NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor meets Commons Speaker John Bercow

The Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor today met the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr John Bercow . In a relaxed and constructive atmosphere Mr Pahor and Mr Bercow, among other things, discussed the current developments in Libya, the global economic crisis and bilateral relations between the two countries.

   

Commons Speaker Bercow first expressed his admiration for the attractions of Slovenia and went on to congratulate the Slovenian Prime Minister on the 20th anniversary of Slovenia's independence to be commemorated this year and of the first free elections celebrated last year. He emphasised that as a young country, Slovenia has achieved outstanding results since the declaration of its independence in the area of both, democracy and economy.

  

Mr Pahor and his guest shared the opinion that bilateral relations have been very good and without any open issues for many years, underlining this conclusion by the fact that Great Britain and its representatives had actively supported Slovenia's aspirations for democratisation and independence. These relations, though, were particularly strengthened by Slovenia's accession to the EU.

  

Mr  Bercow is the first Speaker of the UK House of Commons to visit Slovenia and he and Mr Pahor also discussed the possibility of a visit of the British Prime Minister David Cameron to Slovenia this year. Prime Minister Pahor and Commons Speaker Bercow exchanged their views on further enlargement of the EU and the way this integration tackles the global economic crisis. At the close of their talks, they also touched upon the situation in the Western Balkans.