"Slovenia to back SAA unfreezing"

Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar has called for an unfreezing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) for Serbia. He added that his country would make every effort within the EU to have the visa regime for Serbian citizens lifted as of this autumn. "Slovenia to back SAA unfreezing" Zbogar said that relations between Serbia and Slovenia were very good now, that he had established good relations with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic, and that Slovenia's Prime Minister Borut Pahor was poised to visit Serbia sometime in March. “I think that this will be a very important visit, since we have not made such a high-level visit for years,“ Zbogar said in an interview for daily Blic. “Our prime minister will come to Belgrade in the company of a business delegation, because trade is very important for both of our countries,“ he said, pointing out that overall trade had reached over EUR 1bn. He added that there were a great many Slovenian investments in Serbia and vice versa. Zbogar said that he was sure that European states had no particular reserves about Serbia progressing towards EU membership. “Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that Serbia has gone through an exceptionally difficult time. It currently has a government that espouses EU integration and moving towards the EU, and I think the EU wants the same thing. The only obstacle on that path right now is [Ratko] Mladic and full cooperation with the Hague court.“

"Slovenia to back SAA unfreezing"

Žbogar said that relations between Serbia and Slovenia were very good now, that he had established good relations with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremić, and that Slovenia's Prime Minister Borut Pahor was poised to visit Serbia sometime in March.

“I think that this will be a very important visit, since we have not made such a high-level visit for years,“ Žbogar said in an interview for daily Blic.

“Our prime minister will come to Belgrade in the company of a business delegation, because trade is very important for both of our countries,“ he said, pointing out that overall trade had reached over EUR 1bn.

He added that there were a great many Slovenian investments in Serbia and vice versa.

Žbogar said that he was sure that European states had no particular reserves about Serbia progressing towards EU membership.

“Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that Serbia has gone through an exceptionally difficult time. It currently has a government that espouses EU integration and moving towards the EU, and I think the EU wants the same thing. The only obstacle on that path right now is [Ratko] Mladić and full cooperation with the Hague court.“