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President receives the Slovak Foreign Minister

Ljubljana, 01/21/2005 | press release

President Drnovšek today received the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Eduard Kukan. In his introduction Minister Kukan conveyed to Dr Drnovšek the greetings of the Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič, and presented the current situation in Slovakia. He pointed out the ongoing reforms in the field of taxation, health, social security and education. Slovakia would like to focus primarily on developmental projects, stressed Dr Kukan. He also added that the ratification of the European Constitution would be one of the main issues in Slovakia in the coming months.

The introduction of the Euro also featured in the talks. According to Dr Kukan thorough preparations will precede the introduction of the Euro planned for 2008 or 2009. They also devoted some attention to relations between Slovakia and Ukraine. Dr Kukan emphasised that Slovakia had been striving for friendly and good neighbourly ties with Ukraine, and expressed his hope that the change in Ukraine would help improve the situation in the country. Dr Drnovšek closed by saying that the relations between Slovenia and Slovakia had been developing very well, and that the planned visit by the Slovak President to Slovenia this summer would further contribute to this end.