The Slovenia Times

Presidents of Slovenia, Austria, Croatia to Discuss Regional Coop

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Borut Pahor, Heinz Fischer and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, respectively, will also exchange views on the EU's future and topical global issues.

The three presidents will discuss the upcoming meeting of heads of state of the Brdo Process regional cooperation initiative which focuses on the Western Balkans.

The Brdo Process summit is scheduled to be held in Montenegro in June. Austrian President Fischer and European Council president Donald Tusk have also been invited.

Meanwhile, a Brdo Process meeting of foreign ministers is planned for next week in Slovenia to debate the fight against terrorism and regional transport and energy infrastructure projects.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini are also expected to take part.

Western Balkan countries have been cooperating more closely recently and have been connecting with EU member states in many areas, including infrastructure and energy.

The region is making efforts to overcome the economic and social crisis to achieve political stability and create a better future for the young generations.

Pahor, Grabar-Kitarović and Fischer will start their working meeting in Logarska dolina in the afternoon.

The meeting will be followed by a press conference at 2:30 PM and a working lunch hosted by Pahor.

The three officials are also expected to do some sightseeing in the Alpine valley.

This will be the second trilateral meeting of the three countries' presidents, which are meant as a traditional annual exchange of opinions and an opportunity to debate issues concerning the three countries and Europe.

The first such meeting was held in March 2014 in Vienna at the initiative of the Slovenian president and the then Croatian President Ivo Josipović.

Pahor highlighted the importance of such initiatives at the time, saying that dialogue was crucial for peace and stability.

Since Croatia joined the EU in July 2013, Austria and Slovenia have been supporting trilateral cooperation within the EU.

The three countries' prime ministers are also meeting on a regular basis with their most recent, fourth meeting being held in Austria's Schladming in late March. The meeting was dominated by energy issues.

The Slovenian president last met his Austrian counterpart on the sideline of the summit of the Visegrad Group in the Czech capital Prague last December.

The pair exchanged views on political situation in their countries and discussed economic cooperation and the Western Balkans. At the meeting, Fischer expressed interest in taking part in the Brdo Process.

Pahor first met the new Croatian President Grabar-Kitarović on the sidelines of her inauguration in Zagreb on 15 February.

The pair then met for an informal working lunch in March to discuss cooperation and joint regional initiatives.

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