Ljubljana - Foreign Minister Anže Logar says that Slovenia's stint at the helm of the EU, which is about to end, has improved the Slovenian diplomatic service's reputation, position and reach in the world. The successful presidency also bodes well for Slovenia's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, he told the press on Thursday.

"Reactions in the international community but also messages given by senior representatives of these countries clearly show that we have improved the reputation, position and also the reach of Slovenia's diplomats in the world," Logar said at a news conference at which he spoke about the achievements of Slovenia's EU presidency.

The successful stint at the helm of the Council of the EU bodes well for Slovenia's bid to be elected a non-permanent member of the UN security Council in 2024-2025. "We have certainly raised our profile, which means it will be easier to approach international partners with whom we have not yet had close ties so far."

This Security Council bid offers Slovenia an excellent opportunity to use the experience, know-how and the entire diplomatic apparatus in the campaign to reach this national goal, said Logar, who is looking forward to the activities designed to win the 129 votes needed to get elected.

As to some of the specific achievements of the presidency, he listed a consensus on the EU's resilience to future crises, including cyberthreats, and digital transformation.

He also pointed to progress in the establishment of the European Health Union and a consensus on enhanced powers of the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as to the establishment of HERA, a new body for the EU's better preparedness to serious cross-border health threats.

However, the most important achievement in the EU's external policy is agreement on the EU enlargement conclusions, he said, stressing they presented a basis to start accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, which Logar expects to happen in the first half of 2022.