Tuhelj - The prime ministers of Slovenia and Croatia, Janez Janša and Andrej Plenković, agreed that relations between the countries are good as they took part in an international conference on tourism in Tuhelj, Croatia, on Friday. Janša pointed to opportunities for cooperation in joint investments and welcomed Croatia's imminent entry into the eurozone.

Plenković also underlined the close ties between Slovenia and Croatia. The border issues, he said, had never affected the cooperation between many entrepreneurs and people in both countries, adding that good relations must be nurtured.

"That's the point of smart politics. Building bridges and developing cooperation, not exclusion and quarrelling," said Plenković, adding that Croatia would continue to pursue such policies and encourage the resolution of outstanding issues.

Janša agreed with the need for cooperation and dialogue in that regard. He added that despite the two countries' different positions on several issues, cooperation between them is excellent, especially since Croatia has entered the EU.

He pointed out that about one third of all Slovenian investments abroad are in Croatia, that Slovenia supports Croatia on its path to the Schengen area, and welcomed Croatia's imminent accession to the eurozone.

"It's clear that Croatia's entry into the eurozone will also be welcomed in Slovenia. Being able to use the same currency will make many things easier," he said.

According to Janša, Croatia's introduction of the euro will also boost cooperation in other segments, for instance the cooperation between the three ports of Rijeka, Koper and Trieste.

At the conference, the two prime ministers also discussed the past touristic season, how it was affected by the anti-Covid measures and how cooperation in this area could be strengthened.

Their assessment was that Slovenia and Croatia complement each other well in tourism, but that there is some more room for strengthening cooperation.

Slovenian Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek also attended the conference, saying that he was pleased that the tourism industry had weathered the Covid crisis. "Our aim was to preserve businesses and jobs," he added.

Friday's "Tourism 365" conference in Tuhelj was organised by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian Tourist Board.