No more support for Donald Trump! The Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council wants to strengthen relations with Joe Biden’s United States and with Canada.
On Wednesday 14 July, Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar outlined his country’s priorities for the Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021. He did so at the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, stating that the priorities include strengthening the transatlantic partnership with regard to all challenges facing the EU.
“Our Presidency wants to include this transatlantic dimension in all of our priorities in order that we can revitalise this crucial geopolitical relationship with our North American allies. We will be able to better face up to the current and future challenges”, explained the minister, while also specifying that this would be carried out independently of the process for a more resilient and autonomous Europe. He also called for greater dialogue and practical cooperation with NATO.
As areas of cooperation between the EU and North American countries, Mr Logar made reference to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, a green and sustainable recovery, trade, investments, technology and the Western Balkans.
“We want to gain a new perspective regarding the Atlantic in the region” of the Western Balkans, he explained. The Minister also said that his country wanted to focus on achieving stability, prosperity and sustainable development for this “vital and strategic” region for the EU (see EUROPE 12754/4). He noted that his country wished to continue the work previously carried out by the German and Portuguese Presidencies of the EU Council, which advanced the Western Balkans from a European perspective and, in particular, they wanted accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania to be opened “as soon as possible”.
The Minister also spoke about the Indo-Pacific region, among other items. He announced that he had invited the Indian Foreign Minister to attend the informal meeting of European Foreign Ministers (Gymnich) on 2–3 September in Brdo.
Mr Logar also gave his support for a new summit between EU Member States and China, noting that relations with China were an issue of growing importance.
When asked about the state of the Rule of law in his country, Mr Logar explained that he was “not satisfied”, adding that he was looking forward to discussing the Rule of law in the EU as part of the General Affairs Council.
During the debate, the Chair of the subcommittee on Security and Defence, Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, France) regretted that the Slovenian Defence Minister had refused to appear before the subcommittee “on the grounds that defence is a strictly national competence”. She described this attitude as “unusual and surprising”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)