The European Commission’s office for enlargement was one of the departments Slovenia was interested in. Therefore we have started our interview with Miro Cerar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia asking him how he sees the role of Slovenia in the Western Balkans region and its ability to contribute to the enlargement process.
The Western Balkans is of strategic importance for Slovenia and the EU. Close EU contact with the countries of the region will be one of the priorities of Slovenia’s presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021. Within the EU we actively strive to keep the region in focus and have tried to put ideas into concrete action. Slovenia helped initiate the Brdo-Brijuni Process, which was the first reminder to the rest of the EU that we need to pay more attention to the region. The lessons learned from the Brdo-Brijuni Process have been taken on board also through the Berlin process summits. Slovenia has also launched the Positive agenda for the youth of the region. We will continue to help and support the region and its enlargement process, but there are things that the countries of the region also need to do themselves”, says Mr Cerar.
What do you see as the main issues and challenges Europe is facing right now? How do you see the EU after Brexit?
The EU went through a difficult period of severe crises over the past decade, which have left Member States and some sections of their populations affected one way or another. The European integration process needs to benefit all Member States equally. Particular attention should be paid to the Single Market to enable sustainable development and the protection of the welfare state in all Member States. The EU should strengthen its commitment to the rule of law, where we have witnessed some negative trends recently. Freedom of movement cannot always compensate for the effects of stagnant harmonisation and the integration of services. It can even lead to adverse effects on the competitiveness and productivity of economically weaker Member States, especially if this stimulates brain drain. Measures to identify and redress such adverse market effects should be developed as a priority. Moreover, well-targeted financial instruments are needed to support social cohesion, both in the EU and in the Euro area. The geopolitical situation today requires a stronger international role of the EU in the world. The states of the upcoming EU presidency (Germany, Portugal, Slovenia) are committed to strengthening the EU’s global role during our consecutive presidencies. We are looking forward to working with the new EU leadership to achieve that. We regret the fact that the UK is leaving the EU, but we need to preserve strong cooperation with the UK, most notably in the field of defence and security.
From your perspective, what are the biggest security challenges Europe is facing today? To what extent are smaller EU Member States, such as Slovenia, exposed to them?
The EU is facing unprecedented security challenges from multiple directions, mainly from the east and the south. In recent years we have witnessed the illegal annexation of the Crimea by Russia and instability and conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. Other security threats are also on the rise, from terrorism and hybrid and cyber security to climate change. Most of all, we are deeply concerned about the erosion of the international system that Europeans helped build. It is beyond doubt that multilateralism and the effectiveness of international organisations is on the decline, if not in crisis. The UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the EU and other organisations are best positioned to ensure a global order based on international law and respect for fundamental values, such as human rights. Competition among the great powers, a zero-sum approach and unilateralism are increasingly shaping the security environment of Europe. If this trend continues, smaller EU Member States, such as Slovenia, will be particularly vulnerable.
How do you assess the ability of Europe, and Slovenia, to manage migration?
Europe has already showed that it is capable of managing migration. Slovenia has seen close and efficient cooperation with the countries of the region during the 2015 migration crisis, when we managed to close the Western Balkans route. Following 2015, the EU has been seeking solutions and ways to define a comprehensive approach to migration. A lot has been done since and in 2018 the level of irregular arrivals to the EU were the lowest in 5 years. The EU has offered protection and support to millions of people, saved lives at sea and improved conditions and livelihoods. It has supported Member States on the external border in handling large numbers of arrivals and financed numerous projects across the EU to support the integration of refugees and other legally resident third-country nationals. It has worked with partners worldwide to address the root causes and to promote orderly migration management, including the readmission of migrants irregularly staying in the EU. I should stress that things are still moving and improving too slowly. Slovenia is cooperating closely with our neighbours to manage the migration pressure on our borders. We are showing solidarity with other Member States and the states of the Western Balkans by participating in relocation and voluntary resettlement schemes, and the deployment of police officers to the borders (North Macedonia, Serbia). Recently, Slovenia decided to accept migrants rescued by humanitarian ships in the Mediterranean. For Slovenia, the stabilisation of the situation on the Western Balkans migration route is crucial and it is determined to continue to support the countries along the Western Balkans route. There is also the Mediterranean route, which has too often been used to propagate populist anti-immigrant policies based on hostile messages directed towards people who are seeking a better life. We do reject all aggressive approaches, but are nevertheless also aware of the EU’s integration capacity.
What is your opinion on the EU’s position regarding Slovenian-Croatian relations, in relation to the border arbitration? What outcome do you expect?
After the Final Award was rendered by the Tribunal, the European Commission stated on several occasions that it expects both parties, Slovenia and Croatia, to implement the border arbitration agreement delivered on 19 June 2017. In 2017, the Vice President of the Commission, Mr Timmermans, even underlined that arbitration was one of the conditions required of Croatia in the enlargement process. Many EU Member States that highly value the rule of law have also called for the arbitration award to be respected. There is only one country – Croatia – that questions the validity of the award. Slovenia expects all EU Member States to embrace the values that the Union stands upon. As European Commission President Juncker rightly said in his state of the Union speech in September 2017, “Accepting and respecting a final judgement is what it means to be part of a Union based on the rule of law.” We should ask ourselves what would the consequences be if countries that are currently negotiating for membership in the EU forget about their commitments once they join the club.
You stated that you regretted that the EU had, yet again, postponed the decision on launching accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. How does this decision affect the atmosphere, security and stability of the Western Balkans?
The stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans is in Slovenia’s strategic and vital interests. Negative regional dynamics and a rise in populism and nationalism have an immediate effect on the security and stability not only of Slovenia, but of the entire EU. The lessons learned from the past are more than telling. In this context, Slovenia is one of the most active actors within the EU as regards promoting the positive effects of an efficient, dynamic, and result-oriented enlargement process between the Union and the Western Balkans region. We believe that there is no alternative for either the EU or the region. In the fall, the EU council needs to give a green light to North Macedonia and Albania to start the negotiation process with the EU.
What are Slovenia’s goals when it comes to economic diplomacy?
Economic diplomacy is one of the more important tasks of the Slovenian Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions. The Slovenian economy has become highly export-oriented, and internationalisation is therefore a vital aspect thereof. Many Slovenian businesses have already made a name for themselves in the international arena thanks to their know-how, innovations and competitiveness. Economic diplomacy helps businesses seek new markets and builds up contacts for foreign direct investment. One of the successful projects implemented during my tenure as Prime Minister is the Magna Paint Shop, as the initial proposals to erect the plant in Slovenia came through economic diplomacy channels and the Slovenian embassy in Berlin.
Trade relations with US, China and Russia
European – US trade relations are impressive and the numbers speak of the importance the US market has for EU companies and vice versa. There is more than a trillion euros in trade; the EU is the US’s largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. The US market is still growing also as regards Slovenian export statistics for 2018. This is one of the markets where we’ve seen a surplus in the last five years. As Slovenia is present in some global value chains, any trade barriers due to polarisation can influence our exchange with third countries. China is becoming increasingly important in our foreign economic relations since our trade exchange has been growing in the last five years at an annual rate of 10%. Russia remains an important market for Slovenian exports of goods and services. The sanctions against Russia have affected our bilateral trade, but Slovenian companies still maintain strong business connections. This was demonstrated by the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, which was successfully held in Ljubljana in June 2019.