Minister Fajon meets with representatives of the Slovenian national minority in Trieste

Minister Fajon with representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy | Author MZEZ

The representatives thanked Minister Fajon for the attention that the Slovenian government has devoted to minority issues over the past four years. "The decision to preserve schools with Slovenian headteachers - an issue to which both Slovenian diplomacy and I personally have been particularly committed over the past week - is very good news. Nevertheless, challenges remain, particularly regarding the political representation of Slovenians in Italian representative bodies at both regional and national levels," said the Minister after the meeting.

Minister Fajon then raised the challenges facing the Slovenian minority in Italy at the meeting with Italian Minister Tajani. "Adequate political representation is of key importance for Slovenia and the Slovenian national minority in Italy, which is why we will continue to support the Slovenian community in resolving this issue," Minister Fajon emphasised. She congratulated the Italian minister on successfully hosting the Olympic Games and called for the Slovenia-Croatia-Italy trilateral meetings to resume as soon as possible. The two ministers agreed that, in the current geopolitically tense situation, cooperation between the two neighbouring countries in areas such as connectivity, logistics and energy is of strategic importance.

The 5th meeting between Minister Fajon and representatives of the Slovenian national minority during this term was attended by Monica Hrovatin, spokesperson for women's issues in the Democratic Party, who attended the meeting on behalf of Senator Tatjana Rojc; Nives Cossutta, president of the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Association; Walter Bandelj, president of the Council of Slovenian Organisations; Marko Pisani, councillor for the Slovene Union party (Ssk) in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Regional Council; Damijan Terpin, president of the Ssk; and Fulvia Premolin, regional secretary of the Ssk. Minister Fajon expressed her appreciation to the minority representatives for their dedicated work in their various roles and functions. "The future of the community lies in the coordinated efforts of all stakeholders and a united commitment to its survival and progress, to which Slovenia also remains committed," she said.

"More than 20 years after Slovenia joined the European Union, I am convinced that EU enlargement is a strategic necessity. Slovenia will continue to strive to accelerate the process, because only a larger EU can be a stronger one," said Minister Fajon during a panel discussion on the importance of EU enlargement. The Central European Initiative is the oldest and largest intergovernmental forum for regional cooperation in Europe. Its central mission is to promote European integration and sustainable development through regional cooperation. The CEI plays an important role as a regional forum for cooperation and consultation, promoting the political, economic and cultural integration of countries in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, and facilitating the transfer of best practices and technical assistance between EU member and non-member states.