By: UKOM
At the webinar organized by the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations in Belgium, Minister of Defence Matej Tonin, MSc, presented the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council in the defence and security sector.
The webinar was moderated by Dr Sven Biscop, expert in the field of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, and defence and security fields in general. The webinar was attended by broad interested professional and general public from Slovenia and EU institutions, and representatives of Member States, international organizations and third countries.
Minister of Defence Matej Tonin, MSc opened the webinar by saying that the main topics of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the defence and security sector very well reflect Slovenia’s overall Presidency slogan – Together. Resilient. Europe. According to Minister Tonin, MSc, the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency are related to the strengthening of the EU’s horizontal resilience, recovery and strategic autonomy, whereby he specifically emphasized the importance of cooperation and teamwork. He said that Slovenia was committed to green and digital transformation, and that, following the experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, it would devote attention to the promotion of cooperation and integration of lessons learned. Furthermore, it will continue its work related to the Conference on the Future of Europe, as well as the discussions on the European way of life and the rule of law.
With regard to the Common Security and Defence Policy, Minister Tonin, MSc, underlined that Slovenia would direct its efforts towards strengthening the EU’s credibility and security, and building up the capabilities which the EU will use to achieve a more appropriate and determined response to crises through closer cooperation, while preserving values and freedoms, and respecting diversity. The priorities of Slovenian Presidency also derive from Slovenia’s history and its geographical characteristics, said Minister Tonin, MSc, and highlighted the four key themes – EU-NATO partnership, Western Balkans, energy efficiency in the defence sector, and the continuation of the Strategic Compass process. In the field of the Civil Protection, the Slovenian Presidency will focus on the development of the Union’s objectives for disaster resilience, and on the establishment and launching of the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network.