Logar said that Slovenia would strive for the "recovery from Covid-19 to also be a green recovery", the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The minister said that, for this reason, it was key that member states insisted on their commitment that joint macro-regional priorities of strategic importance for the region were considered when funds from the new EU financial perspective were allocated.

Another important topic of Slovenia's chairmanships will be the Western Balkans, as part of which the country will strive for the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to be implemented.

Special attention will be paid to continuing the EU enlargement process, regarding which Logar expressed satisfaction with Albania and North Macedonia starting their respective EU accession negotiations.

The Slovenian foreign minister noted that, due to the overlap of many topics and priorities, the chairmanship of the two initiatives was in fact an overture for Slovenia's presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021.

Logar took part in the conference upon invitation from Serbian counterpart Ivica Dačić and Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović.

The meeting was also about sharing opinions about the roles of both initiatives and about the ways for successful regional cooperation in mitigating the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Logar thanked Serbia for the successful chairmanship of both initiatives despite the demanding conditions of the pandemic and praised the cooperation between the countries' health authorities and police forces in enabling the free flow of essential goods.

On 1 June, Slovenia will assume what will be its third chairmanship of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative, coming after 2003-2004 and 2012-2013, and the first chairmanship of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region.

Slovenia will also be putting emphasis on economic cooperation and the region's tackling of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in an environment friendly and sustainable way, the ministry added.