogue between the EU and Ukraine to a higher level during its presidency of the EU, when enlargement and neighbourhood policy will be among the priorities. In addition to these, energy and the energy safety of the EU and intercultural dialogue are also among the priorities of the Slovenian EU Presidency. Mr Janša recalled the recent European Council in Brussels, at which heads of states and governments made a huge step towards resolving the EU institutional crisis, thus providing a basis for renewed talks about EU enlargement. The Slovenian PM offered his Ukrainian counterpart assistance in sharing Slovenia's experience through the Centre for European Perspective.
PM Janša assessed the collaboration between Ukraine and NATO in recent years as intensive, expressing gratitude to his host for the fact that Ukraine has contributed a considerable number of its troops to maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo.
After being briefed on the political situation in the country by Mr Yanukovych, the Slovenian PM stressed that he appreciated Ukraine's efforts and its leading role in supporting democratic processes, stability and collaboration in the region
Prime Minister Janez Janša and Ukrainan President Viktor Yushchenko (Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
PM Janša also met the Ukrainian President, Viktor Yushchenko, with whom he mainly discussed the issue of Ukraine approaching Euro-Atlantic organisations. The PM expressed support and willingness on the part of Slovenia to acknowledge Ukraine's efforts aimed at Euro-Atlantic integration during its 2008 EU Presidency. Both Mr Janša and his host agreed that most should be made of this official visit to further strengthen bilateral relations, particularly through economic cooperation. They also expressed the hope that a protocol on cultural cooperation, which was signed today, would be realised through concrete projects as soon as possible. Mr Janša congratulated Mr Yushchenko on a successful candidacy to co-organise the European Football Championship in 2012, while his host expressed interest in collaborating with Slovenia on some projects related to the event.
In addition to attending the business conference and meeting the Ukrainian Minister of the Economy, Anatoliy Kinakh, the Slovenian economic minister Andrej Vizjak signed an agreement on military cooperation between the two countries and a protocol on cultural cooperation for the period until 2011.
As part of his two-day official visit the Slovenian PM also met the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mykola Yanovych Azarov, while tomorrow he is meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk, and the head of the BYUT opposition party Yulia Tymoshenko. Mr Janša has also scheduled a meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio of Ukraine, Archbishop Dr Ivan Jurkovič. Meanwhile, the Slovenian PM also attended the opening of the 4th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy NGO.
