Migration, minority and nuclear in focus of high-level Italy-Slovenia meeting

Brdo pri Kranju, 29 October - Slovenia hosted the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy on Tuesday. Co-chaired by foreign ministers Tanja Fajon and Antonio Tajani, the event discussed a number of topics, including migration, national minorities, economic cooperation and nuclear energy.

Brdo pri Kranju
Italian and Slovenian foreign ministers Antonio Tajani (left) and Tanja Fajon (right) talking to the press after co-chairing the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Italian and Slovenian foreign ministers Antonio Tajani (left) and Tanja Fajon (right) sign an implementation programme on cooperation in culture and education for the period between 2024 and 2029.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon (cetre) at the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (cetre) during the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
The 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (cetre) during the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon (cetre) at the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
The 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon (cetre) at the 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA

Brdo pri Kranju
The 8th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA



Addressing the press after the meeting, Tajani and Fajon said that their countries continued to strengthen what are already good relations, as well cooperation in a number of fields.

Fajon said the meeting discussed the potential of joint projects in a variety of fields, such as water management, fisheries, energy and climate action, among others.

The foreign ministers share the view that business cooperation between Slovenia and Italy is good, but the countries want to boost it further.

Tajani told the press that the meeting discussed nuclear energy, adding that it is crucial for the competitive edge of Italy's business sector. The country favours a combination of nuclear and renewable energy after shying away from nuclear following the Chernobyl accident.

Italy has four nuclear power plants, while Slovenia has one and is amid a heated debate about a second reactor.

Answering a question about nuclear power from the press, Fajon confirmed that Italy was interested in participating in the construction of Slovenia's second reactor should the project be launched.

Slovenia and Italy could exchange knowledge in a number of fields, said Tajani, singling out agriculture and endorsing the idea to establish a Slovenian-Italian business forum.

Another key field for both countries is migration and border control, with the two ministers praising the cooperation between the country's police forces. Fajon added that another trilateral meeting with Croatia had been agreed and was to be hosted by Slovenia next year.

Tajani said that decisions about introducing border controls are based on the international security situation. He expressed concern over increasing frequency of migrants on the Balkan route, also mentioning the smuggling of drugs and weapons.

"Slovenia is a dedicated advocate of preserving the Schengen Area, but the current security situation does not allow for controls on internal borders to be abolished," Fajon said. Tajani said the border crossing checks could be abolished once security is ensured.

Italy reintroduced border checks with Slovenia just over a year ago, and in accordance with the most recent extension, the measure will remain in place until mid-June 2025.

Fajon and Tajani also signed today an implementation programme on cooperation in culture and education for the period between 2024 and 2029. Among other things, the document pertains to the European Capital 2025, which will be hosted by the neighbouring border towns Nova Gorica and Gorizia.

Fajon said that the 2025 European Capital of Culture would be a unique project connecting people on both sides of the Slovenia and Italian border, and would provide a roadmap for a future in a connected Europe.

Tajani meanwhile proposed that Gorizia host the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers of Slovenia and Italy. The last meeting took place in Rome in 2021 under foreign ministers Anže Logar and Luigi di Maio.

Today's meeting also discussed representation of the Slovenian minority in Italian representative bodies. "Slovenia appreciates honest and constructive dialogue with Italy about the issues that are important to the Slovenian national community in Italy," said Fajon.

Tajani said he supported the minority, which also received support from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. He rejected the possibility of the minority getting an MP of its own in the Italian parliament. He believes the community is capable of having its representative elected without a mechanism that would guarantee this.

Tajani also met in Gorizia today with Damijan Terpin, the president of the Slovenian Community (SSk), the Slovenian minority party in Italy, and Walter Bandelj of the Council of Slovenian Organisations (SSO), both of whom raised the issue of representation of the Slovenian minority in the Italian parliament in Rome.

The SSk said in a press release that this is exceptionally important for the national community, as legislative changes could enable Slovenians in Italy to have guaranteed or at least facilitated representation in the parliament.

It added that Tajani offered his support to the party's efforts and expressed his readiness for a new meeting.

Fajon and Tajani also talked about international issues, including the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. They condemned alleged interference in the recent elections in Moldova and Georgia, and expressed the hope that the two countries will make swift headway toward EU membership.

In addition to the foreign ministers, the meeting in Brdo pri Kranju featured government ministers and state secretaries from the departments in charge of interior affairs, economy, agriculture, environment, climate, energy, natural resources and spatial planning.

Oct 29, 2024, 20:50 zm/mas/zm