EU PRESIDENCY: Slovenia - From Aspiring to Presiding EU Member

Ljubljana, 14 November - Slovenia will embark on a six-month spell as EU presiding country on 1 January 2008 in what will be the culmination of its aspirations since it declared independence in 1991. The country joined the EU on 1 May 2004, eight years after it signed the Europe Agreement, whose preamble set full-fledged membership as the final goal. Accession talks were launched in 1998, while membership won landslide support from public in a 2003 referendum. Slovenia introduced the euro earlier this year and is set to join the Schengen area by the end of it.