Mit - Index

Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_06_št.11 - Index

INteRviEw
THERE ARE REPROACHES HEARd THAT
SLOVENIA dId NOT dO ENOuGH TO
ENCOuRAGE NEGOTIATIONS bETwEEN
CROATIA ANd THE Eu. wHAT dO yOu SAy?
During the Slovenian Presidency, the accession negotiations
between the EU and Croatia continued in accordance with
the negotiation framework, the enlargement strategy and the
decisions of the European Council from December 2007. The
negotiations on the EU side are led by the European Commission,
not the presiding country, and they advance according to the
fulfilment of membership conditions and criteria known in
advance. During our Presidency, Croatia opened negotiations
on those chapters for which conditions have been fulfilled.
Unfortunately, after the elections, our neighbouring country
occupied itself for too long with the one-sided attempt to
initiate an Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone, even though
the country had committed itself otherwise in the accession
documents. Had they acted differently, that would have enabled
them to fulfil the conditions for the additional opening chapters,
which was then not possible. Of course, Slovenia would offer its
help, because it is also in our country’s interest that Croatia joins
the European family as soon as possible.
IN THE LAST SIx MONTHS INFLATION
wAS ALSO A bIG SubJECT, THE LEAdING
CAuSES OF wHICH wERE SuPPOSEd TO
bE THE HIGH PRICES OF FOOd ANd OIL
dERIVATIVES. yOuR PARTy PROGRAMME
FOR THE NExT TERM ACCENTuATES THE
IMPORTANCE OF LONG-TERM ECONOMIC
GROwTH ANd THE FAIR dISTRIbuTION
OF wEALTH CREATEd - wELFARE FOR
ALL. HOw wOuLd yOu RELIEVE THE
dIFFICuLTIES OF PEOPLE CAuSEd by
HIGH OIL ANd FOOd PRICES?
The high prices of oil and food affect us all, especially people in
developing countries. This is a complicated phenomenon, with
several causes and consequences, affecting EU politics in all fields.
In the agriculture sector the EU has already taken measures to
relieve the pressure of food prices by selling intervention stock,
decreasing export subsidies, abolishing the fallow land obligation
for 2008, increasing milk quotas and temporarily abolishing
import customs duties on cereals, which enabled the EU to
improve supply and help stabilize agricultural markets. But these
are all just short-term measures. At the June EU summit there
was a constructive debate with suggestions for a systematic and
long-term approach to solving this problem. We must continue
to try to increase energy efficiency, competitiveness, energy
savings and energy source diversity. The national governments
of Member States must take measures in their own countries.
Slovenia has already taken measures with the means available.
Unfortunately, we can not affect oil and raw material prices, and
this contributes to what I have said before - that these issues
should be dealt with systematically on a global scale.
sinfo 11 18
NO dOubT THE PRESIdENCy HAS MAdE
SLOVENIA MORE RECOGNIzAbLE IN
EuROPE ANd THE wORLd. SLOVENIA
HAS ALSO FOuNd ITSELF STANdING
FIRMLy ON THE EuROPEAN POLITICAL
MAP, wHICH IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.
by LEAdING THE Eu SLOVENIA, wAS
SuPPOSEd TO bE ‘bAPTISEd by
FIRE’. wHAT dOES ALL THIS MEAN
IN PRACTICE, HOw dOES IT AFFECT
SLOVENIA IN PRACTICE?
The more Slovenians are active and recognised on the world stage,
the better solutions, agreements and benefits we can guarantee for
ourselves. The Presidency of the Council of European Union and the
European Council was an important investment in the future of our
country in this regard.
We shouldn’t forget that during the Presidency Slovenia was visited by
a few ten thousand journalists, politicians, officials and world public
opinion makers, who were able to get to know our culture and our
natural sites of special interest. The positive opinion they gained about
our country and people is a great contribution to the promotion of
Slovenia. We also presented Slovenia to guests at a number of culturalpromotional
events we organized in European states.
HOw dO yOu SEE THE FuTuRE
dEVELOPMENT OF THE Eu, THE
SOMETIMES CONFLICTING NATIONAL
ANd EuROPEAN INTERESTS?
There are things that have bound Europe together in spite of its
diversity. I’m talking about common values and a common European
identity. After the horrors of the First and Second World Wars,
Europe has found a common language. The great European family
is still bonding after fifty years. We are preserving diversity in culture,
language and tradition, because our unity is based on common
values: freedom, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and
equality. What is important is that we all face the common challenges
of the 21st century, which are: the struggle against poverty, terrorism
and climate change. We have to be aware that nobody will be able to
face these challenges alone - we have to unite our power, knowledge
and experience and find suitable answers to the challenges of our
time, which will greatly affect our common future.
Of course, each country has its own national interests. Each Member
State usually follows its own national interests, but they can not be
implemented regardless of the others. The search for consensus is
one of the pillars of the EU.
The Slovene national interest was to successfully carry out the
Presidency of the European Union. Even though it was our first try,
judging from the international assessment, we reached our goal
regarding our national interest, as well as taking steps forward that
are important to other Member States. And as long as they continue
to implement the European agenda by implementing their own
interests and vice versa, there is no need to fear for our common
future. Experience has taught us that the EU has found its way
forward each time it has been put to the test - especially because
we know how to keep in step and find solutions which don’t exclude
anybody.