NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor attends the second working meeting of the Slovenian and Hungarian governments

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, along with his Hungarian colleague Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, conducted the second working meeting of the Slovenian and Hungarian governments at Festetics Castle in Keszthety near Lake Balaton in Hungary.
  
At the beginning the prime ministers had a tête-à-tête meeting at which they confirmed the good relations between the two countries and established that there were no open issues of a political nature between Slovenia and Hungary. 
 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

 
The two prime ministers met the President of the Association of Slovenians in Hungary, Jože Hirnök, and the President of the Pomurje Hungarian Self-Governing National Community, Jožef Kocon.    They focused their talks on the results of the recent meeting of the Joint Slovenian-Hungarian Commission for implementation of the Agreement on Guaranteeing Special Rights to the Hungarian National Minority Living in the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian National Minority Living in the Republic of Hungary.
 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

 
The working meeting continued with a plenary session of both governments.  In his opening address, Prime Minister Pahor said that he looked forward to the developing friendship between the ministries of both governments, echoing that between the two prime ministers.  The Slovenian Prime Minister emphasised that "both countries share many common challenges and opportunities", and therefore this meeting is proof of the firm will of both governments to use every opportunity offered by the common neighbourhood to tackle problems and challenges together.  "Today’s signing of six agreements shows that the countries intend to deepen their cooperation for their mutual benefit," concluded the Prime Minister.
 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

  
At the press conference after the working meeting of both governments, Prime Minister Pahor voiced his great satisfaction over the decision of the President of the European Commission to entrust European environmental policy management to Dr Janez Potočnik, the Slovenian Government's candidate for European Commissioner.  Prime Minister Pahor evaluated the working meeting as an extraordinarily useful one and asserted that he hoped to continue this practice. As underlined by the Prime Minister, the Western Balkans and the integration of these countries into Euro-Atlantic structures are a very important issue.   Slovenia "wants to draw the attention of the next trio of EU Member States holding the EU Council presidency to the situation in the Western Balkans.   Great attention should be paid to this matter," underlined Prime Minister Pahor.  According to the Prime Minister, Slovenia and Hungary enjoy good cooperation in the areas of energy, transport and national minorities.

 

(Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA)

  

The Prime Minister highlighted, in particular, the significance of the construction of the Verica – Gornji Senik road, which is to be completed in the next year and a half. The construction of this road will make life much easier for the national minorities in this area. At the end of the press conference, Prime Minister Pahor expressed the wish that "people should experience multiculturalism as a privilege, not as a burden."