Ljubljana - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held a conference call on Monday with Molly Montgomery, deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State. The officials discussed preparations for Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of the year.

The talks focussed on Slovenia's priorities for its stint at the helm of the EU Council, starting in July, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Dovžan presented the four major priorities intended to strengthen the bloc's resilience to epidemics and other crises: the economic overhaul based on the digital and green transitions, the strengthening of the rule of law, preserving the European way of life, and a safe EU that is a reliable and good partner in the neighbourhood and the world.

One of the priorities of Slovenian presidency will also be to strengthen Transatlantic relations. The EU and US are natural and strong allies, who share history and have the same values and interests, the ministry said.

Today's talks are an operative continuation of strategic dialogue between Slovenia and the US, the ministry noted.

According to the ministry, the officials expressed satisfaction with the progress in bilateral relations. Slovenia and the US officially launched strategic dialogues in December 2020 in Washington, which is a comprehensive upgrade of the friendly, strategic and allied relations.

The numerous ties and cooperation between the two countries and nations will definitely continue and strengthen, also in light of the upcoming Slovenian presidency to the EU Council, according to the ministry.

Just like the world on a global level, the transatlantic community is faced with numerous challenges. Addressing them would require close cooperation on both sides of the Atlantic, the ministry said.