Ljubljana, 19/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Bureau of the EPP-ED Group at the European Parliament presided by Hans-Gert Pöttering spoke at the meeting in Ljubljana on 16 and 17 September of the economic changes that have taken place in the candidate countries, with the presidents of the parliamentary groups of these countries belonging to the EPP family. On this occasion, Mr Pöttering urged for a social market economy, and Andrej Bajuk, NSI President (and former Prime Minister of Slovenia), expressed concern about the time his country was taking to carry out reforms in some sectors, mainly the banking and insurance sectors. Speaking on behalf of Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, the Deputy Director General for Competition at the European Commission, Jean-François Pons, stressed how important it is for the Commission to attribute enlargement negotiations to the "competition" chapter.
The meeting in Ljubljana, attended by the co-chairpersons of the joint EU/Slovenia Parliamentary Committee, Michl Ebner and Janez Kramverger, the presidents of the Slovenian parties SDS, Janez Jansa, of the SLS-SKD, Franc But (Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries), and the NSI, Andrej Bajuk, as well as the representative of the European Commission in Ljubljana, Erwan Fouere, allowed more detailed discussion on the situation in Slovenia. Janez Jansa stressed on this occasion that 96% of the Slovenian parliamentarians support EU membership, as do 65% of citizens, according to the polls. In his view, however, referendum on accession would win over 70% of "yes" votes.