Merkel and Jansa Call for Stronger and Dynamic Europe
Prime Minister Janez Jansa and his host and counterpart Angela Merkel made a joint call in Berlin on Wednesday for the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy which is to enhance the development of Europe.
Jansa, paying a one-day official visit to Germany, stressed that Slovenia was already trying "to implement a key part of the Lisbon Strategy" with the government-sponsored economic and social reforms.
The prime minister, who was accompanied by Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on the trip, added that there are several similarities between the reforms being prepared in Slovenia and Germany. Merkel meanwhile believes the development of Slovenia's economy improved to the point when changes are no longer an easy task.
The implementation of the Lisbon Strategy will be the main topic at the upcoming EU summit on 23 and 24 March, with a special focus on the EU services directive, which has been met with mixed feelings in Slovenia.
"The directive is a compromise between what is needed for the development of the EU services market and its affects on the employees in the EU countries," Merkel endorsed the compromise proposal that was passed by the European Parliament in first reading in February.
The pair also focused on Slovenia's and Germany's respective stints at the helm of the EU in 2007 and 2008, the European constitution, EU prospects for the Balkans, as well as the EU peacekeeping mission in DR Congo.
"Germany generally supports the European prospects for the Balkans," Merkel said, adding that the region could be offered privileged partnership. However, the region cannot reach political stability without being given European prospects, she believes.
"Without European prospects there are no positive alternatives for the Balkans," Jansa said. "The EU should play a positive and decisive role for the future of this region, otherwise war and destruction could return to these countries," he added.
The pair moreover shared a view that for Europe to open its doors to the Balkans, the EU needs an institutional upgrade. "Without institutional intervention in the structure of the EU it will be difficult to imagine future EU expansions," Merkel explained.
Jansa and Merkel also discussed economic cooperation between the two countries, as Germany is the most important economic partner for Slovenia, with 22% of Slovenia's trade conducted with Germany.
With Germany being Slovenia's fifth biggest investor, Jansa believes the cooperation will even be strengthened after the two countries sign a convention on the avoidance of double taxation.
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