NEWS
Prime Minister attends a ceremony marking the return of the Triglav patrol boat to the Port of Koper
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Alenka Bratušek, attended a ceremony to mark the return of the Triglav patrol boat from the Mare Nostrum, a military and humanitarian operation of the Italian defence and security forces. In her address, she stressed: "On visiting Sicily, I was able to see what an important and responsible task you had been entrusted with. I was very proud to find that you had justified the responsibility placed in you and that our foreign colleagues had nothing but praise for your good work."
The Prime Minister also said that she was proud that the Slovenian Armed Forces had been part of this mission and discharged their duties in a professional manner, which puts them on a par with other armed forces. "You have demonstrated that Slovenia is a maritime country with its own navy," was clear the Prime Minister.
At the end of her address, she stressed that, by taking part in the mission, Slovenia had strengthened its relations with neighbouring Italy and enhanced its reputation, proving that it cares about what happens in its neighbourhood and that it can be relied upon. "We felt it was our duty to take part in this operation and help with this issue, which is not only Italy’s problem, but all of Europe’s as it involves saving human lives. On visiting the immigration centre in Syracuse, I learned about the plight of immigrants and witnessed the "dark side" of Europe. I was told that immigrants saw Italy as a door to Europe, to a better world. This further justified our decision to take part in this operation. And it has prompted me to advocate a more comprehensive approach to migration policy at the European level. This time, it will not be enough to deal with problems only as and when they turn up on our doorstep. We need to tackle the root causes of mass migration in countries of origin," she concluded.