NEWS
Prime Minister Borut Pahor: Initiative to resolve the issue of continuing negotiations between the EU and Croatia submitted to the French Presidency
Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor met today with Dr Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, in Brussels. They discussed preparations for the European Council to be held on 11 and 12 December, while they also addressed the issue of Croatia's endeavours to join the EU. "Slovenia supports Croatia's accession to the EU, but at the same time Slovenia must protect its national interests," Prime Minister Pahor said after his talks with President Pöttering. "These interests have been put in jeopardy by Croatia's sending to the European Commission documents that could be understood by some as prejudicial to the determination of land and sea borders between the two countries. We have therefore submitted to the French Presidency an initiative on resolving the issue in such a way that it would be absolutely clear the documents sent by Croatia cannot be prejudicial to the border determination."
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
"There is a possibility that we would arrive at a solution by the end of the French Presidency; however, it is too early to confirm this at this point," Mr Pahor continued. "We must wait for the response of the French Presidency and Croatia to our initiative. I am optimistic, though, that we can reach an agreement. Time is actually running out, and without an agreement on the acceptability of our initiative, we will not be able to give our consent to continue negotiations."
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
Following the talks, European Parliament President Pöttering expressed his satisfaction with the visit of Prime Minister Pahor so soon after he had taken up his new mandate. "I believe that the government of Premier Pahor will continue to ensure the successful contribution of Slovenia to the further development and progress of the European Union," emphasised President Pöttering.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
Prime Minister Pahor also had a working meeting with the Slovenian deputies of the European Parliament. The talks in the European Parliament were the closing point of the two-day visit by the Prime Minister to Brussels, during which he also met with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission; Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU; Pierre de Boissieu, Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union; Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for Science and Research; and Olli Rehn, Commissioner for Enlargement. The visit to Brussels was the first foreign visit by the Prime Minister since he took office.