NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor to his Norwegian colleague Stoltenberg: "Slovenia’s emotions are with you in this tragedy".

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor, today afternoon (24 July 2011) had a long telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg.  He offered his condolences to his Norwegian colleague on his own behalf, as well as on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

   

Prime Minister Pahor said that Slovenia’s emotions are with the Norwegian people in this tragedy. In addition, the two prime ministers discussed one of the key issues triggered by the mentioned tragedy: ”How are the open minded and multicultural societies to deal with the risks of political and other forms of radicalism which can so dramatically jeopardise the people’s safety”? The Norwegian Prime Minister considers this to be an important issue, since Norway has been an example of open minded and democratic society and intends to remain that way in the future. Prime Minister Stoltenberg informed the Slovenian Prime Minister that on this occasion he had talks with all Norwegian parliamentary party leaders, who agreed that Norway as a country should continue to stay that way.

   

Prime Minister Pahor expressed his support for such an approach to his Norwegian colleague, since he, also, sees fostering of openness and tolerance being Slovenia’s future. At this point, all leaders building this kind of society, hand in hand with other citizens, are inevitably faced with the problem of how to prevent similar tragedies, which might compromise people’s faith in tolerance and non-violence. At the end of the conversation, Prime Minister Stoltenberg thanked the Slovenian authorities and the people for their support. Prime Minister Pahor reiterated his expression of solidarity and expressed his hope that this tragedy would not shake the belief in an open minded and tolerant society to which they are both committed, and which Norway has been a model for all.