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Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_06_št.11 - Index

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proud that such a responsible task was entrusted to us. From
the organizational, logistical and content point of view, this
was a demanding task, and one of the biggest projects since
independence. Like all the tasks entrusted before, this was also
handled in a thoughtful, responsible and careful manner.
Six months is not a long period, although in this period a huge
number of sessions, networking and other meetings took place
in Slovenia, in other states of the EU and outside the EU. Slovenia
had a chance to show its leadership skills, understanding of
European institutions and their meaning for the lives of all citizens
of the Union. It is important that in this period Slovenia was also
successfully presented, not only in the framework of the EU, but
outside its borders.
The priority tasks of the Slovene Presidency were to a large
extent established in the 18-month programme of the German,
Portugal and Slovenian Presidency, and also in the Review of
Inherited Agenda of the EU Council. In all five areas (the future
of the European Union and entering into force of the Lisbon
Treaty; the initiation of a new cycle of the Lisbon Strategy; solving
energy-climate problems; the issue of EU enlargement, especially
the Western Balkans; encouraging dialogue between different
cultures, beliefs and traditions in the framework of the European
Year of the Intercultural Dialogue) we managed to the best of
our abilities.
Presiding over the EU Council is a task performed at state level.
However, the role of the parliament of the Member State is far
from negligible. The EU is aware of the fact that it is precisely
parliaments that are closely connected to its citizens through
its members. Through national parliaments, important EU
information reaches every individual rapidly - and also vice versa:
the expectations and intentions of the general public reach the
leading EU institutions. Therefore it is wholly appropriate that
parliaments have a certain role in presiding over the EU Council.
Thus, the National Assembly undertook its tasks responsibly, and
carried them out successfully in a correct manner.
During the Presidency, we organized a number of parliamentary
committee meetings of Member States in Slovenia. In these
months we organized meetings of parliamentary committees
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for European affairs, foreign affairs, defence, the economy,
the environment and spatial planning, agriculture and culture.
Together with the European Parliament we prepared and carried
out two inter-parliamentary meetings: in February to discuss
the Lisbon Strategy, and in May, the Western Balkans; both
took place in Brussels. At these meetings we dealt with topics
of interest which were in accordance with the priorities of the
Presidency. Six months is a short period. Substantively, success
of the Presidency can be seen already in the fact that the most
important topics remain on the agenda. If a step forward is
taken in resolving important issues, the six months period of the
Presidency can be appraised as successful.
We were among the first to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, on 29
January 2008, and thus contributed a positive example for
ratification procedures in other Member States. Notwithstanding
the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in the referendum in Ireland,
I remain convinced that the Lisbon Treaty presents a good and
necessary basis for the further, more democratic and more
efficient functioning of the European Union. The establishment
of the Euro-Mediterranean University with a head office in
Piran, in which all the more important regions of the Euro-
Mediterranean space are represented, is also worth mentioning.
We had reinforced the opinion of the European parliamentary
public that all the states in the Western Balkans sincerely want to
join the EU, and that to this end they are willing to consistently
fulfil the necessary conditions; the members of the parliaments
of the Western Balkan countries accepted the clear demand that,
unless they resolve outstanding international disputes, they can
not anticipate real inclusion in the EU. On 5 March, the National
Assembly decided to recognise the independence and sovereignty
of Kosovo. The issue of the so-called Kosovo Case was not
simple, but I believe that we handled it correctly and intelligently.
In both cases it is true that one state, although presiding, can
not decide in the name of all twenty-seven. Nevertheless, in the
circle of these twenty-seven states, there must be a desire to seek
compromise solutions of common interest, and a great sense of
solidarity. They both strengthen our affiliation to the European
Union, and make it a strong player outside our borders.
The meetings which took place under the auspices of the National
Assembly were an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions
on topics that are significant for the future of the EU, and also
an opportunity to upgrade the foundations of the co-operation
between national parliaments and the European Parliament, and
consequently to strengthen the parliamentary dimension in the
work of the EU.
We received a number of sincere commendations and
recognitions. Slovenia has once again proved that it can carry out
such an important task as the European Union Council Presidency
to a high standard. We were proud when we handed over the
steering wheel to France, the next state presiding over the EU
Council.
antonio Missiroli
dIRECTOR OF STudIES - EuROPEAN POLICy CENTRE:
SLOVENIA’S PRESIdENCy CAN bE SEEN
AS A quALIFIEd SuCCESS
It is always difficult - and ultimately a bit arbitrary - to evaluate
an outgoing EU Presidency: its role is quintessentially hybrid
(agenda setter, honest broker, first ’reactor’), expectations vary
and also evolve, and unexpected events trump the script and
determine the outcome. Slovenia’s case was special - as the first
new Member State from the ‘class’ of 2004 to take over that
responsibility - and special turned out to be the circumstances that
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