Minister sees floods as opportunity to improve cooperation with Carinthia
Globasnitz, 4 September - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon visited Monday the bilingual municipalities in the Austrian state of Carinthia that were recently hit by floods, and the municipalities that helped Slovenia in the flood relief effort. He said the floods were an opportunity to improve cooperation between Slovenia and Carinthia in natural disaster relief.
Ljubljana
Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
File photo
Speaking to the press in Globasnitz/Globasnica, Minister Arčon said that the floods that hit Slovenia in early August were an opportunity to address certain shortcomings, mainly those related to red tape, on a bilateral level in the future.
He added that, given that the safety of people on both sides of the border was the most important thing, Slovenia and Carinthia could try to win cross-border EU funds for protection and rescue, modelled after the Geopark Karawanken/Karavanke.
On behalf of the Slovenian government, Arčon also thanked the residents of Carinthia, the regional authorities, municipalities and members of the Slovenian minority who helped raise funds for the people affected by the floods in Slovenia.
The minister first met with representatives of the local authorities in Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla and the mayor of the municipality of Gallizien/Galicija, Hannes Mak, and inspected the damage done by a landslide in Globasnitz.
Arčon also met with the mayor of Globasnitz, Carinthian Slovenian Bernard Sadovnik, and the mayor of Sittersdorf/Žitara Vas, Gerhard Koller.
At a fair in Bleiburg/Pliberk, he met and talked with the mayors of Bleiburg, Neuhaus/Suha, Feistritz ob Bleiburg/Bistrica ob Pliberku and Eberndorf/Dobrla Vas.