Slovenia’s President Dr Danilo Türk: “During the presidency of the EU it is important to act for the benefit of all.”

Ljubljana, 8.1.2008  |  press release

Dr Danilo Türk, President of the Republic of Slovenia, received the members of the European Commission this afternoon and addressed his distinguished guests with the following speech on Slovenia’s Presidency of the European Union:

“Slovenia accepted the responsibility of the presidency with all due diligence and feeling for collective work, as well as with the necessary self-confidence. We are aware that the presidency is most effective when expressing the interests and needs of everyone. We will make every effort to preside to the satisfaction of all European Union Member States – large and small, original and recent. We know that this is a demanding task. We know, too, that a successfully completed task of such complexity requires consistency. Therefore our Presidency of the EU will be permeated with the principles of the European Union, which are at the same time the principles of international law and the best guide for the work of the European Union and the presiding Member State.

Today’s beginning of Slovenia’s Presidency of the European Union is related to the activities marking the beginning of European intercultural dialogue. Recently, a large part of Europe has removed the last obstacles preventing the free crossing of national borders. This is therefore the right moment for an in-depth discussion about the new horizons of European intercultural dialogue. Ljubljana and Slovenia are the right places for such dialogue. Slovenia thoroughly respects its culture, for the identity of the nation is historically linked to culture. However, we do not experience culture as something that separates us from other nations. On the contrary, culture means integration, and our history is one of integrating great European cultural traditions: Slavic, Romance and Germanic. We are also open to all necessary discussions about culture in Europe and about the role of Europe in strengthening universal values and global cultural dialogue.

Europe and Europeans nowadays live in an era of important tasks and important opportunities. Our common interest is to successfully complete our tasks and take advantage of our opportunities. This will ensure the further success of the European project and place Europe in the role it is capable of playing in the world.”