By: P.T., source: gov.si
During today’s working visit to The Hague, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met his host, Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The two ministers confirmed the excellent and friendly relations between their respective countries, advocating for the further strengthening of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Minister Logar presented the priorities of Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2021 and welcomed the compromise of the last European Council meeting on the budgetary conditionality mechanism. In this context, he advocated for a continued constructive cooperation with the Netherlands, including in light of Slovenia’s upcoming EU Council Presidency.
Minister Logar expressed interest in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, highlighting digitisation and green technologies as key areas of opportunity. With trade worth EUR 1.6 billion, the Netherlands ranks 10th among Slovenian foreign trade partners. Owing to direct investment worth EUR 1.2 billion, the country is also the 6th most important foreign investor in Slovenia.
Regarding topical European issues, the ministers discussed the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and financing the economic recovery, jointly advocating for continued efforts to improve the coordination of actions at the EU level. They hoped that the use of a safe and effective vaccine will lead to a gradual normalisation of life over the coming months.
The discussion provided the opportunity to assess the migration situation and security in Europe and the world. The ministers talked about the changed security environment, focusing on the situation in the Western Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Turkey. They also touched on relations with the United States, the Russian Federation, and China.
The primary aim of the visit was to strengthen friendly relations and continue the bilateral political dialogue. Foreign Minister Blok last visited Slovenia on 9 October 2019.