Slovenia presents its EU presidency slogan, logo

"The slogan was picked as a response to the challenges the EU is faced with and as a response to the questions about the future development, which will be in the centre of debate on the future of Europe.

"During the presidency we will strive to actively contribute to the strengthening of the EU's resilience to crises in the areas of health, business, energy and climate, and the cyberspace," the office said.

Crucial for boosting resilience is mutual connectivity, cooperation and solidarity of all for the good of each and every European citizen, and this is what the slogan is all about, it added.

The government's EU presidency spokesman, Domen Petelin, said in a presentation video published on the website of the presidency www.si2021.eu launched today that the phrase Stronger Together was the common thread of the presidency trio of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. The word Europe represents "our future" to which debates on the future of Europe lead, he said.

"So the slogan consists of three separate yet interconnected messages. Together to a resilient Europe that will be efficient in addressing challenges," he said.

This was echoed by Prime Minister Janez Janša. "The Covid-19 pandemic is still present, but we must look beyond. The European Union faces many challenges that it can overcome only if it is united, free and at peace with itself," he said in an address on the website.

He said the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency were based on this. The first is to build a resilient and strategically autonomous Europe, which Janša says can only be achieved through unity and solidarity, and a digital and green economic recovery.

The second priority is the conference on the future of Europe, where Slovenia will promote debate on the implementation of EU principles and values. "Every voice must be heard and taken into account," he said.

The third priority is the union of the European way of life, the rule of law and equal standards for everyone, and the fourth a credible and safe EU that is capable of providing for stability and safety, especially in its neighbourhood. This is what the EU-Western Balkan summit will discuss, expectedly in early October, Janša said.

He added that the EU must strengthen its cooperation with NATO in order to preserve its safety, and increase its own capacities.

The Government Communication Office also presented the logo of the presidency today, which symbolises connectivity of Slovenia and the EU.

In the logo, a ribbon in the colours of the Slovenian flag draws a silhouette of Mt Triglav, Slovenia's national symbol representing the independent country that is at the same time a solid member of the European Union, the office said.

It also symbolises the ups and downs that are a part of the EU's development. However, precisely because of respect of the fundamental European values and persistent efforts of everyone for the common good the EU is even more resilient and more connected after every fall.

Above Mt Triglav, seven golden stars from the European flag represent the seventh stanza of France Prešeren's poem Toast, which is the Slovenian national anthem. Its lyrics call for dialogue and open society and promote the idea of cooperation and all nations living together in peace.

The logo was designed by Danijel Kovačič Grmek in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and the Government Communication Office.

Both the logo and the slogan are presented at www.si2021.eu, the new website about the presidency available in Slovenian, English, German, French, Italian and Hungarian. It features news about the presidency, a schedule of events, programme and information for the media.

The website is a new project, as in the past every presiding country set up its own website. A few years ago, several countries, including Slovenia, proposed that the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU in cooperation with the presiding country set up a single website for all presiding countries. Slovenia is the first country to use this joint solution.

The organisational part of the presidency is also presented on the website with Gregor Štajer, the head of the government secretariat in charge of presidency organisation, saying that the most important EU presidency events would take place at the Brdo pri Kranju estate.

Marjan Hribar, the director of the Brdo estate, said intensive preparations were under way for the presidency. Accommodation facilities are ready, the renovation of the hotel is coming to en end, and the congress centre is also ready, he asserted.