By Peter M. Tase
Throughout the course of President Donald J. Trump’s administration, the solid partnership between Washington and Ljubljana have marked the zenith of transatlantic alliance. The efforts demonstrated by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have delivered tangible results in the economic and political pillars of this bilateral cooperation.
Slovenia’s economic growth has outpaced that of most other EU member states, and the nation has acquired a rising income performance, growing domestic consumption, reduced unemployment, low inflation rates, and growing consumer confidence. In 2019, Slovenia’s GDP grew by an estimated 2.4 percent to EUR 48 billion. Professor Steve H. Hanke, Ph. D., Professor of Applied Economics, and founder and codirector of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore; through appropriate research estimates that Slovenia’s economic growth in 2021 will be very feasible and will have a positive impact on all society and the region.
With a small domestic market of just over two million people, Slovenia’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign trade and U.S. exports to Slovenia consist primarily of mineral fuels and oils, nuclear reactor components, mechanical appliances, and machinery, while Slovenia exports pharmaceuticals, electrical machinery and equipment, steel, glass, and glass products to the United States. In 2018, the United States was Slovenia’s 14th largest export market and eighth largest source of imports. On August 13th, 2020, Prime Minister Janez Janša hosted the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. The purpose of the visit was to reassert and foster close relations of friendship and forge the alliance between Slovenia and the United States, above all review cooperation between the countries in all areas of common interest and identify new opportunities. On this historic occasion, was signed the Joint Declaration of Slovenia and the United States on 5G Security between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Anže Logar, and Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.
At the press conference held by Prime Minister Janez Janša and U. S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Mr. Janša stated that; “32 years ago, Slovenia was still part of the totalitarian Yugoslavia. Today, Slovenia is an independent democratic republic, which is the result of our fight for freedom, the rule of law, human rights and democracy. But this fight could not have been successful without the victory of the free Western world headed by the United States over the Soviet regime.” Slovenians are grateful to the United States for defending and saving the old continent twice in the previous century, from the menace of atrocities of Nazism and the tyranny of Communism. Fascism, Nazism and Communism have caused a great harm to the Slovenian nation and the only path to heal the inherited wounds has been through international trade, close diplomatic coordination with the White House and cultural – tourism cooperation. In this context Washington has taken a keen interest towards Ljubljana and the incumbent President Joseph R. Biden has a monumental task ahead to deliver tangible results in the foreseeable political partnership that has reached new accomplishments in recent years. Today, Slovenia is a reliable member of the EU and NATO; its accomplishments are deeply interconnected with the values of freedom, the rule of law, human rights, human dignity and fundamental freedoms, shared with the United States. Ljubljana’s close partnership with Washington is paramount in ensuring economic progress, government accountability at home and geopolitical stability in the Balkans.