PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, MILAN KUCAN, AT THE MEETING OF THE SLOVENE DIPLOMATIC CORPS

Ljubljana, 25 March 1997


AT THE MEETING OF THE SLOVENE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, IN CONNECTION WITH INTEGRATION INTO EUROPEAN AND ATLANTIC ALLIANCES, PRESIDENT KUCAN STATED THE FOLLOWING:

Membership of the EU and NATO, as well as of the OECD is a vital interest for Slovenia. It represents, moreover, the fulfilment of the plebiscite decision on the independence of Slovenia regarding its establishment in the international community. Slovenia has practically no alternative with regard to NATO and particularly to the EU. To a large extent, the task of attaining this goal and of becoming a full member of the EU is therefore similar, in ambition and complexity, to the implementation of the decision on an independent Slovene state. At that time a programme of independence was adopted and a 6-month deadline for its implementation defined. All the ministries prepared their respective programmes, which were being coordinated and managed at government level. Now, too, preparation of such a programme is indispensable, along with the pre-accession strategy and programme of legislation harmonisation. Now, too, most efficient coordination and management of all the ministries and other institutions at government level is required. Now, too, it is necessary to ensure total commitment, with specified deadlines and a highly professional level of expert work; including the preparation of the ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU in the National Assembly. Such an approach will show that the endeavours and ambitions of Slovenia are genuine, it will enable serious partnership in a dialogue on the pre-accession strategy and membership of the EU. Anything else is improvisation, far beneath the level of the actual compexity of the task, the significance of the goal, and, of course, the reputation and credibility Slovenia already enjoys in the EU!