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Address by the Prime Minister of Slovenia on Croatia's Accession to the European Union

Esteemed Citizens of the Republic of Croatia,

 

dear neighbours,

 

welcome to the big European family of states and nations who foster common values such as democracy, freedom and social justice, share the history and culture, and are united by common goals of development and welfare of our citizens, peace, coexistence and solidarity.

 

Slovenia is sincerely looking forward to Croatia's accession to the European Union, as it opens new perspectives for cooperation and brings a new quality to the relations between the countries. While the two countries inherited complex issues from the former Yugoslavia, the EU membership opens a new chapter of our cooperation. The European Union constitutes a space where mutual relations are built on respect, dialogue and trust.

 

As far as bilateral relations between Slovenia and Croatia are concerned, the last few years have shown that we are able and willing to make the bravest decisions in the hardest moments and in good faith, and try hard to implement them for the benefit of the coexistence of the two nations.

 

I am taking this opportunity to express my satisfaction with the fact that the countries succeeded in reaching the arbitration agreement concerning the border issue and the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Ljubljanska banka in Croatia. I am certain that the determination of the manner of resolving these two open issues was the best possible way to eliminate dissents and problems that burdened our relations. The task of both countries and their governments is to consistently respect and implement their agreements in good faith, in the spirit of mutual respect, good neighbourly relations and building of strengthened partnership in the new conditions when both countries are EU member states. Now is the time to focus on the future cooperation in the framework of the EU. This is, among others, a topic of the joint declaration on enhanced cooperation between the two nations and the two countries recently signed by presidents Borut Pahor and Ivo Josipović.

 

Croatia’s accession to the EU is certainly in the interest of Slovenia in every respect. Croatia is the only neighbour of Slovenia that is not yet an EU member state; it is one of the most important economic partners of Slovenia and the most important destination of Slovenian investors, which means that our cooperation can be strengthened even further. We are equally looking forward to the positive effects of the joint EU membership of Slovenia and Croatia in the sphere of contacts among people and in the fields of education, culture and science.

 

The enlargement of the EU to Croatia means the enlargement of the area of stability to the south-east of Slovenia and to all its neighbouring countries, the setting of uniform rules and the rules of the common market. Our common interest is that the countries in the region enter the negotiation process as soon as possible and that the EU border in the Balkans becomes unnecessary. By Croatia's accession, Slovenia will gain a strong ally in the confirmation of the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

 

I am certain that Slovenia and Croatia will form the relationship of firm partnership and alliance in several fields of common interest within the EU. At the same time they will be able to build such partner relations with other EU member states, especially those located in our neighbourhood.

 

The EU presently deals with the economic and financial crisis and with the issue of its future. The European Commission declared 2013 the European Year of Citizens in which it asks us what kind of Europe we want to live in and what we expect of it. Our common task is to find the answers to the challenges of changes in the international community and to adapt the operation of the Union so that it continues to be the drive of the economic development, democratic progress and coexistence of different cultures and languages. Let the EU project, which means the final break with the divisions on the European continent, continue to grow and develop in the future.

 

The accession of Croatia to the EU is the result of the ten-year strict process in which Croatia has confirmed its commitment to the EU principles and its readiness to meet the required criteria. The membership to the EU brings many tangible opportunities both for Croatia and the EU. Let us take them in the way beneficial to Croatia, the region and the EU in general.

 

Please receive my sincere congratulations on your accession to the European Union.