US election: President Pahor stresses US-Slovenia friendship
"We are allied as part of NATO and I will strive for the friendship and the alliance to be deepened further. The American people have the right to decide on their leader. The American people have decided. In the coming four years, Trump will lead the US, which is a country on friendly terms with Slovenia," Pahor said in his first response.
According to the president, Trump's win is a lesson that people "are not afraid to vote for change, even for change that seems radical in the eyes of most".
"Trump has shown the importance of sincerity in communication between politicians and the public...Sincerity is the foundation for trust in general and in politics," Pahor stressed.
He added that it was not necessary for a head of state to please everyone, "but those who do not agree with their decisions must believe they are sincere".
People in the US and around the globe are posing many legitimate questions today and the time until the new president takes over should be used to try and "prudently establish what the next steps of the new administration could be".
Asked when he could be expected to invite the 45th American president to Slovenia, Pahor said that the country had diverse political, economic and other relations with the US.
"Bilateral visits have been very productive ever since Slovenia gained independence. I thus expect that we will quickly and efficiently develop an effective, open and firm relationship based on trust."
According to the president's office, Pahor sent Trump a letter today, in which he congratulated Trump on his election and said Slovenia looked forward to further effective cooperation with the US in all areas of common interest.
The Slovenian president also expressed his "pleasure and pride" that Trump's spouse and new US First Lady Melania Trump was of Slovenian origin.