Delo: Not to be outside Europe

Ljubljana, 14 July - Just like Messrs. Kučan and Rupel before him, Dr. Drnovšek's quest for Brussels and the center of the EC has a definite goal: to bring Slovenia closer to the EC until we become a member. For the moment, we can expect only that if it is in fact possible to discuss a so-called cooperation agreement, this will be quite enough. After that we can discuss the future nature of contacts. It certainly cannot harm Slovenia if we participate in international processes more actively, since these agreements are in effect a trade-off where you cannot just take things, writes Stojan Žitko in the Theme of the Day of the morning edition of Delo.
Slovenia cannot remain an isolated island in the middle of the world. If somebody believes that it would be best for our country to be isolated, and to deal with the problems within the country first, whereupon the rest will sort itself out spontaneously, he is most certainly wrong. But if this position is promoted in the political arena, its apologist is undoubtedly operating against our vital interests. If we get taken in by some of the words of those politicians who seem to know everything about nothing, we will forfeit that chance which others would certainly not want to miss. One can meet Mr. Delors when Mr. Delors is willing to do so. It would, therefore, be a poor show if Slovenia through its own fears should trail far behind, while the others had jumped one step ahead, writes Stojan Žitko.