Prime Minister Golob: The Slovenian Government is well aware of all the challenges

SLOVENIA, January 15 - In his speech, Prime Minister Golob said that it had been a challenging year and that the world needed hope. "The Slovenian Government is well aware of all the challenges we are facing both on the domestic and foreign policy fronts. Over the past year, we have managed to stabilise the economy, which is in excellent shape in Slovenia. We have stabilised public finances, so that the deficit is much lower than expected and public debt is also lower despite the challenging environment. As the budget for the next two years has already been adopted, we can plan our actions with a great deal of hope and optimism," the Prime Minister said. 

He added that we have already started to reap the rewards of our reform efforts. "The pay reform in the public sector is the first step Slovenia has taken to implement its reforms. Only a motivated and decently paid public sector can make reforms a success. Without this, talk about the success of reforms is just empty talk", the Prime Minister explained. 

He went on to refer to Slovenia's activities in international politics, stressing its presidency of the United Nations Security Council last year. "This presidency was marked above all by three crises, three wars, three catastrophes for humanity. The catastrophes in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. I would like to offer a ray of hope, because I truly believe that in the next few days we may finally see an end to the inhuman treatment by the Israeli military in Gaza and a ceasefire signed," the Prime Minister said.   

"Slovenia will do everything it can to ensure that this ceasefire remains in place and that the two-state solution is implemented. This will finally allow Palestine to take its place as a sovereign state in the world community," the Prime Minister said of the situation in Gaza. 

He added that he truly believes that the coming weeks and months bring a unique opportunity to end Russia's aggression against Ukraine. "I believe that the conditions are ripe for a just peace, which is what Ukrainians really want most of all in the world. The international community must put its own interests aside and look first and foremost at how to achieve a just peace. I believe that the opportunity lies ahead of us, and that we may seize it even sooner than we think," Prime Minister Golob said on the war in Ukraine. 

He went on to express his hope that peace would indeed come to these two most visible war zones. He expressed his conviction that Europe is also aware of the historic opportunities for the Eastern and South-Eastern regions in the area of enlargement. 

"I am convinced that in this mandate of the European Commission – also thanks to the Commissioner from Slovenia – the conditions for at least two, maybe even three, countries of the South-Eastern region to join the European Union will be fulfilled," the Prime Minister said in his address. He added: "I believe that it is the duty of all of us who are already members of the European family to give them this possibility of accession, without regard to our own particular interests. We will do everything to make it happen."

Prime Minister Golob also touched upon the importance of knowledge, which manifests itself in various fields, and Slovenia has recently made two very important steps in this area. "We have joined the European Space Agency, to reach for the stars. Just last week, Slovenia took over the presidency of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)," the Prime Minister stressed, thanking the diplomatic representatives for the trust that their countries have placed in Slovenia.

"Slovenia believes that the future of humanity lies in renewable energy sources. Slovenia believes that we must do everything we can to accelerate this future. Slovenia believes that the international community also recognises this and that together we will follow this path to create a better world for new generations," Prime Minister Robert Golob concluded.